As I said yesterday, we have wallpaper and we have paint, so we couldn’t really delay applying it to the bedroom walls and ceiling any longer. At this point I should say that I do not like decorating. I’m not sure why. I think a bit of it is the mess, and confusion that goes with it. A bit of it is that I don’t think that I am very good at it and can see all the mistakes that I made. Possibly a bit of it is that I don’t really like things changing around me.
After the ceiling collapsed we didn’t have a lot of choice. I suppose we could have boarded the door up and forgot about it. The ceiling and the walls above the picture rail are now painted in “White Mist”. It is, as the name sort of implies, a very pale shade of grey. It does look good, and is a great improvement on broken plaster. Tomorrow we tackle the wood work, and hopefully on Monday get round to papering the walls. Then all we have to do is paint the walls, choose a carpet, get the carpet fitted, and move all the furniture back in.
After that we decided that a take-away was in order. What we would really have liked to have done was walked round the corner to Chennai Dosa, our local Sri Lankan restaurant. It is probably more like a café than a restaurant. A bit like this place. The food is good and it is cheap, a starter, a main and a Cobra for each of us, and the bill is usually not much over £20.
But we couldn’t, so we did the next best thing which was to have the food delivered. The food was good, as it it always is, but the quantities were enormous compared to the restaurant meals. We ordered a vegetarian thali each, one would have been enough for both of us.
May Day has always been a day for festivities and frolics. In Scotland and Ireland it was Beltane, the beginning of the summer, when cattle and sheep were led up to the hills, to their summer pastures. Various ceremonies and rituals were performed to ensure their safety. Something similar still survives in Switzerland and Austria.
In England, the festivities traditionally centred around the Maypole and crowning the Queen of May. Both traditions were frowned upon by the Puritans in c17th. Many village maypoles were cut down at that time.
In modern day Britain we have invented a new folk dance, “The Physically Distanced Queuing Shuffle”. It is very simple to learn. In the approved version you do not take your partner. You line up in the car park of a supermarket the regulation two metres apart, ideally with a trolley. On the signal of the security guard everyone (except those who have become engrossed with something on their phone) start to shuffle forward, until the security guard says stop. At some point one person will make the traditional call to the phonees “Oi mate wake up the queue’s moving”. Upon hearing this the phonee will immediately run forward to their proper position in the queue. The dance then repeats until you have entered the shop.
The Physically Distanced Queueing Shuffle
Inside the shop a different dance takes place. It is less formal. The best way to describe it would be a chaotic gavotte, where everyone dances around each other, trying, but failing to remain two metres apart. Between them they could replace maypole dancing and Morris dancing on May Day.
Bedroom
Things are progressing. We have wallpaper, we have paint, we need to apply it to the walls, and we will be finished. More or less, unless we change our minds.
We spent most of the afternoon in B&Q buying the stuff. Not a lot of fun. I do however approve of what we had for supper. Charlie Birgam’s meals are not particularly cheap, but they are very good. I thought the lasagne we had tonight was excellent.
I might be running out of things to write about. Today seemed pretty much like yesterday, except it didn’t rain (as much). Work is still strange. I’m sort of getting used to not having anyone around, but today’s first inspection in an office building that normally has around five hundred people, now reduced to a couple of security guards, and a facilities engineer, felt very strange. It does have the advantage of there being no one to get in the way. They are not a shipping company, an underwater infrastructure builder, would describe them better. They had some good models of their ships on display.
Seven Artic — a pipe laying vessel
Bedroom
The plaster on the ceiling has dried and the ceiling has been painted, white for the time being, until we change / make up our minds.
Other News
Our Prime Minister’s girlfriend (fiancé?) has produced a child. Probably the first time that a Prime Minister has fathered an acknowledged out-wedlock child. Possibly he didn’t have much choice this time.
The official UK Covid-19 death toll has increased by 4,419 after the government included deaths outside hospital for the first time. As of 5pm on Tuesday, total of 26,097 patients had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK, according to Public Health England.
Guardian Website
This is considered a success by our government.
