17th August 2020

With the death rate now hovering close to the baseline of the pandemic curve and the production of an effective vaccine likely within six months or less, are we witnessing the beginning of the end for COVID-19?

The Spanish Flu of 1918 tore through the world in several waves, eventually claiming between 20 and 50 million lives. We are fortunate that the coronavirus has a much lower fatality rate, though that is also its weakness. Vaccination campaigns have nearly eradicated diseases such as diphtheria, bacterial influenza, measles, mumps, polio, rubella, and tetanus in countries with effective immunisation programmes. These illnesses persist only in nations too poor to mount a similar offensive.

While the majority of those infected with COVID-19 experience mild or no symptoms, a significant number suffer long-term or even life-changing effects. World leaders must recognise that this is a challenge for all of humanity, simple as that. Otherwise, we are doomed.

18th August 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, 12 people have died in the UK.

Sue took Ellis and Lucas to East Carlton Park for a treasure hunt, while I dug up the last row of potatoes and cut back the ivy around the garage and house before the forecasted heavy showers arrived.

Jamie and Ruth visited in the evening. Ruth has a promotion interview tomorrow and wanted me to review her preparation and discuss interview techniques. She is well-prepared and should have no trouble demonstrating that she is more than capable of the role. Due to current restrictions, the interview will take place over Zoom. It truly is a changing world.

19th August 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, 16 people have died in the UK.

A lawsuit filed in a federal court in Maryland accuses Louis DeJoy of “weaponising the United States Postal Service to disenfranchise Americans who choose to vote by mail.” DeJoy, a major donor to Donald Trump and appointed as Postmaster General in May, has implemented sweeping changes to working practices, including the removal of mail processing machines and a ban on overtime, which have caused severe delays in mail delivery. Yet another example of Trump’s anti-democratic, authoritarian manoeuvres to cling to power and evade the near-certain jail sentence that would follow his defeat.

20th August 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, six people have died in the UK.

Holidaymakers returning from Croatia, Austria, and Trinidad & Tobago will now be required to self-isolate for 14 days, while Portugal has finally been removed from the list.

21st August 2020:  After testing positive for coronavirus, 16 people have died in the UK.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy stated there was “no intention” to return the mail sorting machines that had been removed in recent weeks, despite reports that at least 671 machines were taken out, particularly in key voting states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, and Georgia. While insisting that the machines were “not needed,” he simultaneously claimed to support vote-by-mail efforts amid the pandemic. A blatant and shameless attempt to disenfranchise American voters.

On a brighter note, Sue’s little Suzuki Alto sailed through its MOT with flying colours! No advisories! Great joy indeed.

22nd August 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, 18 people have died in the UK.

On May 10th, Charlotte, Jamie, and Sarah had planned to treat Sue to a special Mother’s Day tea party at a venue in Rothwell. They had already paid for the experience, but lockdown put everything on hold. Today, after much rearranging, they finally had their celebration. However, due to ongoing restrictions, the venue couldn’t host them, so they collected the carefully prepared food and relocated to Charlotte’s kitchen. The original plan was to dine in the garden, but frequent showers forced them indoors.

Meanwhile, back at Willow Bank, I sat with my self-made cheese and tomato sandwiches, watching in envy as photos of their banquet began appearing in our family Messenger group.

In the afternoon, Jim Hankers came to watch the Tigers v Bath game on TV with me. It was another dismal defeat, with the Tigers’ coaching squad seemingly deciding it was a good idea to make 13 changes from the last match and ‘blood’ the club’s youngsters against a team of battle-hardened professionals, who had no trouble putting the ‘babies’ to the sword. With no paying crowd in the stands to voice their frustration, demanding that their ticket money entitled them to see the strongest possible team competing for victory, the coaches appeared to have written off the remainder of this unnatural season. However, we fans are still here and still want to see the Tigers make an effort to win a game.

