14th December 2020

UK deaths: 144. Current Market Harborough infections: 293. UP from last week: 67. A “new variant” of the coronavirus has been identified in the UK, believed to be causing the spread in the South East. I hope that this new strain won’t affect the efficacy of the vaccine!!!

The Newbold Verdons went to see Santa today (the real one, of course) while Charlotte took Harry on a very muddy walk. Meanwhile, Sue and I decorated our rather small Christmas tree. Charlotte quickly noticed that her favourite flower fairy wasn’t on top, so Sue rummaged through the loft and replaced the angel with the fairy, order restored!

The hot topic on the family Messenger group (for the entire day!) was an in-depth discussion on how best to cook meat for Christmas. Not Sue’s problem this year, as we’ll be dining out.

15th December 2020: UK deaths: 506. Current Market Harborough infections: 281. UP from last week: 80.

Last night’s weather forecast looked promising, so we planned a ramble. It turned out to be a perfect walking day, crisp and clear, ideal for stretching the legs.

I plotted a route starting from Church Langton, taking in the small villages of Stonton Wyville and Tur Langton. I spotted a couple of interesting features in the landscape and decided to devise a route that covered them. First was St. Ann’s Well and then King Charles’ Well.

We parked outside Church Langton School, a place familiar to Sue from her teaching years, though much has changed since then. Still, the sounds drifting from the classrooms and playground felt timeless.

Our walk began downhill, and at the point where the route veered off the metalled road onto open fields, we paused to explore St. Ann’s Well, nestled within a small, overgrown copse. The well was in a sorry state, barely resembling the image we had seen on the Megalithic website. The site’s history is unclear, but according to the website, it references a connection dating back to 720 AD, suggesting that an early Christian church was built near what was once the sacred well of Anu, now known as St. Ann’s Well. It’s intriguing to think about how places like this shift over time, once sacred, now almost forgotten, yet still holding whispers of the past.

Reaching Stonton Wyville at the base of the escarpment, we were pleased to track down and find three geocaches hidden in and around the village. The last one was a gravestone within the grounds of the tiny church of St. Denys.

Unfortunately, the church was locked, which was a disappointment; we had hoped to glimpse the ancient Brudenell family tomb inside. The monument, depicting husband and wife (both headless), is said to feature a relief of their children along its side. It would have been fascinating to see it up close, but for now, it remains another hidden piece of history behind closed doors.

Passing the stately old Manor house, our route meandered through a series of medieval fishponds, long since dried up, leaving nothing but their sunken outlines as a reminder of feasts past. From there, a gentle climb through rolling fields (and the occasional squelchy patch) led us to King Charles’s Well, reputedly a pit stop for the monarch during his campaigns. The well, dating from 1813, remains in fine condition. I tested its depth in the time-honoured fashion, by stepping in, and can confirm that it is, indeed, deeper than my wellies.

A little further on, amid ancient gravel pits and small ponds, we encountered a rustic-looking gentleman armed with a haversack of botanical pond gear. He had been checking on the local aquatic life and was more than happy to pause for a chat. With the air of a man passing down sacred knowledge, he confirmed that King Charles had once stopped here to water his horse before riding on to nearby Noseley Hall.

Sue and I have a personal connection to the hall, once owned by the Hazelrigg family, having known Arthur Hazelrigg and his wife, Shan. I played rugby alongside Arthur while Sue and Sarah visited the hall regularly for playdates with their children. The house, held by the family since the 15th century, has since been sold, but Arthur remains at the helm of the estate, no doubt keeping a watchful eye over its history, and possibly its wells, just in case another passing royal fancies a drink.

Leaving our well-informed botanist behind, we ambled on towards Tur Langton before looping back through the fields to Church Langton. The views on this stretch were spectacular, rolling countryside stretching towards Kibworth and Smeeton Westerby, bathed in the crisp winter light. From our vantage point, I noticed the Leicester to London railway line threading along the base of a distant hillside, surprisingly busy given the current lockdown restrictions. One could only speculate how many passengers were actually on board, perhaps just the train drivers enjoying a scenic tour of the Midlands.

Back home for a late lunch at 1 pm, we eyed the sunny afternoon with good intentions before promptly ignoring them. Fatigue trumped ambition, and instead of venturing out again, we embraced the noble art of loafing, Sue catching up on news from her laptop while I gave my weary legs a well-earned rest with a soundtrack of soothing music.

Meanwhile, for Charlotte, today marked the final working day of the year for her gardening business; winter has officially declared itself in charge!

16th December 2020: UK deaths: 612 Market Harborough infections: 226 (DOWN 149 from last week)

In other news, the grand effort to vaccinate the nation is set to cost the taxpayer a cool £11.7 billion, according to the public spending watchdog. Worth every penny, though, if it means an eventual return to life where a trip to the pub doesn’t feel like orchestrating a military operation.

The United States has now surpassed a grim milestone, 300,000 COVID-19-related deaths, with a staggering 3,350 recorded in a single day, the highest since the pandemic began. Over 16.3 million Americans have contracted the virus. Sobering numbers, to say the least.

