One day, in December 2019, while doing Christmas shopping in Aberdeen, I wandered into The Aberdeen Whisky Shop on Union Street.  When I say “wandered in” that is a bit of an exaggeration because The Aberdeen Whisky Shop is tiny and, especially at Christmas, is stocked to the rafters with whiskies of all kinds (with some gin added in for good measure).  I was buying some miniature whiskies for a friend.  I wasn’t looking for a tea towel but I did ask the Assistant (because I always do) “I don’t suppose you have any tea towels?”  The young man gestured to a shelf behind where I was standing.  “There’s a pile behind you but they are only of distilleries” he replied.  “That’s just what I want” I said.  I was excited.  And there they were; it will come as no surprise to anyone that I bought one.  When I looked at the tea towel, in closer detail, when I got home, I realised that these images of distilleries were eight beautiful paintings, the sort of images that take you back to those distilleries (and I have been to most of them), you can smell the fermenting barley, see the copper stills and the white painted buildings, remember the distillery tours and regret the fact that you don’t like whisky.

At that moment, I wandered down another Rabbit Warren: does KimberleyART do other tea towels‽   This is someone I would like to interview for In Conversation With….. One email later, Kimberley Smith agreed to an interview and then Coronavirus reared it’s ugly head.  I thought that was the end of it until an email I received on 7 September 2020, which was a nice surprise, asking me if I still wanted to do the interview and here we are.

Kimberley’s website has the strap-line of “Scotland’s heritage in your home” and you can see exactly why that is so.  I wanted to know how Kimberley would describe herself  “I would probably call myself a watercolour artist and designer” and her website goes on to talk about “a small family business that creates products and gifts featuring art work of traditional Scottish architecture including castles, distilleries and lighthouses”.

“When I left school, I went on to study architecture at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.  This is where I discovered my love of learning about, and painting, historical architecture.  I loved finding out about a place and the capturing it in my work.  I have always loved painting and I picked up some Photoshop editing skills at school and then at university.  Apart from that, it is all self-taught and I am just learning as I go.

I started out my business four years ago when I thought I would try and sell prints of some of the places I had painted.  It slowly grew and I started to transfer my paintings onto coasters, placemats and then tea towels.  Up until recently I have been a sole trader but have now become a limited company as my business has grown substantially in the last two years”.

I wondered what the favourite part of Kimberley’s work was: “My favourite part of my work will always be the painting.  I love the process of painting, from the initial sketch to the tiny fine details in watercolours.  Although it also gives me a huge feeling of pride every time someone places an order”. I also wondered how her work was sold:  “My work is for sale online on the Etsy Marketplace and I also supply a number of gift shops in Scotland including the National Trust for Scotland.  I occasionally also attend craft fairs at Christmas and the Highland Games in summer.”  

I will always want to know about the tea towels she designs and how she sees the future for her business: “I would love to see it continue to grow and make it a full time job.  There are so many places I want to explore and paint, so I’m not short of ideas for painting.  Currently, I have three tea towels designed – Distilleries of Scotland, Castles of Aberdeenshire and Castles and Country Houses of the North East (National Trust exclusive).  As I paint more places, I will be looking to expand the range.  I have plans for an Islay Distillery Tea Towel next.  I don’t think I could choose a favourite tea towel.  Each one is special and I could tell a story about each place that is featured on the tea towels”  

Thank you Kimberley for that interview, and I can’t wait to see the Islay Distillery Tea Towel.  For anyone that wants to look at Kimberley’s work, her social media links are:

Facebook: @kimberleyartetsy

Instagram: @kimberley118

Website: http://www.kimberleyart.co.uk

Shop: http://www.kimberleyart.etsy.com

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!

This is Umaynah’s third ‘Lockdown Challenge’, completed as she was about to return to school. She has put a lot of effort into this. I thought I knew a lot about Dorset but clearly not as much as Umaynah. The challenge was set around a tea towel I was given by Vanessa; it belonged to her late mother and it is of Dorset. I have enjoyed Umaynah’s ‘Lockdown Challenges’ and am quite sad that, with her return to school, they will probably be over (although I am happy to accept any more in the future). Here is her story:

“My latest Lockdown Challenge came in three parts: the first part of the Challenge was to make some Corfe Rock cakes. The second part of the Challenge was to write 15 facts about Dorset, where the Corfe Rock Cakes originated from. The third part of the Challenge was to write about the first two parts.

I am not a fan of fruit cakes but I was happy to make the cakes for the Challenge, and my family did like them. I have taken a picture of each step throughout the process of making the cakes. This was a very simple recipe to follow. I did not need lots of equipment or fancy baking trays which means there was not a lot of cleaning and washing up to do!

These are the ingredients to make the Corfe Rock cake

This is after all the dry ingredients were mixed together

This is after the wet ingredients were mixed in with the dry ingredients and rolled into balls

Cooked Corfe Rock Cakes (and I would have to say that they are perfectly formed, neatly rounded Corfe Rock Cakes, better than I have seen before)

The next thing I did was to find out 15 facts about Dorset, which are listed below:

• Dorset is a county in south-west England
• Some of the tourist attractions in Dorset are: Poole, Corfe Castle, Weymouth and the Jurassic Coast
• Dorset is famous for lots of different things: Britain’s first Fossil Shop, the oldest Post Box in England and one of the world’s hottest chillies called the Dorset Naga chillies!!
• Some of Dorset’s traditional food is Dorset Blue Vinney Cheese, Dorset Apple Cake, Dorset Knob and seafood
• In Dorset there is a castle called Corfe Castle. The first stone was laid 1000 years ago. Since the castle was built, there have been many battles. The Keep was built in the early 12th century for King Henry I, William the Conqueror’s son.
• Dorset’s flag has a yellow background and a white cross which has a red outline
• The bendiest road in England is in Dorset!
• The tongue-twister “She sells sea-shells on the seashore. The shells she sells are sea-shells, I’m sure. For if she sells sea-shells on the seashore then I’m sure she sells seashore shells” was inspired by the fossil lover, and founder of the first Fossil Shop, Mary Anning.
• Over 2000 ice creams are sold in Dorset every day
• Some events that happen in Dorset are: Castaway Survival Challenge, Weymouth Ironman 70.3 and the Dorset Dirt Dash. Most of these events will be cancelled this year because of the pandemic.
• The population of Dorset is around 426,500
• The area of Dorset is 2653 km square
• The first Unidentified Flying Object ever seen in the sky of Britain was recorded on 8 December 1733 in Fleet, Dorset
• In 1997, a 12 mile diameter crater on Mars was named after Swanage in Dorset
• The questions for the game of Trivial Pursuit were researched in the public library of Weymouth, Dorset.

