Life in the Slow Lane

Well, that was a slow month! And not because of lockdown either. Strange times, but the restrictions in place haven’t impacted on us as much as it might on others. For Dave and me this is our usual way of life. As a couple, we’ve never been one for socialising with friends, visiting historic places or eating out, going to the cinema etc. Together, we normally only go out for the occasional drive, often ending with mooching around a garden centre, both of which we miss. And as for shopping, in the last 4 weeks, I’ve only gone once. Our freezers and larders were well stocked before all this started because we have always bought items, such as meat, toiletries, wine etc in bulk at a local wholesaler, and we hadn’t long restocked after returning home from holiday in February. Any necessity needed like fresh milk or my medication, Dave collects when he’s out on his daily walk. Due to my health conditions, apart from the weekly trek to my GP surgery for blood checks, followed by a long walk home via the local woods, I stay at home, keeping well away from everyone.

What I have missed is seeing the family. It was my mother’s 94th birthday 2 weeks ago, a girlie weekend to celebrate planned. Obviously cancelled. Next weekend should have seen a large family gathering to celebrate the new little lady into the family. Cancelled. And it goes without saying I’ve sorely missed the long lunches I do so enjoy with Tricia and our group of special writing friends who help bolster our writing lows and solve plot problems as well as putting the world to rights over pudding and afternoon tea. But those times will return and life will get back to normal.

Keeping occupied at home is never an issue for me, there always something to do, but at the start of this epidemic the inclination went AWOL. Am happy to say that impetus has returned. I’m back in my grove of writing and painting, gardening and housework – in that order! Dave and I consider ourselves fortunate in that we have a modestly large garden which we both enjoy, unlike many who have no outside space they can call their own. Lockdown must be so hard for them. We love our little piece of heaven, especially early mornings when the sun’s out, birds are singing, bees abuzzing and we’re enjoying coffee on the patio.

Due to my being ill and then laid up at the latter end of last year, the rear garden which I tend was in dire need of a tidy, a good weeding, a sort out. There were plants to move, to prune, seeds to sow, borders to tidy – believe me, a garden is a never-ending pleasure but never a chore. Plus with so much rain and cold during autumn and winter, it was never going to happen then. However, during the last 4 weeks we’ve had no rain and the sun has, for the most part, been glorious. So guess where you’ll find us most of the time…

Spring here in the UK has, as a consequence, been glorious too. Spring bulbs and blossom have never been so vibrant and full, one of the best for many years. But there are gaps in the garden, plants wanted, new pots needed. We can’t get them so for now we make do. It doesn’t matter that the large urn in the middle of the front garden currently overflowing with tulips and wallflowers is cracked, taped up with ducktape. It isn’t important that the new plants ordered for the front border arrived 2 weeks after they were sent out by the supplier only to arrive shrivelled and yellow, almost dead, through being held up in the postal system for 10 days. We don’t care if we can’t get the lawnmower repaired. If necessary, we’ll get down on our hands and knees with shears to cut the grass, after all we have the time and the energy and most important of all, our health and each other.

We make the most of each day, always make time to have fun, to laugh, enjoy an indulgent foodie treat. We turn off the television, not wanting to hear more sad or depressing news. We simply look out of the window, see the world outside and make the most of what we have. So I’ve included a few photos of some of the flowers currently pleasing us in the garden. I wish you could smell the perfume too.

Meanwhile, be safe, keep smiling, and stay cheerful. Better times are coming, I promise.

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