Day Twenty Five - Garden Walls, Bank Holiday Blues and Laura Marling

I was shocked this morning as I heard the voice of my next door neighbour's son from their back garden. He is one of those people with a particularly loud voice so you can always hear him and he holds forth on a number of issues and I am word perfect on many of his definitive opinions. But the reason I was shocked is because he doesn't live with them and he shouldn't have been there. Plus he must have gone through the house to get to the back garden. His mum has not long had replacement hip surgery and his stepfather has a comprised immune system following his recovery from multiple myeloma. Interestingly his daughters both visit and talk from the driveway while he remains at the front door, social distancing observed. It also drew my attention to an hitherto unrealised fact. If I sit up on my patio just outside the back door as I am prone to and they sit on their patio outside their kitchen window as they are prone to do we are not six feet apart! There is just a brick wall between us. So I have to make sure I sit somewhere else now.

I went walking today. I say walking, it was more strolling as my deranged spine continues to thwart me. I even took some painkillers today. I've tried hard to avoid them during this crisis as I was worried I would struggle to get hold of any. They aren't prescription. I have Tramadol but they make me loopy so I won't take them. I'd rather put up with the pain. So I use paracetamol or ibuprofen. But I prefer to try and manage pain naturally. I take turmeric, I eat loads of ginger, cherries and pineapple - all supposed to be natural anti inflammatories. But apart from some laundry it's been another unproductive day, practically speaking. However I've finished one book and I'm a hundred pages into another. Reading I mean. I haven't finished writing one, more's the pity.  I've drafted a couple of poems and now I'm writing this blog post!

It's curious. With this lockdown normal life has been suspended so you'd think that weekends, even Bank Holidays might slip by unnoticed. But without any prompting or any specific marker I woke up this morning feeling like it was Saturday. I have often done that on Good Friday. I used to put it down to the fact that I wasn't at work. Clearly that is not the reason! I've been retired a few years now. I don't enjoy weekends or Bank Holidays much these days. I get sad. I get lonely. I was really down this morning tearful even. I exchanged a few text messages with my sis and then I phoned my NHS friend.  We were on the phone for three quarters of an hour and that cheered me up. My sister sent me a silly video where she had a chick shower cap on, a face mask and protective goggles, and she was washing her hands and wishing me Happy Easter. I had told her it didn't feel much like Easter. Then I found she had gifted me the new Laura Marling album! Perfect example of a day getting better.

I listened to the album in my garden on my iPod. With headphones. It drowned out the Radio Four programme that one of my neighbours thoughtfully decided to share with the 'hood. Ungrateful bitch that I am I didn't actually want to listen to it at that moment. My neighbours are very generous with their summer sounds. Several of them have decided that we all love to hear their dogs barking. And during this lockdown when everyone is home and outside enjoying the beautiful weather are treated to the cacophonous, strident sounds of various breeds of canine.

No change to the lockdown protocols although there were warnings to stay at home this Bank Holiday. Not very strong warning, I fear. I haven't dared look to see whether the situation has improved on last weekends disgraceful flouting of the lockdown. But a quick glance at the headlines do fill me with fear. 'Schools could reopen within weeks' and Young people 'should be the first to be released from the lockdown'. However I have not had the inclination to explore those stories any further as I don't think I will like what I read. I am fearful that this country will not find the backbone and self discipline to make this lockdown work. I fear, too, that the government, who I believe still nurture the herd immunity theory, will capitulate too easily in an effort to assuage the financial issues. Don't get me wrong I'm not unaware that the economic impact of this crisis is immense, far reaching and has dreadful implications. But........ we're looking at even more deaths if we can't stem the tide. I am wondering how other countries are managing this? It's a global pandemic after all. But are other countries ending their lockdowns 'early'?

I haven't badmouthed the joggers for a bit have I? I've had no need but my friend sent me a clip from a guy in Wales who said, 'I was walking down the road when this jogger came straight past me. He didn't observe the two metre rule and spat on the floor. I was livid. I said, ' Are you stupid?' He turns around and gives me the middle finger. ' I conclude - it isn't just me!!

In other news I got a Sainsbury's shopping slot! Oh yes! I rule!