Catherine had asked whether she should continue to write her Diary for the Virtual Tea Towel Museum. I said she ought to because life has not been ‘normal’ for many of us, especially those of us who moved into Tier 3. However, that is all academic now, because this was a debate we had before the second National Lockdown. “16, 14 and now just 9 left to eat. They even stick to my sieve when I drain them. Giving them a break (a wide one), on to broccoli now”. Catherine was, of course, talking about Brussel Sprouts, a note on the back of the envelope!
Once you have read Catherine’s 31st Diary, you will understand why I have chosen this tea towel. She talks about miserable weather, a dour day etc so “Would you like an Adventure now?” seems like a good question.
20 October 2020
Storm Barbara hovered over Harlow, bringing me lots of rain and strong winds, took a while to blow away. Then I donned a coat and posted my last Diary, with Isabella’s quiz (Isabella being my cat). Have you done it yet, Isabella? I’ve not heard. I have been thinking a lot about you, Isabella, and your plight in earlier life of being in a shed with 86 other cats. I know you have a loving home with Barbara and Liz and I hope the other cats have too. They say we are a nation of animal lovers, but are we? So far, so good on the lazered eye. Just need to go to the optician’s to see if I need new glasses. She will be able to see if the treatment has worked.
21 October 2020
4am and I heard a familiar sound. Someone being sick; my guess was Tilly. Got up and checked around, nothing to see so went back to bed.
7.30am and I spotted, by my airer, two long blobs of fur balls. horrible. Amanda said ‘she is only cleaning herself’. Yes, but she doesn’t have to lick so much fur off her body!!
23 October 2020
I was having my extractor fan in the bathroom repaired. So I put Tilly and Tinker in my bedroom, shut the door as best I could, put my hand through the small gap and pushed the litter tray up against it. On the outside I put my linen basket against the door. ‘Safe as houses’ I thought. I went downstairs for a cup of tea, sat drinking it and who strolls in the living room but Tinker. Quick nip upstairs and Tilly is just looking at me. I then herded them both into the main bedroom with ‘Bruce’. This door does shut. After Kevin and his team went, I nipped upstairs to let them out but couldn’t open the door. Tilly and Tinker had clawed at the carpet and pulled it up their side. Eventually managed to edge myself in and then attempted to re-thread the carpet under the door. These cats are devious! Amanda said I could stay in the bedroom with them; that’s a big think.
26 October 2020
Today, I got up early, my porch was being repaired. I had organised, in my mind, how I would keep the cats in my bedroom better. Unfortunately I can’t shut the door tight. As I was thinking, the phone rang. It was Amanda; porch repair postponed to 5/6 November. Tilly and Tinker, you are reprieved. They may be reprieved for longer if National Lockdown prevents it from happening.
27 October 2020
Club Day. Walked again as it had stopped raining. On the way, I popped into Poundland. I had a dream last night about Mr Kipling’s Bakewell Tarts, so I thought I’d best get some. Out of luck, none there so I chose my next favourite, Mini Battenburgs. Then I spotted Fruit Pastilles, which I have before I go to sleep (not choked yet). Then I saw Mini Milky Ways, for when I need a chocolate intake! Sue’s dog, Eddie, has been off-colour so I bought him some treats to cheer him up. And that is all the shopping I bought!
Arrived at the Club. Eight of us today, allowed two people at a table, still a metre apart. Jenny, who runs it, provides the tea or coffee, cakes and biscuits, all wrapped up of course. We were handed a Halloween Word Search. Mary completed hers in about an hour, not me, had to take mine home to complete. Jenny comes round to each table and has a chat to us (fully masked of course). Took a taxi home because it was pouring with rain. I got the bins ready for collection tomorrow. Not much in the garden bin, too wet to mow the lawns but I do have more leaves on the grass than what’s on the trees!
28 October 2020
Up at 6.30am to put the bins at the end of the path (why don’t you put them at the end of the path the night before? Save having to get up early!!). Then fed the hovering cats, back to bed for another hour. Quiet day, not much happening. What with the miserable weather and the Coronavirus Gloom, a dour day, as if time had stopped. Highlight of the Day: a quick walk to post Isabella’s Word Search, as the collection is 9am. Carried on walking to the shop and bought a paper. I like the Crosswords although can’t do Cryptic Crosswords, also bought two magazines. Just hoovered the top half of the stairs, even hoovered the teddies and my clown who sits there. Amanda doesn’t like my clown; in the past, she has turned his face to the wall. At least the vacuum cleaner has made it upstairs. Time is slow again this evening. Goodnight.
As the tea towel says, do you want an adventure?
Virtual Tea Towel Museum 