Since the start of ‘Lockdown’, I have offered some children I know, who are doing ‘Home Schooling’, the chance to be part of ‘We’re all in this together’ in www.virtualteatowelmuseum.com, a journey a lot of people have shared.  Umaynah has already written a Diary for a week and researched Western Australia, ending up with a Tea Towel Blog, well researched and written.  I offered her another challenge, if she wanted it, and she accepted.

Any Reader needs to understand the background to this: I have known Umaynah’s mother, Zakira, for more than 20 years.  She worked for the organisation of disabled people that I worked for; she had a difficult job involving Direct Payments, necessitating home visits.  I knew that Zakira did not like dogs, quite tricky if you are visiting people in their own homes, and if you are working with visually impaired people.  I have a beautiful, old-fashioned tea towel from The Guide Dogs for the Blind.  Umaynah’s task was (a) to research Guide Dogs for the Blind in order to be able to include it in a Blog and (b) to devise some questions, and then interview her mother, about her dislike of dogs and how it affected her work.  The intention was the interview would be included in the article.  So, here we go:

“When I was asked to write an article about the organisation called ‘Guide Dogs for the Blind’, I thought it must be a charity that only provides trained dogs for people with visual impairments.  As I started to research, I learnt that there is more to the charity than I thought.  The organisation was set up in 1931 by Muriel Crooke and Rosalind Bond, in a lock-up garage in Wallasey, Merseyside.  They trained the first four British Guide Dogs, called Judy, Flash, Folly and Meta.

Below are some important dates in the history of ‘Guide Dogs for the Blind’:

1940: First Training Centre for Guide Dogs at Edmonscote Manor

1943: First edition of ‘Forward’ magazine published (still going strong)

1956: Recruitment of ‘Volunteer Puppy Walkers’ started

1960: Breeding programmes begin

1965: Blue Peter partnership made ‘Guide for the Blind’ a household name and ‘Guide Dogs for the Blind’ expands to Scotland.

1972: ‘Guide Dogs for the Blind’ started to offer allowances to help Guide Dog owners with the cost of feeding their dogs

1984-1986: New centres open in Belfast and Cardiff

1990: Opthalmic Research Grants were provided to research into health and new technologies

1991: The new central office was moved to Hillfields

2011: National Breeding Centre opens, creating capacity to breed 1500 puppies a year

2013: ‘My Guide’ service launched, providing volunteers to assist people with sight loss.

2017: ‘Guide Dogs for the Blind’ merged with ‘Blind Children UK’ (BCUK)

‘Guide Dogs for the Blind’ provides many services:

Custom-Eye Books: large print books tailored to an individualised child’s need, subsidised by ‘Guide Dogs for the Blind’.  It costs the same as Recommended Retail Price (RRP).

Family Events: family events are a service provided so that children with sight loss can build confidence in making lifelong friends.  There are events at a variety of venues like animal parks, theatres, playgrounds and theme parks (although not during ‘Lockdown’).

Assistive Technology and Grants: assistive technology, also called ‘access’ or ‘adaptive’ technology, helps children with sight loss play like everyone else.  It includes laptops, tablets and computers, Braille devices and much more.

Education Support: they also help you find the right school for your child, whether it is nursery or university

Mobility Training: this service helps children move around safely and confidently.  Some things that the Mobility Training sessions covers are how the body parts move, crawling and walking, identifying sounds like traffic and much more.

Family Support: this service offers practical and emotional support.  Some of the times when you can get in touch are when your child’s vision has recently changed, if you have moved to a new area, you attend a hospital frequently for eye tests and medical appointments.

Sensory Equipment: sensory equipment can help a child with a visual impairment with social, emotional and technological skills

Guide Dogs for Children and Young People: Guide Dogs used to be for adults only but by 2006 the progress made means that there is now no minimum age for Guide Dog ownership.

Buddy Dogs: Buddy Dogs bring a positive effect to a child’s life.  A Buddy Dog is a friendly, well-behaved pet dog which helps a child increase their physical activity, show a child responsibility of  looking after a dog.  It is owned by Guide Dogs for the Blind, and expenses are paid for, but looked after by the family.

In addition, Guide Dogs for the Blind, have National Breeding Centres, Guide Dog Training Schools, volunteering opportunities, organise an Award for Guide Dog of the Year, research and campaigning.  Guide Dogs for the Blind is a charity, funded by donations and they also have fundraising events.  You can help the Charity by helping to rehome retired dogs.  Although, due to the global pandemic, the rehousing service was shut down, it is now open again but there will be some restrictions.  If you would like to know more about the charity, and how you can help, the link follows: http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/

Guide Dogs for the Blind provide more than just training Guide Dogs.  They have been, and are, supporting those with visual impairments since 1931.

That was an amazing piece of research, Umaynah.  But, of course, there was the second part to your project.  You have demonstrated that Guide Dogs are well-trained, so why doesn’t your mother like dogs and how does she get on with people who have both ordinary dogs and Guide Dogs?

Interview with Zakira: Home Visits and Dogs

Question 1: I understand that you did not like to go on home visits to houses where there are dogs.  Why was this?

