Saturday 1 January The chimes of the grandfather clock faded to the sound of fireworks outside. It is 2022, a new year and fresh hopes. Can we find our way forward and reinvent the normal that we all long for? The back hedge was full of cheep, cheeping as the Sparrows gathered for a morning gossip. The drive to Hornsea was quiet but when we arrived it seems as if half the county of East Riding had beaten us to it. I have never seen Hornsea even remotely busy before but there was nowhere left to park. I queued for ten minutes for the toilet then we turned round and headed back to Beverley where we found sanctuary in the Coronation Gardens and ate our sandwiches in peace. More crashes on the A64, what is going on? It seems like a daily occurrence these days. Tony Blair has been made a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Really! Why? Macron has really got it in for the Brits. I found pride of place for my beautiful calendar that Ian and Maria created using family photographs. Their design was reproduced by Papier. Beautiful.
Sunday 2 January It’s a glorious morning with the sun shining and a gentle mild breeze. I’m quite disorientated with the days and will be happy when I can say today is today. We jumped on our bikes and cycled up to Vanguard to return a jumper at M&S. A review said it would be a snug fit, so I bought a larger size, and it was like a tent. I must stop buying on-line, I much prefer to see, try on and then make my mind up. It was so nice out that we carried on for a few more miles, ending up on the bike track which was surprisingly quiet. It was nice to sit on a comfy seat when we finally got home, and we made it just before it rained. Ian has found the tyres he wanted in a local shop so I cancelled my outstanding order and gave him the money instead. The new moon was absolutely beautiful in a clear cold night sky. Monday 3 January
Another lovely sunny start, although it had clouded over by ten and was a lot cooler. Paul managed to get his hair cut first thing. Art today. Lovely, I can’t wait to get back to our little club. Emma joined us as she was at a loose end and trying not to smoke. We’re catching up on the new BBC thriller Tourist. Wow, it’s time we had some watchable tv. I’m reading Spider Woman, a memoir by Lady Hale that Phil and Ellie bought me for Christmas. You have to admire her determination and strength to get what she wants in a world dominated by class and privilege. Omicron cases are still rising, but more in keeping with a winter flu epidemic. Sadly, Julia and Colin did not get away for Christmas.
Tuesday 4 January A bright sunny start but perishing out. Two deer trotted under my window as I opened the curtains. What a treat. Town was really quiet, so I managed to get round easily. I thought I might treat myself to something expensive in Fenwick but came away disappointed. Colin is still working on his house, so Paul did not get his game of pool, but he had a really good cycle ride instead. Carole and Hughie have adopted a beautiful Sproodle from the RSPCA. She’s called Rosie and needs some loving care after being passed around a bit too much. She’s landed on her paws there. Spain is back into another huge Covid wave and there are protesters out in Germany against vaccine mandates. Boris is coming down in favour of us riding out the latest wave of Covid and I find myself agreeing with him for once. Wednesday 5 January Happy birthday Gemma S and, also to Howard. I hope you each have a wonderful day. The air was full of the smell of marmalade when I left the pool which had me rushing home for my breakfast. It was a cold bright day, but the sun and the breeze got my washing dry. My new desk chair arrived, and we put it together; it’s very smart and comfortable too. WHO have announced that Omicron, whilst a nasty infection is not as serious as Covid and the death rate in the UK has fallen dramatically. Prince Andrew is waiting to hear his fate. I hope the New York judiciary make him face a trial. I put my old office chair on Gumtree, and it was gone by teatime to a lovely couple in Bishop Wilton. It was the last of Four Lives tonight: what a heart-breaking tale of unnecessary deaths. The police had a lot to answer for. I so dislike people being named as gay, black, trans, disabled etc. We are all basically human beings not shampoo bottles