Bank holiday musings.

 I do wonder about the need for secular Bank Holidays nowadays, Even more so after GB Ltd has had to shut down because of Covid-19. When instituted in nineteenth century there were few paid holidays, for many years offices and schools were open on Saturday mornings, today working hours are shorter, when I started work it was 9.00 to 5.30, Monday to Thursday, Friday one finished at 5pm, holidays were three weeks and two days, fewer Bank Holidays, no May Day, no New Year’s Day, no flexitime.

Bank holiday means TV schedules are changed, loads of sport, bad films, the TV is showing Mamma Mia:  here we go again, it is so bad none of the fizz of the original. At least we had University Challenge, what a wipe out, waiting for Only Connect to return.  

Gradually I am venturing forth more, yesterday we went to a not so local garden centre in Shepperton, felt safe there, staff were masked, it was spacious, here was a good display of birthday cards, a haberdashery area within the craft section. The yarn was all Stylecraft, grey plastic needles, but joy, Knitpro waves crochet hooks. Now I have a set of these in a fancy pink case, however I don’t like to take a hook from the case out of the house in case it’s lost so stocked up. Bought some Classique cotton, have been making face cloths for daughter-in-law to use instead of disposable wipes, better to chuck these in the washing machine rather than disposable wipes in the bin. 

Thinking about the day I don’t feel I have achieved much, too much time was spent trying to solve the moderate sudoku and the ‘quick’ crossword in the newspaper, the ones in the freebie Metro seem a little easier, occasionally I can manage all three, easy, moderate and challenging, we both try to do them so Ian picks up two copies, Metro isn’t available on Bank holidays of course. 

It has been another unusual day in that Ian was out, for the last week  along with others he is painting walls, doors and woodwork in a vicarage which has been empty some eighteen months. The building is to be occupied by four interns who during the year will decide whether ordination is for them, each will be supported by and assist in a different parish.  They move in on September 12th so there has been a concerted effort to ensure the house is furnished, equipped and welcoming. Although the main task has been to preparation for this, Ian has gained so much working and chatting with other people, lockdown is not kind to him, he has found it very difficult to isolate, he misses his choir, U3A activities, family, monthly men’s group and the normal church services so to see him happier, more energetic in spite of physically working hard has been such a bonus.