It's six more weeks living with myself, my garden and the Worldwide Web. What would I do without this technology to open up my life and take me around the world? Ever conscious of my mental health I have been thinking with a positive slant this week.
Perhaps my most profound observation has been that, as well as coping with the stresses of this scary virus, we have been experiencing, what seems like, a taste of Climate Change. Remember the April showers that we learnt about in primary school? These frequent showers and chilly days were the norm. We could rely on this feature and put fluffy clouds and big blobs of rain in our infant drawings. But now we have blue, blue skies and hot days.
It is 25 degrees today [Saturday], normally the temperature of a good summer. We have been able to enjoy our daily exercise walks without an umbrella and benefitted from a good dose of Vitamin D. We are eating our lunch in the garden or on our balcony or outside patch. We shout across the road to other walkers, 'Lovely day again!'...We usually add, 'The garden needs some rain!'
We seem to have forgotten that a few months ago houses were flooded, gardens turned into lakes and roads into rivers. That was Climate Change! Today's quieter roads and empty skies have added to this surreal world. The experts say it is an 'Anti Cyclone Block'...I guess they are correct but it seems like a welcome climate change to me.
I am brought back to grim reality every day at 5 o'clock when 'our leaders' perform the 'ritual of numbers'. I get no pleasure from hearing this death toll. My empathy goes to those old persons trapped in care homes, without the security of testing and with poorly paid care staff working without protective clothing. They have been let down, in spite of maybe paying exorbitant fees. Not being part of the NHS has left them vulnerable to abuse and neglect. This must be fixed.
Back to my positive 'anti boredom' tactics...I have had a go at creative cooking; making different things and remembering to be healthy. Not always successful but I haven't got guests so I can eat my experiments without feeling shame. Greek cooking, with peppers stuffed with feta cheese, tomatoes and pesto graced my solo tray this week, with upside- down peach sponge. Sounds exotic but very simple and very tasty.
Finally, each Thursday, I feel good as I leave my house and stand on the edge of my road, with my pan and wooden spoon and enthusiastically raise a noisy 'THANK YOU' to the NHS and all the front line workers. This week my friend joined me with her trumpet, which was so incredible and doubled my pride in these amazing people working to save lives...
So many things to think about this week!
See previous posts from Alice In Salford Isolationland
Part Five - click here
Part Four click here
Part Three click here
Part Two click here
Part One click here
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