Day One
Wednesday 18th March 2020
There are definitely worse places to be in quarantine: a cruise ship; a city in lockdown – France, Spain, Italy – although it is one of my favourite places in the world and the balcony parties look like a lot of fun! Fortunately, I live in a tiny Devon village and my view is on to green fields and spring arriving all around me despite the virus. The primroses and golden daffodils heralding the lighter evenings and sunshine to come give me a sense of hope.
Yesterday Will got a high temperature and went to bed feeling ill. This means we have to isolate for a fortnight. Now he has a cough and is complaining of aches all over his body. In his own words: “Like I’ve been in the gym for 10 hours.” He is young and fit so I’m not having a panic. However, my mother is a different story having been recently diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis, she is self-isolating, with my son with asthma. As is my father and other older friends with underlying health issues. I am worrying.
While we are living in these peculiar times, it’s fascinating to observe how people react differently when faced with adversity. It is obvious it brings out the worst in some people like those who have built a protective wall of loo rolls so large that Trump would be proud of them. What is wonderful is to see on social media people co-operating, offering their services and working together to deliver groceries to old people and ensure no one goes without.
My son is Head Chef in a thriving London restaurant. Food is his life. From Friday he will no longer have a job and nor will many of his colleagues and friends. It’s only a matter of time before London goes into lockdown. Similarly, my cousin from Manchester captions in theatres for deaf people. He and so many in the industry no longer have any work or security. Such sad times.
Anxiety levels were at an all-time high before this outbreak. My colleagues at school and around the country are doing their upmost to stay strong. Every day they are reassuring students, listening to their fears and ensuring they have everything they need so their education is not compromised. I have the same admiration for those in the NHS working tirelessly on the frontline keeping the country going. #coronavirusheroes
Day Two
Thursday 19th March 2020
Today this blossom has made me happy as it brought back happy memories of my Uncle Simon, a wonderful man. He was a photographer and took fantastic pictures of flowers. He and Lorraine, his wife, loved to visit beautiful gardens around the country. We planted this plum tree, with Lorraine, nearly 9 years ago after he died in memory of him. It took a long time to establish and had the odds stacked against it as our cat, Kipper, seemed to think we’d put it there as his personal scratching post. I think this year is the best it’s been for blossom. Hopefully we’ll have a bumper crop if the wind doesn’t blow all the buds off.
Jason and I took the dog out this morning at 6 am because we feel a bit paranoid about seeing anyone as we’re self-isolating. We both said that hour was like gold dust as it is integral to our well-being. My friend, Monica, in Italy told me they are in complete lockdown. Fortunately, taking your dog out is regarded as a necessity as lots of people in Salerno where she is from live in apartments; however, you have to wear gloves and a mask. She has two teenagers and they all live with her parents. I asked her how she is managing her mental health and she replied: “I’m working and cooking…but sometimes my mind blows up.” She is a teacher and is doing on-line lessons too. An inspiring woman.
They are a wonderful family and were kind enough to invite us into their family home for dinner last summer. We felt really privileged at their generosity and the food was delicious.
Opposite my study window there is a footpath and as I’ve been writing I’ve seen several mums and their kids going for walks and bike rides. Payhembury has suddenly become a very busy place. It’s been a long time since my kids were little, but I remember getting out of the house was imperative, it’s a nightmare having to stay in all day with young kids who are climbing the walls.
It feels like a cloak of doom has descended on our house today. Will is still hot and achy and he’s stressed out, as so many students are, about whether he’ll be able to go to the university he wants to. He’s got lots of work to finish and he’s feeling the pressure. He’s also very hopeful that he won’t have to take any exams! I think he’s also partly feeling out of sorts as he hasn’t had any fresh air or done any physical activity. Next week the weather forecast looks good so we can get to grips with the garden. I love the way some people have turned isolation into a positive. So many people, including me, intend to decorate inside and outside their houses. Others plan to garden and grow vegetables. If London goes into lockdown Jack is coming home. Jase has this romantic idea of working harmoniously with Will and Jack to build a new base and shed. I hope this is the case as I won’t be able to escape! Watch this space…
I took a few more spring snaps from my garden.