By doing this challenge I found some very interesting things about Dorset, and England in general. These facts are not the sort of things I would come across on a normal day.”

Umaynah

This is a great piece of writing. Umaynah definitely has good research skills and certainly has found a wide range of facts. Thank you Umaynah for taking part in the Lockdown Challenge and I hope you have enjoyed it.

I love getting letters from Catherine with her additional bits of information on the back of the envelope so that the Postal Workers can keep up with her diet!

“Run out of First Class Stamps so don’t know when it will arrive.  To Postal Workers: thank you and I am now on Spinach (frozen), only when it cooks it splatters into ‘mush’ and needs at least half an hour to drain!.  Will not be getting it again!”

23 August 2020

I thought I’d best start using one of my 39 biros.  It’s delivery day and the young driver said I wasn’t in his SatNav as he knew exactly where I lived.  What a lovely compliment.  I’ve decided to try frozen spinach for a change.  I need ‘building up’ but don’t know how much I have to eat to it to take effect.  I thought they had sent the other ‘dreaded veg’ because the spinach was shaped into balls

24 August 2020

Update: I have 44 biros.  My sore eye is a lot better, I have more oomph in me.  I mowed the lawn this morning.  All this rain has meant the grass has really grown.  Mind you, I missed a clump so I took the scissors and cut the grass as it will only irritate me when I look out of the bedroom window.

Tilly is a lot happier.  She is now out of hiding.  She and Tinker are washing their faces profusely which means a ‘weather change’.  Amanda has bought me a new face mask with a filter and on the front are sailing boats.  She said I will know which way it goes on.

Saturday, Lindy came for a cup of tea and has partaken of two Corfe Rock Buns.  I’m getting to be an expert now.  Also Lindy brought with her some black treacle for me to make Bea’s Buns, as she has an overflow of it at home.  (Bea’s Buns are cakes my mother, Catherine’s sister, used to make every week.  It was her speciality.  They are small, fruit buns with a lot of fruit and often alcohol).

I’m really afraid tonight of these strong winds.  It doesn’t help being an end house and all those trees next to it.  Tinker’s arrived and she’s on the settee with me, a bit of company for me, or does she just like Inspector Morse!

28 August 2020

Off to ‘Marks’ (M&S) to spend my voucher tomorrow and I might indulge in some Christmas cards, make an effort this year.  It’s Friday night and normally I would watch the Edinburgh Tattoo.  I love the pipe band music so I changed to BBC2 and watched the First Night of the Proms.  It’s eerie, no audience, the orchestra sitting a metre away from each other and the BBC singers were standing four seats apart where the audience would be.  I’m not a classical music person but I felt compelled to watch them perform.

29 August 2020

Today has come to visit Bishops Stortford, up very early, fed three cats and informed them they were getting extras as I wouldn’t be home in time to give them their lunch.  I don’t think they took it in.  Before I went out, I did a lot of checking, taps, doors, cooker, fridge door shut.  I’m a ‘checkerholic’.  Amanda phoned as I was locking the front door saying “now walk away from it”.  I eventually did.  I was nervous about three things: locking the front door, rain coming in (though I had plenty of paper and towels on the floor, and the worse one was getting on the bus on my own with the mask.  All silly things really, as everything was fine.

‘Marks’ was disappointing, didn’t see any clothes that looked comfortable, so voucher remains unused.  Instead I bought Port Salut cheese and a sultana cake; you can’t go out empty-handed.  I got three T-Shirts from Sports Direct and a card in Clintons.  Though very chilly it was a lovely day out.  Glad to be home in the warm.  The ‘Gang’ were there to meet me, all hungry!

Catherine, Amanda, Liz and I watched ‘Britain’s Favourite Detective’, texting each other as each show was announced from 25 to first place.  Catherine’s idea was that we should each guess who would win and if you got it wrong you would eat food you hate.  She knew that if I lost it would be halloumi and pomegranate.  Liz said she wasn’t eating anything she didn’t like but if her guess was wrong she would make a cake for us all.  I chose ‘Vera’ to win, Amanda ‘Morse’ and Liz ‘Frost’.

I guess when we next meet we’ll be eating food we don’t like!!  It was a good competition.  Sherlock Holmes never entered my mind as a series that would win.  I thought it would be ‘Morse’ or ‘Frost’.  I voted for ‘Poirot’.  I was flabbergasted that ‘Columbo’ was number 6.  I don’t like programmes that tell you ‘who dun it’ At the beginning then you have to watch the detective work it out.  Cheerio”

Amanda, Catherine’s daughter, sent me a photo of Catherine holding her ‘Poinsettia’ tea towel so that seems like an appropriate one for this edition of Catherine’s Diary!!

Someone lent me this picture of a tea towel.  It’s the best I can do for Catherine’s Diary today.  It is ages since I have had a Diary Entry from Catherine.  I’ve missed them. “This is a hickle pickle letter.  If you can make sense of it, you are a better person, Barbara, than me.  To the Postal Person, I have ate my last Brussel Sprout this month.  Can’t tell you what day it was, but the time was 6.51 pm”.   I just love the notes on the back of the envelope.  I never alter anything about what Catherine writes but today I am making an exception.  I have put it in ‘date order’ because it was all over the place, maybe because it is such a long time since she’s written anything (and you will see why later).

4 August 2020

“Amanda and I went to Sainsbury today.  Sanitiser as you go in the door for your hands.  Inside, huge white partitions by the tills and self-paying area.  I treated myself to two towels and a nice saucepan.  I also bought a couple of food bargains and I couldn’t leave without buying a box of cat food.  I enjoyed the outing, especially the car ride, but I’m in no hurry to go back to food shopping; Amanda does it perfectly online.  Though I would still like a visit to ‘Marks’.

5 August 2020

Managed to catch one of the Wheelie Bin Men, to open two bleach bottles.  The lids are so tight, not only ‘Child-proof’ but also ‘Pensioner-proof’.

6 August 2020

I don’t know what happened in my garden during the night.  A potted plant, wedged in another pot, found it’s way up the top of the garden.  The plant had come out of the pot, couldn’t be revived.  Plus a dustpan also managed to get to the top of the garden.  I’m hoping it’s not a fox.

