I am so glad that Catherine is continuing with her ‘Coronavirus Diary’. It is still clear that ‘Life With Coronavirus’ is very different from ‘Life Without Coronavirus’. Do Readers remember February 2020‽ or even Christmas 2020‽ when life was what we called ‘normal’. First of all, Catherine is still writing the prelude to her Diary on the back of her envelope; I like that.
“How unusual, no comment today, nothing for the Post People to read (that’s the comment for today). But I can say ‘Thank You’ to them. Took this letter with me to post up town, forgot to, brought it home again. I should stick to my normal post box on Paringdon Road, near me”
So what has life been like in Harlow? The best bit is that Catherine has come to the end of the writing paper which is lined on one side and plain on the other and extremely small. It looks as though she has bought some more, lined on both sides this time!! And I have to say it improves her handwriting greatly!
30 August 2020
New day, new week, Sue came round for tea and a chat. I’ve been apprehensive of people coming in, as my house is not pristine but Amanda says that if they are true friends, they won’t notice, which is right. Sue said my house was homely which is nice. In the living room, at the moment, I am storing over 200 sachets of cat food, loads of ping pong balls, Cats Play Pawball (the cat’s version of football). It’s funny that you buy new catnip toys but they stick to the old grubby ones. Tilly and Tinker constantly checking each other’s scent on them.
31 August 2020
Leisure morning, forgot to put the bathroom heater on to warm the towels and clothes, hence didn’t get ready till 12 noon. Earlier on Amanda had come by with more cat food, butter puff crackers for my Port Salut cheese. She looked really nice in her bright, multi-coloured leggings. Out for tea in the afternoon then Lindy came round in the evening. Considering I had done nothing all day, I was really tired. At 10pm, I opened the curtains ready to take Blackie’s late meal and I had a shock. A fox in the garden; I tapped on the glass window and out he ran. The gap under the fence is small, shows you how pliable their bodies are.
1 September 2020
Forgot to say, last night the moon was very bright. Really nice morning, went for a walk, bought a paper and a magazine. I also managed to get through to the Eye Clinic. At last, on Friday, I’m having laser treatment on my left eye.
2 September 2020
I watched the weather forecast and he said rain was coming so I scooted outdoors and mowed the lawn; garden bin gets emptied tomorrow. Tonight no TV on (that makes a change!). Wind-up clocks have stopped, silence was deafening, I was missing the chimes. I shouldn’t have done it but I turned the hands round on one of them, wound it up just to hear the chimes sound.
4 September 2020
Eye laser day. Amanda was picking me up at 2.30pm for my appointment at 3.10pm. Update: phone call from the Eye Clinic at 1.45pm. Consultant is ill!! Appointment cancelled!! Feeling really let down.
5 September 2020
My friend and I went to the Brookfield Centre at Chestnut. They have a much bigger Marks (M&S) there. Still loads of summer clothes; I reckon they are trying to get rid of them. Did manage to spend my voucher. I bought a ‘midi skirt’, black with an elastic waistband, very happy with my purchase. We stopped for tea and a buttered tea cake. As I took the tray to pick up the teas, I momentarily started to get too near to the man in front. He turned and shouted loudly to get back. I know it was my fault but it was daunting. The Assistant said the man shouldn’t have shouted so loud, and, yes, he was an OAP like me!
6 September 2020
Treated myself to two Sunday papers, three crossword to do, loads of money to win. Barbara had the two Sunday Mail questions, she’s quite clever! Christopher had the Sunday Express, keeps his brain ticking as on Friday 11 September he approaches 75 I believe. Mind you he did I make two spelling mistakes which I had to tell him to correct! One of the crosswords is numbered ‘1973’, the year Amanda was born, a sure sign that we will win! (I hope so, Catherine has promised that we will share the winnings!!)
8 September 2020
Today, I refreshed Bruce’s shirt, dressing gown and cardigan. Amanda is having a ‘Teddy Bear’ made out of his clothes, his ‘smell’ is still in the clothes and Amanda will have her ‘Dad’ close by.
A tip from a friend to keep spiders at bay: position conkers around the house. At long last, after four attempts at being kept waiting on the phone (over half an hour each time) I managed to actually speak to a human being. On Friday, my oven is being repaired. It’s six months since it went wrong, the small oven that Amanda got me has been a ‘Godsend’
PS: Have you noticed, Barbara, I’m back to my normal lined front and back paper?
Today’s tea towel is a Chinlon one, with the same pattern at either end; it feels very strange to touch, useless to dry up with but as Catherine is devoted to her cats, I thought she might think it was cute!
Virtual Tea Towel Museum 