As for lockdown. I suppose I don't mind it. It takes all the decision-making out of life other than what shall I have to eat today! But I know it's not healthy to have become quite so reclusive. Anxieties and mistrust persist perhaps disproportionately. And my previous routines have not returned. I avoid social media whereas at one point I would engage quite regularly. In my other blogging role as a book blogger it's actually crucial. I've done myself no favours at all. And sadly the world is a fickle place. You have to impose yourself if you want to remain in the mix. But its not something I'm good at. I'm uncomfortable with self promotion.
Physically lockdown has been good for me as I've mentioned in previous posts. And as far as routines go my walk has become part of that daily routine. One of the most enjoyable I hasten to add. If you told me this time last year that I could walk for 40/50 minutes without sitting down, without a stick and without needing painkillers I would have laughed at you!
So, I think I'm locked into lockdown. And I don't know if I can be unlocked! And I do wonder what it is doing to me or has already been done. I sense, to a degree, I'm institutionalised. In my own institution! And it's not an unpleasant institution. Like I said, lockdown has been good to me physically. I'm terrified of losing that. I don't want to go back to eating painkillers like sweeties and weighing up where I can sit, whether I should attempt a journey, blah blah blah, not to mention carrying a walking stick everywhere I go. Mines got dust and cobwebs on now! Is that a good enough reason to stay locked down? Am I more frightened of that then contracting the virus? In the isolation and loneliness? What is that doing to my mental state? What HAS it done to my mental state? How am I going to engage with people again?
I realised that I have created little markers on my walk, that I give affectionate names to, along the cliff route. I begin by heading for what I call the roundelay. It's a circular flowerbed circumvented by a cinder path. The next marker is the peacock tree. I call it that because it's the oak tree that looked like a golden peacock when the sun rose one morning and beamed a golden light that made the tree look as if it was in the middle of autumn. And then there is the Bermuda Triangle. That’s where paths from the east and the west converge to make a triangle, the apex of which takes you to the steps to go down to the station. I walk round the little triangle every day. More recently, the Covid snake that is growing on a daily basis. (147 paces, actually,I think I mean steps, today) Then there is the shelter. It’s one of those traditional rectangular roofed and partitioned shelters that you get in seaside places, but it’s up on the cliffs for people to sit and rest. Next there is the Holocaust tree. A couple of years ago, on Holocaust Memorial day, my town planted a tree with a plaque to commemorate the tragedy. Continuing onwards is the magic tree. That's because the trunk seems to be cleft in two and it offers one of those deep crevasses in the bark where you could hide something if you wanted to, or it's a portal to another land where the fairies, the elves and the gnomes live. Next the 'triangulay' ! That's like the roundelay except it's a triangular patch of grass bordered with the cinder path. Onward to the traffic lights where I have to negotiate the most major junction on my walk. This used to be where I turned around and came back. When I started to increase my walk I crossed over these traffic lights and set up a new series of markers to make sure that I was extending my walk on a regular basis. So first up there is a tree stump. I used to go as far as the tree stump walk round it and return. Next it was the cherry tree. Then a bench. Then one wild bed full of grasses and wildflowers. There's two of them. There is another flowerbed. The final marker, which was my ultimate goal, is the view to the castle and the end of the road. Beyond it are fields. You can see the ruins of a Norman castle in the distance. There is a public footpath to the castle which you can access if you go down the cliffs to the station.. I used to go there quite a lot when I was younger, it’s a lovely walk. You have to be careful though because there’s lots of snakes there in the summer, adders. Here is the photo I promised yesterday.
I'll have to think of new ways to extend my walk. I'm thinking of trying to add some steps into the mix. It might help train and condition my body if I ever decide to emerge from lockdown. All along the route there are various flights of steps to take you down from the cliffs to the road that leads down to the station I'll look for the shortest flight to begin with and see how I manage. But it will be a week or two before I do that. I’m already a little fearful In my view in haste to reach the summit I wasn’t as gradual as I’ve been up to now. I struggled a bit today. But hopefully my body will get used to it and I will be even stronger.
Interesting that as this weather heats up people are coming out earlier. There was an increase in the number of joggers this morning and it reminded me of the early days of social distancing and lockdown. Total disregard for anyone but themselves. Performing elaborate stretches on paths, blocking the way. Refusing to move. Funny. They must’ve got through the whole of lockdown without adjusting or compromising their attitude at all.
Today’s government briefing announces that there will be major lockdown easing on the 4th of July. Part of me is filled with dread. The two meter rule is eased. It is now is 1 m plus. Two households in England will be able to meet indoors and stay overnight with social distancing. Good luck with that one. Pubs, bars and restaurants but only with the tableservice indoors will be able to reopen. Hotels, holiday apartments, campsites, caravan parks but shared facilities must be cleaned properly. Theatres and music halls but they won’t be allowed to hold live performances. Weddings can have 30 attendees and places of worship will be allowed to hold services but singing will be banned.Hair salons and barbers will be able to reopen but must put protective measures, such as visors, in place. Libraries, community centres and bingo halls. Cinemas, museums and galleries. Funfairs, theme parks, adventure parks, amusement arcades, skating rinks and modern villages. Indoor attractions where animals are exhibited, such as zoos, aquariums, farms, Safari parks and wildlife centres.
Second wave here we come!
Is that unreasonably cynical of me? I’ve also read in today’s news that a tennis tournament arranged by Novak Djokovic has seen no less than four of its players test positive for the virus after the event. If that doesn’t show you how quickly this thing spreads I don’t know what does.
I know that one of the main reasons for the lockdown was to ease the pressure on the NHS. With current figures the NHS is coping so I can see why lockdown is easing. But my instinct is telling me it’s not over yet.
Here endeth my 100th blog post.
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