Day 38 Thursday 30th April
The 30th of April was just another day, until four years ago. Four years ago it became the day that Grace died. My life has changed a lot in the last four years. It has gone from a feeling of complete and utter desolation, and not knowing what I wanted from my life. If I even wanted my life to carry on, to today when I can look forward to a future with Diane.
We went to visit Grace’s grave and leave some flowers, purple lisianthus, because Grace always liked them. There were a few tears from both of us, but we have each other now, and, especially at this time that means a lot.
I am thankful, that this pandemic was not happening four years ago. It would have been absolutely horrendous if Grace had needed to spend the last weeks of her life without being able to see her family and her friends for the last time. Anyone who finds themselves in that situation today has my complete sympathy.
I have decided it was time to change the header image, so I have a new picture of the Covid-19 virus for you all.
Tuesday so it was back to work, It was almost like a normal day. I got up when the alarm went off, showered, made my breakfast, came upstairs to log on, and found that the computer system wasn’t working properly. This time it was the server, rather than my laptop that was playing up. The server has always (for the past twenty-five years — it is the same one we have always had) been a temperamental beast. I think with this lockdown and the need to be two metres apart at all times, it is getting lonely. This latest temper tantrum is a cry for help. Twenty-five-year-olds should really be over having tantrums, but hey. At least it doesn’t stop me reporting, just uploading the reports to the server.
It was also wet, cold, and generally miserable. A very normal day. It did mean that there was no need for a trip to the allotment today. We would only have gone up to water the plants, but the rain did that for us.
Football
On the way to and from work I listened to the Nine Years Podcast discussing what to do about the season. Should it just be declared null and void? Or should it be officially ended and winners and losers be declared, on either the current positions, or an average points per game basis? Should we try to find a way to play the remaining fixtures behind closed doors if necessary? The solution for the Premier League may need to be different to the solution for the EFL.
According to @AndyhHolt, the Accrington Stanley chairman, playing behind closed doors will not work for League One clubs,
I want to know how we fund the behind closed doors end to this season, also how we operate next season if crowds are still not allowed.
There is also an additional problem for League One, what ever happens. We started the season one team short because of what happened with Bury. We need to find a solution for that.
It is unclear as to when we will have football with fans in attendance again. My guess is August at the earliest. I think the best solution is just to pretend that this season never happened, and start again with the 2020-2021 season. I know that it is unfair to a lot of teams, but what ever is done will be unfair to someone. Also come August there may not be as many teams to consider. Without revenue, I fear that as many as fifteen EFL clubs may have gone the way of Bury.
Following a late breakfast it was time for a trip to the allotment. Beds needed to be opened up. Plants needed to be planted. Tea needed to be made and drunk. We set off just after twelve with our lunch and the plants. It was too early to have lunch, we had only just finished breakfast, so we decided to do some work. All went according to plan except that the runner beans turned out to be French beans. Not that I was complaining too much, I prefer French beans to runner beans. We also have peppers, chilli peppers, sweetcorn, courgettes, squash, butternut I think, but we will find out in due course.
In addition to all that, we have one lonely little cantaloupe melon plant. I read the care instructions, and concluded; a) the weather will have to be absolutely perfect; b) even if the weather is perfect it is a very difficult plant to grow in our climate. It really should be in a greenhouse. We have it under a poly-tunnel that Diane bought in Poundland. If we get any fruit off it, I will claim that it was all down to my brilliant gardening skills. Otherwise, it was Diane’s idea.
Our melon plant in its poly-tunnel.
Supper was the leftover Bolognese from Friday with some kidney beans and extra chilli added to make chilli con carne.
Day 35 Monday 27th April
The plaster has dried in the bedroom, so we have to think about getting it back to being a bedroom again. I mentioned a couple of days ago our local DIY mega-store has reopened. Word obviously has got out. On Saturday, when I headed over to my house, the cars were queued half-way up the A3 slip road.
