Monday 1 February A beautiful morning with a frosty start and loads of sunshine. Captain Sir Tom Moore is in hospital with Covid. I wish you, and all other patients of this virus a speedy recovery. Make hay whilst the sun shines; I did some washing and Paul cleaned the windows. I rode down to the village before lunch and managed to collect my prescription. It was very quiet out even for a Monday. Paul went on his own for a bike ride after lunch as we are hoping for a phone call at least, telling us to go for our vaccinations. TSB are having difficulties; not good news really when a bank can’t handle its own affairs. My laptop has died; mind it was 10 years old almost to the day and I've had my money's worth.
Tuesday 2 February Faye's birthday, hope you have a lovely day. We woke up to the white stuff blanketing the landscape. Brrr, it looks pretty but I prefer blue sky and sunshine and of course it was all gone by three in the afternoon. We did very little during the day. Paul got his letter to say that he could book his Covid vaccination, which he did; Thursday afternoon. There was an announcement on the news at 7 pm, sadly Captain Sir Tom Moore has passed away. He fought for his country at the beginning of his life and was still doing it at the end. What a truly remarkable man, he reminded us of what it is to be British and have courage in the face of adversity. Unlike these silly celebrity plonkers that fill the media these days. My knees and my left hand have suddenly flared up again and walking is very difficult.
Wednesday 3 January Damp and misty start. Paul was up early for his appointment at the Chiropractor. We went to Lidl for a few things, especially some nice crusty Rye bread which we had with soup for lunch. I got a text saying that I could book my Covid vaccination. There is to be another consultation on York's Greenbelt. I wonder how much that will cost, along with the scheme to flatten Queen Street bridge and build a multi-storey car park on St George's Field? Probably the same as mending our roads which are fast becoming third world patchwork quilts. Ordered a new laptop from HP. You can't blog if you haven't got the tools, but it was hard going. Laptops are at a premium right now and most of them were out of stock.
Thursday 4 February Damp but bright. 3 deer grazing, they've been roaming around for the last few days but I think the beck is too high for them to jump back into the other field. My knees are slowly improving. The birds are all over the fat balls and seem to be very busy. I see that we have the Long Tailed Tits back. I prepared tea early then we buzzed off to Askham Bar for Paul's vaccination. Following a tip from Denise, I took my NHS number with me and was done at the same time. Saves me going back tomorrow. The whole operation is very well organised and we were in and out in next to no time. I like the new gardening programme on BBC 2 Your Garden Made Perfect.
Friday 5 February
What a dreadful night, the vaccine did not like me one little bit. It was when I got cosy that the problems began. I got hotter and hotter, felt sick and parched. I kept drinking and going to the toilet, then I started shivering and couldn't stop. My head was pounding, and my eyeballs hurt. Finally the night was over, Paul brought me two paracetamol and I slept until lunchtime. I even missed John when he called round. Paul and John did a magazine exchange and I had left a pile of books to take for Anne. My new HP laptop has arrived; very smart and it didn't take long to set up. The supermarket was quiet thankfully, we don't normally go on an afternoon. Ian rang to make sure we were ok after our jabs. I was so tired from last night that I fell asleep watching tv and missed the end of Death in Paradise!
Saturday 6 February
Robert Louis Stevenson summed it up nicely, The rain is raining all around, It falls on field and tree, It rains on the umbrellas here, And all the ships at sea. Such dreary weather, I’m not surprised that the youngsters are feeling low, but it will pass, and they will appreciate life more for what they have lost. Already they realise how much they miss going to school, but I bet they never thought they would. The lawn is a lake and I’m guessing that the river will be very high now. Anne rang this morning; she has given me the contact details of a friend who is on the same medication as me and I think I’ll give her a ring. Not a great deal to do today but sit and read. I carried on learning about my new laptop and installed the printer. Phil and Ellie rang as they were driving to the supermarket in Matlock.