7 August 2020

I went to Amanda and Wade and had my first roast dinner (since Lockdown).  It was lovely.  Wade does an excellent roast.  The week of the very hot weather.  With a friend, we went to town on a bus, my first time.  We were all spaced out (no, not drugged).  Couldn’t wait to get off and remove the mask.  Went to ‘Iceland’, no restrictions, free for all, wanted to check the price out for Yorkshire Tea.  Yes, Barbara said they were a bargain at £4.50 for 210 bags.  We went to MacDonalds; we had a sit down meal.  I was gasping for a drink.  The assistant helped us with the computer to order the meal.  No queueing at the counter, meal is brought to you in a bag and, when you leave, the paper bag stays on the table for the assistants to clear and sanitise the table.  No hurry to go back again but nice to have a ‘half-price’ meal.  Glad to get on the bus back home.  I miss the zig-zagging from shop to shop.  I know one-way systems are to keep us safe.

16 August 2020

I was sitting on the settee, torrential rain coming down, heard an odd noise, turned to look to the front door and water was gushing towards the living room.  Phoned Amanda for help, grabbed a blanket and towels to help soak up the water.  When Amanda and Wade arrived (sigh of relief) they removed the wet carpet so if it flooded again it will be easier to mop up.  And also managed to get the Wheelie Bin Men to take the carpet with them.  We don’t know why the water came in but Amanda knows someone who can help.  Then the extractor fan in the bathroom started to leak and now it doesn’t work so it’s opening windows after showers.  Hopefully will be mended soon.

On a more cheery note, I had a lovely present from Pam and Christopher.  Pam had quilted a book cover with cats on it and inside was a writing book.  Inside I wrote ‘This August Amanda let me kiss her for the first time in 6 months and on 15th she came round for a meal because Wade was working.  Macaroni Cheese, Amanda says I make the best”

20 August 2020

Amanda gave me a lift to my friend Wendy’s and we went to town again by bus.  No pushchairs accepted, unless folded.  The young girl at the bus stop had to walk to town.  I picked up my eye drop prescription then headed to Tescos.  Again no restrictions, life back to normal.  I needed some more biros.  I had run really low, checked the price in Tescos and there was a sale on so I bought a pack of blue and black ones, 10 in each pack.  On Saturday, I straightened my quilt cover on the settee, lo and behold, tucked down behind the cushions I found another 15 biros, 2 biros upstairs in a drawer, 2 in the kitchen drawer.  Will I use 39 biros in my lifetime‽   Amanda and I had a laugh over it, brought tears to our eyes.

21 August 2020

I don’t know where to start.  (But this is why Catherine hasn’t been writing in the last couple of weeks).  Within the last two weeks I have had a very sore eye.  I thought I would cure it myself by bathing it with boiled water but in desperation I ended up phoning the doctor, managed to get through in an hour.  We both came to the same conclusion: it was conjunctivitis so he issued antibiotic eye drops.  Four drops in the eye for five to seven days.  Fingers crossed that they work or it is back to the doctor.  I went to bed really early, 9.45 pm, my eyes felt really tired but for the Life of Riley, I couldn’t get to sleep and the smell of cat food wafting up from the bottom of the bed didn’t help.  Tilly had had an ‘off week’, so had been hiding.  So I pandered to her needs and fed her under the bed.  It got to 1 in the morning and I’m deciding whether to go downstairs and do egg and chips or pancakes, cream and maple syrup.  While deciding I fell into a deep sleep to 4am.

I would like to tell everyone, one day this month, at 6.51 pm, I ate my last sprout!!”

Catherine’s Diary has adapted nicely to the changes we are all having to make as Lockdown eases but we are still all very scared.

Message on the back of the envelope: “It seems to me, we have forgotten the people who help us.  So thank you NHS, Postal People, Wheelie Bin and Food Bin Collectors, Shop Staff, Amanda and Wade, Barbara for printing my ramblings, my co-stars Tilly, Tinker and Blackie, and Rupert.  What would we do without them all?”

I quite like the preview I get by reading the back of Catherine’s envelope, giving me a sense of what is to come in the Diary.

1 August 2020

No wonder my eyes are bleary, had the wrong glasses on!  Weather extremely hot, saving washing up water for the garden later.  New front door coming tomorrow so clearing the mess I’ve accumulated in the foyer: four screwdrivers, shoe horn, half a stool, table, large bell, two elephant bookends (that were my Dad’s).  The elephants have to face the front door, don’t know the whole story, something to with stampeding.  Does anyone out there know?

I’ve told Wade, and the gentleman who’s doing my new door, that they can’t leave till I know how to get ‘in’ and ‘out’.  New system.  I hate change.  I will write the instructions down on a bit of paper.  Three copies.

Wade did a fantastic shearing job on my clematis bush, and no, I can’t get it all in my bin.  Wednesday is ’empty-out’ day, ready for the next lot.

Last Sunday, in my delivery was a ‘mix-up’.  Instead of scampi and frozen fruit I got Quorn Nuggets and a pack of ice lollies, water melon and apple with bits of chocolate on them in the shape of a triangle.  I think I got the better deal.  Amanda has ordered more ice lollies for tomorrow.

Last night, they forecast storms, got panicky, wasn’t sure whether to get dressed for bed.  I did in the end but took my trainers upstairs so if there was lightening I would put them on, as they had rubber soles, should keep me safe in bed.  I was lucky, no storms yet.  Checked the front door three times to make sure its secure, wondering whether to take the golf club with me for security.  It’s just getting used to new locks on the front door

2 August 2020

Delivery day; scampi arrived, salted caramel ice cream, wine to celebrate the new front door.  They were my ‘extras’ this week.

Wonderful news tonight: on the way to feed Blackie, I spotted a hedgehog in the garden, smallish.  I put some beef cat food for him/her.  I thought they had gone for good.  Good job hedgehogs don’t climb fences because my neighbour has put strips of pins along the top of the fence to keep the pigeons away.  We only get about four in the garden, we’re not living in Trafalgar Square.  It’s barbaric.  Next year, who will tell the baby starlings not to go on there.

My eye has been sore for a week now.  I have a pimple on the eyelid and a dryness near the eye, making it red.  Amanda said to keep wiping it with boiled water; it’s helping a bit.

Yesterday treated myself to some double cream, as I had run out of Weetabix, to go on my porridge with Maple Syrup, delicious.  My mind is boggling as I’m thinking pancakes, cream and syrup.  Got to use the cream up somehow!!

3 August 2020

The end is nearly here!  Yesterday, I had a small chicken crown roast.  Today it was a cold meal but with bubble and squeak.  Seven Brussel Sprouts with a carrot and two halves of potatoes.  Of course, this means I have only 14 (Brussel Sprouts) to go!  Hooray.

