Thursday, 3 December 2020

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

 

 

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3 comments:

joseph said...

hello kathy and jeremy,nice to hear your still healthy and well.surviving this pestilence is becoming an award event,your trials seem to fit the criteria.i will drop a note to her maj!!
we have been restricted here for more than 10 months,even the marina was at one point off limits.and as kathy found out,the island was just shut.at one point we could'nt have a day sail,unless paperwork was issued.it was tho. quickly removed.but sailing to piel was not allowed.anyone that went out,could'nt get back in.reminded me of the "Flying dutchman"never to reach land again.my boat was lifted out early doors ready for the season,it's still out.along with other's.however,the opportunity i had seen disappeared when the weather became it's usual unpredictable summer self,progress painfully slow.as we get nearer to the vaccine,which may happen soon,it might ease the conditions for us both.hwever,my(our) fondest love to you both,an enjoyable christmas.we think of you often.with love..mary and david.

8 December 2020 at 14:56
Zola the Gorgon said...

Kia ora from Aotearoa, still blessedly Covid free, though on average, 50 are caught at the border (still strictly patrolled) daily and popped into quarantine.

I'm on a UK Forum so I know the total lockdown is a radical measure no one will like but we went through it, twice, and triumphed. Auckland even closed its borders and the police stopped everyone in and out for quite a long time when 4 cases were found in the community, originating, of all places in a coolstore!
I hope the UK can beat this invidious thing.
I love the 'food delivery' in the boot of the car, how gorgeous they are.

I too have a brand new grand-daughter, born in November and not named Corona as some babies have been (yes, really!) in 2020.

How you must miss the sea, I certainly would.
Much love to you all.
Lynda

9 January 2021 at 01:03
Jeremy and Kathy said...

Lovely to hear from you, Lynda. Happy New Year. Hope you received our Christmas email and attached newsletter. Congratulations on the birth of your new granddaughter. Can't believe some people want to remember the pandemic for ever in theit child's name!

Really wish the UK had responded like NZ and Australia. Too late now, so we're doing what we can. We start home schooling the "food delivery" two days a week, starting next week. We're in a childcare support bubble.

We are all well at present, staying at home except for local food shopping once a week and daily exercise.

Keep safe. Love Kathy and Jeremy

9 January 2021 at 08:08

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