Today I shall be Mainly...

[Wendyf]

I am not used to it! But this gardening is energetic stuff and playing havoc with my nails.

I'm breaking myself in gently. It has been bitterly cold here today despite the lovely sunshine with an easterly wind blowing quite strongly. I retreated to the poly tunnel this afternoon where I've been yanking loads of chickweed out of the wet, woodchip paths between the raised beds. Yesterday I planted garlic, onion sets and broad beans in there but it's too cold to do much outside.

[Sue]

I shan’t be planting, only flowers. We may not be here for cropping

[Stanley]

David "A bad back after gardening could be more than an inconvenience at the moment so I'll give it a miss." is my excuse for not clearing the front garden out!
Wendy, it will be even colder in the sunshine today, feeling like -3C for most of the day and this evening.
Sue, just give a shout when it is necessary and I'll do my best.
I shall definitely be in the shed. I need a couple of things I forgot yesterday and will be veggie shopping in town later. I forgot clothes washing sachets and bleach yesterday. What is it they put in the air-conditioning that means instant memory loss as you walk in the door?

[Cathy]

Hold on, I’ll just read that again...
‘Stanley forgot the bleach!’

Couldn’t resist.

[Stanley]

Morning Cathy. Quite..... It shows how powerful the anti memory effect is!

[Sue]

I will Stanley but shall try first. it's a misty start to the day but should clear later. I managed to get the cover and weeds off the raised bed to reveal quite good soil underneath. Bob is going to use some of it to level the railway track so I won’t do any more for the time being. Today I shall have a walk round and prune what lower branches of trees I can manage, then it will be OK for Bob to use the small tractor with it's mower attachment to mow the orchard.

I made a bit of a flower bed round one of the ornamental trees in the main lawn and whilst shopping yesterday I had the opportunity to buy 3 packs of summer bulbs and dahlias. No one else was in the gardening section. So yesterday afternoon I planted up the new border. I am running out of gardening jobs at the moment but as soon as it rains next week there will be weeds to pull.

From what we heard on the news yesterday we could be here for months rather than weeks. We may be better off, but I still get surges of feeling very isolated. I worry about my girls and their jobs. Poor Eve,as well ,changes to High school in September and has missed all the fun of the last term at her-present school

Take care everyone

[Marilyn]

From what we heard on the news yesterday we could be here for months rather than weeks. We may be better off, but I still get surges of feeling very isolated. I worry about my girls and their jobs. Poor Eve,as well ,changes to High school in September and has missed all the fun of the last term at her-present school

i honestly think the truth is just beginning to trickle through as regard to time frame.
How lucky are we these days to have our iPads and facetime etc?
I can’t help but think the world will be slightly different after this virus. It has certainly brought out the worst of human nature.

[Wendyf]

The worst and the best Maz, there are people offering help everywhere. Focus on that and stay positive!

[Marilyn]

Can’t say I have seen much evidence of the best of human nature yet...

[plaques]

Swimming pool closed so took Mrs P up into Colne for a bit of shopping. She must have called in at nearly a dozen places. Reported back that it was all very civilized. Mind you I think the majority of shoppers were well past retirement age. The butchers were out of small chickens but chopped a larger one into two halves, one half for cooking the other for the freezer. And so it went on, all the small shops very helpful, the sort of personal service that you don't see at supermarkets. Called in the Samaritan's charity book shop and stocked up with over half dozen classic books. They are temporarily closing closing the outlet but still collecting books for their stock. Colne library closed for today through lack of staff. I have heard of some closing on a more permanent basis.

[Tizer]

Our library has closed until July - but it's a big place with areas for meetings and for teaching children, so it's not a surprise move.

How lucky are we these days to have our iPads and facetime etc?

We were thinking just the same. The younger generations may feel deprived by the lack of physical social contact but they've got all the modern means of communication to make up for it. Earlier in our lives we didn't even have a telephone in the house!

[Sue]

Can’t say I have seen much evidence of the best of human nature yet...

I am impressed with the french, at least where we are

[Sue]

I put the very same thing about ipads on facebook this morning. I have pruned the trees again, a short back and sides I think, but I am bored with that job now. Tomorrow I shall defrost the fridge freezer and sort through the other to see what we have got. Bob just got back from the Super market, shelves full,(except rice and pasta) shop empty. He got the biggest cauliflower I have ever seen, and Salmon, yes something different from chicken and sausage and pork.

