Wednesday April 1st
I am woken from a deep sleep by Ellie barking, and rush downstairs to avoid having to clear up a puddle or even worse mess. I have to encourage her out, and then she only wants to play. Apparently, it was an April Fools joke. The day deteriorated. Andree has reported a snapped tendon and needs elastic ankle supports, but it must cover the heel. I am sent out to find one. There is a short queue outside Stoney Stanton pharmacy, but they have none in stock. I am advised that a standard elasticated “Tubigrip” will do the job. I agree, but that is not what has been specified. There is another short queue at Broughton Pharmacy, where four ankle supports are available, but the only one that meets the specification is Extra Large. At least I get an opportunity to pop into Broughton Co-op for a nice crusty loaf – quiet, no queues, fully stocked. Checkout staff now serve from behind plastic “sneeze screens”. I phone Chantal for instructions and am instructed to try Sainsbury, which has a pharmacy. The queue outside Sainsbury extends along the front and side of the store, and then across the car park. In a rare burst of assertiveness, I advise Chantal that I am not queuing for an hour for a single item that may not be in stock. I agree to try Asda, but the queue is similar. I suppose that restricting the number of in-store shoppers is the equivalent of closing two lanes of a busy motorway, and then keeping waiting cars several feet apart. Long queues must be expected. In the end I discover several online alternatives, and hopefully an anke support will be delivered directly to Andree tomorrow. We have noticed that some expected items and cards are taking several days to be delivered. I am still waiting for at least one promised birthday card. After the aborted shopping trip it is a pleasure to spend the rest of the day gardening. Chantal Facetimes her Dad Les in “Up-State” New York. He and his partner are fine, no Covid-19 cases in the area yet. At the start of the New York City lock-down city dwellers migrated north to second homes in New York state. Police stopped vehicles with New York license plates and sent them back home.
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.
