“I hope one day that I can stop talking so fast, faster than I can write” was today’s message on the back of the envelope
30 October 2020
I made an eye test appointment in Boots to see if I need new glasses after my eye laser treatment. The earliest appointment is 25 January 2021!! Just in case we’re having a Lockdown, I managed to get a present for Amanda and a couple of cards for her and Wade. At least I’ve achieved something this year.
31 October 2020
I was going to sweep the leaves off my footpath and lawn but they forecast more winds on Sunday. I thought ‘what’s the point?’. Amanda and Wade came round and brought a big bag of litter and 43 tins of cat food and my print-offs (of this Diary: 27 and 30). I really enjoy reading them and seeing which tea towel Barbara has chosen and it’s neat, good punctuation (not like mine!). I like Barbara’s comments between paragraphs. Some of it is funnier than what I write, even though I’ve written it, if that makes sense. I’m not sure that it does makes sense. With regard to punctuation, I type precisely what Catherine has hand-written! It’s her punctuation! I have realised that I talk an awful lot about cat food, but the cats are the pinnacle of my life.
1 November 2020
Fireworks again tonight, loud and frightening, especially for Tilly and Tinker. Last night I put a Katherine Jenkins CD on, to soothe the nerves. Tonight I thought they may like a bit of Vivaldi – The Four Seasons.
My neighbour has decided he wants to put his car on his front garden as the parking here is so bad. That meant he had to cut three of my plants that are leaning on his side. When I saw him, he offered to uproot two and give the hydrangea a cut and I told him to put them in my Brown (garden waste) Bin. Then he started to dig up his path.
3 November 2020
Yesterday, I hopefully went up the town for the last time. I wanted some sweets for the Wheelie Bin Men. They deserve it. They are still collecting through the Lockdowns. I took a short cut past the Civic Centre, as I turned the corner, I couldn’t believe it, they were queueing for Asda. As I got nearer, I realised the ‘people’ were mannequins in the ‘Next’ shop window. They looked so life-like. Perhaps I do need new glasses. Now I understand why Catherine texted me, asking if I had a tea towel with mannequins on it. I said that the nearest thing I had was one from a museum about corsets. She asked if the next time we Zoomed she could see it. That is the picture at the top of this Blog! I bought my purchases and went towards the tills. In front of me were three people with very full trolleys. 20 minutes later it was my turn, put my bits on the conveyer belt then the man behind me put his stuff on. The girl at the till told him to put it back in his basket and to wait until I had been served. I said to her ‘well done for telling him’. She replied that she was fed up of people not social distancing.
It was the Tuesday Club today for the last time. I am going to miss it. We played a game like Bingo called ‘Hoy’. It’s to do with playing cards, not that we touched them. We had a laminated sheet that had nine cards on and when Jenny called a card, if you had it, you put a coin on it. When all nine were called you shouted “Here”. It was good fun. So surprising what you can’t touch; we brought our own coins. I raided the money box. And yes, I won a game, prize £2.50.
Before the Club, took my rubbish to the bins, then moved them round ready for Wednesday collection. I couldn’t move the Brown Bin, looked inside, foraged around and found 20 lumps of concrete, camouflaged by stacks of fallen leaves. Couldn’t believe he would do this to me. Had to pull out the leaves and plants to get the concrete out. Did half the bin before I went to the Club and the other half when I got home. I had to tip the bin onto the grass because it is so deep and I have shrunk (Know the feeling!!). I put all the concrete back on his footpath. I told Amanda and she said Wade would have helped tip it up, which was kind, but I like to attempt to do it on my own. I put a note through my neighbour’s letter box, telling him my bin was for garden plants, not his concrete. He didn’t apologise and I haven’t seen him. So much for neighbours!!
Still fireworks. I played Mario Lanza CD for Tilly and Tinker and I did a duet with Mario – ‘You’ll never walk alone’. The bathroom has good acoustics.
4 November 2020
Very last time in town this morning. Met Wendy for coffee. Last time I will see her, till whenever. Bought cat treats for my Grandcats: Lyric, Phoebe, Molly, Rocky, Oreo, Liquorice and Bella. Wrap them up for Christmas so they will have a present to open. It was packed in town, couldn’t wait to get home. Waited ages for a bus though.
5 November 2020
Repair Man, Bob, is here to repair my porch with new cladding, rearrange a pipe and repair the porch roof so no water can come in. They are here for two days. Did a good job blocking the cats in my bedroom. On their side is a big metal box against the door; on the landing side is a hoover and a big linen box. Every hour I check to see if they are alright, a crack in the door lets me see them.
Fireworks have been going for three hours. The noise is horrendous. I put the ‘Bishop’s Wife’ film on for the cats to watch and hopefully dull the bangs. After that, I’m playing a Dolly Parton CD, our favourite.
November seems to be going slowly. I want to write and send my cards but it’s too early. I asked Amanda if I was normal to be excited about Christmas. She said ‘Yes’. I feel I want to put the decorations up but have none. I looked in the shops on Wednesday but couldn’t find any.
I think your neighbour is horrible. He shouldn’t be filling your bin with his rubbish. But I am not surprised about your desire to send Christmas cards early. In my memory they have always arrived well before the end of November!!!!
Virtual Tea Towel Museum 