Bottle Brush

My bottle brush shrub didn't flower last year, probably as I moved it, so it's nice to see it flowering again. G and I walked into town this morning to visit the new 'Makers Market' to be held every Sunday in July and August. It was tucked away in courtyards so it felt a bit too hemmed in for holding during a pandemic and even though we wore masks, no-one else did.  

I watched an interesting documentary on Arthur Ashe this afternoon, who I just about remember winning Wimbledon, and they talked about the terrible racism he faced. They mentioned Althea Gibson and I read online that she was the first Black champion at Wimbledon in 1957 (successfully defended in 1958) and was presented the trophy by the Queen - she said 'Shaking hands with the Queen of England was a long way from being forced to sit in the colored section of the bus'. I just seems so unbelievable to me that that was what it was like. 

Day 112 / Day 104 of Lockdown / Day 2 of Step 3 (for my record only)
UK deaths up 22 to 44,220 (lower no's Sun & Mon). Deaths in Mexico pass 30,000. A new global daily rise in virus cases of 122,326. There are significant concerns about the employment practices within clothing factories in Leicester (in local lockdown). As expected, whilst most people behaved ok in the pubs, some did not and social distancing went out the window. Some pubs closed early, and the chairman of the Police Federation for England and Wales said that it was 'crystal clear that drunk people can't / won't socially distance.' Devon and Cornwall police received 1,000 related calls. NHS England launches a new online service for people with ongoing health problems after having Covid.