that need labels to say what type. Thursday 6 January Happy birthday Ruth, have a lovely day sweetheart. Paul was up and off early to the dentist. He went on his bike which must have been a cold ride as there was a widespread frost. But he came home refreshed and lighter of wallet! The sparrows were all over the fat balls, then I spotted one trying for a drink so I nipped out and defrosted the bird bath before any of them broke a beak. It had just started to snow as we left M&S so we hurried back home, put the car away, switched the heating on and got cosy. It was a different story for Sasha and Howard who had planned to see The Nutcracker in Buxton and stay over at a nice hotel, but sadly the roads were blocked by snow so they could only turn around and go home. We caught up on the Great Pottery Throwdown, it was a really good start to the series with some nice pots being produced. Keith and Rich are great, and I have to say that Ellie Taylor is a wonderful stand in for poor Siobhán with her broken leg. The Apprentice is back. How I loathe Alan Sugar and his style of management. Friday 7 January It was snowing when I set off for the pool, but it was too wet to settle, and the roads were very slippy. Today is the day that Orthodox Christians will celebrate Christmas. I had a quick trim with Sue at the hairdressers before we did our weekly shop. The footpaths were appalling, and everyone was walking very carefully. I got another headache, so I thought I’d do a lateral flow test which turned out to be positive! Don’t know where that came from, but I really don’t feel too bad. I’ll just keep taking the paracetamol and testing. Moira is still waiting for the results of her test; I hope she is ok. The sky was blue by lunchtime, it was like another day. Ellie has seen her dentist, and everything seems to have cleared up nicely, it’s good to know her tooth is ok and won't be coming out. Russia is taking a very aggressive stance in Kazakhstan where a two week State of Emergency has been declared. Sidney Poitier has died, he was 94. He was a fabulous actor, made some great films and was the first black actor to receive an Oscar. R.I.P Sidney. Saturday 8 January I felt sorry for the big fat Pigeon huddled on Pete’s garage roof. He looked so miserable and forlorn in the rain. I’m feeling much better today but then I’ve had so many Covid jabs that I should be able to shake this off fairly quickly. There’s a saying, ‘be careful what you wish for’ and it makes me think of our last three Prime Ministers. David Cameron did not see the Brexit vote coming, and Theresa May thought she could make it better. And as for Boris well, let’s say he is a brilliant Classics scholar, but we can’t be good at everything. What are the Russians up to? They seem to be stepping up an aggressive stance in some previously governed territories and the latest is cutting cables on the sea bed? It finally stopped raining, so we had a good walk round the block after lunch. I don’t think that staying indoors to self-isolate is the best plan, I need fresh air and I don’t have to get up close to anybody else to get some. Sunday 9 January The sun was up before me, so I showered and dressed and got ready to welcome the day whilst listening to a brilliant interview with Brené Brown sent by Ellie. The vaccinations must be doing their job because I feel quite well, in fact I’ve had colds worse than what I’m currently experiencing. The 40th birthday of photos of Kate, Duchess of Cambridge are quite stunning. She is a very beautiful young lady. The Sparrows were out in force, so Paul topped up the bird feeders before we got on our bikes. Our ride took us along the cycle track, into Morrisons for some bread where almost two years ago we had to queue in socially distanced order to shop, now it’s straight in and out again. Then on to Dodsworth, round Muncastergate and home. Nigel Rees has left the BBC after 46 years in broadcasting. I’ve always enjoyed his programmes, but he says that the powers are insisting on diversity. The problem being that it’s diversity for diversity’s sake which means that the guests are not always appropriate. That’s the BBC, all show and no notion. The Tourist was a bit weird tonight. How did the man survive the fall down the well, and also he would have been badly injured so how did he manage to climb out?
