shhDRink me

It is posh perfume day and the sun is still shining. There is a bit of a breeze though, very welcome. We were up early - well, P was up earlier than me. The plot needs water so he went before 7 with the recycled containers full. Watered and left some for later. I think the well has some water, but not much. Usual breakfast but finished earlier than usual so P washed the car! Yesterday, my garden. I managed to pot on and put in most of the plants that needed it. Just the long trough of lavender to deal with now. Maybe tomorrow. Need to feed plants tonight. Tomorrow we are going to Rosemary's for plants and goosegogs. And coffee in the garden. I have also been allowed to check out the greenhouse for more things - great! Must go to bank for cash! Took a couple of photos of the stars in the garden right now. This is my cutting from 'Brother Cadfael' This is the Oriental poppy we bought when we went to Thirsk, several years ago. Some self-seeds around the garden, b...

Had a bbq. P suggested it and it was met with 'Yes!yes!' all round. LB was excited and apparently asked 'has the lockdown ended?' Bless him, but restrictions have been eased slightly, enough to meet 4-6 people from other households, in the open, with distancing. Well, as the song says, two out of three ain't bad. And it was lovely, we have all missed it so much. Despite our record with alfresco eating, there is still no sign of rain. A said the well was mud last time she went. Will have to take some water tomorrow when we take the rest of the plants and the gro-bags. GW mag arrived today, after A doing her best to sort out the subscription. I get it wrong so, so often. Did shopping this morning. Wednesday is by far the best day, people wise and goods-on-shelf wise. Idiots are there whenever. Went for a walk along the front yesterday. Lots of pictures drawn by the children, thanking the essential workers for struggling on. At the end was a printed A4. If it...

The wind has thinned the magnolia and spread leaves around as though it was September. The pots of lilies are horizontal and the broad beans have fallen over like a drunkard - but nothing broken. Tied them all up on Saturday with string and hope that they recover. No rain as yet, water butts still empty. M. suggests tap water, which I have not used on the garden for many a year! Sunday was posh perfume day, homemade pastries, fruit and coffee. Chicken for lunch and Xmas pud and custard for afters. Only one pud left! Phoned M and nattered for longer than we should, but it is good to talk. Very windy up there, greenhouse-rolling weather. Emailed A about GWM and it seems there is no record of our subscription, so she is on the case! - even though she is feeling a bit off and had planned a day off. Parents! It is now Bank Holiday Monday, at least in England. M. has taken a day off even though it isn't a Bank Holiday in Scotland. Just because you work from home doesn't mean...

The wind is howling and the swifts are screaming - yes, the swifts are back! First I have seen this year. Hurrah! Walked to Hoylake for P.s new belt. Not quite what he wanted, but he has it on trial. Bought some balance t-bags (once a family buying for a picnic had gone from the shop!). Train back, lunch then a bit of baking. Made 2 x lemon drizzle and a baker's dozen fruit scones. Mary Berry's devonshire scone recipe and they actually look like scones should. And taste quite nice too. Will do a photo tomorrow. Jam? Strawbs? Clotted cream? Yum! P. struggled with the technology as we were supposed to have a video call of some sort for a friends birthday. Fortunately, his big day is Sunday. Tonight is Chelsea's past glory and Gardeners World. Perhaps the wind will drop.

The plants are growing and the plot is coming together. Digging takes time, the horsetail sneaks up when you turn your back so you dig, then fork, then rake. Then fork and rake again. And again. The solution for tomatoes is grow bags. We bought two. This afternoon J came with more plants, so I think we need more. Lots more. We had coffee in the front garden, S/D of course. They are still concerned for her Mum. (Just seen Emma Thompson and Greg Wise reading a play about the plague in seventeenth century. Missed who by, should have listened. Very pertinent to current situation.) Tidied the patio yesterday, to try to give the potted veggies some sun. P helped to cut some of the magnolia off and took the trimmings down to the tip this morning, dropping me off at the plot on the way. Waiting time at the tip today was only an hour! A. came and we worked together. There is a frog in the well, despite A's best efforts to rescue it. Fortunately, there is also more water than the...

