Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

Thanks SA. My first one was actually my daughter's partner's one and I'd forgotten but it had problems and the company was great about providing a replacement. Good suggestion. I don't think this one owes me much as its been used for thousands of hours but if it's just the battery then maybe they would replace it.

Cherryfudge

A snowy day! I was on early shift and it started before 10, fairly steady and settling. We only got an inch or so but it actually fell much of the day. My colleague and I decided to shovel and salt the drive at work as it's sloped and we wanted cars to be able to get out as well as in. Someone built a line of snowmen outside the front of the building and I had a photo of an impressive one made by DS1 at his house, while J and L went for a run - L with bobble hat and shorts! When I got home the neighbours had made a beauty in the back garden which might still be there but there was a thaw in the afternoon and I think it's been raining since dark.

Incidentally it may only be a couple of weeks since the shortest day, but isn't it staying light a lot longer now! There was even a tiny glow of daylight at 20 past five - how did that happen?

I discovered there is a bit of a worry going on at work about going for supermarket shopping, either to support clients or for the needs of the unit. As we are now a little above the average infection rate, I can see we need to be more careful than before. I talked DH out of going for just bread and have fished some crumpets out of the freezer as a substitute. We still had our chip shop fish and chips, though. They were delicious! Our plan for the supermarket was to go mid-evening when it's a lot quieter, but it was so slushy underfoot that we abandoned that with never a regret.

I've spent the evening unpicking a chenille scarf in gorgeous pinks and purples which was coming unravelled. Now to decide what to do with the resulting yarn!

Tonight I'm thankful for a beautiful snow fall (and also that it's thawed - a colleague and I swapped shifts over worries about travelling in the dark on icy surfaces - she is doing the sleep in so she can travel home in the light tomorrow and I don't have to get to work in the dark tonight), light staying longer, a lovely hot bath after work and enough food in stock that we don't need to increase risk to ourselves by making an extra trip out.

in_need_of_direction

Hello, have finally caught up with your diary.  Worrying news about H but here’s to that working out ok.  Fingers crossed for a better 2021, thanks for all your support 

Cherryfudge

Happy New Year @in_need_of_direction! Thanks for reading. : I keep telling myself to write shorter entries... I obviously don't listen. I hope you are okay and had a peaceful Christmas?

I have resisted buying an e-book today but I will probably succumb tomorrow. We managed to stay out of the shops too.

There is still a little snow after what sounded like steady rain last night, but the roads and pavements are glazed over where's it's melted then the running water has frozen.. I got to work all right but going home was difficult: lots of tiny steps.

Things continue quiet at work and I now have reason to believe it may get quieter still as clients are getting more cautious about going out. I can't believe some schools are staying open when we are clearly edging towards a third lockdown and there is talk of making safety guidelines even more stringent. I do think three-layer masks are better anyway since I read an article about single-layer ones being of limited value. We've worn medical ones for entire shifts for so long now that we forget we have them on until we go to eat or drink. Limiting social contact is the obvious way to go but it's also the hardest thing: I have to hang on to the hope that it's only for a few months. I do look back to the hugs I gave DS1, J and L just before lockdown and I'm so glad we had them. I still feel J and L knew more than I did that we couldn't do that again for a long time - but at least we are able to go out for exercise with them. DH went on one of their walks this afternoon and tried out the waterproof over-trousers I got him for Christmas.

Tonight I'm thankful for the ability to go out on walks and enjoy wonderful countryside, even if it's thick with mud and ice at the moment! They aren't as big a barrier to exercise as I'd thought. Also for another day of no news being good news.

Cherryfudge

We got together a long shopping list over a few days and DH went to buy it today - and got almost everything, which is great. However, with things being as they are, my sweet neighbour has also offered to include us in her online shop again, which could make a difference in the 'just popping out for something we didn't manage to get earlier'.

Work has the double issue of cancelled bookings and staff shortage so right now we aren't certain if we will have to close overnight in a couple of days. Meanwhile there are rumours that our town is something of a viral hotspot. This isn't good news at the best of times but two staff have had to retest after inconclusive tests, and we now have two others self-isolating. Meanwhile there are cases here, there and everywhere: I won't name names but they are close to home. With all that in mind I felt it was non-too-soon when Boris declared another lockdown this evening, though why on earth did they allow schools to open for just a couple of days? I won't go on about it.

I better news, I've spent £1.99 on another Terry Pratchett. Money well spent.
Also our big order of loo rolls arrived, though we have so many left from the last lot that I think J and L are going to buy them off us.  

Things I'm thankful for: a couple of days off, a text from H so I'm thinking 'so far, so good', also a nice one from her Mum, and a thaw so the treacherous ice of last night is nearly all gone.

Cherryfudge

I accidentally got either food poisoning or a stomach bug starting late last night so I've spent most of the day dozing on the couch with a hot water bottle. I rallied in the afternoon and left the box of loo rolls on the step for DD t collect, put some food out for the birds and put together the bird feeding station I was given for Christmas. We've also taken down the tree and fed the twiggy bits to the log burner and a carpet of pine needles to the bin.

I was supposed to be calling my friends for a New Year chat but cried off as I'm very sleepy. However I've drunk plenty of fluid and managed some toast. Hoping tomorrow I'll be nearly back to normal.

Dh has bought wallpaper for our room to keep him busy through lockdown.

Nothing else to report apart from things I'm thankful for: a friend who moved away joined the call tonight, it was sunny long enough for Dh to get a bike ride in and I saw DD for a brief chat, albeit from an upstairs window.

Seasidegal58

I hope you're feeling better Cherry.  

Cherryfudge

Miles better today: I'm eating properly though a little cautiously and rejoicing that a single day on very few calories will have done me more good than harm.

It's been freezing again today but I made it into work for the weekly Covid test and was pleased to find out that the two people who'd had inconclusive tests now have negative ones. Walked back with my friend who had just finished her shift, then went on for a short exercise walk but it was so slippery I came home almost at once.

We've kept away from the shops. I did talk DH out of going to buy storage boxes as we put the decorations away: he might go when he has to be in town anyway, but otherwise we will have to do with our collection of old cardboard boxes. He went for a bike ride later (too icy to walk on the pavements but the roads are gritted) so some outdoor exercise has been had in a hopefully risk-free way. 

H had another scare this morning and the hospital saw her at once but this time the news is more positive: not out of the woods but symptoms that could have meant one thing actually showed progress in a good direction so we're very happy with that.

And... I've managed to lose the password to pay off my CC so my next job is to find it.

Oh, and, having largely avoided the news, I was texting a friend to advise they did the same (I do believe in being informed, but it's so bad at the moment that I'm just intent on keeping safe and trying to cheer people along) when the phone in my hands bleeped with a news alert. No getting away with it, though admittedly I set it up to do that - like my friend, I don't want to miss things. Anyway this time it's America ... I won't launch into commentary!  

Things I'm thankful for: DH had his meeting with his church group on Zoo m tonight and it was obviously hilarious. H's move in the right direction is the best thing all day, but so is feeling better myself, negative tests for colleagues and yet another lovely sunset.

Onebrokelady

Good to see you are feeling better,I can't sleep so I'm wasting time on here while watching the events that happened in America today, totally unbelievable what's gone on there today 🙀

Honeysucklelou2

I read the news online and I’m sure it’s not conducive to a good night’s sleep.

Hope H is feeling better soon.