Monday 10 January
It's strange not to get up for swimming and there will be no Art either whilst I am self-isolating. Boo-hoo. I love watching the birds as they flit from the hedge to the feeders. The branches flip up and down like pin-ball paddles, it’s so funny . Malton was surprisingly busy when we went for some more fat balls from Yorkshire Trading. It was so nice to get out, but I steered clear of people and didn’t go into the shops. Listened to I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue at lunchtime. We must have missed most of the last series so catch-up on the BBC website is great. Paul had a bike ride whilst I cleaned the kitchen windows and had a thorough hoover round, that’s enough exercise for me today. I was thrilled to get a response to an e-mail about one of my lecturers from Art School. John Ridgewell was a very special man and we benefitted from his History of Art teaching for a year. Unfortunately he did not see eye to eye with the Principle who was old school and John was progressive. A good memory of a very nice man. Tuesday 11 January Not a bad morning and I am feeling much better. My desk arrived from Ikea, and I was impressed by their delivery people. Boris is back in the stupid corner. Apparently there was a party at No.10 for 100 people during lockdown when all the rest of us mortals were being good and living in isolation. It’s not the first time that Boris has flouted the rules he has set, then lied about it. We unwrapped the desk so that we could identify the pieces and then I had a good clean round and threw out some of the clutter that had accumulated. We (Paul) can assemble it tomorrow when we are both fresh. Michael Gove got stuck in a lift at the BBC on his way to an interview with the Today programme.
Wednesday 12 January Anne took the most fabulous photo of the sunrise this morning. One of the benefits of taking Rusty for a walk whilst the birds are still yawning. Paul set to on the desk; I feel quite useless, but there is little I can do except offer encouragement. Gary Waldhorn has died at the age of 78. He was a terrific actor and played a wide range of roles, but I shall love him best as Councillor David Horton in the Vicar of Dibley. R.I.P. Gary. My little clock has stopped and the threads have come off the winder again. That’s the second time; I think it’s time to give up. I put the bedside table on Gumtree, and it went immediately. The hall table might take a bit longer though. Novak Djokovic has made himself highly unpopular by insisting on staying in Australia to defend his title when he hasn’t been vaccinated. Boris has finally confessed to attending the party, but his apology may be too little too late to save his career. Thursday 13 January
What a glorious morning. The sparrows are noisy in the hedge like children out at playtime. The Court of Protection has approved the money to pay for a Funeral Plan for Joan, it will be good to forget about that now until the time comes. Ronnie Spector has died, she was 78. I loved the music of the Ronettes, there go my teenage years. R.I.P. Ronnie. Ricky Gervais says that we are all fed up of celebrities ‘virtue signalling’ and then jumping in their limousines and driving away. Too true Ricky. Will Boris resign as many people are asking him to? I enjoyed my cycle to the hospital, and it was faster than driving and trying to park. Dr Green says my inflammation levels remain far too high and that I put up with more than I should for my own health. So I succumbed to more medication. I’ve also signed up to a research project.
Friday 14 January
Another bright frosty start. Cold but clear and beautiful. The Sparrows are out in force, chattering and flitting in and out of the hedge on to the bird feeders. So cheeky and cheerful. No deer for a few days, but Paul saw the fox trotting down the field. Prince Andrew will go to trial, and he has been removed from official duties and cannot use his titles. Good. It’s time that this idea of status gets you off wrongdoing is quashed. Yes Boris?We’re back into the season of ‘has been celebrities’ cropping up on really naff tv programmes. What a turn off, but you have to feel sorry for them because they have no idea how to do real work for a living. I listened to Fabiola Campillai’s story on the World Service; what a remarkable woman. Puts these feckless celebrities to shame that’s for sure. M&S have rebranded Midget Gems as Mini Gems so as not to cause offence. Oh grow up. My old desk table was sold and collected. It cost me £2.50 almost 50 years ago and I loved it but sadly there was no room for it anymore.