Hilary, my chicken was determined I would take her photo and kept squawking at me until I did.
Fame hungry hen!
Our next door neighbours have the most beautiful Magnolia tree so I thought I’d share it.
I love Nature – it’s good for the soul.
Day Three
Friday 20th March 2020
My first positive is that it’s the first day of Spring. YAY! Furthermore, the sun is out as I’m looking out of my window. And, I know this makes me sound sad, I’ve got my washing dry on the line for the first time this year.
Also I’m so pleased for all my colleagues at school that this extremely challenging week is at an end and it’s the weekend; according to the forecast going to be a sunny one.
Yesterday my sister, Liz, sent me this letter, a parody she found that I thought I’d share with you.
Letter from F. Scott Fitzgerald, quarantined in 1920 in the South of France during the Spanish Influenza outbreak:
Dearest Rosemary,
It was a limpid dreary day, hung as in a basket from a single dull star. I thank you for your letter. Outside, I perceive what may be a collection of fallen leaves tussling against a trash can. It rings like jazz to my ears.
The streets are that empty. It seems as though the bulk of the city has retreated to their quarters, rightfully so. At this time, it seems very poignant to avoid all public spaces. Even the bars, as I told Hemingway, but to that he punched me in the stomach, to which I asked if he had washed his hands. He hadn’t. He is much the denier, that one. Why, he considers the virus to be just influenza. I’m curious of his sources.
The officials have alerted us to ensure we have a month’s worth of necessities. Zelda and I have stocked up on red wine, whiskey, rum, vermouth, absinthe, white wine, sherry, gin, and lord, if we need it, brandy. Please pray for us.
You should see the square, oh, it is terrible. I weep for the damned eventualities this future brings. The long afternoons rolling forward slowly on the ever-slick bottomless highball. Z. says it’s no excuse to drink, but I just can’t seem to steady my hand. In the distance, from my brooding perch, the shoreline is cloaked in a dull haze where I can discern an unremitting penance that has been heading this way for a long, long while. And yet, amongst the cracked cloudline of an evening’s cast, I focus on a single strain of light, calling me forth to believe in a better morrow.
Faithfully yours,
F. Scott Fitzgerald
This could have been written a century ago and seems relevant now in the way people are coping and reacting. So it seems that Fitzgerald decided that drinking copious amounts of alcohol was the way to get through his isolation and I’m inclined to agree with him to a point, although I can see why Zelda was erring on the side of caution. Although 100 years apart, some issues remain the same. Yesterday, I wished I had his foresight when I realised we were running out of wine and it was only day two. Fortunately my very good friend Caroline came to the rescue. I was very pleased to talk to her out of the window as she dropped my delivery off. And just having a chat with her cheered me up. Hooray for friends and hooray for wine! I think she might have balked a bit if I’d given her a list as excessive as Zelda and Francis’ above; particularly as the shelves were all bare when she got to the supermarket. Despite being permanently hammered I think Fitzgerald feels scared, as do many people now. When I was talking to Caroline we were discussing how weird we felt, and how this can change throughout the day. One minute you’re scared and anxious and the enormity of what’s going on hits you and then at other times it just seems unreal. I can’t cope with constantly hearing the news. It’s like being on a carousel of anxiety. Writing is my escape. Clearly Fitzgerald was also annoyed at his friend Hemingway’s denial and laissez-faire attitude. He clearly didn’t give a damn and just floated around drinking as if he were immortal. There seem to be plenty of people around like that out there today.
A bit of good news is that you can now do virtual tours of more than 500 museums and galleries online including the Louvre. Might come in useful for parents who are home-schooling when the kids are bored.
A lovely thing I saw today is that lots of kids are painting pictures of rainbows and putting them in their windows so that when their friends or other little ones walk past they can play the searching for rainbows game and count how many they see.
So far I’ve mostly spent the day writing. I’ve written a new blog on my Love, Life & Lemons web page which took ages, but I’ve been wanting to do it for a few weeks so am now feeling chuffed. It mainly takes so long because of my lack of technological skills. Although I’ve done it before, it took me half an hour today to work out how to put a photo on, but I got there in the end!