Closer to home, my morning was far less dramatic. I spent some time burying composted leaves in the vegetable plot, nature’s way of recycling, and tackled the misbehaving PIR sensor over the front door, which had inconveniently lost its WiFi connection. One wonders how long before even our doorbells require software updates…

Sue and Bridget had planned to join a U3A ramble in Foxton this afternoon, but with the weather forecast threatening a deluge, they wisely cancelled just as they were about to leave. A good call, as within 15 minutes, the heavens duly opened and stayed that way for much of the afternoon. A small victory for common sense.

Meanwhile, Sarah and Charlotte had a Christmas present exchange in the morning before calling in to see us in the afternoon, bringing Alice and the dogs along for the ride. Charlotte was busy delivering Christmas cards to her clients in Harborough, and Sarah was en route home. A lovely (if brief) visit, but restrictions meant no lingering over cups of tea as we might have liked.

17th December 2020: UK deaths: 532 Market Harborough infections: 212 (DOWN 169 from last week)

Today, the government reviewed its Tier area allocations, and, no surprises here, Harborough remains firmly in Tier 3. This means our usual Christmas present-swapping excursions to Philippa (Devon) and Sheila (Worcestershire) are off the cards, as movement from T3 to T2 is “discouraged” (translation: “Don’t even think about it”).

To complicate things further, Philippa and Paul have now gone into isolation after their NHS COVID-19 app alerted them that they may have been exposed to the virus. They’re arranging tests, but one thing is certain: we won’t be seeing them before Christmas.

This morning, on the return leg of my bike ride, I had a fleeting encounter with Sue and her friend in Welland Park. They were striding purposefully into town on a mission to tackle the U3A Christmas Town Quiz, a festive tradition for her activity group. A fun way to round off the year, or so I thought.

Oddly enough, as I later cycled back through the park on my way to do some shopping, I bumped into Sue again, this time heading home. Competitive as ever, she was bitterly disappointed at having failed to crack six of the thirty clues. Clearly, second place is never an option!

That afternoon, she popped round to see Linda Keane, swapping presents and catching up. Sadly, it turns out Linda has recently suffered a suspected stroke, and understandably, she and Paddy are quite worried. Yet another reminder of what an awful year this has been.

18th December 2020: UK deaths: 489 Market Harborough infections: 233 (DOWN 147 from last week)

After a dreary, damp day, we spent the evening watching an old episode of Time Team, an archaeological dig from March 2013 near Stonton Wyville, where we had recently walked. A fascinating episode, as it was the first Anglo-Saxon settlement the team had excavated. Nothing like a bit of history to lift the spirits!

19th December 2020: UK deaths: 534 Market Harborough infections: 186 (DOWN 184 from last week)

And so, the Christmas spirit takes another hit. The southeast of England has been unceremoniously shoved into Tier 4, which, in real terms, means full lockdown from tomorrow. No mixing of households for Christmas, and for the rest of the country, the planned five-day easing of restrictions has been slashed to a single day. Dark days indeed.

Meanwhile, global COVID cases have surged past 75 million, and rumours swirl that Trump might lift the US travel ban before Christmas. Seriously? Surely not, Donald! In other (utterly unsurprising) news, the world’s ten richest people have collectively raked in an extra $400 billion (£296bn) during the pandemic. One can only hope they’ll use some of it for the greater good, though I won’t be holding my breath.

On the home front, Jim and Bridget popped round this morning to replace the battery on their car, which has been sitting on our driveway since June, practically a garden ornament at this point. Fortunately, Sue made a couple of shopping trips before the new lockdown bombshell was announced later in the afternoon.

Determined to plan for the future, I planted a row of broad beans in one of the raised beds, getting a head start on spring. Then I dug out the snapdragons from the flower border, ready to plant tulips tomorrow. It’s good to focus on things that will bloom in the months ahead.

20th December 2020: UK deaths: 326 Market Harborough infections: 165 (DOWN 211 from last week)

The government’s original five-day Christmas relaxation is now down to just one: Christmas Day itself. Meanwhile, much of Europe is slamming the doors on us. Italy and Austria have joined the Netherlands, Ireland, France, Germany, and Belgium in banning air travel from the UK due to fears over the new strain of coronavirus.

At this rate, Father Christmas might be the only international traveller making it in or out of Britain this December… 🎅✈️

A day of good news and good carbs!

Philippa and Paul got their COVID test results back, negative, which is a relief. Meanwhile, the COVID Research Group I’m part of invited me to take a test. Always up for a bit of scientific contribution, I did so in the afternoon. Now, it’s just a waiting game for the results.

Sue, ever the intrepid explorer, was off at the crack of dawn for another one of her rambles, this time with the Harborough Rambling group on a 7.5-mile circular trek around Medbourne. While she was merrily slogging through the mud of south Leicestershire, I took the far more civilised approach to outdoor activity: planting a border with tulip bulbs. Much less strenuous, much less muddy, and has significantly fewer stiles to climb.

Late morning brought an unexpected visitor and a bounty of baked goods. Jim turned up with a large box of assorted fresh bread, courtesy of his baker brother. It was a thank-you gift for letting him park his Honda 4×4 on our driveway for the past few months. A very kind gesture, and one that will see our freezer well-stocked for the foreseeable future.

All in all, a day of negatives in the right places and positives in the form of pastries!