Saturday 15 January Thick freezing fog is the view this morning, but I managed to catch sight of the fox as he slunk down the field past the hundreds of molehills. He should be catching the moles instead of letting them work their way into our gardens. The birds are in and out of the hedge to the feeders, but Paul has had to move them because the rat knows how to climb the greasy pole. Pray for the people of Tonga who have not only experienced a volcanic eruption, but now a tsunami. Apparently the eruption from the volcano was so loud it could be heard in New Zealand. It sounds horrific. Boris’s successors are lining already up in the wings and some of the satire on social media coming out of it is brilliant. Prince Andrew’s lawyers have set about discrediting Virginia Giuffre. Sunday 16 January The fog has gone and there is just a dreamy mist over the field. I spotted a deer too. Djokovic has been deported from Australia due to his refusal to have a Covid vaccination. Silly man. Covid cases in the UK are going down; at last. The skeleton of a crocodile was found under the floor of a classroom in Wales. It has been preserved and put on display, and the children are agog. The birds have found the bird feeders without any difficulty; let’s just hope it foils the rat. Bridlington was beautiful in the winter’s sun. We had a walk, some fish and chips then another walk. The sea was like a mill pond and there was very little breeze, even at the end of the pier. Let’s hear it for voluntary litter pickers. We saw two out today, clearing up the rubbish that people throw from their car windows. I’d throw it back in their houses if I could.
Monday 17 January What a fabulous start to the day. A beautiful sunrise in the east and a wonderful full moon setting in the west. It was great to be back in the pool, it just restores me. Nice to see Daphne for a catch up too, I hope the kitchen is sorted soon. The fox was out moling when I got home; he must have heard me saying that he should catch some. I’ve been forwarding spam e-mails to a government e-mail, and it works. I was getting up to forty a day, but I started sending them to report@phishing.gov.uk and they’ve all gone away. Moira was still suffering a bit from the after effects of her cold, but our Art session did all three of us good, as well as Mark’s lovely lunch. I love the drawing pen and inks that Phil and Ellie gave me for Christmas, so nice to use.
Tuesday 18 January Over half way through the month already. A bright and frosty start that turned into a lovely winter’s day. I took the bus into town and went to the Building Society to see what is happening with my account, but there is still no news. I pay money in, and the BS rejects it! Bizarre to say the least. Boris says that he didn’t know it was against the rules to attend the Downing Street party. Does he know he is the Prime Minister, or does he just not understand what his job is about? Now Putin is sabre rattling in the north, threatening Norway and Sweden. I’m sure he is trying to prove that he is a great leader, but great men don’t make war for the sake of it. Old Donny boy has finally admitted that he lost the last Presidential election; that must have hurt. It was nice to meet up with the girls back at Deans this evening. They’ve got a new maître d' who whipped Ann’s plate away before I could finish her chips! I took my beautiful calendar to show them, and they loved it. Wednesday 19 January It was dark, mild and damp when I set off for my swim, but a beautiful day once the sun came out. There are calls for Boris to resign, but who will replace him? None of them have any gravitas that I can see. The battery on the laptop is not recharging, I must get it fixed before the warranty runs out. I spent an hour on the phone to someone in Calcutta, we ran through all sorts of tests, and nothing is any different. I’m leaving well alone. New Covid rules have come out and the restrictions are easing as the cases go down. David F always said that a virus takes at least two years before it abates; let’s hope he is right. I spent most of the afternoon asleep! I can’t remember the last time I was so idle. Another glorious sunset. Thursday 20 January What a cold day, with a biting breeze. Boris is hanging on by the skin of his teeth, the Russians are getting ever nearer to war with Ukraine and the people of Tonga are dealing with the fallout from the volcanic eruption and tsunami. On a brighter note, Covid is easing up. Whatever I had (Covid or Omicron) has gone, but I still get the occasional headache which I am unaccustomed to. I had a look at Wordle today. What a great game, I could get addicted to it. When the sun came out it turned into a beautiful day, so we popped up to Thirsk for lunch; I wasn’t greatly impressed with the service. Standards are so much higher now and having to wait whilst three women fiddled around achieving nothing wasn’t my idea of fun. Friday 21 January This week has flown by. Meatloaf (Michael