In 2020 there was an outbreak of 'flu. It started in China, and by March 2020 the WHO labelled it a pandemic.
The UK government's response was to restrict people's activities in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. These policies meant many people, myself included, were unable to go to work.
I decided I should spend some of my spare time writing this journal. There will be no theme to individual entries; just whatever I feel like writing. The images are (with a few obvious exceptions) taken within a half mile radius of our house.
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We have been enjoying more walks on The Downs. Today, we organised our day to account for the weather forecast. We had a late cooked breakfast and left the house about 11:00. We walked up to the South Downs Way and back down in to Shoreham before returning home. The loop was about 10 miles in all and took us 4 hours. We were back indoors for a light lunch to watch the rain.
The Downs are noticeably busier than normal. Many people are using this time to get outdoors. The roads are also quite busy. I can't imagine where everyone is going.
I walked down George Street (the main shopping are in Hove) this week. About half the shops are shut. Most of the cafés are open (for take away) and appear to be doing quite a trade. I visited the hardware store for materials to mend the bathroom door.
The allotment is quiet at this time of year. There was quite a lot of rain during the week, so the ground is too wet to dig. There has been quite a lot of wind and it has bent the brassica cage. Nothing that can't be mended later in year.
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I gave blood again (Busy day). It was quite uneventful. We are all getting used to wearing masks and keeping away from everyone else as far as possible. Afterwards I walked around Shoreham centre. It was a sunny day and there were loads of people about. All the cafes and some of the restaurants were open serving take-away drink and pastries. Most places had a queue outside.
In general, the weather has been wet and cold, meaning there is little to do outside. We have been walking loads; Hil has been wearing a step-counter as part of a team with her work colleagues. We walked across town to West Blatchingdon Windmill. It was closed (of course), but worth a visit anyway.
We are preparing for another summer at home. I have ordered some bits to make the raised beds a bit more substantial.
It snowed this weekend. Some parts of UK had have a lot of snow, but there is not much here. It is cold though, the wind-chill has made it feel like minus 5 on one occasion.
We are told that everyone over 50 years old should have the first jab of vaccine before the end of May. I don't know when we will be able to re-open.
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I haven't added anything here for 3 weeks. There just hasn't been anything to write. Nothing has changed and I carry on the same.
But now there's news. The end of the current lockdown is in sight. Schools will all re-open on 8 March. They will watch how that goes, then gyms and so on should be able to re-open on 12 April. Adults will not be allowed back until May.
The vaccine roll-out appears to be successful. They are vaccinating the vulnerable people and older people first. I am yet to be done (aged 54). I guess I must be soon. Some teachers, police and so on feel those professions should be done first, regardless of age. There may be a good point there. I can not believe re-opening schools will not lead to an increase in infections, even though the children themselves appear to suffer little effects from the virus.
There are signs of spring everywhere. We have crocuses and daffodils in the garden, and we are eating purple sprouting from the allotment. We performed the annual tree pruning last weekend. We will burn the wood pruned last winter (2019/2020) this year, having given it time to dry out. This year's pruning will be burned in 2022.