Sunday 7th June
Matt and Sarah visited us this afternoon, from their flat in Rushden, Northants. As per social distancing rules we met in the garden, each household seated at either end of our 3m long garden table. It rained all morning, and was still raining at 2.30pm, half an hour before they were due, and so I dug the gazebo out of our shed, fortunately unscathed by mouse nibbling, and Steven and I, ably managed by Chantal, erected it on the more sheltered “upper patio”, by the house. Initially we had no instructions, just a lot of numbered metal poles, with no idea whether a number connected to the same number or a consecutive one. I then remembered that I generally scan instructions, and sure enough found them on my laptop. Naturally the rain stopped as soon as the gazebo had been erected.
It was lovely to see Matt and Sarah again, the first time since January, Although I regularly phone Matthew we still had news to catch up with. They would like to move to Cambridge, or least to a village within commuting distance of Cambridge. They both like the City and the surrounding area, and Sarah has an career ambition to join a Cambridge architects partnership. If Matt remains with the Market Harborough practice that he works for, it will be a long commute, but he is optimistic that, even after Covid working at home arrangements cease, he will be able to work from home on at least one, if not more, days per week. They have made the first tentative steps in moving. The flat has been valued, and mortgage options investigated, but they may decide to wait until the post-Covid economy settles down, when they, and more importantly mortgage companies, will have more confidence in their long term income.
We exchanged news about our working at home experiences, and coping with social isolation, in their case in a two-bedroom flat. Sarah updated us with news from her family in Derby.
By 7pm we were all getting a bit chilly, and the dogs were getting restless for a walk, and so they both headed back to Rushden. It was good to see them, and we promised each other that we get together again before too long.
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.
