Sunday 31st May
A day of other people’s news, since it has been a social day, a day of sharing news. Zoom church service this morning, which was itself a novel experience, but is now routine, barely worth a mention. I always enjoy the chat after the service. Two birthdays have taken place, one celebrated by an eight-year-old, who had a party of sorts, with family members socially distancing themselves in a field behind his home to wish him a Happy Birthday. As his grandmother said, blowing out candles on the birthday cake before distributing slices, as is traditional, was not really an option under currant circumstances.
The other birthday was a 91st, which, as the gentleman said, was a much quieter affair than the previous years event. His grandson is currently living with him while job-hunting, having travelled from his parents’ home in Hong Kong after being invited for an interview prior to Lockdown. He had to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival in the UK, staying with is sister before traveling on to his Grandfather. UK Lockdown commenced during the self-isolation period, and he remained with his sister, although was able to attend the job interview with a tech company, and subsequent further interviews before being rejected on limited experience, which was clearly stated in the application submitted while he was in Hong Kong. Without naming names, the tech company is of a fruity nature. At least my friend from church had company for his birthday, since his grandson was able to join him following recent relaxation of social-isolation guidelines.
Tomorrow a further relaxation occurs, when we can entertain friends in the garden, the gathering not to exceed six people. Yesterday we check the weather forecast in anticipation, finding that today’s outlook was more favourable than tomorrows. After a careful risk assessment, we conclude that the benefit of entertaining outdoors on a warmer afternoon exceeds the additional risk incurred by having a gathering nine hours before the event becomes less risky at midnight. We invite our friends and neighbours for drinks and nibbles in the garden this afternoon, a return match for the even more illegal gathering in their garden last weekend. The risk is even greater because they are only Cummin 50 yards, not 300 miles. If I read this in the future, I will wonder what that is all about.
As with last week, all is carefully prepared with social distancing in mind, direct access to the garden, couples seated over 2m apart, and separate bowls of nibbles. Some lockdown winners and losers come up in the course of conversation. A small one-man entrepreneur-type of company known to Richard has received a Government lump sum payment to support the company. The loser, sadly, is someone known to both of us who will be made redundant once his period of furlough is over.
Having spent a significant part of dog walks during the week collecting and bringing home bags of bottles, cans, and foil from barbeques on Croft Hill, I mention that it is a good job that the recycling bin will be emptied tomorrow, since mine is full to the brim. Richard points out that it is the general waste bin that is due for collection. And so, despite, or perhaps because of, spending the afternoon imbibing a significant proportion of my weekly allocation of alcohol units, I finish my week by climbing up onto the recycling wheelie bin, and jumping up and down to compress the contents. Someone else can collect the detritus from the Hill next week.
Technically we live in Oaktree House, but sadly the tree had to go.
We now have a thriving Oakstump at the front of the house.