Late in the evening, Jamie and Ruth drove to Wolverhampton for a ghost hunt at Graisley Old Hall. Using apps (hi-tech ghosts?), they wandered through the rooms, listening out for spooks until the early hours of the morning. The only update on Messenger was that they had both been ‘touched’ by a ghost!

23rd August 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, six people have died in the UK.

Today is Susan’s birthday. She chose to celebrate early by heading to Saddington car boot sale at 6 am in search of that elusive castaway item that could make her, or us, a fortune. She didn’t open her cards and presents until she returned at 9:30 am.

As an extra treat, I booked lunch at the Red Lion in Welham, and at 1 pm we joined a surprisingly large number of other diners. Given the government’s half-price meal scheme running from Monday to Wednesday, I had expected Sundays to be fairly quiet with full-price menus. I was wrong, there was even a large group of ramblers who followed us into the pub.

During a very wet and miserable afternoon, while Sue had a catnap, I visited Jim and Bridget to install a couple of Wi-Fi PIRs that Jim had purchased. I linked them to their mobiles and set them up with the Google Home app.

Unfortunately, the social club where my friends and I have played pool on Thursday nights for the past couple of decades has had to close. Like many other establishments, it shut its doors in March, and COVID-19 has now sealed its fate. A sad end to another era.

Late in the evening, Charlotte sent the family a fascinating link about Rothwell Church. Most of us have toured the bone crypt beneath it.

24th August 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, four people have died in the UK.

A very pleasant late summer day. Sue set off in her car at 8:30 am to first drive to Rothwell to pick up Ellis, then head back to Harborough to collect Doreen before continuing to Tropical Birdland in Desford. They had a great time feeding the various species of parrots and other exotic birds on display. Sue and I had visited a couple of years ago, and she had been keen to take the boys. Unfortunately for Lucas, he’s now back at school, so Sue took the opportunity to give her friend Doreen a much-needed outing after months of isolation.

They enjoyed a packed lunch at the sanctuary before moving on to see Sarah and Alice in Newbold Verdon. Their visit was brief before they returned to Harborough.

Meanwhile, I spent the day with our no-so-exotic three-legged cat, Millie and cleared out one side of the greenhouse, replacing the tomatoes with Cape gooseberry plants.

25th August 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, 15 people have died in the UK.

A miserable, blustery day as Storm Francis battered us with gusts of up to 45mph, toppling garden chairs and tearing the protective cover off the dining room awning. It was definitely a day for staying indoors.

However, before the worst of the wind arrived, we had a visitor. A few weeks ago, we had agreed that Jim could store his car on our driveway when it finally arrived from Cyprus. Until they complete alterations to their house and garden, there isn’t enough space to park alongside their Fiat Panda.

Jim arrived early, and we chatted for about an hour before the transporter pulled up with his Honda 4×4. After transferring the items stored inside the vehicle into the Panda, leaving the Honda, he set off home, just as the driving rain and howling wind began to take hold.

I spent the rest of the day mooching around, copying video files for Sarah and Charlotte, while waiting for the England v Pakistan Test match to get underway on the radio. Annoyingly, after a long delay for rain, play finally resumed at 3:30 pm.

I was eager to hear James Anderson claim his 600th Test wicket, becoming the first fast bowler in history to reach this milestone. He achieved it when Pakistan’s Azhar Ali was caught in the slips, but, frustratingly, the long wait had dulled my senses. With weary eyes, I had dozed off at the critical moment! Damn you, Storm Francis!

26th August 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, 16 more people have died in the UK.

It was announced today that secondary school pupils in local lockdown areas of England must wear face coverings in school corridors.

As a member of the COVID-19 Symptom Research group, I received an email this morning inviting me to take another test. Unlike my previous one, this invitation was extended to anyone living in the same household. Though neither of us suspected we were infected, we went online and booked a postal test. The testing pack should arrive tomorrow.

