Page 30 - Through a glass brightly
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of months he can’t start the courses up again and people in any case book months ahead. And he has not had the email from the government inviting him to apply for help and it’s impossible to get through online - he was 40,000th in the queue.... After venting his anxieties, he told me about an interesting article which I’ve started reading and so far is really interesting. Charles Eisenstein - and the article is called The Coronation - for obvious reasons. His other writings look interesting too. A perspective on the whole situation. Just what we need. He told me too that the wild animal markets have started up again in Wuhan, which seems unbelievable but apparently an undercover reporter tried to get in and the army are guarding it. True or false, I don’t know, but there is an online petition about this on change.uk
Welcome to Daphne! Can you send your piece about isolating in your garden again? For some reason I couldn’t get it. All the best to everyone! Look after yourselves!
From Jenny at 15.22
I am counting my blessings. I must admit I felt a bit glum this morning - the prospect of weeks more of this isolation had got me down a bit. Then I got all the funny emails and attachments and that cheered me a little. Then I did my exercise routine - bopping round the lounge to Rick Astley amongst others and then the doorbell rang - an unfamiliar sound these days. My builder's wife had been baking and he was delivering slices of cake to his regulars including me - a delicious looking lemon cake. Only minutes later the bell rang again and this time it was my cleaning lady who has now become my shopping lady (while I do my own housework) with my food for the week on the doorstep. Just nice to see a friendly face - from a distance - and to know that I can eat for another week! Life is not so bad after all!
From Mags H. at 17.35
Hi Val, your video (about not being able to get our hair done) is just wonderful! It was only today I was wondering what my ‘mop’ would look like at the end of the threatened twelve weeks, having failed to get it trimmed for some time already! I’ll let you know when I end up plaiting it and producing my own vegetable dye to cover the ever-revealing grey!
Heard from some friends today who set themselves twelve tasks to achieve throughout the day (they say it generally works out at ten). It sounded a lot to me until I realised singing, listening to music, answering emails, cooking etc is on their list. Think I might add up how many tasks I actually achieve. Must say I don’t often sit still for long with the garden and decorating jobs on my mind.... House and garden certainly won’t need much tending come 2021. I wonder what all our reactions will be when we are finally ‘released’. Will we have become used to a slower, more domestic pace or will we all start dashing about visiting as many friends and family as possible, as well as the postponed holidays. I guess mine will be the latter.... It’s so good to hear from everyone and thanks for all your news. Keep smiling.
From Ann at 18.48
After the early scare with my computer ultra-slow functioning, I grasped the nettle and used the brute force technique of switching the router on and off. So far that 'cure' is working.
On the positive side, I have been doing some gardening; unfortunately bedding plants not available. I will try some seeds but in the past I have never had much success. Have started slowly to work through my boxes of hoarded papers but it is a painful job. I try to go out for a walk each day, sometimes combined with a short bike ride to Wimbledon Common; the fresh air and exercise is essential for me.
I have finished reading an interesting biography of Clem Attlee - including the post war Labour government under which so much happened when we were toddlers.
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