Cheers! And Happy Weekend
Day Four
Saturday 21st March 2020
My son, Jack, is coming home today as the restaurant where he works in London has been shut down. It’s a difficult time for so many people with all this uncertainty but I’m glad he’s coming back. We don’t get to see him that often as he’s always working, and when we do he’s exhausted and always has a cookbook in his hand as he plans the menus for when he’s back at work. This time he will have time to unwind a bit I hope. He can use home as a bolt hole and read go for long walks providing he stays well.
One of our family favourite places is Hembury Fort set in woodland a couple of miles from here and up a huge hill. Otis, our dog, always gets excited as we turn up the lane leading to it. The trees make a leafy tunnel as we pass alongside their huge roots he starts scrabbling in the boot knowing where we’re going.
I have been going there for half my life, more times than I can remember but each time I get the same feeling. A sense of peace and awe. The trees are ancient, gnarled and creaky. Decorated with russet lichen and velvety verdant moss soft enough to sleep on. Great toadstools protrude between branches and the air is filled with birdsong. It was once a Bronze Age Fort dating back between 2500-800 BC. Walking there thousands of years later makes me feel part of history and part of something much bigger than the way life is today. It is timeless and I can’t decide which season I prefer.
In Spring, when the pale green beech leaves appear they seem to glow in the sunlight and are as soft as a baby’s cheek. In May the top where the fort once was turns into a lilac lake of bluebells. I’ll never forget the first time I saw it I’d never seen anything so beautiful. As summer takes over the leaves provide a shady canopy to escape the sun and the ferns unfurl and run riot. During Autumn the trees show off vying with one another to be the brightest and turn the landscape from green to amber, ruby and ochre. Even in winter it holds a certain charm. As the year dies away and the leaves turn to mulch, the bare branches reach up to the light – stark silhouettes against the grey skies.
As it’s National Poetry Day here’s one I wrote after a walk one day.
Hembury Fort
It is Autumn
In Hembury Fort
You have led me here
To this ancient place
Of certainty
Where ghosts no longer
Attempt to intervene.
Their footsteps echo, yet,
They cannot penetrate
Simply stand and stare.
The trees defy gravity
Pillars reaching to the gods
Conceal history and
Translate the future
This, your gift to me.
Trees wearing leafy cloaks
Proudly model this
Season’s latest shades;
Mustard, burnt umber,
Cinnamon, gold and scarlet.
The canopy becomes a
Dazzling crown
As sunlight spills
Littering the fiery floor
With jewels.
We taste sweetness
As our lips unite
And finally flow
As one, a
Steady stream
Day Five
Sunday 22nd March 2020
Mothering Sunday
Hembury Fort Part Two
I have so many happy memories of my four kids, when they were younger, scrambling up the huge ramparts and sliding down on their bums before swinging on the rope swings like a load of little monkeys. They’d come home covered in mud, with rope burns on their hands, exhausted and happy. Now they’ve moved away I miss them when I’m up there and I remember their laughter. Because of its long history I enjoy thinking about all the other mothers and children that lived there thousands of years ago and walked where I am walking.
Just Walking the Dog
A rare family reunion
Now they’ve moved on
The sun light spills onto
The forest floor
Like great silver swords
The shards filter
Through the treetops
And pierce the earth.
As we laugh and wander
Along In single file
Through the leafy
Green tunnel
Playing follow my
Furry black leader as
He zigzags like a
Bloodhound reading
Each and every leaf.
Until a sprinkle
Of bluebells
Foreshadows
Our heady picnic spot
Within the rippling
Lilac lake, as we
Rewind fifteen years.
Days of hide and seek
Rope swing burns
Scrambling up the ramparts
And slithering back down.
Now, instead we have
The limitations and constraints
Of time relentlessly moving
Towards you leaving again.
Day Six
Monday 23rd March 2020
Today has not been a good day. I feel flat, emotional and impotent. I also feel guilty about being at home isolating while my colleagues are at work dealing with everything there as well as feeling anxiety like the rest of us. I’m worrying about them, and the NHS staff – everyone really that’s working hard on the frontlines.
I want to shout out to all of you for being amazing people. I’ll be back joining you next week.
