Sunday 31st January 2021

We have been living with COVID for more than ten months, and the lockdown, restricts and changes in our lives here in UK has been going on so long, its the new normal. So, when I spoke to some orchidists in New Zealand yesterday and found out that because their borders are closed, life is back to normal. And in Perth Australia, they just had their first local case for ten months. Ten months. This is important, because although Tony told me about the closed borders, I don't think the enormity of it only hit last night. We assumed that a negative test would be enough, and December is another ten months away, surely the madness would be mostly over by then? Maybe not. So, we do have travel insurance, and if need be, delay the trip for a year. Whilst 30,000 Australians can attend the Open Tennis each day, here we can't even go to the pub for a drink, or get a takeaway pint from one either. Even going to a van to buy a coffee is being frowned on now. And such restrictions are in place at least until the end of the third week of this month, perhaps to Easter in April. I am wondering if things will ever go back to normal, I mean, imagine being able to go to a pub, standing next to people and ording a pint of porter and some pork scratchings? It sounds so exotic at this point. Or even going to an Indian for a curry, and not have to bring it home! But those days are weeks, if not months, maybe many months away. Perhaps not even this year. We shall see. I say all this as we are stuck to walk locally, because of the heavy rain last week, meaning we had to go somewhere else on Sunday, before yet more rain was due in the afternoon. So, on Saturday night we decided on going to Deal, but further long walking from the remains of Sandown Castle towards Sandwich. We just had to get up in time, have coffee and get dressed. If we wanted to see the sunrise we would have to be out soon after seven, as sunrise is a full ten minutes earlier than last weekend. As it was, we did not make it, instead leaving home at twenty five to eight, just as the sun was due to rise, but was hidden from view behind thick clouds over France. We drove on through Walmer, then along the Strand into Deal, and past the pier until the Strand turns inland, we found a place to park. At the back of the castle mound there was a coffee wagon, signs all up. We could have a brew and some choclate before walking, but she wasn't open. "I don't open until eight, Love" she told me. As I walked away, I looked at my watch, two minutes past eight. Her loss. There is little left of the castle, just a mound on which is now some benches and some flower beds, so we walk along the sea wall to the castle, over the mound and onto the shingle bank leading noth at the back of the beach. I had expected the wind to be from the north, so walking into a head wind. But no, it was from the east. Sideways. And was bitter cold. A lazy wind as my old Dad would say, too lazy to go round you, it goes through you. There were no flowers out, needless to say, but there was green fresh growth. We malk a mile along the bank, but by then my legs were numb, so we stumble down the bank to the path beside the golf course, but out of the wind, and walk back to Deal, avoiding the dogwalkers and their dogs. We pass the coffee wagon, walk to the car and drive back home. Brrr. Back home we have coffee and croissants. It was half nine, and three hours or so to lunch. So, how to fill the time? With music, writing and train videos, apparently. And sitting, looking sorry for myself with an ice pack on my gammy shoulder. The morning passes. Jen comes for lunch, which was chorizo hash, as I know you're keeping track of these things. And fizz. We eat at half one, just time to scoff it down before time for kick off in the second game of the day, Leicester v Dirty Leeds. Leeds were magnificent, and won 3-1. Could have been six. Very entertaining. Jen leaves as there was no card action to be had, not when there was snooker to be watched, apparently. I stay on the sofa to watch the big game, West Ham v LIverpool, in which the plucky Scousers make a strong finish to win 3-1, scoring the goal of the season. From a West Ham corner. Amazing. I also bake bread, so we have something to eat for supper. I cut some thick slices off the wholemeal loaf, butter it and put pate on Jools', pastrami on mine, make brews and we're done. There's even another game on the tellybox, I skip it. And so ends another lockdown weekend. A new month n the morning, and a new job. Eeeek