Week 8

Somebody got squished by a cheese press stone!

We tuned into Boris Johnson on Sunday who said that lockdown was being eased from Wednesday.  Now people can travel as far as they wish to exercise (not great for us!), we can go out more than once a day for exercise and a family group can now meet up with one other person in the outdoors as long as social distancing takes place.

Being completely selfish, we weren't happy about it.  Living where we do, this means that we will be inundated with visitors.  This shouldn't be a problem if everyone adheres to the social distancing measures, but unfortunately we know that won't be the case.  I completely get that if you live in a city / big town you will be wanting / needing to get to the countryside, not a problem, but don't congregate in villages and bring your own food!

Biker Tom

The weekend was the first real test.  And yes we were inundated.  Loads and loads of bikers around.  Of course we aren't antibiker - we are bikers ourselves, but big groups of them congregated at the co-op meaning that people were nervous to access it, because they helpfully hung out by the entrance!  Those that did run the gauntlet then found there was very little left on the shelves.  We now find ourselves in a 'us' versus 'them' situation.  Townies think we hate them so there is a lot of abuse going on (especially on social media/radio).  All we want is for people to adhere to the rules - but it isn't going to happen and the police who were very visible during the full lockdown have now disappeared as it is incredibly hard for them to enforce what are really ambiguous rules.  The Waterfalls trail remains shut as it is so narrow, but visitors are climbing over the locked fences (which have huge notices on them saying it is shut).  The owners are very visible in their absence!  Oh hum, we are lying low and only going to places we know will be empty.

The boys found a field full of highland coos!

Cooking the apples

Fresh from the oven

Apart from that there hasn't been too much new to report.  The week was spent doing angles and writing a story about hope.  Tom made a slab apple cake.

We got a 1,000 piece jigsaw out that we have had for ages but never got out.  Tom and I really got into it.

Starting out with the jigsaw

I also taught Tom how to play cribbage.  He got the hang very very quickly (once I had looked up the rules as it has been a long time since I last played it) and now we have to play that everyday too.  Oh and this week should have been SATS week - so Mrs Clements gave Yr 6 a cheeky SATS test on the book that Mr Ford wrote for his class and has now gone bonkers viral.  We were really worried about Tom's hay fever causing him grief for his SATS this year (he got sent home last year during SATS week because he was so bad)  He's hardly had any hay fever at all this year?!  What is going on - is it because he is out less than normal, because there is little pollution in the air, pollen is early / late, new drugs?  Really don't know but he sneezes about once a day and has itchy eyes from time to time but certainly nothing like previous years - long may it continue.  Oh and I am the same, barely anything!

3 days later - finished.

Playing cribbage - a good hand?

On Wednesday I phoned the Dr about my lingering cough from my 'cold' in early March.  I have never shaken it off - have been left with a lingering cough, constant phlegm at the back of my throat and I get out of breath really easily.  I had a long chat with the Drs who invited me in.  I ALWAYS get invited in when I call for a chat. even during a pandemic.  I took my mask with me, but on arrival, I was the only patient in the whole surgery!

I had a long chat with the nurse who diagnosed either a nasal drip (causing the mucus) or asthma (causing the breathlessness) she prescribed me a nasal spray for the nasal drip and an inhaler for the asthma and asked me to complete an asthma diary for the next two weeks.  She asked me to see her again, and asked me what would be best.  She showed me her diary for the next two weeks - she didn't have any appointments at all!  She said it was really weird - no-one wants to go in at the moment.  All medical professionals I know have said the same, they are all worried that people are sat at home with life threatening conditions too scared to tell anyone.  Paramedics also said that there are increased numbers of people being found dead at home at the moment for the same reason: people get the onset of a heart attack but don't call 999 cause they don't want to go to hospital and die instead.  A real shame, especially as the NHS have re-organised their hospitals here at the moment, Lancaster and Barrow take Covid patients, and Kendal is Covid free, so if you have no Covid symptoms, you go to Kendal!  Anyway, for me it was like a day out - I DROVE all the way to Bentham and had a good 30 minute chat with someone outside my household - pure luxury!

Great view

Saturday the boys went for a long bike ride and came across a field of highland coos and Florrie's house both quite by accident.  I peeled off early for a shorter ride and had a lovely hot bath instead.  It was still quite windy and Matt was impressed by Tom's resolve.  Tom seems to love road cycling - especially up hill.  Strange boy!

Sunday was a miserable day,  we stayed in most of the day, but did pop out for an amble around Storrs Common and up to the corner of the Ingleborough path.  I took a puff on the inhaler before hand and found that it did help.  We also watched the Midnight Gang - an adaptation of a David Walliams book which is very well done.