Season’s Greetings

 

Home sweet home

We’ve been home in Suffolk for almost two months. The first two weeks were spent in voluntary quarantine. Our daughter had ordered food for us for the first week. On her advice, we booked delivery slots at Tesco for the next two weeks. Our first effort at online food shopping was successful except for the 29 bananas that we ordered by mistake! 

Ellie and Sophie

 We met Em, Ben, Ellie and Sophie from a distance and outside. It was lovely to see them again after being away for 10 months, but so hard not to be able to give them all hugs. Suffolk had very low numbers of people infected with Covid-19 and we were able to meet people indoors or outdoors in groups of six. Pubs and restaurants were open, so we enjoyed Sunday lunch in a local pub with the family. We had another meal out and I went socially distanced line dancing.

Family walk

 Covid numbers began to rise rapidly in the UK and the government announced that England would be put into one of three tiers. We were put into tier 1, the lowest level. Not long afterwards, the whole of England went into lockdown for 4 weeks. 

Masked pub lunch

 We were to stay at home as much as possible and only meet with one other person outdoors. No more pub meals (except takeaways) and no more line dancing. We met Em once a week for a walk and only saw the grandchildren through their car window once.

Halloween at home

 We booked GP appointments (online consultations) had flu jabs and had our eyes tested. Shopping was limited to once a week at the village shop and local Co-op. We went for a walk almost every day and tidied the garden. We kept in touch with our wider family by phone or video call. The local church held services via Zoom and the Westerly Owners Association arranged meetings via Zoom. 

Subdued lockdown Bonfire Night

 We feel blessed that everyone in our family is keeping well. Most have kept their jobs. We are sad that we cannot visit Simon, Erin and Nina in California or my Mum and sisters in the Isle of Man.

Log delivery

 Perhaps this will change in the spring now that we have vaccines. Perhaps we’ll be able to return to Sal Darago in the summer. 

Em and Kathy, socially distanced

 In the meantime, we are debating what to do over Christmas. We are out of lockdown now and in tier 2 along with most of England. Apart from 5 days over Christmas when three households can meet indoors and stay overnight, we can only meet one group of six outdoors. Pubs and restaurants are open again and non-essential shops.

Autumn mist

 It’s been a difficult year for many. We hope you manage to keep in touch with your loved ones and keep safe and well at Christmas and throughout the New Year.

Painting the pylons