We needed some paint, obviously, but we thought it would be a good opportunity to resite the electrical sockets. Diane’s cousin-in-law (is that an actual relationship) is a semi-retired electrician, and he said he would do it for us if we got the parts. Diane decided to get up early to beat the queue. She left about eight and arrived back about eight-thirty without paint. The queue was as bad as it was on Saturday.
We managed to get the electrical parts we needed at another shop, but probably paid about twice the price. We then went grocery shopping at Aldi.
The Dons Local Action Group (run by AFC Wimbledon fans) are co-ordinating collection and distribution of food parcels, and other help, to vulnerable people in the local area. They had a collection point set up in the car park at Aldi, so we bought a bit extra to give to them.
After lunch, I decided to brave the queue at B&Q. It wasn’t too bad. I managed to get the paint, a paint roller, carrot seeds and lettuce seeds and be back home in less than an hour.
Ready to roll…. see what I did there?
Mini rant about our now back at work Prime Minister
I am glad that Mr Johnson survived his encounter with Covid-19. I am not so glad that he is our Prime Minister. There is something about the faux sub-Churchillian persona and rhetoric that really gets my goat. Even now after almost dying of the disease, I really don’t think that he gets it. At least he has resisted, for now, the siren calls from his billionaire backers, and the stupider element of his own MPs to abandon the current lockdown.
It is now time for tea so I shall close for the day. Stay safe.
We have now been in lock-down for over a month. What things do I like about it? What things do I hate about it? What things am I missing most?
I’ll start with the things that I am enjoying.
I am enjoying spending time with Diane. Before the start of the lock-down we realized that if we were going to follow the guidelines, while both living in our own houses, we wouldn’t be able to see each other until the lock-down was over. However, if we moved in together then we became one household, so there are no problems seeing each other.
Diane’s allotment has been a great place to escape to, and, may yet provide us with food to survive the apocalypse.
The lack of traffic has made getting to and from work a doddle.
Work itself seems easier to get completed, customers appear to be more co-operative.
Life in general appears to be more easy paced.
What about the things I don’t like?
First up is queuing to get into a supermarket. I am British, I like a queue as much as the next person. Queueing is one of the things that made this country what it is, but standing two meters apart, in a queue that snakes all the way round the car park is getting to me. It is probably just as well that it has hardly rained since this lock-down started.
I am a bit worried by some things that I see posted on social media. They make me think that a significant minority of people would have loved living in East Germany under the Stasi.
I don’t like constantly having to wash / disinfect my hands, but I will do it. I have used more hand cream in the past month than I have in my entire life up to now.
What am I missing?
Football is one obvious thing. It isn’t as central to my life as it was a few years ago, after Grace died. I still miss my ninety minutes of escapism though. I should have been at Shrewsbury today. It is one of the away games that I usually go to.
I miss being able to get out in the Big Green Bus. We were going up to Scotland to look at wedding venues at the beginning of April, that obviously didn’t happen. Our trip to Spain and France next month will also be cancelled. On top of that it is the ability to disappear off for the day that I miss.
I miss being able to go out to the pub, or a restaurant, but I think that the thing I miss most of all is being able to go into a coffee shop between jobs, to check my emails, do my reports, or just to sit, have a coffee and watch the world go by.
Other things that happened today.
Duster went off me today. My sister phoned in the morning and I went through to the study to pick up my phone, which had been charging. Duster has taken to sleeping on one of the chairs, (Duster sleeps almost anywhere but in his basket). I answered the call and sat down to talk to her, and landed on top of our pussy-cat. He was not best pleased and let me know about it. A few extra Dreamies before bed got me back in favour.
Social media has its plus points. A friend, who does a lot of work with refugees, posted on Facebook today looking for computers to enable refugee children to continue with their schoolwork during lock-down. It didn’t matter how old they were as long as they worked they said. Grace’s laptop and iPad have been sitting at my house gathering dust for the last four years. They both fitted the bill. I haven’t known what to do with them, but didn’t want to throw them away either. But I couldn’t find a use for them. I am sure that Grace would have been very pleased that they are helping some refugee kids with their education.
