My Lockdown No 3

Lockdown seems to go on for ever but I don’t seem to do much with all the time I have on my hands. Catching up on the phone or FaceTime with my girlfriends they all say the same thing… ” I don’t know what I do with my time it just goes”!!.

Looking back over the weeks, months, Roger and I have walked most days, we have some great walks around the area where we live and can do many different routes, so never boring. We decided we prefer to walk early as there are not so many people to keep passing but if we go nearer noon we meet some lovely people, dog walkers, neighbours etc. I am always amazed at how far people walk. We met Jo & Hannah two of our Ribs crew yesterday who had walked over nine miles from the city centre to Bramerton, were on their way back and looked fresh as daisies!.

Living on a hill is supposed to make you fitter but alas my expanding waistline says otherwise. I seem addicted to cooking. Not just the daily meal but cakes, fudge, pickle, marmalade, pâté and too Rogers delight lots of curries… and after years of catering I seem unable to cook for two so we have massive portions…. The Marmalade, my first attempt was quite by accident as Sainsbury’s sent Seville bitter cooking oranges by mistake, it is rather delish but a bit on the thick side. Roger doesn’t complain..

With a large, hilly garden & woodland we have many days chores outside but on wet days there is still business admin and I have used a bit of this time to search for better deals on Insurance, heat, light & water etc., The highlight and excitement this week has been having our laurel hedges trimmed and a new compost heap built. Yes excited I am as I now have a walk in compost area. My Mum would be so proud!

With clubs closed Roger is unable to play Golf at the moment – my very kind next door neighbour thought she would give us a jigsaw puzzle. It’s a rather lovely map of Norwich City centre. Roger finished it in 6 hours, was so pleased he posted on Facebook, we now have donations of puzzles that will last the year.

I have borrowed my youngest granddaughter Logan’s hairdressing scissor as I need to cut Rogers hair as he is beginning to look like an ageing hippy. I have never attempted to trim anything other than my box hedges before – how hard can it be? I will not be posting the results!

Roger’s birthday is approaching, his birthday present arrived early so he now has the task of erecting it – its a woodpeckers nesting box. We hear the woodpeckers in our wooded area so we know they are around. Roger has become quite an accomplished Flat Pack man in the last 12 months or so. We have a new chicken coup, an extra garden shed, and a posh potting table! He has also become accomplished at window cleaning so I am happy to pass that chore over permanently!

We miss our family muchly. Our clan from New York camped out in Florida over the holiday season which I felt at ease with and dread them going back to the city. Its 10 months since my grandson stepped foot in school….. 19 months since Roger & I had a hug in person…. The Norwich branch, we did spend Christmas Day with but that seems such a long time ago. Aspen our eldest grandchild is in Sheffield at uni doing nursing… thankfully she is in contact with me almost daily through cheeky snapchat and suchlike. I miss the school runs, they were so enjoyable trips. Logan our youngest granddaughter will be 18 this February, such a shame no party, no socialising……

We have a WhatsAp group in our neighbourhood. Such a great idea, I encourage anyone who hasn’t to start one. We have met some great people all ages and the community spirit is thriving. We swop best takeaway restaurants, local tradesmen, ideas for Netflix viewing and have a giant onion growing competition on the go. This I fear may become very competitive over the coming months.

Our pub The Ribs of Beef is still closed. Looks like a few more months in store. It is so sad and cold like its heart stopped beating without all the friends & staff making conversation, telling jokes and swopping tales. We miss our fury friends too. Well I’m off now to try a supper of Miso Aubergine with fresh Brill & Cavolo Nero from our local fishmonger on Fye Bridge, cooked by my lovely hubby. Hope he has opened a bottle of something! Im a lucky gall.