Just now I went for a walk with Jack and it lifted my spirits. The birds were singing, and the sun warmed our faces. The scent of freshly mown grass perfumed the air making us agree it’s one of our favourite smells. We had a long chat which we don’t often get the chance to do as there’s always other people around and we’re short on time. He took the pictures below which I thought I’d share. We also picked some wild garlic and as the chef’s home he’s cooking dinner with it tonight.
It’s short today as I don’t have much to say.
Day Seven
Tuesday 24th March 2020
I have been feeling nostalgic and thinking about people no longer with us.
We have a family friend called Eric and his mother, Vi, is who I’ve been remembering today. She was such a character, full of fun and extremely kind and generous. She became like a Nan to me when I was in my 20s.
Always perfectly made up you never saw her without her face on and usually immaculately dressed too. I remember her being incredibly patient and playing cards for hours on end with Joel and Jack when they were young.
Every time we went round to visit her there would be a huge, delicious spread waiting for us. She was most definitely a feeder! On leaving we would all stagger out feeling like we’d eaten a Christmas dinner.,
When she died the world lost someone special. Eric gave me her scarf, which I still have. It choked me up as it smelt of her scent and brought back so many good memories. I put it in my wardrobe and when I opened it I loved smelling her perfume. I wrote a poem in remembrance of a wonderful woman.
Vi
It was January the seventh
When Vi died.
Once the communal tears
Had all dried
I brought her back
To reside in
My wardrobe.
As I wore dresses
Covered in bold prints
She ventured out
In a cloud of
Lily-of-the-Valley
Holding out china plates
Refilling glasses,
And sipping Babycham.
Day Eight
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Today my brain feels fried. As we are not all in school anymore and working from home, my biggest challenge is mastering the technology to do this. Normally at work I can scrape through and write down everything in an instruction list as some kind person shows me which buttons to press. My poor husband has been the lucky one I’ve called on this morning to be my Tech Support. He is also working from home and is constantly in skype meetings between me begging him to show me how to find something again. Fortunately he is very patient although this could wear thin with time. It’s odd being able to hear strangers’ voices in the house in various rooms.
I’m coming to terms with FaceTime now although I can’t stand seeing myself in that top corner. Yesterday Poppy and her girlfriend, Sam, facetimed me as I was in the kitchen. We were chatting away when Will walked in bleary eyed and half asleep just wearing his boxers. They were both cracking up and shouting ‘Morning’ at him. Fortunately he took this in his stride and laughed too. I am pleased Pops is making me do this as I miss her face and her laugh and her wicked sense of humour. She is the closest I have to a mini me and this is the longest time we have been apart so far. She is also missing Otis our dog. He doesn’t understand FaceTime and keeps trying to get into my phone when he sees her and hears her voice. Yesterday evening we met Jack’s friend, Alex, for the first time on FaceTime. He is the baker from Jolene, the restaurant where they both work, and is now stuck in a tiny flat alone in London. After the introductions where we all waved at him he asked Jack to show him round the kitchen. Then they had a long chat; I hadn’t really considered how it’s a lifeline for people alone in isolation and lock down.
At present I am writing this in my study. I love this room; it’s lovely and light and has a tranquil view over fields and sheep grazing which I gaze at while thinking. I had just finished decorating it at half term after Poppy moved out with the idea that having ‘A Room of One’s Own’ in the words of Virginia Woolf would be the answer to my writer’s block. It is now Jack’s bedroom so everyone in this house is playing musical rooms. Jase and I started off this morning in the kitchen. His seat has a good backdrop – our kitchen tiles – which have had a lot of compliments from his colleagues these last few days. While I continued struggling to get to grips with work stuff. Jason went in the front room to have a meeting; I managed to write some emails and then started writing some of my book. During the night when I was lying awake (as happens regularly due to a mixture of anxiety and the menopause) I tried to switch off my brain which felt as full of thoughts as a tube train in rush hour, by working out a piece of my new book that has been bugging me. Thankfully this morning I remembered how I had solved the problem and was just composing my first sentence when movements were heard overhead making Jase disappear off into our bedroom while Will and Jack came down for breakfast. I stopped writing and replied to some emails while they ate and then they went out together for a run, so I quickly staked my claim up here before they got back.