Lee Aday) has died at the age of 74. We shall never forget you as every time Bat Out Of Hell is played we will all be singing the chorus at the top of our voices. R.I.P. The pool was busy when I arrived but then suddenly cleared; was it me! Another lovely winter’s day and the days are getting longer. We soon got the washing and shopping out of the way and ready for Phil and Ellie coming. It was interesting to read about Sue Gray who is doing the enquiry into the misdeeds of Boris and the No.10 parties. The rats seem to have disappeared, but the birds don’t like the new spot for the feeders. I miss them not hopping in and out of the hedge and squawking like naughty children. Kevin rang about Joan’s funeral plan which can now go ahead. I had to ring him back as I had given him the wrong birthdate, she’s a year younger than dad and I got mixed up. Silly sausage. Phil and Ellie arrived about 7pm and it was wonderful to see them. Saturday 22 January Another sunny morning, January has been kind to us so far. We decided to have a ride to Thornton le Dale as Ellie has not been before. We walked out along the side of Ellerbeck up to Ellerburn, it was picture perfect, the sky was blue, and it was very peaceful. It’s a shame the path was in the shade as we slid around a bit in the mud, but it was worth the walk. The beautiful little church of St Hilda’s was open so we popped in for a look. Dating from the 11th century with parts going back to the 9th century, it has survived 1200 years of ups and downs. We walked back down the road chuckling at two mountain bikers who had jumped in their car but left stuff on the roof. They stopped to retrieve a helmet and Phil picked up a glove and passed it to them. Baldersons in the village was open so we stopped for a snack before heading for home. We certainly had the best of the day. The Chinese meal we ate at teatime filled us all up.
Sunday 23 January We all had a leisurely start and Phil and Ellie left and got home about 1pm. Paul and I carried on with doing very little, although Paul did go for a bike ride down to the library. I am sad that there are no birds again, they are so lovely to watch and cheerful to listen to when they are around. I finished my book and took it round to Janet’s; it was the only fresh air I got so I made sure I took some deep breaths. Dad was fed up with himself, he’s been busy and overdone it again. The Tourist got his memory back in quite a clever, almost weird sequence. Monday 23 January Another cold and still January day, and the sun never did make it, but I did manage to get some washing dry. I took my new inks to Art to experiment with. It’s really good fun. Ian rang to say that he was successful in getting a new job. I am so excited for him; he described it as his dream job, and I hope it is everything he wanted and more. He works hard and he deserves his success. Bryan is unwell and is waiting for the doctor to contact him. Fingers crossed. I washed out the bird bath and topped it up with water and later noticed some Long Tailed Tits flitting around. They have a curious little chirp, and we often see them in their little gangs at this time of year. The Sparrows might be staying away, but the Blue Tits are back. The hole Boris is in just got deeper! Birthday party? He only stayed 10 minutes though. Tuesday 25 January What a grey day, and chilly too. Bryan has got a face-to-face doctor’s appointment; I hope all goes well. We received a call purporting to be from the Postcode Lottery which was clearly a scam. When someone asked Paul for his age, then went on to ask for bank details to pay our winnings into, he ended the call. They rang back a minute later and this time I answered and told the woman that it was clearly a scam which she denied hotly. Then I asked her how it felt to be cheating people for a living, but she got really upset then ended the call. Paul went to meet Colin and I got the polish and hoover out and had a good clean round. I finished off my pen and ink sketch whilst listening to some of my favourite music, then read for a while before ringing dad. Burns night and Anita was going to have Haggis at Deans, but that never happened. Instead, they went to the surgery as nobody had contacted them with a time to attend, Bryan fell and ended up in hospital receiving much needed attention. Wednesday 26 January The sky was turning pink when I stepped outside and by the time I got to the swimming pool it was a beautiful sunrise. There was an item on the news about siblings who are separated in childhood. I got upset and couldn’t listen; some things are too close to home. I got the washing on the line, blowing nicely then gave the kitchen a spring clean. Ian is very happy with his new job. The contract is signed already, and he is looking forward to starting. I think we sometimes take our children for granted. I am a proud parent but that doesn’t stop me from seeing them objectively and both Phil and Ian are the kind of people that I would