Halloween

Halloween. Offensive weather this morning. The news buzzing with rumours of a English lockdown next week. We set off to see Mum and Mas, and at one point even considered turning back as the motorway just north of Brighton. The wind was very strong, the road surface running with water, the air full of spray and rain.  Stressful driving for Lorraine, and the rain causing delays on the M25 so we were delayed. Mum and Mas in a little corner by the fire away from everyone, and we joined them for lunch and a couple of drinks. Lovely to see them. Mas rather sleepy after eating and in the warm, and not getting on particularly with his hearing aids.  Food better today, and the pints of Guinness I drank were nice. Lorraine enjoyed chatting with Mum and Mas. Mum saying about trying on her auntie Kay's clothes when she was a kid and they all lived in Ridge Road. Soon after we had arrived, I was sent a photo from Toby of him and Romy. I sent him ones back of us, which was nice.

In contrast, the journey home was fast, miraculously the sun had come out shortly before we left the Waggon and Horses, and the motorway were no longer running with water. Fond farewells with Mum and Mas. It's hard not knowing when you will be able to see folks again.

Johnson had no choice other than to announce the forthcoming lockdown (another humiliating U-turn for him, having ridiculed Starmer for suggesting the government follow SAGE, their own advisers, for a shorter and earlier lockdown, a few weeks ago, that would have saved lives and may have had less impact on business, and taken advantage of half-term too). Lorraine and I watched this live on TV this evening.

Arrived home as a huge full moon was rising in the east, and the odd little halloweeny child shepherded about with a parent. They seem to go only to other children's houses.  

Lovely email from Joan on Deviation Road. A pretty good place to hunker down. 

Below: Toby and Romy. Their hat game is strong in this one; Mas smiling for the camera and Lorraine smiling at Mas smiling for the camera; Mum; me looking mad-eyed with things growing out of my head; general motorway nastiness; and while waiting outside the shop for bread I took a photo of its sign for posterity. One day all this will be gone.