Sunday 7 February
Snow was promised, and it did keep trying, but all we got was little flurries of the granular stuff. I did some washing anyway as it was very windy, and it dried the clothes just the same. We had a little drive up to Stamford Bridge after lunch, just to change the pictures in our heads. The Derwent is in flood as expected. The Buttercrambe road was closed due to flooding, as was the car park. The good news is that the new flood defence wall in the square is working well. Dad sounded fed up on the phone, it must be hard on your own not being able to get out and nothing much to do. He cheered up at the suggestion that he got out the photo albums and relived some happy memories. Another hotel has been approved and we will get a Premier Inn on the corner of Layerthorpe and Foss Islands Road. As if we needed another hotel! The Serpent is getting very tense as the game is almost up. The real Herman Knippenburg, former Dutch diplomat, is impressed with the reality of the storyline.
Monday 8 February
A wintery, snowy scene today as Storm Darcy has arrived in the UK and has us in its grip. I left the oven on all night; oops! No wonder I was so warm in bed. Oh, this winter and the lockdown seem to be relentless, I think I need to get our photo albums out too. I spent most of my time researching for my blog and regretting that another day will pass without me being outside. Daphne’s mum has died at the grand age of 98. She sounded like a lovely, feisty lady. RIP.
Tuesday 9 February
More snow overnight, but it’s not the knee deep stuff they threatened us with. It was a beautiful start, but it soon deteriorated and just snowed on and off all day. Denmark are not happy with the EU; they say that they joined up for a Common Market not a Federal state. They object to their good housekeeping being used to bail out the failing economies of other countries such as Greece and Italy. I’m listening to Fall: The Mystery of Robert Maxwell by John Preston on BBC Radio 4. He was a ruthless monster but it's still an interesting and enlightening story.
Wednesday 10 February
We were up early for Paul’s appointment with the Chiropractor at Active Care. It was such a sunny start that it gave me hope and I did some washing, which dried despite the cold and occasional flurries of snow. Gracie is fascinated by the snow and likes watching it fall from the comfort of a warm room. I got a phone call at last from a Rheumatology Specialist nurse. Helen was lovely, and after discussing my needs and advising on dosage, agreed to send the necessary prescription and blood forms. I’m even going to get a follow up clinic appointment. My knees are still swollen and apparently my tests show that I still have a relatively high level of inflammation.
Thursday 11 February
A beautiful sunny morning, with a bitter chill. I did another load of washing pronto to catch the sunshine. Paul had a bike ride and said that the roads had cleared and were nice and dry. Matt Hancock has put forward proposals to reform the NHS. It’s had almost as many changes in the last 70 odd years as Italy has had governments! There is still no sign of whether we will be able to book holidays and relatives of people in Care Homes are demanding better access to their loved ones. It’s all still up in the air though, and the news is so confusing that at times it’s best not to listen. Dad was so cold last night that he slept in the little bedroom where it’s warm and cosy. Watched Robert Fuller on The One Show. His love of nature is so obvious, and the filming is beautiful.
Friday 12 February
Another glorious start, but we are paying for it with the heavy frosts and low night time temperatures. Minus 16 in Thixendale according to Denise. The snow has been so bad up on the Wolds that her friend has had to rescue the Morrison's delivery van twice with the tractor. One lone deer on the field yesterday and today, laid out in the frosty grass. Went to Lidl to shop for a change. Nice selection, wide aisles and decent car park. There’s a bit of blue sky, but too much cloud to feel the sun and the wind is cruel. My knees are quite swollen again. Paul had his bike ride, but I still daren’t. It’s sad when the highlights of the day are the supermarket and ironing. A part of the Thames has frozen over at Teddington, that’s how cold it is.
Saturday 13 February
It was a bright start, but the wind has been blowing all night and it was bitterly cold. Minus 1, feels like minus 9 according to the weather map. My prescription arrived yesterday so we dropped it off at the chemist, drove on to the Library to collect one of the books I had ordered then drove out towards Stamford Bridge. The roads were very quiet, but we saw two long distance cyclists despite the cold. The Wolds were a patchwork of white fields, glinting in the sunlight and a thin sheet of ice covered the Derwent at Stamford Bridge. The floodwaters in the water meadows were definitely frozen, as was the village pond at Holtby. Ian, Maria and Gracie went for a walk to Ruskin Park where there was yet another frozen lake. Gill sent a text to say that Emma has landed her first job as a school administrator. Congratulations sweetheart, it must be a nice feeling in these times of uncertainty.
