March 17th 2020: Coronavirus Day 3

Just a point of clarification...it isn't actually day 3 of the pandemic...just day 3 of us biting the bullet and self isolating.   Of course, that's been overtaken by national events and now everyone is socially distancing.  Some silly man on TV news last night, downing his pint at the pub, said he was still going to go out!  I wonder how long it will be before police are on the streets sending people home as they have been doing in Italy?

Here are the headlines today.

Guardian online 17th March 2020

Our day started with a bang!  Literally!  I was lying in bed, slowly coming to the surface when there was an enormous crash from downstairs.  Cautiously we crept down, expecting to find a burglar with a broken neck or a tree through the window.  No, it was a picture cord that had given up the ghost.  It lay face down on the carpet, amazingly with glass intact.   We retired back to bed with a restorative cup of tea and wondered..,was that a metaphor?

It's only 8.47 and already I've been exchanging lots of emails with friends in the walking group. We've realised that we can't walk as a group but they are a lovely bunch and so I'm encouraging everyone to get on Skype so that we can meet virtually on our usual walking morning.  Am also trying to set up a book club Skype group so we can talk about the book on book club day.  Sadly, we won't be able to eat cake together!

Etty and banana! 

Pearl in the park

Laura is sending us lots of pictures of Etty who has just started on solids!  They are making us very happy!   

What is not making me happy is that the online grocery sites have crashed!  I just managed to get a slot for a Waitrose delivery and was about to start filling my 'trolley' when it disappeared.  No doubt when it comes back on the slot with have gone! (It had!)

It's 10.25 am and I still haven't had any breakfast.  Too much tapping on the laptop!

It's good to see that Pearl is still getting out to the park.  We had a WhatsApp video call with her today and she did some fancy dancing for us!

Our neighbours, both doctors (and now working from home) and younger than most in the street, have started a What'sApp group and offered to help with shopping and essential errands.  It's a great idea. With two doctors, a nurse, a health visitor and a virologist on the street we should be OK!  We all signed up to the WhatsApp group and I gave the doctors some of the addresses they had missed.

So, my day got off to a slow start but I managed to begin cleaning the kitchen.  Two shelves and a dresser have now been cleared, dusted and re-organised.  I decided to clear out a couple of cookery books I don't use and some of my less successful pots from the pottery class.   I put them in a box and left the box at the bottom of the road with a sign 'Help yourself'.   I shall be curious to see if any have been taken. 

Saxlingham Nethergate

After lunch we drove to Saxlingham Nethergate, not far outside Norwich and took a walk which lasted 2 hours.  It was a beautiful day, warmish and the countryside was empty apart from about 3 dog walkers to whom we gave a wide berth. The planned walk was longer than I thought so we cut back along a lane to rejoin this lovely sandy path before re-entering the churchyard for a sit-down!

Graveyard

Back home we treated ourselves to tea and orange cake and had a surprise Skype call with Abe and Saul. 

Had a telephone conversation  this evening with Ros with whom I share a cleaner.  We decided between us that it wouldn't be right for her to continue to clean for us as the advice is not to let people in to your house.  We watched the news tonight.  Rather gloomy both at home and abroad and continued to be amazed at the number of people who don't seem to be taking this seriously.

So far have managed to get three of the book club signed up to Skype!