17th June 2021

On March 20th, 2020, I began a detailed record of what I thought would be a significant world event, with a blog titled ‘Surviving Coronavirus’. At the time, I didn’t imagine the pandemic would stretch on for as long as it did. I documented family and world events every few days, titling them ‘Living in Lockdown’ and numbering each entry sequentially. The news kept coming, and the blogs reached number 41 by July 4th, 2020.

As the world started to settle into what we all came to know as the ‘new normal’, I shifted to reporting on a weekly basis. While the virus is far from over, humanity has found ways to deal with it. There is a sense of reassurance in knowing that solutions are being pursued. However, as anticipated, it is the poor and disadvantaged who have borne the brunt of this crisis. Today, countries like the UK, along with other wealthy and technologically advanced nations, have managed to reach a point where the virus is treated with the utmost seriousness, and citizens have adjusted to living with some restrictions.

We, in these fortunate nations, have seen fewer deaths in comparison to places like India, Brazil, and Mexico. For this, we are lucky. As I reflect on what has transpired, I feel that it’s time to return the format of this ‘Family Blog’ to its original purpose, a record of significant events and experiences of the Palmer family.

The previous 90 blogs served more than one purpose. In addition to being a reflection of current events, they allowed me to personally make sense of the overwhelming and tragic situation. Writing them became my form of therapy, a way to cope with the depressing news and the suffocating effect of restrictions on daily life. As many have endured heartbreaking losses, others have suffered from the relentless cascade of frightening statistics or the bizarre and unsettling reality caused by COVID-19. These blogs were my outlet, and I feel that I no longer need them as frequently. The world has begun to move forward, and so, too, will I.

With the easing of restrictions, the family has been able to meet up more frequently and broaden their horizons with a bit of travel within the UK. It all began on May 23rd with Sarah’s birthday, celebrated with a Sunday lunch at the Dovecote in Narborough.

The next couple of days were busy and somewhat anxious for Ruth, who was completing her Chartered Surveyor’s qualification with a final exam. Due to COVID-19, the questions were sent to her, and she was given 24 hours to answer them online. As with her course essays, Ruth passed her answers to me beforehand to check for any misspellings or errors. Although I didn’t fully understand the content of her responses, her reasoning seemed sound, so we are hopeful that she has done well.

Lucas and Ellis have different academic patterns, which often creates challenges for Charlotte and Suraj. Thankfully, that will change in the coming year when they both attend the same school. On May 24th, Charlotte had some quality one-on-one time with Lucas on a day out to Drayton Manor Park, although she did admit to getting wet and feeling quite sick on some of the rides. I can definitely relate to that feeling!

On May 26th, Sue and Bridget enjoyed a U3A ramble around North Kilworth. The dreadful, cold weather of the previous months had given way to much drier and sunnier conditions, and this pleasant weather has continued since.

 

 

 

 

 

Things got decidedly busier at Willow Bank on May 29th when Rocky and Nala arrived for the weekend, shortly followed by Mia, who would stay for the week. Jamie and Ruth were spending the weekend in London, while Sarah, Lee, and Alice had booked a cottage in the Cotswolds. That afternoon, I discovered that the three dogs shared my passion for rugby, as they diligently sat with me on the sofa, watching enthralled as the Tigers beat Worcester Warriors. It was a week of early morning wake-ups, long dog walks, and three pairs of eyes following every morsel I ate, all backed up with plenty of canine cuddles. I do enjoy their company; their wagging tails always let you know they’re pleased to see you.

From their base in the Cotswolds, near Cirencester, Sarah and her family had a lovely time exploring many of the area’s attractions. Upon returning home at the end of their stay on June 2nd, they celebrated Alice’s first birthday. How quickly time flies! As a special treat, they visited the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham. On the same day, Sue joined her U3A Nature group for a humid and exhausting morning visit to Wilbarston, which led her to cancel her planned afternoon ramble from Lubenham.

The following evening, I attended a garden party at Sean’s. This new format is set to replace our long-standing pool evenings at the now-closed Catholic Club (a casualty of Covid). It was lovely to meet old friends and catch up on news, and, of course, with so many wise heads in attendance, we put the world’s wrongs to rights.

The following day, much to the family’s surprise, Jamie received his first Pfizer vaccination. He has a deep fear of injections, so it was a worry that he might not go through with it. However, after much cajoling from the family and with Ruth and Joey by his side, he managed to suppress his fears and go ahead. That evening at Willow Bank, we and our neighbours were treated to a rather disturbed evening as our resident Muntjac barked out its call for a mate in the field across the river.

With Ellis on holiday, Charlotte seized the opportunity for some one-on-one time and took him to the Aqua Park at Rutland Water. She ended the day feeling very sore and wet!

The family gathered in Newbold Verdon on the 6th of June to celebrate Alice’s Covid-restricted birthday party. With many friends, neighbours, and Lee’s family also in attendance, the party was split into two sessions to stay within the legal regulations (no more than 30 guests outdoors). Despite the scorching heat, a marquee and several shady parasols in the garden helped keep everyone cool. The Palmer clan attended the morning session, and we brought Doreen, a family friend, along with us. Afterwards, we returned Doreen home, while Jamie, Ruth, and Joey headed off to Tamworth for a snowboarding session.

