Pas de deux

Here is another in my series of images of a local horse chestnut. The tree is about 1 mile from our house and it's a good place to stop during my daily exercise.

My plan was to walk early this morning, but poor Mum had a nose bleed which took over an hour to stop, so I didn't go out until after an early lunch. It was very cloudy and the atmosphere was muggy, but it was really another lovely day.

I met more people than usual today, about 6 lots.   We all observed social distancing with great care. 

A new iron arrived yesterday and I enjoyed using it today. It is "intelligent" and decides on the temperature to use all by itself. What next?!

The idea of the horse chestnut leaves and blossoms as dancers is not my own, but was used by my friend, Ally, for a Facebook entry. I was very taken with the idea.


My extra is a tiny flower that has blown from the tree. I think it is crab apple. The perfume from the blossoms was delicious.

Life in the time of Covid 19
I have been greatly exercised in thinking about how the facts are being presented to us. Yet again we watched the news briefing at 5pm. A lot of time is spent repeating the main messages. In amongst that are some facts. The death toll yesterday was nearly 1,000 in UK hospitals. 

It's grim, but I felt it was rather glossed over. The government has a difficult task: they want to keep our spirits up and encourage hope, whilst asking people to make sacrifices (some, very large ones).

I don't think that saying that the Prime Minister will recover because he is a strong and resilient person helps anyone, especially those whose loved ones have died. Did they not fight hard enough? Emily Maitlis was right to state that the virus is not "a great leveller" but hits the poor much harder. 

I watched Channel Four news and I felt they had the tone suitably serious.

On my walk, I learned that a local baker's shop is providing deliveries. More and more businesses are doing this. I suspect that my favourite supermarket, Aldi, will be doing less well because they don't deliver.
Next week we will receive a veg box and meat from the butcher in Haydon Bridge.

Mum's lovely occupational therapist phoned this morning to check on her. She told me that we would be eligible for a food parcel of essentials for the vulnerable. I declined because I thought there would be many others who would need this ahead of us. Later in the day I read that the council is finding it difficult to distribute the parcels because the elderly and vulnerable are refusing them. Oh dear. Something needs to be sorted out.

Mum now has a package of medication in case she catches the virus and is nursed at home. I can't imagine what it is costing to distribute these, but it is not insignificant.