What to do?

All around the world the Coronavirus is discussed, comparison is made with flu and other illnesses, age plays a part in the jigsaw for it appears I have reason to be concerned, I have COPD, or asthma or bronchiectasis,  (no one is ever quite sure), except that I do get very breathless, have just finished a dose of antibiotics and am old/elderly/ancient. Already I have postponed a dentist appointment after hearing that one floor of the building in which the dentist is situated has had to be deep cleaned. Now I’m concerned about using the Underground and indeed South Western Railway, concerned about going  into London or indeed using public transport at all. So far I’m continuing social gatherings, last Wednesday saw me in the local Costa where the knitting group meet, this coming week a group of us gather in a garden centre cafe bar, today we were at church, in the Peace gave DH usual hug, avoided hand shaking, it was easy to do as I was on Sidesman duty.

We had hoped to go out to the local park today for exercise for the grandchildren who have graced us with their presence this weekend, however heavy rain in the afternoon precluded this. Instead they invented a game based on the fact that GS had been taught about volcanoes so all the cushions they found downstairs became lava, not quite sure what role their blankets played.

 Not very clear but in first and third photo the cushions are piled up to be the volcano, in the second photo the items on the floor represent lava. No, I’m not sure really how it all works but it kept them happy whilst heavy rain and sunshine alternated. DH played chess with both children, fortunately we have two chess sets, later Alice now 3 years old, insisted I read the Usborne Starting Chess to her, she was telling me what the pieces were, she knew how to move them too, more than I do! DS started playing chess at 3, fortunately we have the top junior chess club locally so DS was able to join that when he was 6 - all a long time ago.

February

So, what has been achieved when Dennis prevented us from our visit to the South Coast. At last I’ve used up all the stash of Rowan Big Yarn making four cushions for our kitchen chairs. Slight problem in that I haven’t enough yarn  left to do the border on the last cushion as the odds and ends of one colour have different dye numbers, even to my untrained eye there is a slight difference in shade. At the Costa knitting group last week I was offered some Big Yarn, if the donor doesn’t come back to me  I will see what John Lewis’s haberdashery can offer on Saturday, will be there for Knitting & Crochet Guild meeting. JL are being difficult about the use of their Community Hub so difficult to plan ahead, nor is it easy to find an alternative venue in Kingston.

Not easy to see the edges need tidying up, also sorry, one side the stripes are north south, the other side are east west, actually all the cushions are rectangles  made with treble crochet stitch. I’m pleased with this stashbuster. Next project will be to finish Ian’s socks, the Tramlines sock pattern I have made before very successfully, I left the socks in favour of the cushions and the crochet blankets as they needed less concentration than turning heels.

Last Friday we were able to see the grandchildren, who had a day trip by train to London, a visit to the Natural History Museum, along I think with every other child on half term to see Andy’s Clock, apparently seen on BBCs children’s TV.

Family posing with the clock behind, I’m not sure even now why it is important, also children were beginning to tire, they are only four and a half and three years and one day!

We had shuffled around the dinosaur displays, I think a few opportunities for ancient grandparents to sit for a while would have been appreciated in this great hall, I admired Alfred Waterhouse’s architecture more than the dinosaurs, clever as the exhibits were.