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THE COVIDIARIES - Day 5 - Saturday 21st March 2020

Writer: CMLCCMLC
May 2, 20205 min read

You ladies are absolute gems. I have just looked at facebook and you have written loads. Thank you so much.

Spent this morning wooding the small branches in our lumber pile and tomorrow we get the log splitter out and get going on the thick ones.


Patrick has a new battery-run chain saw so is like a pig in shit and has a happy smiley face, nothing like boys’ toys for our chaps. I took to heart Jenny’s wonderful message ; “to plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.. . .Gardening is an optimistic activity especially at the moment. Seed, sowing, propagation, growing. . gives us hope, this week-end the sun is shining so go and sow some seeds or do the planting or just sit and listen to the birds.” Beautiful and already our little gardening page is born with Maggi asking for tips.


Knowing that we were not going to Hexham I was able to get my seeds going a month early and this morning there was a speck of green in the seed tray. You do need a nuclear fission microscope to see them but I know they are there. Karen’s husband is digging up the whole of their garden to make a veg. patch. If like us you have a plague of rabbits do not forget to wire it. That was one our coronavirus jobs last week.

Anyone else lost enthusiasm for doing anything!!! Struggling to get on and do things! “Need to get a new routine!” says Estelle. “Yeap,” replies Kim. “Still in my dressing gown” ripostes Maria. Tracy and Beth went for a run, the Scotts are planning a garden workout and Estelle is now thinking of a group exercise class on Instow Beach. Sue sits in our category of being high risk and doomed, one alto and a concert pianist (Patrick) less is fine but one accompanist less is disastrous – so you WILL be fine Sue and by the way the quiz was great fun; as you say positive thinking.


Shona has it sussed, “We spent all morning in our pjs watching a docu-film about the Austrian downhill ski race, The Streif (we all enjoyed it - on Amazon if you’ve a spare 1.5hrs) Thought we’d better get outside so Eleanor & I have just cleaned out & rearranged the guinea pig hutch & run and have done a bit of gardening. Not really sure what I’m doing, just pulling out the dead looking bits and cutting away the brambles (better ask Jenny, our ‘go’ to gardener). Rachel S and Emma have found it really motivating to get lots of admin done. Rachel S is still getting up really early to get as much done as possible. “The best bit is that I can do it all in my slippers and don't need to dress for going out! As a teacher, I'm also enjoying going to the loo when I want!” Do not go too often, or as Estelle warns, you might run out of loo paper.

My daughter, Bridget, is madly lesson planning, for although West Buckland has closed, she has to teach on-line. So guess what I am now having do? Cook school lunches for dot on 12.40hrs. Not a minute before otherwise the grandchildren, who are senior school, will not have finished their on-line lessons, and she has to be back teaching at 13.05hrs because she is junior school. So for West Buckland (oh my god the concert pianist has just started up. Sue I really do not think I can cope with the Can Can anymore) it is lessons as normal and even the games staff are organising workouts. The whole of upstairs is being reorganised as a classroom.

Loads of comments on shopping, with advice that John Patts will deliver veg and there is stuff at Besshill Farm and gardening stuff at St. John’s. I have just ordered gluten free cake and scones from Ann’s cafe Charlies and Riverside are doing excellent take away posh meals.

Our thoughts are with Jane S, “Weird day for me today, as I said goodbye to my stepdad from 500 miles apart, I decided earlier this week that it was not a good move to be travelling to Scotland to see my mum who’s recovering from a hip op 2 1/2 weeks ago and go to David’s funeral ... A hard decision, but as the weeks gone on totally the right one! Mum is fine, and we will all miss David’s kind personality and wit! Tomorrow I celebrate the life of Sholto who most of you know my relationship with him by now..it’s the 17th anniversary of his death ... still feel weepy as I think of him.... taken sooo young.... and as I write the gyms are now closed... what will I do with Peter under my feet all day now! my life is gonna need this choir at the end of all this... stay strong my friends ... big loves XX ❤


How is your son Jane? Please, Jo, keep smiling, you are the one that cheers us all up and makes us laugh. This is how Jo feels.


“Hi all hope u all continue to be in good health

I still have my dad here with me which is soon nice tbh

It was a strange day for me Judd finished year 6 in a way I hadn't anticipated not just because of the whole "school closure thing but the realisation that actually my last baby had completed primary school. I was expecting Judd to be sad and emotional...but no he was great ...." I have all my friends on Instagram mummy so ill be fine" he said. I on the other hand was an emotional wreck. I'm not sure if it was the fact that he should be having his celebration disco and photos. Or the fact that he should have had a few more months with his friends or if I was just feeling sad for myself....the end of am era for me....a school run less....a child no longer in pray school...Whatever the reason its been a really emotional day .”...


A little snippet of good news and a salutary one. We in North Devon are apparently two to three weeks behind London on coronavirus, which is giving the medical staff and hospital a valuable breathing space to prepare. So, please, keep washing your hands and social isolating so as to give North Devon its best chance. Let us set an example to the rest of the country – just a shame we have to deal with all the second home owners, who have all suddenly remembered their holiday homes in the countryside and who up until now have been filling our pubs. Aargh!


Other good news my computer skills are improving and I am now able to get up facebook alongside a word document, without asking he who knows everything and Farmer Dibble (yes, we really do call him that) has just let his cows out into the fields after their winter incarceration.


My sister sent me this for anyone who might need it. Not as clear as it was in the email because the colours have disappeared.

The kids should see this - https://thekidshouldseethis.com/

National Geographic Kids - https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/

Prodigy Maths Games - https://www.prodigygame.com/

 
 
 

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