But who’s counting? I bet a vast number of people!
I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but there does seem to be more cars on the road this week.Our quiet little country lanes have not been as quiet. In fact, on Friday I wanted to hold up a placard reminding people to stay at home!
I’m trying not to be judgemental and I am sure that the occupants of those cars had very good reasons to travel! I also understand how sitting at home looking at d i y jobs and discovering that B&Q has reopened, would tempt even the most law abiding citizen! How do you explain a non urgent trip if lockdown is causing mental health issues? Taking on a project in your home could alleviate a lot of stress thus prevent a mental breakdown. What does surprise me is how patient people have become, waiting for hours in queues!
Gardening certainly helps relieve my stress but not anymore! I can walk around my garden but can’t pull any weeds and my husband can’t mow the lawn. We have nowhere to store the waste. Garden refuse is not being collected for the foreseeable future. So, walking around my garden has become a stress enhancer and one to be avoided at all costs! I’ve filled every tub and the compost bin is bulging at the seams. We have been warned not to have bonfires and I can understand this! On Saturday night someone took it upon themselves to burn their waste and the acrid smell was horrendous!
I need to get back to my glass half full so can report that our latest walk was marvellous! We have discovered hiking trails instead of lanes and roads. This will greatly enhanced our daily exercise. We have lived in our current house for almost twenty years. During that time we have taken many walks, either alone, the two of us or with friends and family. We have never once tried a hiking trail! Until yesterday.
I felt as if I was on holiday! We strolled through ploughed, planted fields, saw different wildflowers, masses of butterflies and heard new bird calls. There weren’t any cars, cyclists or even joggers or other walkers to ensure self distancing rules were followed! The sun beat down on a wonderful, peaceful world and I arrived back home, ten thousand steps richer and totally de-stressed!
However, today it’s raining, grey and cold so am having to live off memories and wait for the next sunny day. It will have to be the next few sunny days so that the fields can dry out or else we’ll be walking in our wellies! But I know that this glorious, tranquil world is within easy reach. What a discovery! This lockdown life has made us explore our own little part of England, which has come up trumps, so all is not bad!
Hopefully we’ll get some idea of how the country is going to gradually open up again. Boris is back at the helm! Until then I’ll continue trying to take one day at a time. I’ll clap for the carers and all the front line staff on Thursday and continue to hope that this demonic virus burns itself out and life returns to normal. I’ve eaten my daughter’s Easter egg so will have to buy her two next year! But life goes on, albeit it at a much slower, isolated pace! As Captain Tom Moore said, today is good. Tomorrow will be better! 👠
Jenny Burrell 