November

Back to what we have been up to..

So, on the Tuesday after half term, Tom went back to school and enjoyed 4 normal days of learning.  On the Saturday lockdown 2 started: a month of all hospitality, non-essential shops etc closed.  We weren't allowed in other people's gardens, but we could meet up 1:1 to go for a walk.  This I did a couple of times until Christmas orders got too much.  

On Thursday I had a very rare night out.  Janine, myself and Steph met up at the Wheatsheaf for tea.  It was just wonderful, having a girlie chat about not much, munching on pub chips and burger and a drink.  A delicious treat I haven't experienced since before March.  The barman at the Wheatsheaf really didn't want us there and was very passive aggressive, trying to get us to move, but all of us were revelling in being out that we ignored him and waited until 9.50 until we left.  It was a wonderful night out - much needed.

At the weekend we made a point of being outside and walking as Tom had been stuck inside for 2 weeks, so on Saturday we drove to Kingsdale and walked up to Gragareth.  It was a long old slog through bogs, made worse by the fact I had new hiking boots on which gave me a blister and the usual pins and needles in my feet - all my hiking boots give me pins and needles - I think because my feet are so wide.  Anyway we got to the top and were rewarded with magnificent views across the countryside towards Kirkby Lonsdale.  A good stiff walk.

On Sunday we went for a shorter, easier walk along the Greta which was lovely, we managed to bump into the Woollys too which was fab - shared a pack of Cherry Bakewell biscuits which were a revelation to us!  When we got back from the walk we got an email from school saying that Tom would have to isolate for another 2 weeks (see earlier blog post) We weren't happy, Tom only had 6 days of freedom, so he spent 4 out of 5 weeks stuck inside - not good.

Chicken Korma

Up until 20th November was spent attempting to home school Tom and watching films (we got through the whole Roger Moore collection of James Bond) and making dinners - Tom has found my curry cook book which is a step by step book and teaches you how to make curries from scratch - grinding up spices etc - it is a great revelation - for him making lovely food from scratch and for us - eating lovely food not cooked by me.  Oh and he spent an afternoon making a cauldron of bolognaise for lasagna and school dinners.  Fantastic.

Lasagna production line

Tom was brilliant during his isolation, never grumped, just got on with it and tried his best (mostly) with the school work we could find.  He went back to school on Friday 20th November, he was very very excited, so much so that we was dancing around the house as a crab (?!) all of Thursday afternoon.  His bag was packed mega early and, well he was just very very excited. Couldn't be a moment too early - he was visibly grey from lack of fresh air on Thursday - not a good look and not good for his health.  

We took him to school in the car - we figured 2 isolations close to each other was enough for a while.  Whilst we can't control who gets Covid at school, we can control how he goes to school (if someone on the bus tests positive, the whole bus has to isolate, regardless of the fact you could be sat a good 10 metres away from the person with Covid - this has happened to Sierra twice).  So from now on we will be dropping him off and picking him up - this, of course significantly eats into our working day, but it is worth it, knowing we won't get the dreaded email for the bus trip.

On Friday, once Tom was home, I made him get dressed and we went out for a Storrs Common walk.  It was raining, it was windy but Tom was grey and needed some fresh air.  We got home, he had colour in his cheeks - very good to see.

Saturday, the plan was to have a nice long walk.  We headed to Settle and did the Victoria Cave walk - which is quite a stiff walk but very beautiful: the crags of Attermire Scar are very jagged and interesting.  We were lucky in that the sun came out and shone on the landscape.  A beautiful afternoon.

Buzzard

Sunday we headed up the Hawes road and did a walk around Great Doak Cave.  A short but steep walk with lots of interest.  Last time we went up there we came across a lost sheep, no such adventures this time.

Tom then managed a full week at school (well sort of - he had a hospital appointment about his hayfever on the Wednesday so he missed 2.5 lessons because of that)  He saw two Drs who are going to monitor him as closely as they can next year (although depends on Covid etc), they will change his medication again but if it still doesn't work, then they will look at desensitisation jabs to see if that helps him.  They take 3 years to work - so we really need to get it started soon.

Saturday, we did the Ingleton quarry walk and then Tom made us a green hara masala curry - which was chicken in a mint and coriander sauce, very refreshing and tasty.  

On Sunday, Matt and Tom went for a bike ride up to Broadrake via Oddies Lane, whilst I went for a run.  Took me an age - a combination of extra weight and less fitness due to also being stuck in because of Tom's isolations.  Always the way, the first thing to go is always my running and now I am 10 minutes slower than I was a couple of years ago.  It is going to take ages to get back to that level - if I ever do!

Tom came back and made a lemon drizzle cake (he really does have the cooking bug at the moment!).  A great weekend.