Two bits of good news tonight.  The hedgehog is back and Amanda is taking me to Sainsburys tomorrow, not that I need shopping but Amanda said it will be nice to look around.  I wouldn’t mind buying a new saucepan and a water filter jug.  I best make a list!  I am so excited, I have already packed my handbag!  Little things please little minds (No, that’s not right.  In this weird time of Coronavirus we all have learned to appreciate the small things in life, going back to basics.  Don’t put yourself down).

Forgot to say, Rupert and I pulled the wishbone together from the chicken.  He has a strong hand and we wished for the same thing.

Today’s tea towel is Herdy Heroes, which I bought for Catherine recently.

The messages on the back of Catherine’s sealed envelope seem to get longer: “There is a saga about Brussel Sprouts, so your post-person doesn’t miss out.  I have eaten 28 and have 21 to go!  Would you believe it, Barbara, I’m using your ‘Horses’ tea towel. Also still talking faster than I write.  Thank you Postal Workers.  Off to catch the Thursday morning post”.  Soon she will be able to just write on the back of the envelope, rather than have to enclose a letter.  My tea towel of choice for today’s Diary has to be the Primark Horses tea towel, which I sent to Catherine last week.

“Two days ago a predicament occurred in the bathroom.  I thought I had a hole in the ceiling.  That’s all I need I thought.  Then I realised it was a big, dark moth!  Moths are the second on the list of insects I hate, ants being the first.  Amanda suggested I get the feather stick and try and get it towards the window but, as luck would have it, I looked up on the third day and it had disappeared.  Where to I wondered.  I looked towards the window and there he was.  Quickly, I opened it and gave him a big shove out.  What a relief.  I could use the bathroom in peace once more.

Good day, today I had a haircut.  I can see my ears and neck and it’s thinned out all over the head, otherwise light-headed!  I even look different, younger, boosts the morale up.

Hydrangea in the front garden is beautiful, considering I didn’t dead-head it properly in March but the Hibiscus in the back, not looking it’s normal vibrant self.  Cheese biscuits a semi-disaster.  Couldn’t get the mixture to stick together, added a bit more liquid; four came out ok, three were splattered to crumbs.  Should have used soft butter?  Lindy came yesterday, took the recipe and in an hour and a half came back with cooked cheese biscuits.  She said it took a while for it to come together.  They were delicious.  She also brought three items to use in ‘Bea’s Cakes’, so that’s next.  I will not give up; I will give cheese biscuits another bash.  (I had sent Catherine four recipes: Cheese Biscuits and Bea’s Cakes were two of them.  The cheese mixture comes together in the end but it always starts looking unpromising and takes a while.  Never give up)

Last week a letter came from the bank, with my new Bank Card but I couldn’t use ‘contactless’ until I’d done a ‘chip and pin’.  Panic set in.  I hadn’t done one for months.  Some key pads are so small and tight; so I opted to go to the bank.  Friday was my first day going into town.  Wade gave me a lift, met my friend Wendy for support.  Boots first for medication, mask on, forgot to look at the floor for the ‘arrows’, collected pills, turned round and spotted the big blue arrows with red circles on them saying ‘Exit’, got it right this time.  Forwarded to the bank.  It was one in only, I was eleventh in line, one metre apart.  The assistant came out and asked me what I needed.  She said I could use the card in the outside machine.  I said I needed help, I don’t do automated on my own.  After going through all this paraphernalia, I said I can now do ‘contactless’.  She said “No”.  I had to go in a shop and do the ‘chip and pin’ again.  She said “The shop need to know that the bank knows you’ve opened the card”.  This sounds all ‘double dutch’ to me.  I’ve probably got it all wrong.  I was getting ‘hot and bothered’ by now.  So I chose Primark and tea towels for ‘chip and pin’.  I saw some nice ones with elephants on them but they were micro ones.  I don’t like micro ones, seems to stick to your hands, a bit like Blue Wedgewood, a funny feel to them.  Settled for red ‘normal’ in the end.  After buying them, went to Superdrug and tested ‘contactless’ and it worked.  What a relief.  (Didn’t you use ‘contactless’ in Primark?).  I bought five boxes of Cherry and Cola Tic Tacs, on special offer.  I said to Wendy that I needed a sit down with coffee, need to relax!  Calm myself down.  I noticed people were not doing the ‘one-way’ system in shops and quite a few didn’t wear their masks.  I know some people can be exempt but it seemed an awful lot.

After coffee and a rest, Wendy went to Tescos and I ventured into Wilko.  I did enjoy looking around.  The assistant that I knew called me over to pay, unbeknown to me I had to serve myself.  Panic again.  He showed me how to ‘zap’ my shopping, pay by card, get a receipt.  It’s not something that I would like to do too often.  Glad to get that taxi and go home, I can tell you.  Not going to rush into town again for a while.

On Saturday, Amanda, Wade and I went to ‘The Fox’ for dinner, outside under canvas.  I wore my raincoat, as the weather was a bit wet.  I had Barbara’s favourite, Battered Halloumi with chips and 2000 peas (I didn’t eat all of them).  Barbara, the Halloumi was delicious!  You don’t know what you’re missing.  (Oh yes I do and I wouldn’t touch Halloumi if you paid me!!!).  While we sat there, Amanda brought up the subject of Brussel Sprouts, which I thought was a bit sinister, asking me how many I’d eaten lately.  I said in the last four weeks I’d eaten 21.  She said I needed to eat more or she would stop my broccoli delivery!  I have eaten another seven, which leaves 21 left to eat, Amanda!!!!  I said no more sprouts when they are finished.  49 is a lot to get through.

I did notice Amanda never mentioned my ‘long hair’ beard, very unusual.  Sunday I decided to use Bruce’s razor and shave it off myself, can’t be that hard, used the shaving brush/soap, glasses on, felt a ‘pull’ and there it was on the razor.  So Amanda your tweezers are redundant!!”  

There is no question that Catherine’s Diary is the tale, we probably could all tell, of the things we are all having to learn in this new world!

I ‘met’ Claire (or rather windsweptgirlie) on Instagram.  I love Instagram; I have found so many tea towels and tea towel designers on there.  I saw one of Claire’s cushions and followed the link to her website, and there were the tea towels.  I wondered if she would be interested in being interviewed.  Fortunately, she said ‘yes’.

