Page 150 - Through a glass brightly

Life is still quite surreal. Despite the Government's exhortations to open up England and get everything back to near normal - I still feel as if I living in an alien world. Admittedly I have formed my 'support bubble' with Peter which livens up the weekends, but I am still only visiting my daughter in Hitchin in the garden (weather permitting) and am gratefully using the Click and Collect slots arranged for me by my other daughter to avoid going into a supermarket - augmented by deliveries from the Cook Shop! I have a small stock of washable masks in case I feel the urge to go to other shops, but have so far managed only the local Garden Centre which is mostly outdoors.
However, I must admit that vanity got the better of me and I did go to the hairdressers last week - and shallow person that I am, I came out looking a lot better and feeling 10 years younger! Admittedlyitwasadifferentkindofexperience,withmytemperaturetakenonentry, everything - including me - sanitised and the hairdresser in mask and visor.
Perhaps the hardest thing is to watch the news. Hearing the predictions of a massive second wave later in the year and even to see the 'spikes' of infection cropping up now in England and perhaps more frighteningly around the world makes one realise that this is by no means over. I was thinking recently particularly of Maggie in Victoria and Cary in Texas. I was listening to a very obese American lady being interviewed, who happily insisted that the chances of catching it were very small and the chances of being seriously ill or dying were infinitesimal (my word not hers!!)
Still life of a sort must go on, so on Friday Peter and I are going out for lunch at West Lodge Hotel in Cockfosters (for my birthday treat). Perhaps more daringly I have just booked a self- catering cottage in Yorkshire (in the village where my younger daughter and grandsons live) for a week in August. I have not seen them since Christmas and don't want the boys to forget who I am, but of course we shall be socialising outside - come rain or shine - as we cannot form another bubble - yet. I have also recently entertained a couple of pairs of friends for coffee in the garden - although on one occasion the couple did not come as they had forgotten which day it was!!! I think we can probably all empathise with that feeling.
Hoping you are all keeping safe, sane and well.
From Ruth at 17.55
Hello Jenny! Lovely to hear from you – as organised as ever I remember. Am impressed at your having managed a visit to the hairdresser, coffee in the garden with friends, a celebratory birthday meal and a summer holiday. Brilliant! Didn’t know you had a daughter in Hitchin! That’s not too far away from us. I even used to teach there some years ago.
Life is slowly ticking over here in Wheathampstead. A gentle morning walk over the field to get the paper from the post office, an hour or so on the computer sorting out emails. An hour or so pulling up weeds on the allotment. We’ll be eating our first new potatoes tonight, and some raspberries for dessert.
Made a loaf today with my supply of unbleached Redbournbury Mill flour. One loaf keeps us going for a couple of days, providing the smaller grandchildren aren’t here, as they seem to like a buttered crust with a trickle of honey. Washing up while watching the birds is quite soothing and keeps me going. They’re gorging on sunflower hearts and peanuts. (I fear we’re supporting a population explosion among the blue tits and gold finches, as there are always a dozen or so of the little blighters flying around here.)
We even had a ring necked dove flying into the house the other day. Neighbours knocked on the front door and told us they could see it flapping about trying to escape from the closed
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