Sunday 14 February
Happy Birthday Anita, it won’t be quite the jolly party you had last year, but I hope you have a lovely day. St Valentine’s day of course and we all need a bit of love. The lockdown restrictions seem to have brought the worst out in some people and there is as much lawlessness and aggression around as there is depression and loneliness. It’s still bitterly cold, made worse by the very strong wind. I can’t help but reflect on what it must have been like for Grandad in Northern Russia in 1919 during the Civil war with the White Russians. It was so cold that the rivers froze solid and he marvelled at how tracks would be laid for trains to run across. Trump has got away with it and his impeachment failed, but it’s probably for the best as success could have brought more trouble to the country. Let him fade away. We’re half way through the month already!
Monday 15 February
A misty start, but the complete opposite to yesterday. The snow was all washed away by the rain and it is so much warmer, even the sun put in an appearance. Peter Lawrence has died, RIP. I always felt so sad whenever I saw him at the bus stop; he worked so hard to find out what happened to Claudia, his daughter after she disappeared, but it remains a mystery to this day. Sally is a fellow Rheumatoid Arthritis sufferer. During a conversation yesterday we both realised that we had our Covid jab a week ago, and now we both have a flare up of the condition. Is it a coincidence? Watched the conclusion of The Serpent last night. It was so satisfying to know that Sobhraj and Marie-Andrée Leclerc were caught, and justice was served. It’s a shame the police in Thailand were not able to prosecute them but it was interesting to know where everybody else is now. So many lives were ruined because of this one man. We cycled down to the Chemist for my prescription, I’ve got three months’ worth! That makes life much easier. Ian rang, it’s always lovely to hear from him.
Tuesday 16 February
A bonnie morning and so nice to be frost free. Five deer on the field and a gang of Bluetits checking out the nesting box. Paul’s washing the car; God’s in his heaven and all’s right with the world. I got a message from the Library to collect three books and as it was too nice to stay in, I got my bike out. I dropped two magazines off and had a natter with Janet on my way down Galtres Road, then round to Bad Bargain Lane. This book service is working well. I carried on down Fourth Avenue to East Parade for a bit of shopping before heading back home. It felt good to be back on my bike. Later we had short drive round by Flaxton and Strensall Common, it’s just nice to get out and see different things. We’re looking forward to the day that we can keep going right through to Scarborough. Loads of Long Tailed Tits bombing around the garden.
Wednesday 17 February
Another nice day and so lovely to have some warmth in the air. Blue Tits at the nesting box, three deer in the field today and Long Tailed Tits chasing each other up and down. Got two loads of washing done, ironed, aired and away. We cycled down to East Parade for some mushrooms; it was hard work against the headwind, but a lovely ride home. The man on the radio said ‘Dominic Raab, Home Secretary’. Surely that was a mistake, or did I miss something? I can’t believe the news that Captain Sir Tom Moore has been trolled on-line. Where do these people get off? Have they done anything so selfless for their country as this man has throughout his life? If this is New Age Britain, can I leave now please? All the talk is of Long Covid which sounds very unpleasant indeed. My knees are a smidgeon better. It’s very quiet out. We're both impressed with the work that Ellie and Phil have put into their garden, even working on cold frosty days.
Thursday 18 February
And then the wind blew, and it rained. Oh well, it is only February. The deer are still in the field and the Sparrows are happily squabbling in the hedge. It’s such a lovely sound, but they make more noise than children in a school playground at breaktime. Christopher Lee, the historian and author has died RIP. I wish the BBC would repeat his series This Sceptred Isle, on the radio. I wonder if you can still get a copy of the book? A pilot study is to be conducted in the UK which involves exposing healthy people with Covid and monitoring the results. The idea is to aid vaccine and treatment development. Audrey rang after lunch and we had a nice catch-up. We’re both looking forward to going swimming again. Another trip to the Library for more books. Paul carried on for a longer ride, but just as I was turning for home I decided to carry on to East Parade and get an Apple Pie for tea from the Co-op. I’m glad I did too, as I bumped into Mary with her grand-daughter. I haven’t seen her for ages, so that was another lovely catch-up. The wind blew me home where I was treated to the sight of a beautiful rainbow arching right across the sky. The Death in Paradise series ended on a cheeky note!