 

27th August 2020:

After testing positive for coronavirus, 12 more people have died in the UK. Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Jamaica are to be removed from the UK’s travel corridor list, meaning arrivals from those countries will now have to quarantine for two weeks.

In the morning, Sue took Ellis, Lucas, and Harry to Irchester Country Park. They returned early in the afternoon, just before the rain arrived again to spoil the day. Meanwhile, I spent time sourcing and ordering a large quantity of shiplap cladding to replace the wood on the garage, having spotted signs of woodworm.

Our COVID-19 test kits arrived by special delivery at 6 pm. We didn’t get around to taking the tests until 8 pm, as the process involved registering online, and, like all government websites, it was frustratingly tricky to navigate. With swabs scraped across tonsils, shoved up nostrils, and safely sealed in biohazard bags, we assembled the two cardboard boxes to send them off to the test centre. A quick walk up the road to the priority post box, and they were on their way. Now, we wait.

28th August 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, 10 more people have died in the UK. However, for the first time in six weeks, the number of new cases has declined.

On a very rainy evening, we invited Jim and Bridget over for drinks, nibbles, and a good chat.

 

29th August 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, 12 more people have died in the UK.

Thousands of anti-lockdown protesters gathered in central London today, claiming coronavirus is a “hoax.” The “Unite For Freedom” march began in Trafalgar Square at noon, with demonstrators calling for “no more lockdowns,” “no to vaccinations,” and “no to government lies.” Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people assembled at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, protesting against vaccinations, face masks, and the German government in general.

Every nation has its muttonheads. Some believe the world is flat, that the moon landings were faked, or that the Loch Ness monster is real. Society mostly tolerates them, regarding them as misguided or eccentric. However, as of today, 844,656 people have been registered worldwide as having died from COVID-19, with 25,092,338 confirmed cases. These are not insignificant numbers.

Do these people not heed the pleas of those caring for the infected? Are they blind to the anguish of grieving families? Are they heartless, or just plain stupid?

A wet and dismal day saw Sue and Doreen visiting Charlotte for coffee and a chat, while I tackled the garage, clearing out the detritus that had accumulated over the past few months.

Meanwhile, Sarah, Lee, and Alice visited Cosby for the Cosby Yarn Bomb Festival. Many villages hold scarecrow festivals, but Cosby does things differently; its residents take up their knitting needles and get creative.

30th August 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, one person has died in the UK. All passengers on a flight from Zante to Cardiff have been ordered to self-isolate following seven confirmed cases of coronavirus on board.

The photo shows the Rothwells preparing their Sunday lunch after an energetic morning walk with Harry. Ellis looks very proud of the Yorkshire puddings he made entirely on his own.

31st August 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, two people have died in the UK.

The Rothwells dropped Harry off early this morning as they were having a family day in Leicester. While I took Harry for a long walk through the fields between Harborough and Lubenham, they visited the Treetop Adventure Crazy Golf Centre. Afterwards, they explored the Leicester Museum and its special Lego exhibition.

After lunch, I drove to Desborough to see if I could fix Jamie’s ceiling lights. There was a fault in the ring circuit. I discovered the earth lead was live, but after a couple of hours trying to rectify the problem, I gave up and advised him to contact a qualified electrician.

I returned to Harborough with Joey, who had expressed a wish to pick some of the sweetcorn I had grown. I was keen for him to take as much as possible, as I have far more than I need this year. He managed to pick half a large sack full.

When I arrived at Willow Bank, I found both Sarah and Charlotte’s families sitting in the lounge. They were going out for an Indian meal with Jamie, Ruth, and Joey later that evening. Being ultra-cautious, Sue and I had opted not to join them. It’s such a shame, but these are not normal times, and we haven’t yet received the results of our recent COVID-19 test. From the photo and their reports, they had a great time, and as it was the last day of the Government scheme, they only had to pay half the bill.

Late in the evening, Sue and I received notification of our COVID-19 test results; we are both virus-free!