I’m sure this is happening to other people all over the place. Writing is not unfortunately how I pay my bills although I wish it was, so it’s not imperative that I do it. Although it is important for my mental health. I am incredibly grateful that my kids are grown up and I’m not having to home school them. Trying to write during these troubling times with all these distractions is challenging enough as I can’t keep my train of thought, and just as I’m in the flow I’m interrupted. Trying to write with younger kids around would be impossible. Hats off to all of you educating your kids, trying to work and stay sane.
One good thing about being awake, as I usually am around 4-5 am, is that we have a blackbird living in our garden. I’ve seen him hopping around in the daytime, quietly foraging for worms and sitting on the fence; however, at daybreak he has the most beautiful voice. He starts with a couple of warbles as if he’s clearing his throat ready then launches into fluting and trills. It is mesmerising and although it makes me happy I also feel quite sad that everyone else is asleep and missing it. Apparently male blackbirds only sing so ardently in the spring to impress the females. It’s definitely worth being awake for.
Day Nine
Thursday 26th March 2020
Feeling flat again I can’t seem to shake it off and have spent most of the day eating. Poppy texted me and is really struggling. I wish I could give her a hug. Jack’s not sleeping. Our house seems full of angst. The one good thing was going for a walk on this glorious sunshine.
We saw a lovely old fashioned horse and cart that made me feel like we’d gone back in time and imagine the same lane two hundred years ago. Three buzzards were wheeling above us and calling to one another basking in the warmth.
We went past a stunning cottage garden like a rainbow with a celandine carpet – each perfect golden star glowing. Nestling in amongst the grass there were gold and indigo crocuses and pale primroses surrounded by daffs, narcissi and scarlet tulips. One day I would like an area in my garden to look like that. I’m waiting for that gardening thunderbolt to hit me. Now I’m 50 I’m expecting any day that Jase and I are going to turn into our parents and suddenly things will thrive in our care and we’ll be able to grow vegetables and our flowers will look gorgeous…
It was the end of an era today for me. Will finished his extended project, the final piece of school work he’ll ever have to do. I realised that never again will I ever have to cajole (for that read nag and moan) any of my children to do their homework ever again. I has been a fair slog though, around 28 years – if I started when Joel was 5, which I’m sure I did. When I pointed this out to Will he said, “I expect you’ll still be going on at me when I’m at uni!” I assured him that I definitely won’t.
I’m now having a glass of wine to celebrate.
Day Ten
Friday 27th March 2020
A writer friend, another Jane, started a new Facebook group about a week ago called The Isolation Gallery and invited me to join. She is an artist as well as a writer so posts pictures of her paintings, which are lovely. Other people and me, because I can only paint and draw with my words, have added photographs. The way it works is that each day Jane posts a word, I think the first one was ‘Home’ and people put up pictures of what home was to them. One was washing on a line; some were in other countries I find it interesting; it takes my mind off reality for a bit and I enjoy connecting with other people. One of the posts was ‘Blue’ so I put a picture of a sky I’d taken and someone else put some forget-me-nots. My favourite one was ‘Indulgence’. There was a variety of pictures put on there from Porsches and champagne; a chocolate éclair; to a cat lazing in the sunshine. All very different, I like the way everyone gets creative and you get a sense of their personality and what is important to them although they are strangers.
Today’s word was ‘Favourite’ and at first I couldn’t work out how to interpret it, but in the end I chose to do so in a round about way. I thought about my favourite places and one of them is Cornwall. Last year as I was 50 I decided to celebrate in style and do 50 things to celebrate. In July Jason and I went down to Cornwall and stayed in a B&B as he bought tickets for the Minack Theatre to see Romeo and Juliet. It was somewhere I had always wanted to go, and a dream come true. It was an unforgettable experience and is now my favourite theatre. The weather was perfect, sunny and clear although it got chilly once it was dark as the sea breeze drifted over us.
