Catherine’s Diary (13)

My aunt, Catherine, has been writing a ‘Diary’ of her time in ‘Lockdown’.  This is her thirteenth entry, recording the day to day life of someone living on her own.  It has been a challenge to try and match today’s Diary with a tea towel, so I have chosen a Fortnum and Mason one, since she had Afternoon Tea there.

There have been themes throughout Catherine’s story:

“At last, I have my deluge of birds; they wake me up early, all Starlings, parents and youngsters.  I put the food out at night so it’s waiting for them in the morning.  They are going through the suet balls like a dose of salts.  The Starlings are so greedy, good job I have all the birdseed and mealy worms (dried).

Last week I started a new venture, attempting to make pancakes, not very successful, wrong sized pan to start with and too much filling (bananas and sultanas).  I made two large zig-zaggy, leathery pancakes.  I did eat them because I was hungry.  Amanda did order me the right sized pan and it’s coming on Friday.  I texted Barbara for a recipe.  Liz found one of Delia Smith’s.  Barbara texted the long recipe then I realised I had a Delia Smith cookery book too!  Ah well, it gave Barbara’s fingers a bit of exercise.  I will be practicing again at the weekend.

Tonight I have been in the garden, having a ‘chop’ around; gave the jasmine and rosemary a good cut, chopped brambles.  They never seem to die, they keep growing in all weathers and so prickly.  The maple sycamore that grows on council land next to our house is shedding it’s whirly-wings like mad; they have covered the back garden.  In the front garden I have a beautiful, half-tree half-bush, white lilac.  I see the blooms from my stair window and outside in the evening I can smell the scent of them.  I’d love some indoors, but as you know, it is unlucky.

Started to wear perfume even though I’m not going anywhere.  Two years ago, Amanda took me to a perfume shop.  I’ve always wanted to have some expensive perfume, trouble is when I did go out, it was only me that could smell it!  No one remarked how nice it was.  Still, I’m the important one.

Last year, also on my Bucket List, was to have my nails done.  Amanda treated me.  We were on our way to Fortnum and Mason for Afternoon Tea, when I fell over at Green Park and was more panicked that I had damaged my nail varnish!  Amanda, strong, bodily picked me up.  It’s all due to “exercising with weights” she said.

New TV programmes being tried out now are ‘Death in Paradise’, not mad on Kris Marshall but passable and this week started watching ‘Downton Abbey’.  I think I could like this one.  I know I loved ‘Upstairs Downstairs’.  Why don’t they bring that back for a re-run?

Well, I’m off to practice my lawn-mowing skills before the storms come.  I hope they miss Harlow.  The latest update is that onions and lemons are keeping the cats and dogs off my front lawn!” 

Thank you Catherine for another diary entry.  Will ‘Lockdown’ disappear soon and will we be able to meet up?  Who knows, but until that point in time i look forward to hearing about life in Harlow.