under another sun

So the first Monday of the year, and Lorraine went back to school, having done her best with her team to make the school as safe as humanly possible. Felt extremely concerned about her having to do this, when it was so clearly nonsensical. Even the dogs in the street could see closing schools would have to happen, but not those in Downing Street who rewarded the virus with another golden day of infection opportunities.  At 8pm Johnson announced a new national lockdown, and closed all the schools. Sunday's quote from Johnson on the Andrew Marr show: 'Schools are safe', was now (with no new data) that they were too unsafe to remain open. They will of course remain open for key workers children, so about 40% of the children at L's school will still be there.  For Lorraine this meant she had worked through the weekend like a dog on plans that were toast in a few hours.  Then she had to start again this evening after the PM's speech at 8 having to phone the chair of gove...

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...

Insubstantial bits and pieces of work coming my way, and spent much of the day waiting for work to arrive, and when it did it was in paltry amounts -- so what I can bill for today is minimal.  I wandered out for a couple of walks in Blakers Park. The government is a shambles at the moment. Even the right wing press are calling for the dead of Dominic Cummings. But it stays resolutely on his shoulders for without him, Johnson is an empty sock puppet. Expecting this shower to lead us out of the coronavirus crisis with any efficiency is like asking a dog to sing Wagner. In better news, they are clear in Guernsey now. In the afternoon I risked a longer walk, listening to Carrying the Fire , which has patches of being really fascinating. He is prepared to be vulnerable too, talking about how claustrophobic and freaked out space suits made him feel to begin with, but he couldn't talk to anyone about it for fear of being booted off the team.  Spoke to Mum today too. Salty i...

I can now close my jaw properly and hear through both ears without opening my mouth, both positive signs that my ear infection is beginning to clear up.  Phoned by Slug this morning with job for next week, which was music to my recovering ears. Nice to chat to him.  The prospect of some paid work a pleasing bit of luck. Fairly productive today, recording SYTV episodes... The end is in sight. I also had the plot for a short story pop into my head as I was walking today, and managed to get this jotted down. A rather beautiful day, fresh and sunny, and I felt my mood improving. I was not listening to anything, because of my ears, and actually this made it more enjoyable. I noticed people are not avoiding each other on the streets any more, and there were groups of teenagers cycling over the golf course and together in friend groups. Slug was telling me that in East London, where he goes cycling sometimes, the lockdown has been definitely weakened, and people are openly flouti...

My ear is feeling a tad better -- but a general air of gloom in Kenny Towers. Did some bits and pieces of Skelton recordings, hoovered the house from top to tail and washed the kitchen floor. Went out for a short stroll with Lorraine, who is understandably preoccupied with school business. Wrote a review of Jane's book for my other blog. More cheerfully, Lorraine, Beth and I played cards this evening, after eating a roast chicken. I made myself a dark and stormy having made the wonderful discovery of a bottle of dark Bacardi with a decent amount left in it to go with the ginger beer and lime juice.

Gorgeous weather today, Sunday. A chat with Mum early afternoon. I recorded part of tomorrow's Magnificent Grace episode, and then another walk up to the Hillfort. Lorraine coming with me part of the way after we took several pairs of shoes to the shoe recycling point. Walked up towards Hollingbury Hill with Lorraine, and then she doubled back, and I pressed on. Phoned First Matie as I went, and she is in a bit of a bad way, having had a diagnosis of arthritis, and in great pain with her neck and back, worse she has been given painkillers that leave her in zombie mode, disoriented and constantly sleeping. Some of our seeds are growing quite well. The small leaves, beetroots and radishes are going well. In our bathroom are dwarf beans too, which Brian has been chewing when he gets a chance. Also three tomato plants that germinated from seeds. Home after a long walk, and I lurked in the back garden, slaking my thirst with a beer or two. Home and Lorraine had cooked a really tas...

Spent Good Friday at home, along with most others. Fabulously lucky to have a garden to sit in, and the weather, unlike most bank holidays was glorious. I got up early and painted the front door. It had needed a second coat for about two years, and I finally got around to it. It is a sign of the times that I found this of burning urgency today. Also did laundry and a few other things in a morning frenzy of activity. A leisurely afternoon. I even had an afternoon nap. Beth busy making hot cross buns, and I sat in the back garden as Beth and Lorraine commenced a large jigsaw reading with a plastic orange bowl, the top closed with clingfilm watching the dough prove and expand like a living thing. The hot cross buns were great, and the first time I had ever eaten home made ones. I am reading The Happiness Trap , which Sarah Barnsley bought me. I have been reading it slowly and thoughtfully. It really is the most sensible book about taking care of your mental health I have read I thin...

Sunday, and the first properly warm day of the year. Lorraine and I spent much of it pottering about in the garden. Digging a tiny bed, and cutting a dead bit of a bush off and so on. I bought L a trug last year, and we filled it with compost, and planted seeds of little salad leaves, carrots, beetroots and broccoli. In assorted pots, we sowed peppers, dwarf beans, radishes and tomatoes. The brands, peppers and tomatoes have been brought indoors. Chatting to several neighbours. Caroline next door, Amy down at the end of the garden, and a tedious blowhard whose penis we often see as he stands naked by his window. Beth busy most of the day attending a virtual drama conference, for one of the stage schools she works with. Succumbed to a couple of rum and cokes on the terrace in the heat. Chatted to Anton, who is feeling the quietness now my Godbairns are with their mother. His work, which had been screamingly busy, is a bit quieter now. Indoors and ate a Sunday roast, and watched ...

Roast chicken tonight. A game of scrabble. Lorraine and I toddled around Blakers Park. Lorraine and Beth doing puzzles on the table. Chatted to Mum and Mas and tried to get delivery food for them. It's currently impossible to book a slot. Tried to sign Mason up as a high risk case but the categories for being high risk did not apply to him. Did some writing. Stayed in.

Slow progress today in Kenny Towers. Lorraine working from home, which was nice. Chats and messaging with folks, including Mum.  Feeling a frustrated with what I was doing by the late afternoon, I went for a short walk and took the opportunity to pop into the off licence to buy four cans of lager from the empty off license. The owner disinfecting things when I arrived, and served me with blue latex gloves. Sadly the finger tip had come through one of them. The idea of drinking beer in the sunshine seemed suddenly be exactly the thing a right thinking person like myself should be doing. So I scurried outside into garden and drank lager. Soon to be joined by Betty and Lorraine. A holiday mood descended on us temporarily in the warm afternoon sunshine. The four cans were used up fairly soon so Lorraine popped out for a few more. Soon however the sun dipped towards the horizon, it was had got too cold. It is only March after all. After sundown and dinner we went in and played Tri...

For me a pretty good day. I am managing to feel burst of positivity. I began work on Skelton Yawngrave TV, a YouTube channel coming soon and chatted to Beth about this too. Went for a gorgeous walk up to Hollingbury Hillfort, crossing the road to avoid people on the way there. Still a few blithe golfers up there. The best day of the year so far, I was even able to sit outside and do some work in the corner by the kitchen, which is a sun trap, and protected from the wind which is still cool and coming from the east. This evening the lockdown was deepened. But as far as I was concerned, it changed little here in Kenny Towers. Tomorrow Lorraine has to go to work, Beth goes off to look after Tilly, the daughter of an NHS worker, and I stay at my desk and am permitted a government permitted exercise walk. Was phoned by Valérie, now relocated to a country location in the middle of France, having escaped the prospect of a lockdown with a son and partner in a small Paris apartment for some...