I find it incredible that Rowena Cade carved it from the rock with the help of her gardeners in the 1920s. It is in the most picturesque setting overlooking the sea and Porthcurno, a gorgeous sandy beach. Thankfully Rowena loved theatre and wanted to see it performed in the open air, because otherwise if she hadn’t it would never have been built. It wasn’t just the setting that was special. I love this play. I have seen all the Romeo and Juliet films several times both modern and traditional. I have also seen it performed before but not like this. Having the sea as a backdrop made it magical as did being in the open air surrounded by people – we could hardly move and the atmosphere was exciting – everyone full of anticipation, chattering and eating and drinking.
It wasn’t set in the Elizabethan era, instead during the 1800s reminding me of the time that Thomas Hardy was writing and some of his stories. The girls wore pretty peasant summer dresses and it was set on May Day which traditionally is when they had the opportunity to dance round the maypole with the boys they hoped to marry. The maypole was the centrepiece and Juliet played the ukulele it was wonderful. Even Jase enjoyed it and he is not a Shakespeare fan.
I first studied Romeo and Juliet 36 years ago at school and can still remember some quotes amazingly! I have learnt so much in the four years I have been working with the English department about Romeo and Juliet. The English teachers at King’s are inspiring women and I am in a privileged position where I get to see them all teaching. What I find fascinating is that every year when we start studying it again I always learn new things. Obviously I know the plot inside out but what I love about it is that they all teach it differently and there are so many alternative interpretations. I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of it.
Day Eleven
Saturday 28th March 2020
Today has been good. I have been mostly gardening, well attacking a massive hedge which now looks neat and tidy. Earlier on my walk I heard a woodpecker and the cows have returned to the field opposite us.
Yesterday was a bit of a rollercoaster day emotionally. I was all over the place in the morning and tearful, but the day improved and in the evening we downloaded the House Party App and hosted a quiz night at our house. We invited Steve, my cousin from Manchester, Alex, my best friend from university and Poppy and Sam joined in from Kent. It all started swimmingly; everyone turned up drink in hand and the introductions were done.
Will was the Quiz Master and responsible for the questions which he found online in a Power Point. So far so good. The first set of 8 questions out of the 64 seemed pretty normal and then it all began to go wrong, and we realised he hadn’t checked them. All the questions were about or related to New Zealand. As none of us have much knowledge of its history or geography or have even been there it all went downhill. Even the sport questions where Jason normally excels were so obscure we got 0 out of 8!
What was lovely was connecting with family and friends. There was a lot of banter particularly aimed at Will – he got a lot of grief, but we all had fun and forgot about what is going on around us for a while. We had some proper belly laughs there were points when I just couldn’t stop giggling. I’d definitely recommend it.
Day Twelve
Sunday 29th March 2020
There have most definitely been some positives to being in isolation and one of them has been eating loads of amazing food. Yesterday, Jason decided to have a day of cooking as he was missing the Bulb Show which had to be cancelled this year. For anyone unaware this is a very important annual event in the Payhembury calendar. Don’t be fooled by the title; it is a flower show, but more importantly (for our family) it is a cooking contest. There are lots of categories: cakes, preserves, quiche, savouries, home-made spirits (which is entertaining to watch the judges’ taste) to name a few – it’s a long list. Those who enter really go all out, as there are some incredibly talented people in Payhembury; however, there also some very competitive ones!
It is very old-fashioned, which for me is part of its charm and I have been involved with the show for more than 20 years beginning with my kids competing try and win the cups and Easter eggs and now I help to run it. I never tire of walking in to see the stunning spectacle as the village hall is transformed and full of brightly coloured flowers, food and crafts. The smell is intoxicating as all the perfumes from the different bulbs merge and lace the air. It has been running for 59 years and apart from this year has only been cancelled once before in 2001 because of Foot and Mouth disease.
Each year Jason is in competition with the other amateur bakers in the village, who are mostly women. So last year he was absolutely delighted to discover that he had won the Cookery Cup. This can only be won by entering a large number of classes and accumulating points. It was made even more special because he was the first man to ever win it! All the names engraved on it previously are prefixed with Mrs – he’s the first Mr and a very proud one. He couldn’t wait to tell Jack who was very impressed.