Friday 19 February
Another wet start. I’ve been listening to How To Avoid A Climate Disaster by Bill Gates on BBC Radio 4. It makes me feel slightly uncomfortable knowing what his industry has cost the earth in mining of precious metals for phone batteries etc, but I suppose he is a very influential convert. My hair keeps sticking in my eyes and I shall be glad when Hairdressers can reopen and I can go and see the lovely Sue. It drives me nuts, so god knows how Claudia Winkleman copes? I did some washing and just about had to nail it to the line to stop it from blowing away. Paul went for a bike ride, brave man. Denise is sixth on the list for her cancer op, but last week the list was cancelled due to a shortage of beds and then the surgeon took holiday leave. I don’t suppose there was much else he could do. Everyone has an opinion about Boris’ handling of Covid in the UK. I can’t say I’m a fan of Boris, but I don’t envy him, and I understand his cautious approach. I think most of us in his position would have had a nervous breakdown by now! Saturday 20 February Glyn’s birthday today. Feliz cumpleaños Glyn. Cool and windy, but at least it’s dry. I was so cosy that I found it hard to get out of bed, but I made myself do my exercises and get cracking. There are reports of dogs with blue fur in Dzerzhinsk, Russia. It looks like the result of industrial contamination. Texas and other southern states of America are suffering from extreme cold weather which people are not used to. Some have already died of hypothermia. Harry and Megan have taken a further step away from the Royal family. If that’s what they want then let them get on with it. I should think Harry’s own life experiences have taught him enough about what he wants and doesn’t want. Went to collect a book from the Library, carried on driving and ended up in Pocklington. Stuarts chippie was open, so we indulged and sat on a bench in the little memorial garden. It felt so much like a normal Saturday, it was wonderful. Ian and Maria are decorating, and Maria has just realised how many indoor plants they have!
Sunday 21/2/21 Not a bad start, at least the wind has died down a bit. One deer on the field, then I saw the others from the kitchen window, right over in the far field. Loads of Wood Pigeons pecking the ground, I wonder what they find to eat, they’re not after worms. Boris has pledged to have all adults vaccinated by the end of July. Oh dear, Rod is in hospital with a suspected heart attack. I can’t think of a least likely candidate. Get better soon please Rod and in time for us all to have a jaunt out somewhere nice. We set off on our bikes, down to the bike track, which was very busy with walkers, joggers and cyclists. I only went as far as the chickens, but Paul went on to Dodsworth Avenue. The chickens are looking very healthy, not like the bedraggled state I last saw them in when it was cold and frosty. Hope I didn’t go too far, my knees ache, but I need to keep the muscles strong. I heard a Skylark today, that’s a real sign that spring is on its way. Monday 22 February Auntie Olive’s birthday, she’s 91. Happy birthday sweetheart, thank you for ringing Dad, it really cheered him up. It was a wet start, but I had to get cracking for my blood test. Schools are to resume from 8 March, which is only two weeks away so that should cheer some of the children up. Bet they never thought they would get excited about going back to school. There were six deer on the field today, and they stayed put for most of the day, lapping up the sunshine when it finally broke through. Paul went for a bike ride whilst I walked round to Audrey’s and took her a book to read. It was lovely to see her and we had a socially distanced catch-up in the garden. Listened to the Roadmap out of lockdown on the news. Everything will be done in stages, 8 March, 29th March, 12th April, 17th May and 21st June being key dates for moving forwards. It’s a cautious approach, but a sensible one. After all, who wants to go through it all again? Tuesday 23 February A cool, breezy morning. I cycled down to Heworth for my prescription before the wind got any stronger. It was very quiet out. No prescription! I can’t say how upset I was. How silly of me to get an auto-immune disease during a pandemic because nobody wants to know you unless you’ve got Covid. This is the third time that I have had to chase round for my prescription drugs. I never wanted to be an old lady taking a pile of pills, but without them I’m in trouble. I understand the problems the NHS must be facing, but there are other patients. I have friends who are waiting for cancer, hip and knee operations and their lives must be pretty miserable right now, and it’s not going to get better anytime soon. The good news is that Rod is ok and going home today. Gemma says that there is no program for vaccination in France and although she logs onto the system each day, she cannot get an appointment to be vaccinated. Thousands are being let down because France (Macron) is refusing to take the AstraZeneca vaccine. It all sounds a bit petty to me.