I’m always interested in the backgrounds of tea towel designers and the way they describe themselves:

“My earliest memories are of creating.  Sticking, sewing, painting.  I don’t think there was ever a moment that I thought ‘I want to be an Artist’.  It’s just what I do and I can’t imagine being anything else.  I have a degree in Ceramics, three glorious years of playing with clay.  Although totally different from the work I do today, my degree gave me the chance to explore my creativity without the need to be making a living from it.  I have always been an all-round creative person, eclectic, so have struggled to put a label on myself.  I dabble in many areas but if I had to choose one (label), I suppose I would currently say graphic designer……sort of!

And now about Claire’s business:

I am lucky to be based in beautiful Cornwall.  Six years ago, I had my first tea towel design printed (Cornish Mackerel).  It was a self-funded project which felt scary at the time.  I had no idea what I was doing but really wanted to get my designs out there.  I also design craft kits, illustrated gifts, homewares and greetings cards.  I have a wonderful network of independent shops that sell my work.  I also sell online, through my website and on Etsy.  I also do Christmas Markets, as most of my products are geared towards the gift market.

Obviously, I need to know about the tea towels that Claire designs and I am fascinated by the ‘Stitch and Sew’ range.  I’m not sure I could bring myself to cut up a tea towel but she, and others, seem to have no problems with it!!:

It’s quite difficult not to get carried away when designing tea towels.  They are a perfect canvas for design.  I have so many ideas but unfortunately not the cupboard space to keep them all.  Due to print-run numbers, I only have one or two new designs printed a year.  Usually they are designed for the Cornish tourist market, a girl’s gotta eat!

I had been screen printing my designs myself, in my bathroom, to sew into stuffed cushions, which was just impractical.  I designed the Mackerel tea towel to appeal to tourists wanting a souvenir, but really I wanted them so I could cut them up and make stuffed fish!!  The Mackerel was quickly followed by a dedicated ‘Make Your Own’ Mermaid tea towel and then by ‘Make Your Own’ Wilbur the Whale.  To be honest, they were a total leap of faith.  I had no idea if people would buy them.  I am happy to say I have sold 100s of Mermaids and Whales!  They really make people smile and I get wonderful feedback from customers.  They make the perfect ‘Posting Present’ and I have posted them all over the world.

At this time, I couldn’t avoid asking about the effect of Coronavirus on Claire’s business and her plans for the future:

My studio is at home so, in many ways, I have been lucky.  There was a sudden surge in Craft Kits being bought online, as people wanted to be distracted, which has helped.  Unfortunately, on the flip side, my lovely stockists had to close their doors at what would have been the start of the Tourist Season.  Obviously it is a worrying time.  I have tried to keep myself busy and motivated; I have launched two new Felt Craft Kits, which had been on the ‘to do list’ for ages.  I just had not had the time to develop them.  I also have three new tea towel designs in the pipeline.  I also grew a lot of veg!!

The future? To just keep making!”

Thank you Claire for a very positive interview, at what is obviously a very difficult time for everyone.

The one thing I have learnt, during Coronavirus Pandemic, is the importance of small independent designers who have been able to use this time for continuous creativity and the importance of small independent shops that keep the designers in business.  There is no question that it is the big businesses that are struggling.  Shop local, shop independent  has to be the motto for the future!

Originally, Claire hadn’t sent me the picture of the Mermaid but I didn’t feel I could post this article without the great picture.  I never thought I would be admiring a tea towel of a Mermaid but it’s great!

http://www.windsweptgirlie.co.uk

“On the TV, I keep hearing this quote and I don’t know what film it is from.  Do you know?  It’s ‘Who’s the man; I’m the man’.  It’s driving me crazy not knowing”.  This was a note written on the back of the sealed envelope that Catherine’s Diary (20) arrived in.  Sorry Catherine, absolutely no idea.  Today’s Diary is showing the beginning of the loosening of ‘Lockdown’ and how careful, and scared, people are.

Because of Catherine’s reference to tea I have chosen my Yorkshire Tea tea towel .

“No dates, no times.  Are you pleased Barbara‽

Yes, I know, I go on a bit but this notepaper is irritating: wide lines on one side, no lines on the other side.  Recently, on one Saturday, I spent the day with my friend Wendy (we used to work together, years ago) and her beautiful Border Collie, Tess.  Amanda gave me a lift there, the furthest I’ve been , 3½ Miles.  It was great to go out and be with a friend ‘in the flesh’; though we talk on the phone regularly, we still had a lot to talk about.  I had Tess on the chair with me, I had my arm round her shoulders and she looked as if she was smiling at me.  I had a lovely day.  I came home in a Black Cab, a plastic screen behind the driver and I paid ‘contactless’.  I felt safe in there and will use them again.  Quite an achievement for me, pleased I did it.  When I left, Wendy gave me some home-grown rhubarb.  I cooked it in orange juice and lots of sugar; it was still tart, my cheeks seemed to get sucked in.  When I ate it I put salted caramel ice cram on it, much better.  It’s good for the constitution!

Monday was tea and cake with Vivienne and Michael, a regular Monday afternoon date now.  Vivienne and Michael are interested in history and have visited all the Heritage sites in UK; they have lots of books and photographs of them.  I remember my Dad taking me to some of these old houses, being young I didn’t find them all that interesting.  He used to take Christopher and I to the Tate Gallery, afterwards we’d go somewhere for tea.  I think that must have been the highlight; memories get vague these days.

Friday was ‘Waterboard Day’ to try and find my leak, as I was using enough water for 16 people.  The leak was in the front garden, new pipe put in.  They weren’t there very long; have to wait 10 days then someone comes and fills the hole in and they put grass seed down.  One of my plants had to be dug up but I didn’t mind as I didn’t care for it.  I stripped most of it and half-filled my lovely bin up.  I sawed two branches but then gave up, arm aching, try again tomorrow.

Of course, the best news is while the Waterboard was here, Amanda and Wade came to keep me company.  Amanda hasn’t been in my house for four months.  I was so happy to see her here and we played ‘Rummicub’, a numbers game.  I lost as usual, brain not fast with numbers but I enjoyed playing it.

Things are looking up on ‘The Jeremy Vine Show’, a live panel, but only two guests, well spaced out.   Is ‘Lockdown’ over?  People are being told to go back to work.  I asked Amanda if I could go to a ‘Marks’ in August and she said “we’ll see”.  I’d also like to go to a ‘Card Shop’.  This month I’ll be giving letters instead of cards.

Barbara sent me 4 recipes to make.  I tried the Corfe Castle Rock Cakes; they went in the oven as ‘rocks’, came out as flattish moulds!  Still delicious and even more tasty was the uncooked mixture.  Instead of doing 8 cakes I only managed 6.  Tuesday it is Cheesy Biscuits.

