Cherry takes the reins

Sun_Addict

Glad you’re feeling better and it’s looking more positive for H.

Cherryfudge

Thanks everyone.

It's been a bit of a day really, nothing like what looked like a planned coup of sorts in a supposed democracy to take the pandemic off the headlines. 

At home the big news is that I made scones. I made them small so we can have seconds. I also did some laundry but it started to snow lightly just as I was about to hang it out, so it's on the airer and in doorways. Poor DH had yet another of those mornings where the tech wasn't working but at least this time it resolved fairly quickly. 

Work was interesting: firstly we had someone staying who we know well but has had a hospital visit and I was glad of my short time working in the nursing home because it meant the extra care wasn't new to me. Other than that all was run of the mill until I received a text right at the end of the shift and quietly showed it to colleagues while keeping it quiet from clients. After a couple of months' absence, our manager is definitely gone: someone has found the job advertised. Of course when a manager just disappears, one wonders (and it isn't the first time this has happened to us, though I suspect for different reasons). So we are left wondering but it's quite exciting too. I'm praying for the right person!

There is a snow warning and sub-zero temperatures forecast tonight so my colleagues who live most locally are hoping those further away will be able to get in, otherwise we may get early phone calls to ask us to cover! It was a bit icy on the way home but nothing like the other day.

So here we are in the depths of winter, dodging a pandemic, with Brexit just behind us and the US fighting itself, but there are actually lots of positives too. I saw a blue tit investigating next door's nest box and my lovely neighbour and I exchanged excited texts about a handsome bullfinch in sight of both our windows. Small things but lovely. The prospect of a new manager is exciting (and we need someone, though not just anyone), and will give work a bit of a frisson of something fresh to think about. I heard that my colleague had been tipped for a post that she really deserved and which greatly lifted her morale, though I doubt it will actually come to anything with the changes we now have. I remembered the sweet potatoes that I chitted before Christmas then sadly neglected and they are sprouting nicely - I don't know how well they will grow this far north but it will be fun to try.

I think the above are my 'thankful' list for tonight. DH went to the greengrocer on his way to pick up a printout from the doctor so he will have spent something or other. I haven't... but am tempted by the yarn sales I've found online.

ItchyCat

Hi Cherryfudge,

I am reading your diary and loving it. You write so well.

I am up to October 2017 and have just had a moist eyed smile at you finding “a bit of family history” in a letter from your Dad to your Mum 😊.

I too was clearing my Mums house in 2019, and found a letter... it was the the most beautifully written poem that my Grandfather had sent to my Grandmother, written in 1928, the year before Mum was born. 

I will always be grateful that I looked through every scrap of paper I found...(and oh, there was lots! 🙄) That is my little piece of family treasure.

Off back to 2017 now 😊 x

Sun_Addict

I’ve still got my mum’s diaries and love reading back to the 1950s when she was single and off out dancing. It’s a shame that I had a lot of old diaries but they got ruined because we left them in the shed when we moved house and the damp got to them. My kids will never be able to read mine, mind you thinking back, that might not necessarily be a bad thing 😆

ItchyCat

Sun_Addict said:

I’ve still got my mum’s diaries and love reading back to the 1950s when she was single and off out dancing. It’s a shame that I had a lot of old diaries but they got ruined because we left them in the shed when we moved house and the damp got to them. My kids will never be able to read mine, mind you thinking back, that might not necessarily be a bad thing 😆

😂  I purposefully destroyed my diaries to be absolutely sure!! 

Sun_Addict

I will admit my mum’s diaries shocked me a bit because I thought they didn’t do things like that in those days - and my mum was supposed to be a good Catholic girl 😱

Seasidegal58

Sun_Addict said:

I’ve still got my mum’s diaries and love reading back to the 1950s when she was single and off out dancing. It’s a shame that I had a lot of old diaries but they got ruined because we left them in the shed when we moved house and the damp got to them. My kids will never be able to read mine, mind you thinking back, that might not necessarily be a bad thing 😆

🤣🤣🤣. Same here with my diary!

Cherryfudge

Thank you @ItchyCat, it's lovely of you to say that. I did smile at yours and SA's diaries being kept away from the next generation! Are you going to leave them the log in for your MSE writings?

I woke up to steady snow and that's what we've had all day. Very pretty, though it may end up with me working weekend shifts if people from further afield can't get into work. J and L came by - the first we knew of it was that they knocked on the door during their walk and when DH opened it, they'd built a snowman on the lawn. They were half way down the road by the time I saw it.

At work, one of my colleagues, who had heard that my F!tbit had 'died' on me, came up to me with her 'spare' one. So generous and thoughtful! So now I'm back with the step counts, sleep checks etc.

I had a texted conversation with a colleague who's absent and now know she has Covid. So far her symptoms aren't too bad. I noticed warnings from our Council on the news, to avoid going out at all - or only as close to home as possible - as the virus is now particularly strong in rural areas up here - just the opposite of last year. It gives one something of a siege mentality: how terrible it must be to live where there are bombs or snipers. However, the snow and ice will benefit us because people just aren't out in it as they would be on a milder day so for a couple of days transmission will slow quite a bit.  DS2 has told DH that his hospital, with capacity for 40 emergencies, had 90. They are coping somehow, I guess, but probably at the expense of some other emergencies and every non-urgent case.

I had a conversation with DH about avoiding the supermarket when I got home: he thinks we shouldn't be ruled by fear, which is fair enough, but I pointed out it's no good putting ourselves at risk for a single item of shopping if we can wait a couple of days and get several things at once, none of the others of which we need yet. My careful list on the whiteboard is growing slowly!

Things I'm thankful for: the snowiest snowy day I think I've ever had: it didn't stop all day, but is still only an inch or two deep. DS2 seems to be keeping his head above water. My kind and thoughtful colleague who knows I've worked at getting fitter and is helping me keep to it. Blue cheese because I raided the fridge and had some tonight and yes, it was greedy, but it was yummy too.

Cherryfudge

Day off! I've spent 99p on an e-book recommended by DD.

DH spent much of the day working: I'm not sure what I did with the time apart from putting bread on to bake, enjoying sun on snow and exchanging a few messages with family. J had baked a batch of gigantic cinnamon swirls. It's been beautiful out and once DH finished working we put coats and boots on and braved the cold. It was decidedly icy, but the snow was packed hard and crunchy so it was okay to walk on, and we didn't meet too many people. I feel better for the exercise even though we only went round local streets and took a few snow photos.

DH braved the chippie to get our ritual fish and chips: we got the chip shop fish rather than deplete freezer stores and have decided we have enough in to avoid the supermarket till Monday. The longer the better and if DH went today he'd have to go on foot because our road isn't gritted, meaning he could only carry part of what we had planned for the next week. I'm more at peace with this than with him taking more risk, and happy that he's okay with it.

I've texted my colleague who has Covid and had a reply... hard to know how best to support her. We've also watched the programme about boosting the immune system which was helpful and made me doubly glad I'd managed a walk despite the ice. I'm glad we have fruit and veg in, and resolved not to eat so much of the junk that was creeping back into my diet, and also to prioritise sleep.

I have a few knitting and crochet projects in mind but haven't actually started any, being wary of over-committing myself but at the same time tempted by sales!

This evening I'm thankful for the sun on the snow, places to get exercise without running too high a risk of infection, comfy wellies (!), DD turning out to be quite the baker and a good walking companion in DH.

Honeysucklelou2

Comfy wellies are a great blessing... the new ones I bought, just before Christmas, have been wonderful!