Day Forty Four - Tree Felling and Testing

The house at the back of me has inherited a glorious oak tree. It was originally in the garden of one property but when that property was up for sale, these 'rear' neighbours as I'll call them, bought the place and added the bulk of the garden to their own. Today they decided to 'maintain' the oak tree. That  appeared to involve employing the services of some cowboys to hack the tree into a most unoaklike shape traumatising the wildlife and possibly causing some avian nest desertion. 'Trimming', I use the term loosely,  an oak in spring also increases its chance of falling prey to disease - oak wilt - so ecologically it's been a bad day. The equivalent of covid-19 for the oak tree I shouldn't wonder.

It was raining when I left the house this morning. But I stubbornly continued. OCD is thicker than water. It eased considerably as I got into my stride. I was earlier than usual and there were more people in spite of the wet!! That all helped to make me feel less of a freak for walking in the rain! I was deliberately earlier because it's Wednesday and my veg delivery arrives shortly after 6. I don't like it being out there unattended for too long. Just in case anyone gets the bright idea of stealing it. Of course today it was a different driver and it was much later than 6! I needn't have worried.

My sister had an update about Auntie Pat from my cousin and forwarded it to me.

'The latest on Pat is that she is being nursed in bed and is still frail but does not have symptoms so that sounds cautiously hopeful. I don't think she would be able to answer her phone yet.'

I must take heart that there does not appear to be any deterioration. 

In the news today I find that I am now eligible to get tested for coronavirus. But surely that is only if I have symptoms? Over-65s and those who need to leave their homes for work will be able to get tested. Also Germany's infection rate is climbing again. Interesting they are citing one of the reasons being Germans chafing against the lockdown and compliance with social distancing slipping. And I think that is exactly what is happening here. I wouldn't be surprised to hear our infection rates start to climb again. 

Last night I had a sore throat. Uncanny given that I had been to the shops for the first time in six weeks. Psychosomatic? It was gone by the morning. I think it might have been because I didn't swallow my blood pressure pill cleanly. It got stuck. It might have started to dissolve in my throat. I can't think of any other reason. 

There is going to be a suspension of postal deliveries on Saturdays due to coronavirus. It's to ease the burden on the posties. Because of social distancing rules the nature of the work has had to change and there are some off sick and self isolating due to the virus. They'll still collect mail and deliver parcels and specials delivery items though. I think it's fair enough. Like the refuse guys they are under-praised key workers during this pandemic. 

Forty four days! Who would have thought it. I didn't think I'd maintain anything every day for this long. I thought it would dwindle down to a few times a week, then a couple of times a week then once a week maybe!! I've less readers than I did have. But that's okay because I'm not doing it to get followers and readers. I don't always trust my memory so it's good to have everything written down. I also want to have something to look back on and refer to in  the future no matter how things turn out. I still wonder whether this has changed me? Not intrinsically, I don't think, I'm still me, but I'm definitely more reclusive. More anxious about being near other people. Wonder what a psychologist would make of it?