Delivery on Sunday.  I must own Sainsburys.  There were so many bags, admittedly they were small, not much in them.  I am stocking up on household items like kitchen and toilet rolls and spray cleaners etc.  You never know if another ‘spike’ comes.  I don’t want to be left behind.  I said to Amanda that it will take a couple of hours to sort them out.  I got plenty of cat food of course.  I have given PG Tips the boot; I’ve been with them for 30 years.  Now it’s Yorkshire Tea, nice strong colour and taste, something to get your teeth into.  I also like Twinnings Assam tea.

This is no good, it’s 11.15 am, must have my shower.  It’s Monday, tea at Sue’s today.  Also it’s Bruce’s birthday.  Me and Tilly sang to him.  Bruce is 77 today.  Still have Bruce’s phone and Amanda sent her Dad a birthday message which I thought was lovely.

Tomorrow is a Big Day.  I’m having my long locks shorn, so excited.

See you again soon.

Dear Curator,

I need your help, desperately.  I am unhappy.  I am being mistreated.  Please help me.  I was a gift to my owner from her niece, Barbara.

I have a white background and lots of different cats on me.  Long-hair fuzzy ones with red hats on, short hair ones, ginger cats, grey ones, black spooky cats; some looking snooty and cheeky.  I have balls of wool to play with.  I’ve eaten the fish, only the bones are left.  Also on me it says ‘Best Friend’.  ‘Best Friend’ indeed‽  

I’m leading a miserable life.  I’ve been shoved in a drawer in the bedroom.  It’s only been opened twice since Christmas.  I am resting on a T-Shirt, next to a miniature tea service (my owner thought it was Wedgwood, but it’s made in China.  That wiped the smile off her face!).  The best bit to come is that on top of me is an electric blanket; it’s hard to breathe!  She says I’m too pretty to be used, and I agree, but I would like a more sociable lifestyle.

I know three possible friends come from Primark: there’s a dark and grotty looking one, a brown one sits on the spin dryer and another sits on the Grandfather chair (which is over 90 years old), underneath Tilly.  That one is full of red poinsettias on a white background.

Amanda is taking a picture of me.  I hope the creases won’t show.  When I come back home, I’m going to beg to be allowed to stay downstairs in the drawer with the ‘grotty’ ones.  It will be nice to have friends to talk to and I don’t mind what they look like.

Dear Curator, can you help me?

First, the creases do show on the photograph, or actually photographs.  I think Amanda must have been a bit anxious about taking your photograph which does show she cares.  Maybe she will be on your side when you go home and she can persuade your owner to allow you to stay downstairs.  Your owner needs to understand that tea towels are for using, for wiping up dishes, for hanging in the kitchen looking pretty (and it sounds as though you are very pretty).  Getting downstairs, into the kitchen, sounds like a good place to start.  If you are on hand, then she will see you every day.  You will have friends and, maybe when Lockdown is finally over, your owner will go back to Primark and buy some nice new friends for you.  I do have a couple from Primark, with horses on them; maybe I’ll send them to your owner!

Good Luck and I hope you make some ‘Best Friends’.

“Gordon Ramsey says pomegranates have been around since Roman times and they have healing properties; best start eating them!”

That was Catherine’s message on the back of the sealed envelope that today’s Diary arrived in.  What the post workers make of her helpful, and informative, messages‽  (please note the use of the Interrobang!).  The choice of tea towel for today is easy, a tea towel made from a photo, that Liz took, of Catherine’s Big Birthday.  It includes a lot the family she has mentioned: Ferruccio, Andrew, Christopher, Pam, Amanda, Catherine, Bruce, Wade and me.  Great memories!

24 June 2020

“Last night Amanda bought my laundry back, having washed it for me (the items that mopped up the water from the flooded carpet).  They smelt delicious, now in the linen cupboard.  I keep opening the door for a big sniff!  Also she gave me three big boxes of cat food.  Received my Diary print off (Number 17), trying to work out if the second row, first cake on the tea towel is Battenburg, one of my favourites (it is).  Nice to see a picture of Amanda on the front.  Not being technically minded, I thought the first paragraph about Barbara’s problems with her ‘Blog’ was gobbledygook!  (But if Catherine got linked to the internet and bought a decent phone or iPad, she would understand.  Time to move with the times, Catherine).

Exciting day today: my lovely new garden bin was being emptied.  I thought at first they had missed me out but at 11.10 am they arrived.  Now I’m ready to fill it up again

26 June 2020

Last night, I covered the carpet by the front door with newspaper, towels, sheets just in case the rain came in again.  I thought afterwards, if I had had a fire, the firemen wouldn’t be able to get in: a Catch 22 situation.  Though it’s not quite as hot, thank goodness, my brain feels foggy today, don’t know why!

Half filled my bin with the Briar Rose.  It’s in the process of a good cutback, lucky thing.  I’ve pre-booked a haircut for the middle of July, if the plans for releasing Lockdown all go through; fed up with the straddley bits in the morning.  I look like I’ve got a ‘Mohican’.

O2UK texted today: my 90 days of free calls are over and the Chiropodist came today, feet comfortable again.

27 June 2020

Would have been Bruce and I’s 50th Wedding Anniversary, where have all the years gone?  I read my card to him, that I got through Amanda, a jokey card with his name on the front.  I’m sure Bruce appreciated it.  When I arrived at Amanda’s there was a gazebo up, two chairs and a table for our ‘tea’.  Inside Amanda gave me a card from Bruce (her Dad would have asked her to get him one for me).  Bruce’s card was all lovey-dovey and, of course, I had a good cry.

I sat down with Amanda’s computer and three friends Zoomed in, how exciting.  I didn’t realise they could see me as well.  There was Wendy, Jeanette and her mother, and Carole, all ‘fitness friends’, just my cup of tea!!!

Unbeknown to me, friends Lance, Jennie, Rob and Stephanie arrived in the garden which was a lovely surprise, especially as I thought it would just be the three of us.  Afternoon Tea was ready, all arrived in a box, champagne.  Have to say I imbibed most of it, Lindy had some with me.  Also Sarah (her anniversary as well) Zoomed in with her son and son-in-law, Tom and Gareth.  Gareth has gone a bit blond and has that horrible designer fluff on his face!  He will be glad to get back to work (he is a hairdresser!).

Amanda took me and the computer back indoors and she Zoomed Christopher and Pam, Barbara and Liz, Andrew and Ferruccio and Elena in.  I can’t believe it.  I was looking at the family ‘live’.  It was very emotional and it brings tears to my eyes, writing this Diary.  This Zooming is amazing, to be able to ‘go’ to Wiltshire, Nottingham, Florence and Rome at the same time.  Christopher thought I was nodding off (I was the only one drinking champagne) but I was just ‘in awe’ of it all.

