Corona virus week 6 April 30th

Week 6

We have rain this week after many weeks of sunshine. I am reminded of Elizabeth Bowen's prose,

'The screen of trees that reach like an arm from behind the house-embracing the lawns, banks and terraces had darkened deepening into forest. Like splintered darkness branches pierced the faltering dusk of leaves. Evening drenched the trees; the beeches were soundless cataracts.'

I loved her writing and read one of her books his week.

I am also getting on well with Rachel's baby girls cuddly toy  I am knitting furiously baby is due on my birthday May 28th.  The accompanying book is published.

My first tutorial with Falmouth is happening today.  It is as though I am establishing a new way of living, and I quite like it.

My over 55's ballet and exercise class with the Brewhouse Theatre is very enjoyable too and I have found others on YouTube.

I don't think I shall go back to how I lived before. Experimenting with the internet has given me endless possibilities and actually I see more of the family than I did before via Zoom. I do miss friends and church but that is all.  shopping used to be a pastime but honestly do I need that perhaps not. I shall just buy what I need.

I hope the environment will benefit and I am sorry for businesses that are suffering but I think it is time for society to change.

Corona Virus diary Week 5

Week 5 and it seems like an age that this new way of life happened.  I am so accustomed to the routine now that this way of life feels normal.

The weather has had a big impact.  Being able to go into the garden and enjoy the spring flowers with a glass of something has been most enjoyable.  It has almost been like having a holiday in our garden. Missing is the pool and Jacuzzi but I have plans. Gardening is no longer a chore but a pleasure and I bought a hare garden ornament which I love it is a great addition to my border.

At the same time the news out there is horrifying and we cant imagine what some people are going through either shut inside a small flat with a family or on the front line dealing with daily deaths.  We watch the news religiously to keep in touch with the other reality. And I hold them in my prayers nightly.

We are taking daily walks around the village and I know other people of our age who do not.  However my weight makes it a necessity, I need to eat less and exercise more. I also took an exercise class with Maxine at the Brewhouse Theatre and this was most enjoyable.  I had to pay but it was worth it.  the class was like a ballet training for older people and then a short choreographed dance.  It was good for my mind and body as I had to concentrate. I shall book in for next week God willing.

Now we have an established routine we are going to try to introduce some changes, like shopping at different places and going in the car a short distance for a different walk.  I shall use a mask and am going to make two myself this afternoon.

Zoom is so frustrating , we lost the internet in the middle of a zoom meeting because of an outside call coming on the landline, it took ages to sort it out.  Better luck next time I hope.

Well signing off, I went through the seat of my favorite garden chair but luckily it is very old and I have replacements in  the garden shed. one more job to do today,

Corona Virus diary Week 4

Well we are into week four and they think the number of people infected is flattening out.  Trump is being as crass as usual in America they have 30000 dead and he wants to open the country's economy as soon as possible as so do we but differently we are aware of safety.

One thing I am proud about in Britain is the joint effort made to design an alternative method of ventilator for people suffering from the virus and then to put that design out into the world for free.  This confirms what I have always thought of the British is their creative inventiveness in a time of crisis.

A hundred year old veteran Tom  Moore  has raised millions for NHS charity partly due to the air time given him by the BBC and social media. However this is what can  be done with a good idea and good publicity,

I am starting to feel institutionalized in my own home.  the highlight is to go to the food shopping once a fortnight. \I am putting on weight when one of the things I am doing is cooking a lot, keeping the calories down is a struggle. Keeping the excersise up is also a struggle.

I am tempted to laze around, the garden is lovely and the weather tempts us to sit under the trees in the shade enjoying the vista of our garden.  One of the things we found when food shopping is some plants at Sainsbury's.  We have planted some wegelia and hollyhocks and have changed around some difficult plants and replanted daisies instead if it works there should be a show in summer.

I am trying to get to grips with Zoom and have nearly mastered it. We will see next week. I think Zoom will be very useful for workers in the future but does altogether replace meeting people.  We have a routine now that on Sunday afternoons in the close of eight houses, we all sit out on our own drives with chairs and table and a glass of something and talk to one another. People come down walking to get exercise and we all obey the social distancing rules apart from our trouble maker next door.  They had a raucous family and friends party on Easter Sunday in the rear garden people arrived in cars and went in, and we were united in disapproving of him. But for me I really look forward to this Sunday afternoon, it has replaced church social.  I watched Bristol Unitarian Easter Sunday service and it was lovely and moving and I appreciated but for community I love these Sunday afternoons.

In these troubled times we dont know what the future brings and at the back of our minds there is always the fear that I or John might get the virus or one of our family.  Each week we meet up on Zoom and catch up with their difficulties.  Pray God we survive this.

Carona Virus Diary week 3-2

IS THIS A DRESS REHEARSAL?

Walking along paths devoid of human life

City skies quiet and newly welcoming to birds

Buses and trains running nearly empty across the land

Queuing politely to get food to keep us going

Whilst the internet traffic is busier than ever

And we speak with our friends and family through the cloud..

Our lives suddenly slower paced and maybe calmer

As the virus demands we give it our highest attention.

But for some trapped in small flats or waiting for emergency payments

The benefits of isolation are absent and hope scarce.

These are between times when we can choose the way forward

There is fear that some of us or our loved ones will die

Or that we will be unable to live the life we enjoyed.

And yet…..

Once the virus has departed what next?