The daily death rate from the virus has dropped to below 200. This is good, but what would be better is if we knew how it was spread across the country. Those involved in commercial lettings are concerned that demand for office space will fall as more people have to/want to work from home. On one hand, this will keep them risk limited. On the other, massive underused office buildings. You can see the advantage to employers, they don't have to pay rent, services. The employees use their own electric but don't have travel costs. Perhaps these buildings could be re-purposed as housing accommodation. Talking to M. there seems to be a moral aspect to the " should we just go back to how it was and accept we might catch the virus" and consider not just ourselves but those we would infect and their deterioration of health and perhaps death. There was a mass demonstration in London where everyone was ignoring the s/d. Will the R number now go up? (It was 0.4 down there, ...

Happy Birthday to my little bruv. Today was going to be a potting-on day. The plants from J + H are growing well and need sorting. This morning I put the crocosmia and and everlasting pea in the pear tree plot, while P. went in seach of lambs kidneys for Sunday's pie. Then we went to meet J and P in the park. What a lovely morning! J had his scooter and helmet, so speeded around showing us how well he can scoot. Then P had brought several balls so we played throwing and rolling. J stood at the top of one of the little hills in the park and rolled the balls down then I threw them up. He tried catching, but needs a bit more practice. At one point he tumbled and rolled down the hill, so great laughter! Then we stopped for a snack and a chat. Grandpa had gone shopping, so I explained he would be back, we just needed some tweezers because I had picked up a splinter at the plot. We inspected the hole and then explained that the skin would grow back, like fingers linking, holding hands...

Walking up to Hoylake we couldn't help but notice the increase in traffic, especially the ones who rev their engines (perhaps just because they could, having not been out in their cars for weeks). Back to pre-pan levels, even. The AA were on the news, saying the call out level was high, mostly for flat batteries on vehicles which have not been used since the lockdown. Other news discussed the disquiet from teachers and schools generally, that the government want certain primary classes to re-open on 1st June. Social distancing, cleaning surfaces and pupils every 30 minutes will be 'challenging'. The infection rate is dropping in London so it seems the rest of the country will have to follow decisions which will be fine for them, but not necessarily fine in northern parts of the country where numbers are still high. The relative 'R' is 0.4 for London, 0.8 further north. At least JA is on record as saying Liverpool schools will remain closed until he is convinced i...

Went to the plot yesterday afternoon to water the new plants and put the rest of the rubbish in the car for P to take to the tip today. He backed the car down the access path - a bit of a squeeze. There are asparagus spears to pick and A said we could have them as they already have some in the fridge. A reward! Did the shopping at Asda. Went early and walked straight in. When we reached the queue to check out, I left P. and went to Boots for J's cream. Checked the bank, still solvent. Claremont farm next for eggs, watercress, asparagus and cake. Then on to Jackie's with the chutney for Sandra's order and some crocossmia corms. She gave me some netting for the plot. Then on to Aldi for cornflakes and a few bits. Back to A's with her things and then home. Weather is sunny but the cool wind was still about yesterday. Not been out today, but looks like a summers morning. The female blackbird is as agitated as ever. Yesterday was the first day of relaxing the rules b...

J came and we sat, 2 metres apart, one each end of the path. It was good to chat, so long since we have, not the same on the phone. She suggested a virtual coffee on Thurs afternoon. Could be a plan. P. had his phone consultation with the doctor and it seems some of his blood results are borderline so will monitor and have another set of bloods in three months. Walked up to Hoylake for apples, but none so carried on to WK. Train back, uniforms asking why we travelled and check tickets. After last night's speech to the bored public, there is more confusion. Perhaps we should carry on as we were, with personal distancing. We need Wendy's tee shirts - 6 feet distance or 6 feet under. Your choice. Phoned M last night and talked for 59 minutes. About DEVS, about food, bread making, sand disappearing in the gales and sea birds. And lots of other stuff. A. has also made bread and has promised me some. P came with J in pram, with bread so took home the shopping we had bought. ...