[Stanley]

Trying to be as normal as possible. Funny thing is that my normality is dead in line with advice on how to deal with Covid19. Perhaps that's why I never get colds! (Don't forget the benefits of regular Cod Liver Oil)
My shed must be one of the safest places on the planet! Hostile environment for viruses and I always wear gloves.
I find talking to you lot on OG is the best therapy to start the day. As Maz said, thank god or tinternetwebthingy.
Later, after looking at the forecast for a cold sunny day I have put the bedding in the washer. Then there will be cooking. Standards are being maintained and life goes on.

[Sue]

I spend most of the time when not doing things, talking with friends on my ipad. I set up a group chat with my sister and brothers. One brother and my sister are by themselves. The brother is not well and I worry about him, though he probably doesn’t realise it. Last night we finished a 1500 piece jigsaw, started last summer. We have 5 jigsaws in a pile still to do.

Bob is planning on working on the railway track today, he has already prepared the land but it still needs levelling before he covers it. Its Sunday so we have the smallest joint of pork you have seen in your life, for our evening meal. We have the cauliflower and even a parsnip I believe I have rhubarb crumble lurking in the bottom of the freezer. As Stanley says, standards are being maintained.

Our weather has changed, its cool grey and dreary, far more normal for the time of year. On the BBC weather last night the clouds over Brittany were clear to see with the good weather sitting over the UK. Time for the indoor activities

[Stanley]

Sue, we are promised wall to wall sun today, the duvet covers will be out on the line inside 15 minutes. I have just come down from changing the covers, the worst job of the day is done! Gott sei dank!
Give Bob my regards, better a dull day if he is labouring on construction.
Next job after dealing with the washing is to build my veggie and chicken wing roast and get that going. The new oven is very efficient, heats up quickly and holds it so it only switches on briefly during the cooking.
Onward and upward!

[Sue]

Today I hopefully emailed our old french friend. When he moved house he had no internet and still didn’t have at the end of November. I emailed to wish him happy 90 th birthday. He replied, he says he is OK. Now we can keep in touch with him.

My niece has escaped London today ( where she lives) by train to Liverpool . She is going to stay with her Mum, my sister. It will do them both good. Jane lives by herself and is working from home. Emma is a self employed film producer, pop videos, training videos and the like, she can more or less work from anywhere but is not expecting much work in the foreseeable future. She was desperate to leave London and luckily the trains are still running.

[Stanley]

Lovely Sue. I just broke new ground and made a video call on Whatsapp to Susan in Earby who is on her own at the moment as Mick is in great demand and is working 12 hours a day. It worked fine and she said it had really cheered her up seeing me looking so well. Isn't modern technology great!
All my jobs done, just going to get the roast wings out of the oven, they look good enough to eat!
Can't understand the people who are getting their knickers in a twist about getting bored during self isolation. There is so much I don't understand about the younger generation!

[Sue]

I have to admit to a bit of boredom at the moment, not for lack of things to do, but same old same old every day.

Fridge freezer defrosted and cleaned out now I can turn it back on and tomorrow sprt the other one.

Here are a couple of photos for you Stanley

D1F88FAE-F0C5-47B2-8BF1-4DEACFBE79CE.jpeg

27917195-A14B-40A0-9F18-9C5350BA442E.jpeg

[Sue]

Wrong way round again,

CF0D0BF2-3540-4508-B678-2E961A45291E.jpeg

[Wendyf]

We have just got back from a 6 mile walk round the Barden reservoirs, it was glorious up there and plenty room to keep a good distance from other walkers. Lots of people out and about in the area, walking, running and cycling.

[Tizer]

Have a look at the photo taken at Whitstable in this BBC report. A bit difficult to keep away from folk there! LINK

[Big Kev]

Walked to Sainsbury's this afternoon to pick up some milk and 300 toilet rolls, I was impressed with the 'social distancing' when walking there and back as well as in the shop. Fortunately we're not all surrounded by idiots who can't grasp the concept...

[Sue]

I wish we could go out for a long walk. We are allowed 1-2 miles by yourself, only and have to carry a permit.

[Big Kev]

Tomorrow I will be mainly weeding the front yard. It's raised 2m above the street so I can maintain social distancing.