So yesterday in honour of the show he made lemon curd, a smoked salmon and broccoli quiche, a pavlova, sausage rolls and a lemon drizzle cake. They were all delicious as is the food that Jack has been cooking us. It’s fantastic having the chef back and he’s been teaching Will new dishes for when he’s at university. Will enjoys cooking anyway but is more of a baker. Jack showed him how to make a paella which was full of flavour and Jack cooked us the best curry I’ve ever tasted – aubergine and chickpea with an amazing dahl and raita. Jase made pilau rice to accompany it. I don’t do any cooking; but I am excellent at eating all these things. However as it’s Jack’s birthday on Thursday I intend to make him a cake. The only problem is I’m going to be unrecognisable if they continue like this as I’ll be the size of a house!
As the show was cancelled this year I thought I’d create a virtual one with pictures from past years alongside some of my isolation food diary and a photo of the chefs.
Day Thirteen
Monday 30th March 2020
So this is my penultimate post as my fortnight of isolation is almost at an end, although obviously lock down isn’t. On my walk I was thinking I haven’t got a clue what to write about so as usual I’m going to talk about what I’ve seen today.
Lots of little lambs bleating their heads off and skipping around in a picturesque Easter card kind of way. Sprays of blackthorn blossom decorating the hedges like a blanket of frost. Cherry trees in full bloom – pink and white frothy blossom covering the branches that have been bare for so long. I woke up this morning and looked out of my window to see a little calf suckling from its mother. I feel incredibly fortunate to live here and be able to experience all these things and see winter fading and giving way to the spring. I love that Spring is defiantly springing despite the Corona Virus and this gives me hope, as does seeing how kind and caring people are being. It’s amazing the amount of volunteers that have come forward across the country. I have nothing but admiration for everyone out there fighting for others and how they are seeing this as an opportunity for generosity and turning something terrible into a positive.
The last two weeks I have written a lot. Not just these daily posts but I’ve been working on my new novel too. I’m around 20,000 words in and beginning to feel like I’m getting somewhere. I am very grateful that I have had time to do this. One of the most time consuming things about writing a book is doing research. For Love, Life and Lemons I spent hours and hours reading and on-line looking things up and getting new ideas. I want to start each chapter with a quote about hope as this is the theme running through my new stories. So I pleasantly whiled away an afternoon and here are a few for you to enjoy:
“Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances that we know to be desperate.”
G.K. Chesterton
“True hope is swift, and flies with swallow’s wings.”
William Shakespeare
“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.”
Desmond Tutu
“Hope is like a bird that senses the dawn and carefully starts to sing while it is still dark.”
Unknown Author
“To wish was to hope, and to hope was to expect.”
Jane Austen ‘Sense and Sensibility’
Day Fourteen
Tuesday 31st March 2020
As today is the last in isolation, I’m looking forward to going out to the metropolis that is Ottery St Mary tomorrow to go shopping for Jack’s birthday. It feels surreal that he is going to be 30, but I’m planning on getting champagne to celebrate in style (if they’ve got any!) He has decided he wants to cook us lots of Mexican food and Jase is going to attempt making churros, which looks very involved, but will pay off if they work out. It’s going to be a strange birthday for him as it will for many others – very low key. Apart from eating lots and quaffing champagne we are going to have a game of Canasta, which takes hours, as Jack loves playing cards and have our first fire pit of the year which will be fun. It’s a big birthday year for our family this year as it’s Will’s 18th next month and Jase’s 50th in June. I guess a lot of people will be having belated celebrations once we’re out of lockdown.
The member of our family who has had the best time today is Hilary, my hen as we’ve spent lots of time in the garden. I say family because she spends her whole life trying to get in the house. If you’re not quick enough with the door, she’s in and starts strutting around clucking. The only way to get her out is by giving her grapes. She has a huge personality; I know it sounds mad but she’s very funny. When we get home from work she runs up the garden to see us and responds to her name. She just wants to be with us all the time. We have had her for 7 years and watched her hatch out. While I’ve been weeding she’s been following my every move with her beady eye and getting in my way. I think she must have eaten around 50 worms: she’s looking a great deal plumper!
Love, Life and Lemons 