Wednesday 24 February The wind raged all night and into the morning. Paul was up early for his Chiropractor appointment which hit the spot once again. Two deer shot across the field; something must have spooked them. A Swedish MEP is unhappy that the UK is being bullied by the EU for leaving which is why there is so much petty nonsense around. Maria rang this morning and made our day, we love talking to her. She is on a few days holiday and will be pottering on the terrace potting up and planting seeds. My prescription has finally arrived at the Chemist, but the items had to be ordered; good job I still have another day. I’m not happy with the young Pharmacist who clearly works for the group practice and vets every prescription. If he's going to block you, he should let you know. It’s still quiet out. My bowl of miniature Daffodils have suddenly started to bloom from being tight buds at the weekend.
Thursday 25 February
Gorgeous morning. The sun was shining, and the wind wasn’t quite as strong as yesterday, but still cool. The Bluetits were hopping from the tree to the fat balls and in and out of the nesting box. The EU insist that they are keeping up with the UK’s vaccination programme, but they have only done 5% of the population so far whereas we’ve done 27%. The Germans have done a U-turn and decided that AstraZeneca is a safe bet after all. Busy day washing, cleaning, ironing despite my knees being swollen and stiff. A news headline says that the death rate in York continues to climb and cites just one death. The next headline says that another area in York has turned white, meaning no reported cases of Covid. Now which is it? Fear and sensationalism or good news? The farmer came into the field with a hedge trimmer and has cut our hedge for us. Yippee! That saves a lot of work. Lovely family on-line get together.
Friday 26 February
Another lovely start, despite the frost. Janet cycled round with some books and then she was going to ride up to the Hopgrove to deliver another. She was doing it for the ride, which I envied. Trump has had to hand over his tax returns to the prosecutor’s office. I could hear a bird of prey keening whilst I was in the garden, but even though there wasn’t a cloud in the blue sky it still took me ages to spot it. It was a huge buzzard and as soon as I took my eye off it, it disappeared again. That always puzzles me. I don’t know if it was the sunshine, but there were more people about today and the mood seemed lighter somehow. We’re all hoping that the end is in sight. Had a ride down to the post office to send Grace a couple of pig’s ears. Yum yum. On the way back we took a path off the bike track where the new estate is and came out on Bad Bargain Lane. Sasha has had her vaccine and had exactly the same reaction as I did. Terrible night’s sleep, headache, hot and really silly dreams. Phil and Ellie's garden is coming on a treat. Just waiting for the shed to be delivered.
Colin is in hospital in Scarborough having failed to get his life preserving medicine. A 19 year old student has died from Sepsis after failing to get an appointment with his GP, even though he made 25 phone calls. The NHS has lost its way through Covid.
Saturday 27 February
Sue’s birthday. Happy birthday sweetheart, I hope you and Kerry have a wonderful weekend. The sunshine was just perfect, but the news is that cases have started to rise again. Oh no! It was a slow day, so we jumped in the car and went for a drive. Seeing other sights always lifts the spirits. There were carpets of snowdrops everywhere and we even came across some lambs in a paddock at Hagg Bridge with their mums. The sad thing about the farmer cutting the hedge is that the Long Tailed Tits nest in the briar, so now they’ve all gone. They were so cheery and cheeky too. It was so warm and nice that we had a good bike ride. Down on to Bad Bargain Lane, through the new estate, down the bike track to Dodsworth Avenue, through Muncastergate and home. There was a full moon, a Snow moon, but I missed it. After all that cycling, I slept like a log.
Sunday 28 February
A misty start with little breeze. The sun was trying, but it was cold. Colin is still in hospital. The SNP are in the limelight with the Alex Salmond enquiry and Nichola Sturgeon has a lot of questions to answer. There’s no smoke without fire. The sun broke through late morning, so we did some gardening and trimmed the rest of the hedge then had lunch al fresco, seated on the garden bench. Myanmar have had their worst day of violence since the coup. It’s sad that people have to lose lives, but if that’s the only way to fight for your rights then it is a necessary evil. I had another bike ride, this time out towards Huntington, then back along the new footpath that takes you down by the New Stadium and Bowling Alley. It was lovely and warm and all nice and flat so my knees were ok. McDonald and Dodds is back for a second series, great stuff.
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