The best background was Barbara and Liz’s.  I liked the plate rack and the mugs on hooks.  I would like Barbara and Liz to show me the plates: are they all different, I wonder (they are mostly in pairs, all very different, but there are some single ones).  The living room was homely looking.  I did notice, looking at myself, my neck looked scrawny!  I also spoke to Andrew’s wife, Elena.  She said she had met me once at Beatrice’s house, what a good memory she has, better than mine (and I have a photograph of that day in 1986).

I received flowers from Vivienne, Michael, Sue, Lindy and Lance, and Jennie.  When I thought on Saturday Morning how empty I felt, Amanda you have done Bruce and I proud.  It was a superb day and I think about it every single day.  Thank you Amanda xx

What an amazing daughter to have arranged all that as a surprise for her mother on what must have been an emotional day.  Bruce had died last October.

Many of you will remember, casting your mind back to 23 March 2020, that Liz wrote a piece about Lockdown in Southern Austria.  I invited her to write a second piece about the changes that have been happening in Austria: this is it.  However, I’m sure you have also been following her on Twitter (@Love_Austria007), seeing her photos of the changes in weather, her cooking, craft work, the walks in the forest, where she lives with her husband.

Finding a tea towel for this Blog has been a challenge.  Liz originates from Norfolk; should it be Norfolk? You don’t get tea towels about self-isolation or face masks!  It’s to be Norfolk then!

Any Reader to Barbara’s Tea Towel Story should not be fooled and think this is Barbara (@myteatowels)’s choice.  That would break all my ‘rules’ and show favouritism to one tea towel over my 1270 others.  This is Barbara (stranger_up_north on Instagram)’s story.  I have only ever actually met one other Barbara, as she said “we’ve got to stick together, not many of us left!”

I ‘met’ Barbara on Instagram.  I causally mentioned, when I posted a picture of a tea towel of Sydney Opera House, that I had never been there and that Charity Shops were a good source of tea towels.

Quick response from Barbara “So many of us buy souvenir tea towels and then don’t want to spoil them by actually using them”

My response was “No, no, no.  The joy of a souvenir tea towel, when you have actually been there, is to use it and recreate those memories”

Barbara came back immediately “But it’s always my special ones that get stained/burnt.  However, life is for living (not dying) and tea towels for giving (and drying).”  But she added that she wasn’t sure she could ever use her favourite, Brief Encounter, tea towel.  This sounded intriguing to me so I asked for a full frontal photo and the story behind the tea towel.  I wasn’t sure if she would take up the challenge.

“30 May 2018.  We were camping at Morecambe Bay which is only a few miles from Carnforth and it’s famous station, used in the David Lean film (1945) ‘Brief Encounter’.  The station is still working but has a Museum devoted to the film and it’s Director.  We had a cup of tea in the vintage-style Waiting Room Cafe and bought the tea towel as a special treat.  I do hope the Museum can survive ‘Lockdown'”

It must be memorable if Barbara can remember the actual date she bought the tea towel.  This is a truly great tea towel which could revive old memories.  Now this is a place I would like to go to.  Thank you Barbara for the story and the picture of the tea towel.

At the beginning of Lockdown, back in mid-March 2020, the only thing that ever came through my letter box was either a flier for ‘Domino’s Pizza’ or a bunch of leaflets about driveways.  Personally, I consider this to be an insult as it isn’t long since the driveway was relaid.

All this changed once my Aunt Catherine started writing her ‘Coronavirus Diary’.  She doesn’t have the internet or a Smart phone or an iPad or anything else vaguely technical, including a typewriter.  So several times a week she writes to me, real letters, hand-written, put in an envelope and then she has taken the risk of going to the post box, coming back to scrub herself down.  All I can say is I’m glad her handwriting is neat and easy to read.  She lives alone, six months since her husband Bruce died.  Not only has she had to adjust to life without her husband of almost 50 years, but not seeing her daughter and to Lockdown.  Anyone who has read her diaries will wonder how she has coped.  Maybe addressing her problems to the wider world has helped; I hope so.

Each envelope that arrives has a note on the back of it, usually referring to the amount of mistakes she has made or a bit of news she has forgotten.  It always ends with a ‘Thank you to Postal Workers’, recognising their role in keeping me in touch with my aunt.  An envelope from Catherine brings great joy and happiness, and I bet the Postal Workers also get some joy: today’s forgotten news was “49 Brussel sprouts to eat”.  I wonder what my Postal Worker thought today!

15 June 2020

I have been to the post box to send my diary, nice warm evening for a walk.  I met a couple I know and had a bit of a chat.  I’ve decided to put the mower in the shed so I covered it in a black bag to keep it nice.  I want to clear the shed out, so much rubbish in there, and as Bruce would say “loads of good wood!”  But there is loads of cobwebs and dead insects; it makes me squeamish, especially if something small with four legs and a short tail should pop out near me!

Watching Breakfast TV, in Liverpool and Birmingham people are queueing for Primark, can’t believe it.

I went to Vivienne and Michael for the afternoon, Sue came as well.  We had tea and a chocolate eclair, lovely it was.  We discussed a wide range of subjects.  Sue enjoyed her weekend with her grandson, so it was nice to hear about that.  It was a very humid day, with some greenfly.  Two hours spent in good company.

The last few days I’ve had a glitch.  I’ve been missing company or a presence in the house.  I’m sure I’ll get over it.  A fragile few weeks: Father’s Day, 50th Wedding Anniversary and Bruce’s birthday still to come.

Opened the Black Magic tonight that was in my delivery.  Two chocolates equals one serving it says.  I had my favourite first (2 Coffee Crescents) and then two Caramel Hearts.  The caramel lingers in the mouth, delicious, roll on tomorrow!  I haven’t had a chocolate since Christmas; I can’t remember if I had any for my birthday.  I like a Fruit Pastille or a Cherry and Cola Tic Tac before bedtime.  Amanda says I can’t have any more chocolate until Wednesday; she says I had two servings in one go.  Ah well!

16 June 2020

What a morning.  Still in my dressing gown, donned my trainers and mowed the back lawn.  Got to have some grass to put in my Garden Wheelie Bin when it comes.  Daisies disappeared; new plant has arrived, loads of clover.  Still the lawn looks good from it’s cut and the edges look nice as well.