It’s Friday, so no (paid) work today. Where the morning went, I don’t know, but it was midday before I knew it. Then that is what days off are for. As I said yesterday, today was to be a day off from all things bedroomy and decorating. The door to the bedroom remained firmly closed, to allow the new plaster to dry. Instead, we went on a bike ride followed by a picnic lunch at the allotment. A bit of light weeding and/or watering might be permitted. But only if we were in the mood for it.
We packed some Quiché and salad into the ‘T’ bag and set off for the allotment via the long way. There is a good off-road cycle route from New Malden to Raynes Park which goes past the Allotment gates, so we rode into New Malden to pick it up. We were a bit later in arriving at the allotment than we had planned. This was due to running into (not literally) some friends, and having a chat, at acceptable physical separation distances. You may have noticed that I do not like the term “social distancing”, and try my best not to use it if possible.
We decided to have lunch before we did anything else. I put the kettle on while Diane laid out the food. The photo on the right shows the remains of the meal.
After we had finished I decided to earth up the potatoes, while Diane did some weeding and watering. The Hawthorn bush behind the allotment has burst into rather spectacular flower since we were last up there three days ago.
Hard at work weeding/ relaxing afterwards
Brompton at the allotment
After we had finished at the allotment we rode to Raynes Park to get some milk and other bits and pieces of shopping, then rode home to make dinner.
Tonight was the first time this year that we have eaten in the garden. It was almost like going out for dinner. I thought the spaghetti bolognese was very good, (even though I made it my self).
One advantage of doing this (almost) daily lock-down blog is that I usually actually know what the date is, as well as the day of the week. This I think is a good thing. I do know that over Christmas one day tends to blur into another. This has been going on for a month now. I need to have some way of knowing what day to put the bins out. This is extra-complicated by the fact that Diane has a different bin day to me.
Back to work
Tuesday means back to work. Not that there is much work to do at the moment. This is partially because this time of year is always quiet, and partially because of the lockdown restricting the amount of work that there is available to do at the moment. Most days at the moment I am only doing one site per day.
Bedroom ceiling
It is coming along. The ceiling is now fully boarded, and hopefully by this time next week, we should be able to think about decorating.
Allotment
The allotment is looking good. We wandered up there this evening, basically to water everything, which we did. The potatoes are going to need earthing up soon, a job for the weekend.
Duster
Our pussycat “Duster” (so called because he looks like a feather duster) was not very popular tonight. He kept bringing a mouse in. He was banished to the utility room with no Dreamies as a punishment.
Day 30 Wednesday 22nd April (Earth Day)
Duster…..
This morning I found a headless mouse in the utility room. I dumped it down the bottom of the garden. I’m sure that next door’s fox will dispose of it for me. Perhaps I should have refused to feed him until he ate it.
Work
Work is slightly, make that very, weird at the moment. Travelling is a doddle, as there is probably about a quarter, or less, of the normal traffic. Journeys that would normally take about an hour, are done in twenty minutes. (Without breaking the speed limit.) Most sites are like ghost towns when I arrive. Usually there is only a security guard or a caretaker on site, and they actively keep their distance. In a lot of ways it makes my job easier, so I shouldn’t complain.
Bedroom
Everything is progressing well. The plaster has been applied to the ceiling and tomorrow the job should be finished. Our local B&Q (DIY store) has reopened. Physical distancing is fairly easy, because the place is huge, and they are restricting the number of people in the shop. We went along after I had finished work to try to choose wallpaper. I think we have settled on grey as the general colour scheme. The finer details are yet to be sorted. We came back with several wallpaper samples. Does anyone have a particular preference?
Wallpaper
I like the one with the toucan in the jungle. The only problem being that it reminds me of a scene from an adult colouring book, and I might be tempted to get my colouring pencils out.
Fish and chips from the local chippy for supper.
Day 31 Wednesday 23rd April
Today is St George’s day if you celebrate that sort of thing. We are also a full calendar month into lock-down.
Duster behaved himself to day, so he is, sort of back in my good books. He might even get his Dreamies tonight.
