Tuesday 17 March 2020

March 16th 2020: Coronavirus Day 2

Day two of our social isolation.  

We got up late.  I wonder if that will become a feature of our closed in life?  After the usual chores and admin., we deep cleaned the utility room!   It was really satisfying to take everything off the shelves, the surfaces and the floor and give it a good going over!  Our very nice cleaner has gone off to visit her family in Poland.  Poland has now closed its borders and we're not clear if she will be able to get back to the UK.  Our plan is to do one room each day!

Had a long telephone call with a neighbour, Kate, with much discussion about what we should and should not be doing.   We decided that when the weather permits we should get together (at a distance) in each other's gardens.  

Lunch was a healthy salad with butter beans, red onion, tomato, cucumber, red pepper, lettuce, tuna and garlic with a balsamic dressing.  

After much deliberation I decided to accept an invitation to tea with a friend in the next street.  We sat a safe distance apart and the virus was a hot topic, but not the only one.   We also talked about our shared veg. plot and the seeds to be planted for this year.   When I got back I dug out some courgette seeds and will start them off tomorrow.

Quite some time today was taken up with a debate about walking in a group.  It was suggested by one of our regular walking group and there was considerable enthusiasm.  That is until the news this evening.  The prime minister, for once with a straight face and no gags, announced new measures to control the spread of the virus.

"Everybody in the UK has been asked to stop non-essential contact with other people and avoid all unnecessary travel. This is known as social distancing."

We got a video clip of granddaughter Etty trying out cucumber today and a sad string of messages from her mum Laura who is not looking forward to life at home with a baby and no clubs, outings etc.  We are all going to have to work hard at adjusting.   I've started by cancelling my meeting with a friend, Miriam, for coffee and replacing it with a Skype call.   Tomorrow I'll try and set up book club on Skype.  

Lovely sunny day today.  Soon we'll get out the garden chairs and tables so that we can sit in the garden and enjoy the sun and fresh air as much as possible.   

Also, made an orange cake!  

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