On the 7th of June, I caught the bus to Leicester for a scan on my left eye to check how well the injection had worked. Unlike previous appointments, I had to wait over an hour for what turned out to be a 30-second scan. However, I count myself very lucky, as many people requiring far more urgent treatment aren’t even getting appointments. I now await a doctor’s assessment of the scan to decide on the next steps, but I can already see that it has had a positive effect, and for that I’m truly grateful.

The rest of that week was a busy one for Sue, with a string of rambles and nature outings. On a lovely, warm Thursday evening, I hosted a garden party for friends. I laid on cheeses, pork pies, and homemade pickled onions as nibbles, along with a quiz of number one music hits from the 1970s for a bit of nostalgic fun. Frankly, the G7 Summit taking place in Cornwall that same evening would have benefited greatly from joining us. We had no trouble solving the world’s problems, and they missed out on my pickled onions. Their loss!

That same morning, Sue had a brilliant time visiting Titchmarsh Nature Reserve at the Thrapston gravel pits, where she enjoyed the abundant wildlife and the peaceful surroundings.

On the 11th of June, Sarah travelled to Cleethorpes with her friends Chloe and Abbie. They had a great time on their annual ‘girlie weekend’, even managing to paddleboard, and not drowning!

The following day, on the 12th of June, I joined Charlotte, Suraj and Ellis at the Conflict Paintball Activity Centre in Grendon. We spent around three hours charging through various attack and defence scenarios in the woods beside the lake. Charlotte and I were on the Red Team, while Suraj and Ellis joined the Blue. I got hit twice, one of those was ‘friendly fire’! It was Ellis’s first time, and like me, he thought it was great fun.

Jamie has sold his R8, and the family is now wondering what he’ll replace it with. Ruth and Joey recently spent a week at nearby Waterloo Lakes in the caravan she’s been renovating herself. I popped over to visit them when I had Mia for the day, and afterwards, they came back to Willow Bank for sandwiches and a game of pétanque in the garden with Sue and me.

It’s traditional for us to travel up to North Wales on the 16th of June to visit Caergwrle Castle, where I scattered my mother’s ashes on her birthday. This year, as Charlotte and Sarah were unable to join us, Sue and I made the journey on our own, travelling up on the 14th.

We began with a picnic at the castle, followed by a short ramble around the grounds before heading into the village for a wander. While admiring a pair of goats, we struck up a conversation with a local gentleman who, rather amusingly, tried to sell them to us. As we chatted further, it turned out he knew my Welsh relatives well, and to our surprise, we discovered we’d even attended school together in Abermorddu! Before we left, he very kindly gave Sue four fresh eggs for her breakfast. Later that day, we visited our friends Noel and Gay in Mold and passed the eggs on to them.

That evening, after checking in at the Holt Lodge Hotel, we enjoyed a meal at The Hare in nearby Farndon, followed by a pleasant stroll around the ruins of Holt Castle.

During the two lockdowns, I embarked on researching my mother’s family tree and have managed to trace it back to 1495. On this trip, I planned to share this genealogy with my mother’s two sisters, Josie and Doreen, and take them to visit the home of one of our ancestors, Charles Parsonage (1797-1868), and his wife, Harriet.

The following morning, I picked up the two sisters and took them to Bryn Villa near Isacoed. Harriet had moved there after her husband’s death, likely seeking a more manageable home after living at Lower Hall with Charles. The current occupant of the villa, despite just returning from the hospital with his wife, was incredibly helpful. He shared a couple of photos of the original building and kindly gave us a tour of the grounds, even showing us his prize onions.

Not far down the lane stood Lower Hall itself, an imposing building with extensive grounds, once an important landmark in the area.

When we arrived at Bryn Villa, the current owner was standing in the driveway, chatting with a worker who was cutting down a tree that had become a problem. She turned out to be a lovely lady, very friendly and helpful. She took the time to share what she knew about the history of the building and even provided me with some relevant old documentation. After a lengthy and insightful conversation, we left and headed towards Holt.

At the Cleopatra Bistro, I treated my aunts to a lovely lunch, followed by a drink at the Hollybush on our way back to Caergwrle. It was such an enjoyable and informative trip. That evening, Sue and I opted to dine in the hotel, as we were too tired to venture out and find a restaurant in post-lockdown Wales.

After breakfast, we set off on a gentle 3-mile ramble from the hotel, which took us through some picturesque Denbighshire farmland. Upon our return, we drove to St. Andrew’s Church in Holt, where we searched the churchyard in vain for a headstone bearing the name Parsonage. Undeterred, we moved on to St. Paul’s Church in Isacoed, where we had more success, finding several headstones with the family name. Once again, we struck up a lengthy conversation with a local lady, who kindly promised to send us a list of all the graveyard’s occupants for my research. The people in this area are so welcoming and helpful. With all our objectives (and more) fulfilled, we began the long drive back to Harborough.

Rather worryingly, while Harborough had remained relatively unaffected by the rising number of infections in the country over the past few weeks, the trend has taken a sharp turn upwards in the last couple of days.

A study published today highlights that the coronavirus pandemic is growing “exponentially,” with the virus primarily spreading among younger age groups who have not yet been vaccinated.