8^th November 2020
After testing positive for coronavirus, 156 people have died in the UK. There are 408 active cases in the Harborough area, up 36 from last week. The UK has banned all lorry drivers, flights, and ships from Denmark after a mutant coronavirus outbreak at mink fur farms.

Today in the UK is Remembrance Sunday, often called Armistice Day, marking the date when Germany signed the surrender during WW1, thus saving many lives. Coincidentally, Jared Kushner reportedly approached Trump about conceding the US election, but Donald didn’t have the grace to comply.

Autumn chestnut picking has been a family tradition since the children were very small, and despite Covid-19, this year has been no exception. Keeping to the rules of lockdown, the Rothwells harvested their hoard early in the morning at our secret location in nearby Foxton. The Desboroughs started their collection later in the morning, and I accompanied them, travelling in separate cars and foraging under separate trees; we adhered to the rules. Of course, the rules meant the Newbold Verdons could not travel such a distance, so sadly, Sarah and family have been spared the flatulent side effects of hot chestnut consumption!

9^th  November 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, 194 people have died in the UK. There are 378 active cases in the Harborough area, down 72 from last week. Today, Boris Johnson discussed Pfizer’s work on a novel coronavirus vaccine (data suggests it is 90 per cent effective), saying that the UK has secured a large proportion of its doses.

Despite being a few degrees warmer than of late, the day was a miserable affair, not one to inspire stretching one’s legs on a short ramble. But alas, we did. Our torment began in the fields outside North Kilworth. With increasing amounts of mud being sucked onto our footwear from freshly ploughed or harrowed acreage, energy levels soon dropped. The ground was sodden, the scenery uninteresting, and the frequent showers annoying. We saw no one, not even the usual hardy walker with mutt in tow. It was as if the rest of the planet had succumbed to the virus. Not even the sight of an odd car speeding along a distant country lane could cheer our mood. I think zombies can drive, can’t they?

Memorable point one: Slogging across a field of freshly sown grass where the soil was heavily impregnated with shredded plastic of all types. Earlier this year, a farmer near Harborough had been fined tens of thousands of pounds for such a disgraceful act and had to employ a dozen pickers over several months to remove it. I think the grass here is an attempt by this farmer to hide this toxic waste from the authorities.

Memorable point two: Our path took us mostly through empty fields and past two vacant farms, so it was mildly interesting to walk through the grounds of the nearly impressive Snowdon Lodge. At least it briefly steered our conversation away from weather, water, and weariness.

Memorable point three: A sheep with rabbit ears (how ridiculous can you get?).

Upon returning to the car, parked outside the village pub (aggravatingly shut by lockdown), we both agreed it had been a horrible 3.33 miles and wouldn’t be repeated.

I spent the rest of the day configuring four security cameras that the postman had delivered that morning while we were “enjoying” ourselves tramping the swamps of south Leicestershire.

10^th November 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, 532 people have died in the UK. There are 399 active cases in the Harborough area, down 69 from last week. The total number of people who have died in the UK within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test is 49,770 since the start of the pandemic.

Today, Sue and Bridget met for coffee in Welland Park; appropriately, they kept to lockdown rules and sat outside, suitably distanced. I spent my time fixing one of the new outdoor cameras to the front of the garage and testing it.

11^th November 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, 595 people have died in the UK. There are 605 active cases in the Harborough area, up 164 from last week. The number of lives lost to Covid-19 in the UK has now passed 50,000.

Alice exploring.

Yesterday, I developed a sore rash on the left side of my chest, and later in the evening, it had spread to my shoulder blade. This morning, I called the surgery for an appointment, and the doctor returned the call during the afternoon. He diagnosed shingles and, after I sent a couple of photos of the rash by SMS, confirmed his diagnosis and prescribed Aciclovir and Amitriptyline for the soreness. There may not yet be a remedy for coronavirus, but thankfully, there is for this chickenpox virus. The statistics quoted at the beginning of each day’s blog demonstrate how little I have to complain about, especially considering the plight of so many unfortunates.

Today I installed another security camera, this one mounted above the front door.

Lucas will be out of school for a while; one of the boys in his science class has tested positive for COVID-19.

12^th November 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, 411 people have died in the UK. There are 553 active cases in the Harborough area, up 104 from last week.

I woke this morning to another email from the Covid Symptom clinical study run by King’s College London, inviting me to take another test. No doubt my reporting of shingles triggered the response. At 10 a.m. I drove to the test centre in Harborough and took a self-test. Now we wait.

The last of the outdoor cameras overlooking the garden was installed. This one involved drilling a hole through the bedroom wall to connect to a main power socket and a trip to Homebase to purchase a small tower connection box to join the cables. The system is now up and running and hopefully a strong visual deterrent to would-be burglars.

During the afternoon, I FaceTimed Mark Keane in Florida, and I was testing an iPad that his father had managed to “confuse”. Mark was at work but spared the time for a chat. It seemed we were having better weather in the UK; Florida was being hit by the remnants of a hurricane.

Sue met Doreen in the park and, kind as ever, she was keen to pass on some Aloe Vera cream for my rash.

We usually roast chestnuts in a special basket bought for the purpose many years ago, but this year we tried using a copper skillet with a lid, which turned out to be quite effective.

13^th November 2020 (FRIDAY 13th): After testing positive for coronavirus, 376 people have died in the UK. There are 553 active cases in the Harborough area, down 38 from last week. The R-rate for Covid-19 has dropped to between 1 and 1.2 across the UK.

My day was taken up replacing the light in the front porch with an LED sensor light and installing 128GB SD cards into the new cameras as video backups. Sue managed a shopping trip to Fosters with Charlotte. Jamie dropped by in the afternoon to pick up four new tyres for his Audi R8 that had been delivered. I hadn’t realised how big the rear ones were in comparison to the front, no wonder it is so fast!

We had our first Christmas card delivered today!

14^th November 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, 462 people have died in the UK. There are 468 active cases in the Harborough area, up 47 from last week.

Trump continues to refuse to live in the real world beyond the 18th tee and will not acknowledge the result of the presidential election. He knows that without the immunity of the presidency, he will be facing the consequences of his misdeeds. When Dr Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease doctor in the US, said today that it has been months since Trump attended a White House Coronavirus Task Force meeting, he deserved no sympathy from the American public.

15^th November 2020: After testing positive for coronavirus, 168 people have died in the UK. There are 626 active cases in the Harborough area, up 218 from last week.

The Newbold Verdons seem to have been infected by the “early-Christmas” virus and visited a festive garden centre.

Here at Willow Bank, we hunkered down on a chilly day, watching the world pass by through double-glazed windows next to a warm log fire. Bah, humbug—there are still 40 days ’til the guy in the red coat tests out our recently swept chimney!