If airlines have closed down

And our air-freighted food no longer available,

Our out-of-town car- dependent stores bankrupted

Maybe we will appreciate this time of calmer happenings 

of sitting quietly  and using time wisely

And seek  this new life..

Going to Minehead rather than the Maldives,

Getting our food from the farm gate,

Enjoying touching again those loved ones

Meeting our new grandchildren,

Walking in fresh country air,

Yes and practicing our new skills of zoom.

Enriching our earth with a re-learned simplicity

Not overfilling  the pockets of those with too much

But sharing the God-given fruits of the earth

As we were meant to do.

Is this enforced reduction in activity

A dress rehearsal for life as it will be?

Let us hope we learn the lesson the universe is teaching us.

contributions from my husband;  John Ainsworth

Corona Virus diary April 10th

Nearly 10000 dead.  We are now into week three. It is beautiful weather and tempting to go to s beauty spot I am sure many people will disobey the directive of lock down and go out. Even if it is at night.

It does feel like a war situation, there are many similarities

• There is an unseen enemy
• Instead of soldiers on the front line dieing to protect us instead it is NHS staff and like WW1 they are very unprepared in terms of uniforms and artillery to ward off this virus.
• At the moment it seems to promote a community feeling and we are all urged to clap the NHS and care workers on Thursday at 8,00 pm.

My son Nigel and his family have the worse scenario in that he is a university professor and the Universities are struggling to survive. As well he has no child care for a two year old.  His wife is an Assistant Professor and they are working twelve hours in two hour shifts, taking turns between working from home and childcare. Tim is OK he has signed on and that is enough money to keep him solvent.  Liz, Richay, Linton, Joshua, are all struggling together but surviving just.  John and I are OK except I have a touch of acid reflux and need to chat to a doctor about it because it recurs.

I have been making curtains, zooming, and watercolour painting.  Next week I have planned to experiment with Pro Create and take notes for the future. I have photographed the garden as it is really beautiful and full of spring blooms. I plan to use some of these photos on Pro Create.

Our downside is we have moles in the garden and slow worms caught by next door's cat.  Apparently moles do not like moth balls so ordered some from Amazon.

We are only on Week 3 there are 9 more weeks to go at least. It seems like a lifetime already.  Our lives are changing.

Carona Virus Introduction

First Week

Well we knew that the virus was coming to the Uk but the speed with which it overtook us was surprising to say the least.
First of all we had to stay six feet away from each other, we were allowed to visit family and walk outside.
Then after months of rain and flooding we had the first day of spring and lovely sunshine.  We went to Hestercombe Gardens.

 there were about a dozen people and we had no trouble keeping a large distance from each other. Hestercombe was doing takaway sandwiches and I had a lovely prawn sandwich sitting overlooking the fields toward Taunton and the Blackdown hills.



But other people headed for the beach and local beauty spots and gathered in crowds.  this forced the government to bring in more regulations. suddenly we had lock down all food cafes were asked to close.  My family found their jobs furloughed and no money coming in until they had claimed the 80 per cent.  First son and second son were working from home via the computer.

Things got worse we went from hundreds of deaths to thousands of deaths and London and Midlands most effected.  Italy and Spain very bad indeed.

Next cam total lock down all shops closed.  It happened so quickly.

We adjusted to using the internet to keep in touch.  My contemporaries who had been so proud that they didn't believe in social media and used old computer technology were left isolated. We had to learn Zoom, Messanger Whats App Google Geo for different friends.

We set up weekly get togethers and sorted out all the jobs we were meaning to do and hadn't got around to. So we were busy.  John gardened and the garden looked lovely.  I didn't have a cleaner anymore so arranged a cleaning routine with JOhn he vacuumed and I did the rest.

Slots for home deliveries were like gold, w shopped at the smaller venues and were OK.  I got a 24 pack of toilet rolls and felt like I  had won the lottery.

It was daunting to think of twelve weeks. I enjoyed having my husband at home. Applied to do an MA in illustration at Falmouth and was accepted starting in May 24th.

Carona Virus diary April 3

I have decided to write a diary of these unprecedented times.

Week one

We started by having a zoom creative writing session for U3A.  We were all tired pat and bobMabberley were present so I decided we would talk about our bucket list.

Me

• skinny dipping
• getting a book published by a publisher
• having a party in August to celebrate our twentieth anniversary.
• dont die
• win a premium bond - no luck this month
• be happy with things as they are reduce anxiety
• give myself a facial
• join the campaign not to buy any clothes for one year.

I took possession of my new ipad pro and downloaded proreate and have been experimenting ever since.  I saw on the news David Hockneys attempts on his ipad and inspired I painted my glorious plum tree in the garden

Plum tree

On Thursday we watched 'one Man Two Governors'  It really changed our mood and it was great to watch something other than films and television. I will send ten pounds to the National Theatre musk loved by me. We broke off at eight to clap the NHS and had two words with Sharon next door she has been a nurse for 38 years and is a midwife.

Today we had an hour conversation with Liz Osborne and Jeanette, and was told all about rat catching by the rat man. It is good to see other faces.

Tim  is not good he has lost his job because he is on a contract and self employed and the job he was doing is furloughed.  We hoped to see him today but perhaps tomorrow.

Just had word to zoom our american friends.

Cleaning tomorrow and film night.  John to walk to Rumwells for fresh veg.  Steak and chips and wine for me.

Incredibly this is only week 2 of lock-down.  The PM does not look well, worse than Prince Charles I would say. Lets hope they both recover.

signing off will attend UU American service on sunday and have silence with John.

Zoe AinsworthGrigg