Changed my day for Stir Fry, in my new Wok: it’s today.  Already prepared vegetables, not a sprout to be seen!  Sauces and noodles, soy sauce all out of the cupboards.  Chicken defrosted.  Well, Brucie Boy, you will be proud of me.  Just made the perfect Stir Fry, just as we like it, and lots of flavour.

And, yes, I cheated Amanda, couldn’t wait til Wednesday for another chocolate.  Two orange ones, with tea, watching Countdown.

19 June 2020

When I woke up Thursday morning, I thought ‘Great I’ve slept through the storms’, came downstairs, tried to open the glass door to get to the front door but it wouldn’t move.  Pulled it again and as I opened it I found the carpet was full of water, which I can tell you was both a shock and upsetting.  I found small towels, travel blanket and sheets to help soak up the water.  I phoned Amanda who suggested I put the convector heater on to help dry it out.  Most of the day I was spinning and drying the items before putting them down again.  Wade came round and checked the door.  He could see where it came in.  The outcome is that I need a new front door.  Friends had said the rain had woken them but I slept through it all.  Today it’s dry but just smells musty.  Still feeling a bit down about it.

While I was having a chat with Jennie on the path, a lorry arrived which had my new, big, brown, shiny Garden Wheelie Bin, so excited seeing it.  Christened that day with the dead lilac flowers.  In the afternoon, Gary put the paper through the door.  Things were getting better.

20 June 2020

Amanda came and we went to get the paper and a couple of magazines.  She said I could go in with her ‘card’ and buy what I wanted, so exciting though I didn’t linger, I sped round.  I haven’t been in a shop since 20 March 2020.  Amanda went off for her walk with Jennie, taking with her a black sack of the stuff I had used to dry the water up.  Amanda had offered to wash and tumble dry it for me.

(I noticed that as I turned the sheet, there was a smaller sheet of paper with no lines.  Obviously, she had run out of her regular paper).

Smaller paper, no lines on the back, how am I going to cope?  More snipping for my new bin.  Nearly filled it up and only a fortnightly collection.

I’m giving up cake for a while, though not next Saturday, it’s Afternoon Tea and Champagne.  I nearly bought cake in the shop, but stopped myself.  I had to choose between cake or alcohol.  Alcohol seemed the better deal so Amanda put Salted Caramel ice cream in my delivery to tide me over.

I would like to say that last week’s treat (Black Magic) did last a whole week.  I was leaving the nutty ones for Christine but Saturday night the urge to eat them got the better of me.  I apologised to Christine.  She said “Good for you”, a real trooper.

Today’s Diary entry has proved to be challenging to find an appropriate tea towel.  I haven’t got one of a Wheelie Bin or Black Magic or a front door or storms.  So I chose ‘The Dictionary of Gardens’

I’ve had a lot of problems with the Blog.  I finished typing it and the laptop couldn’t, or maybe wouldn’t, save it.  As I searched for a photograph of a tea towel, it wouldn’t print it, kept telling me that it had failed and then wiped the lot.  I am sure if you’re one of those techie people you might be able to recover it; instead, I am retyping it!  It is also autocorrecting it, big time!!  Somewhat frustrating.

Had a bit of a problem about find a tea towel that is appropriate.  So now I have found two: one about cakes since Afternoon Tea is discussed and the second is of Amanda with a tea towel, since she plays a big part in this diary (she will hate me for this).

6 June 2020

I had Afternoon Tea with Amanda; she collected me at 11am, face masks on, my first time with one.  It felt OK but could have covered my eyes as well!!  It was great going for a car ride, looking at all them green fields.  When we got to Amanda’s house I went through the back gate into the back garden, straight to the bottom.  The view is amazing, they back onto a huge farm, all that greenery and you can see the M11 as well.  The next door neighbour had all his roses flowering, a lovely sight.  Had plenty of clothing on, a bit of a chill in the air.  Tea was a ‘takeaway’ : three finger sandwiches.  I had ham and tomato and an egg one, scones with jam and cream pots, sausage roll, three types of cake and a Gingerbread Man and a cup of tea.  It was a lovely thought from Amanda; it brought the emotions out as I normally only see Amanda for 20 minutes on a Saturday and today it was two hours.  Home just after 2 pm which was just as well as at 3.20 pm the rain and thunderstorms came.  I’m petrified of storms so I laid on the bed, next to Bruce, then along came Tilly and Tinker to keep me company.  Bruce was always there, to reassure me about problems, now Amanda is there for me.  We go through things step by step and I feel better, calmer.  She is like her Dad, sees things before they happen.  There is always an answer to everything.  I do miss him holding my hand, which was calming.  Amanda and I can’t touch hands yet, or hug.

14 June 2020

Back to the theme of honey and bananas.  I found the perfect solution: either toast or a sandwich, butter first, squish the banana on the bread then put honey on top of the banana.  It’s a wobbly job but don’t half taste delicious.

I don’t know if you know it but my daughter is frightened of SPIDERS (I am assuming this question is addressed to me because Catherine hasn’t mentioned spiders in any previous diary entries.  I am glad to know that Arachnophobia has passed down the family line through the cousins.  I absolutely hate spiders).  In a bag, by my front door, was a fruit box ready for Amanda to collect and take home.  Unbeknown to me, a SPIDER had crept into the box.  When Amanda took it out to wash, a scream resounded round the house, her cats took refuge (who can blame them?).  According to my daughter it was huge with a big body.  Wade had to let it go in the garden.  Of course, I got a phone call, as if I would put one in there!  It kept me laughing about it all day.

It reminded me, when Amanda was about 13 or 14, she said there  was a spider in her bedroom.  I hunted high and low for it, couldn’t find it, so I cupped my hands together and said I had it.  “Open the bathroom window” I said and out went the imaginary spider and that calmed her down.

Pancakes are going well.  The frying pan should last me until I’m 97 years old, so the warranty says (25 years).  My new Wok, for the stir frys, arrives tomorrow.  It’s amazing what you can buy online (an interesting comment since Catherine has no access to the internet but I imagine she might change her mind once Lockdown is over).  I’ve been trying out different frozen fruits for the ‘Bullet’.  I ran out of broccoli this week and had to resort to the dreaded Brussel sprouts.  I managed to find seven very small ones.  Amanda mentioned about needing another bag.  I asked her if she knew the word ‘NO’ and perhaps you could print a large ‘NO’, Barbara, just for her!.  Another item I’ve got coming is a wheelie bin for my garden waste, really excited about that, it gives me initiative to get the garden straightened out.

It’s amazing what you find out about your family when they write a diary!  Thank you Catherine!