Bedroom
The plastering is finished. *All* that is left to do is the decorating. That will have to wait for a day or two to allow the plaster to dry. Our plasterer appears to have done a good job though.
We spent the afternoon tidying up the mess, and disposing of the carpet, which was beyond cleaning. We are having a day off tomorrow. A bike ride, followed by a picnic at the allotment, and possibly some gentle pottering afterwards, if we can be bothered.
For supper tonight Diane made a rather excellent Sweet Potato and chickpea curry. I made chapatis to go along with it. It was very good.
The destructive phase is over (hopefully). The ceiling is being renewed starting today. Then the complicated bit starts. Deciding how we want to decorate. Diane and I don’t necessarily have the same ideas about decoration. Then again neither did Grace and I. We usually managed to compromise. She chose, and unless I absolutely hated it, I went along with her choice. It might be a while before we can get paper and paint anyway.
Baking
An excess of over ripe bananas have become a banana loaf. We also have an apple and (allotment) rhubarb crumble ready to go into the oven for dinner.
Banana Loaf
Crumble
Diane’s handiwork, not mine
Allotment
Brompton with ‘T’ Bag
We haven’t visited the allotment for a few days, what with ceilings falling down and the like. It was decided that it was due a visit, to see how things were growing and, to do some watering. A lump of what is actually a banana and rhubarb loaf was packed as well as some milk. While gardening is ostensibly the reason that we visit the allotment, the real reason is that it is a nice place to have a cup of tea. We rode up on our bikes. All the tea requisites packed nicely into my Brompton’ s appropriately named ‘T’ bag.
Diane’s son Chris and his partner, who we share the allotment with, were there already. We maintained the correct physical distancing at all times, it was good to see them, and have a cup of tea and banana and rhubarb loaf with them.
Below are a few photos from the allotment.
Our plum tree
The beetroot is coming along
The beetroot is coming along fine, but I’m not so sure about some other seeds I planted,
For supper, we raided the freezer, and found some things that I had cooked a few months ago and frozen. I often think that a curry tastes better after a couple of months in the freezer. It was good, and the apple and rhubarb crumble we had for pudding was excellent.
Is every day the same during lock-down? I used to be able to tell what day it was by looking at the newspaper. However, I haven’t had a newspaper for a while. I found out today was Sunday because Cerys Mathews was on the radio. Sunday is the only day she appears, with a perfectly pitched selection of music for late breakfast/brunch.
The bedroom
It was decided to finish stripping all the paper off the walls of the bedroom. Fortunately, the paper below the picture rail came off much easier than the paper above it. Every thing is now ready. All we need is a ceiling, wallpaper and paint.
Hopefully, we will have a ceiling by the end of the week. We may be able to get wallpaper and paint online. However, I think we may have to wait until the lockdown is at least eased. The room looks a bit tidier at least.
“Way Up”
I have probably mentioned a group called “Way Up” before. It is a self-help group for people who have lost their partners. I was through “Way Up” that Diane and I met. (I should stress that it is not a dating organization. Quite a few people do meet new partners through it, though). Normally we get together for a drink, and something to eat, once a month, at a bar in Wimbledon. Obviously we can’t do this at the moment, so we had an on line meet-up to night. I was fun and good to catch up with everyone.
A bit of light relief.
Diane has also found two fox cubs down the bottom of the garden. I personally am ambivalent about urban foxes, but the cubs do look cute.
One of the cubs
Mini rant (haven’t had one for a while)
It is beginning to look as if our government and our faux Churchillian leader were clueless about the Covid-19 pandemic. Alternatively, they might not have cared. It would appear that at every opportunity to do something that might have helped, they decided to pass. They failed to act when joining a European wide scheme to procure medical equipment. They also ignored Italy’s advice not to make the same mistakes that they made. Mr Johnson managed to miss five crucial planning meetings, while holed up at his country residence. (If one rumour is to be believed, finishing a book, that he had accepted a rather large advance for).
A Scotsman in Suburbia 