Sunday: Day 130

This is The Day that  day I left Pixie Towers to walk around the block, well a few roads on our suburban 1930s estate after one hundred and thirty days at home. My motivation was actually exercise, I hadn’t walked anywhere except around  the garden and more frequently up and down stairs so I was concerned I would struggle to walk.  It was not so, nor was it today when I ventured out today. Of course I wasn’t on my own, Ian who has sacrificed so much to care for me walked with me both days.

More good news, our son, DiL with Edward and Alice came to our home last Thursday, it was Edward’s fifth birthday, here they are surrounded by crochet blankets. This photo appeared in WhatsApp later, a surprise as I didn’t know it had been taken.

Tuesday evening,

Just an update, the walk for exercise has continued, yesterday we walked the same route in reverse and on the opposite side of the road  around the estate to the day before, today at about 6.15pm we ventured out to the local High Street, the thoroughfare has wide pavements, there is a slope near the railway station so it was good to see how I’m coping with walking up gradients, all was fine, we didn’t go into any shops, there was a sad air about the place but that maybe the hour.  

Emails have arrived, events are opening up, there is a new book coming from the Reading group, none of us appear to have enjoyed or in my case completed Dear Life by Alice Munro, after reading the new title a gathering in a back garden with the relevant caveats will be held. I hope the weather gods are listening.

Emails too about a meeting of the SW London Knitting & Crochet Guild, one in a cafe and one of Zoom, my followers know I shall be attending the latter, my courage doesn’t extend to travelling to Kingston and entering Jax’s cafe, good as it is in normal times. This branch of the guild usually meet on the last Saturday in the month so a return to custom.

Emails arranging deliveries of more face masks were written, the masks were delivered by the shielding cardiologist who makes them later in the day.

On that note, I shall close, post and go to bed, too  tired to do much if Blogger has a hissy fit as it is prone to do. 🦢

Sunday: Day 68

Just saying, I am isolating still as per that letter, so hope this blog isn’t too boring for the readers.  I’m pleased to say that DH is going out for a walk locally, avoiding close contact and shops. We are learning how to navigate Sainsbury’s online shopping list, I thought I’d purchased packs of 1 litre fruit juice, turned out to be 200ml cartons, substitutes are another problem, a block of mature cheddar cheese was requested, instead we were sent a small pack of grated cheese was substituted, we asked for sardines in olive oil, instead sardines in sunflower oil was listed so DH asked the very pleasant delivery man if the cheese and sardines could be taken back, they were. The other item that was substituted was chocolate but the alternative was so similar it was acceptable.

From time to time I am annoyed with myself for not achieving much, however I have been decluttering old knitting and crochet magazines, found a 10 year old pattern in Yarn Forward for January 2011,

for a girl’s beret, I had the Rowan wool to make two, this is my effort at Lief beret, blue is Big Wool, cream colour, called China Clay, is Rowan Drift. Not easy knitting with 10mm circular needles and such thick wool it worth the effort. Whether Alice likes them will be another matter, at 3 years old she has very definite ideas about what she will wear, or not, she has a habit of taking all her clothes off.

The lockdown has led to small changes in our lifestyle, shopping by post, as I said above using grocery delivery service, learning to use Zoom, following church services on Facebook and using Chromecast to view on larger TV screen. The streamed church services, 9.30 on Sunday to Thursday mornings and Saturday evening prayer has given us a structure to our day, although pleased it isn’t Zoom when we are in pyjamas.

A few years ago we extended the downstairs cloakroom into a shower room, the shower is an electric one, our upstairs bathroom has shower over the bath, takes the hot water from the tank, we had a different system for each bathroom. The downstairs shower was mostly used when the family stayed, DH realised he preferred the spaciousness of freestanding shower so effectively we have our own bathrooms now.

Our dining room is at the front of our house, in normal times we just have meals in there and spend rest of time in lounge/sitting room/drawing room/parlour/back room (what is the correct name?) or in kitchen, now we use the dining  room more, we can look out in the street, feel less cut off, see people, some of whom even admire DH’s front garden. Another change after clearing the larder to use up food lurking at the back we found a packet of ground coffee so we retrieved a cafetière from the depths of a cupboard,  read the rules and I will have proper coffee now on instead of instant. So flavoursome, the feeling of power and style pushing down the plunger is silly and fun.

Oh,  in case you were wondering about present project, just making more cotton face cloths using up yarn, these will be for face washing grandchildren, preferable to using disposable wipes. Picture of one made earlier, just garter stitch, cast on one stitch, increase in front and back of second stitch, knit to end of row, knit enough rows to diagonal of square and then decrease by knitting second and third stitches together.

Thursday: Day 44

A few pictures to illustrate how we are doing at Pixie Towers, the sunshine makes all the difference.

A rainbow on the ginger jar, we have been pulling the net curtains back, we can see the few folk in the street, the sunshine comes in. Ian made and decorated this jar at the Manor House hotel, it is near Okehampton, we used to holiday there when our offspring were in their teens.

View of our patio, Ian has been potting up dahlias, he kept them in the garage over the winter after reading up online and in books the best method, so far 22 have emerged from their wintry cocoon. He’s had a move round of pots, planted seeds, some of which are out of date by up to 10 years. My role in this, admiration. Some of the plants were intended for the church grounds, he cannot plant there, it is hoped that the teenagers may continue to do so for him.

Most exciting, a jolly postman delivered this, I never touch the post or indeed anything that comes into the house so Ian had the pleasure of unwrapping the yarn from Wool Warehouse needed to complete Daughter-in-law’s blanket, my loose tension and change of stitch meant I feared running out of yarn. I can use left overs for making knits for grandchildren, the acrylic is more practical than pure wool.

Oh, just remembered another good thing, yesterday was my first experience of using Zoom, the broadcast featured Betsan Corkhill about the therapeutic benefits of knitting. I was reminded that stress affects immune system, am still amazed that personally I feel so much better both physically and mentally whilst being confined to barracks, confirms I’m an introvert and not a people person.  I do try when I have to be with people, it is only in the last few years I’ve understood all this, but always it has been recognised that I’m happy on my own. Having said this, I’m so lucky to have Ian around, he understand me so well, we seem to have telepathy so life is good. 🦢