want to know even if they weren’t my sons. Pretty amazing both of them. These new tablets leave me feeling sick and give me indigestion, but you can’t take antacids with them, so I’ll just have to lump it. Thursday 27 January It's a beautiful morning with the prospect of a nice day in store. Masks are not compulsory from today, but I think I shall probably have one handy for shops and buses. The overnight news is that Bryan has been transferred to the Coronary Care Unit, but the family have all rallied round Anita. She will appreciate their support. It’s ages since we’ve been to Leeds on the bus, so it was quite a treat sitting in the sunshine watching the world go past. There is a major new road on the outskirts of the city that we’ve not seen before, and we saw a few more changes in and around with so much building work everywhere. The City Art gallery was a disappointment as there was very little to see. One exhibition was being set up and another gallery was closed because of a leak in the roof (not that it was raining). That wonderful old comedian, writer and raconteur Barry Cryer has died aged 86. What a sad loss. He could talk for ages without one ‘F’ or any other swear word and have me in stitches. He was also very interesting. I can’t think of a single new wave comedian who can even reach his kneecaps. R.I.P. Barry. Chronic indigestion with this new medication, it takes all the pleasure out of eating. Maria saw a Shooting star whilst walking Grace, it made her very happy. Friday 28 January I couldn’t sleep last night so I was glad that I wasn’t booked in to swim. It was nothing of a day. We did our supermarket shop, I washed and tried to take advantage of a dull breeze, but really it was a day to stay warm. I haven’t seen the deer for ages, the presence of the sheep seem to have really upset them and even though they have gone the deer are not back. What we’ve got though is a few of acres of Mole hills! I hope they stay away from our garden. The Sparrows are staying away as well, but there is a compensation to that. The Bluetits are back and don’t have to compete or be bullied by the Sparrows on the bird feeders. Bryan is sitting up and there are signs of improvement. We’ve all said it, he’s a tough cookie. Saturday 29 January It was blowing a hooley when I went for my swim as Storm Malik makes its presence felt. I nearly lost my towel off the washing line. Putin is still not backing down, and his troops are all ranged along the border with the Ukraine. I just hate these warmongers. My knees are painful at the moment, I shall have to give them a good massage. No birds again today, I do miss them. We popped up to The Hopgrove for lunch and had a real plate full. It’s a good job I had some ironing to do, I needed to work off some of that grub and it’s too unpleasant out despite the blue sky. A tree fell on a house in Clifton and stories elsewhere in the country are of devastation, loss of power and roads blocked by more falling trees. Ian and Maria have been together for 7 years. Congratulations. Where did the time go? Sunday 30 January Happy birthday Kevin, I hope you have a super day. The wind blew itself out overnight and it was a bright sunny start, although rather cold. Another privileged Tory boy, Tom Tugendhat has thrown the first hat in the ring to replace Boris. Bryan is off the oxygen, sitting up, eating and talking but very tired. The important thing is that he is going in the right direction. We cycled up to M&S for a few things, it was very busy but then Vanguard does get busy on a Sunday. People get creative in London too I discovered when Ian sent some photos of Yarn Bombing that he and Maria came across whilst out walking Grace.
I heard the Barn Owl screeching this evening. I love it but I can understand how ancient, superstitious people would find the noise a fearful omen. The North Koreans seem pretty proud of conducting tests on the biggest ballistic missile in years, which if used, will cause maximum destruction and loss of life. Will these warmongers with their petty egos ever go away.
Monday 31 January
Happy birthday Janet, I hope we manage to meet up sometime this year. The wind got up again during the night and the breeze this morning was cruel cold. The sky was beautiful. An ice cold blue with little puffs of pink cloud. Storm Malik was followed by Storm Corrie and the amount of destruction up north is devastating. Roofs blown off houses, a whole wood flattened in one area and two people killed. Travelling isn’t very safe, but then neither is parking your car according to the images of trees that have fallen and crushed them. I’m not sure how I thought The Tourist would end, but it was a disappointment. There were too many issues shoved in so that it couldn’t finish easily. I’m amazed by some of the new Highway Code rules. Will they really prevent more deaths or is courtesy, respect and common sense what we need on the roads.
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