There has been a full and quite pink moon this week. Quite big on the horizon then diminishing as it crosses the sky. Stars are brighter. Less pollution? J's birthday today. Zoom at the ready, singing Happy Birthday from isolation, crossing countries as loved ones donned their party hats. Perhaps even cake. Fun! Dug up the old pear tree and cleared the square. P. bought some more compost so have spread some and will transplant crocosmias tomorrow, as long as it isn't raining. Blackbirds a bit calmer today, also robins in garden. Think wrens nesting in yucca? Flowers opening on rowan in front garden. P. trimmed hedge. Takeaway (Indian) for tea. I am hungry.

Up early today (7am) having had the best nights' sleep since all this began. Quiet, peaceful, why stay in bed? I think the plan today is walk to shops for some tomatoes and drop off A's shopping. Would also like to do the experimental tarts - paté sucre, crab apple jelly, cherries in kirsch, chocolate custard and some sort of decoration. Back from walk and shopping and Josés present has arrived - phew! don't have to rush out to find a substitute! Started tarts, then B+N phoned. This just-to-see-how-you-are turned out to be a basic lesson in sponge cookery. Several phone calls later and a stay-on-the-phone-till-it's-cooked, I think a successful cake was birthed. Just to be on the safe side, also told B. how to make it a drizzle cake in case it turned out dry. Phew! Nearly 3 hours after I started, the second batch of tart cases are in the oven. Might actually be able to taste one before bedtime!

P. had an appointment with the practice nurse for bloods, bp etc. She said no, not testing for C19. If they can't test passengers flying in from NY then ordinary bods have no chance! 30,000 dead and counting. US is getting back to business i.e. back to work, never mind that deaths are still rising and horror stories of cadavers stored in abandoned container lorries are circulating. Care homes are a sad situation, on many levels. Perhaps in the aftermath regulation will be more stringent and put residents health above profit. Weekly shop today as Friday is the VE bank holiday. P did Asda and I did M+S. Customers shop slower in M+S. Went to Claremont Farm and P. got asparagus, eggs, honey and some bargain bacon. Having lamb chops for tea and this afternoon will probably potter in the garden. Sat in the garden after tea for a bit. The world shrinks to this small space that is, for a time, mine. I share it with a family of blackbirds, who have a nest in the holly hedge. Both m...

Went over to the plot yesterday with P. with plans to dig over a bit and plant cabbages and chard from H. Then tidy the asparagus bed. P. was going to dig up some roots from the rambling rose which has gone rogue and put down roots like a bramble. He did 3 or 4, too much. Sat down, had a spray but did 2 rather than 1 and keeled over. I panicked. Got help when he went a funny colour. Haven't ran for ages, but you don't notice, do you? Anyway, he recovered and we went home. Had a shower when we got back and checked for wounds. He has a badly bruised thumb which he must have jarred when he fell. Quite tired, so had an easy afternoon while I went to Hoylake for strawbs. Must learn how to use the mobile phone. Am not learning how to drive. Went in to Hoylake today for eggs and met P+J going to the park. Lovely! Sun still shining but cool wind. Garden blooming. Must water/feed tonight. Magnolia needs a trim, but that can wait. JJ has posted some photos on the Market facebo...

There is news that in US they are trailing an ebola treatment for people with COVID 19. Evidence so far, is not conclusive and there is doubt it will help at all. There was a programme with Fiona Bruce about Leonard of Quirm which I had not seen before and another about the British Museum in lockdown, narrated by Prof Ramirez, who is always interesting. Also a Goth. She started by saying there is a saying and a curse attributed to the Chinese (but probably not) that says - May you live in Interesting Times. Perhaps we are. Good programme, though. Hoping there is another same time next week. Have just finished week 2 of my FutureLearn course about the book in modern times 1450 - 1800. There was a list of banned books as early as 1521, from a meeting at the Diet of Worms. Good old Pratchett, with his Diet of Bugs in The Fifth Elephant. Made cheese and chutney scones yesterday and some blueberry+banana muffins. Also finished the oranges. Three and a half bottles liqueur, a bot...