Answer 1: There are a few reasons as to why I do not like to go to houses where there are dogs.  The first reason is that I never grew up around pets.  I also have a fear of the unexpected nature of animals, through personal experience of watching a family member being attacked.  I also don’t like the fact that they come close, sniff and lick me.  The last reason is because I do not like to have dog hairs on me

Question 2: How would you feel about going to a house where the dog was kept in a separate room?

Answer 2: I am happy to visit houses where the owners agree to put their dogs in a separate room.  I do feel a bit guilty about it when dogs whimper or bark outside the room, but I do feel that I should be able to do my job without any fears or feeling uncomfortable.

Question 3: Have you ever had to go to a house where dogs live?  If so, how did you deal with it?

Answer 3: I have been to houses where there are dogs but most people put their dogs away when asked, or even automatically.  There have been some owners who have refused and I have had to visit houses where there are dogs in the same room.  Although, at mosaic, we have a practise to ask beforehand or we can offer appointments in the office if people do not want to move their dogs.

Question 4:  Have you ever been to a house where there is a Guide Dog in the same room?  If so, did you have the same feelings towards it?

Answer 4:  I do feel different towards Guide Dogs as they are more trained which means they are less likely to come over and lick or sniff me.  I also feel they are more relaxed because they are trained and so they will most likely stay with their owners.

That was a really interesting interview and shows how people do feel differently towards Guide Dogs.

Thank you Umaynah.  That was a very interesting article.  I hope you enjoyed doing it.

My Aunt Catherine lives alone.  We had a long text exchange about ‘Support Bubbles’ in the time of COVID-19.  You really do have to make careful decisions about where you get that support from; you only have one go at it.  Is it better for it to be your daughter, who works full time, but to be able to have that closeness once again or maybe a friend who lives alone that you could see every day, twice a day?  I don’t know what Catherine has decided; that decision maybe revealed in Diary 17.  But today is Diary 16.

The choice of tea towel is Hedgehogs, since they have made an appearance in Catherine’s Diary!

2 June 2020

“I enjoyed my Afternoon Tea with Vivienne and Michael; Sue came as well.  We were well spaced out and I had my very first custard tart, very nice.  I only ever bought them for Bruce, so I might treat myself in the future.  Sounds daft but I was happy to return home and took it upon myself to wash my clothes.  Amanda said this was good.

Traumatic experience this morning: a Blue Tit and three babies are in my garden and one flew through a broken window in my greenhouse.  I started to panic for it.  Although Blackie was in there, he is OK with birds, normally he doesn’t touch them.  After what seemed like a lifetime the bird flew out; what a relief came over me.  Tonight, going out to feed Blackie, I was confronted by two hedgehogs.  What route do I take to the greenhouse?  I scooted past quickly.  When I got back to the house one had disappeared, they move very fast, I threw some meally worms to the other.  I couldn’t wait to get back indoors.  Two experiences in one day, you don’t expect that!

3 June 2020

Up very early this morning to get the bins out.  It’s a full recycling bin today.  Where does it all come from for just one person?

This morning, having got up early, I cleaned the bathroom, did the shower plug hole duty and mowed the front lawn, all before 9.30 am.  Madness!!  I have already replenished the front lawn with chopped onions; this seems to be working (unless someone has a better idea).  After all this, I am resting on the settee with a hot water bottle, tea, second breakfast and Jeremy Vine.

11.50 am:  Just had a text from the Thursday Club.  We were going on a trip to Felixstowe next week but, of course, it has had to be cancelled.  They are trying to go in September but it depends on how long we are ‘Social Distancing’.  Anyway, I have decided I don’t want to go.

4 June 2020

I have succumbed to putting the heating on today; can’t bear being cold.  No hedgehogs for two evenings.  Where are they?

I had a lovely dinner today.  Last weekend, Amanda bought me some steak so I had it with chips and mixed veg.  Two hours later I had my favourite ice cream, Haagen Daz salted caramel.  Delicious.  Two new programmes I have discovered, the Golden Girls and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (though they are old now).

5 June 2020

Good news: I’ve had an abundance of Blue Tits this morning, eight today.  Chilly day, heating on again.

Just had a text from the Eye Unit at the local hospital, telling me I have an appointment on 12 June; this was previously cancelled a few weeks ago because of The Virus.  It will be by phone.  My appointment was for laser treatment, so I’m wondering how this works by phone!

It’s been a long day.  I was going to do washing and hoovering but it fell by the wayside.  Another day, tomorrow or Sunday.  Tomorrow I am going out to Amanda’s so looking forward to it.

I’ve been lucky today.  I’ve had Tinker next to me on the settee on and off.  I guess it’s the nearest thing to her sitting on my lap.  Can’t wait for that to happen!!

No hedgehogs again tonight.  Still, I put some measly worms out for them.” 

I now FaceTime some friends during ‘Lockdown’.  I am always surprised at how important food becomes these days, I talk to friends about what I am eating, sending photos.  Catherine uses her diary.  Will it still be like this when life returns to normal?

During ‘Lockdown’, my cousin Amanda, a follower of my Tea Towel Blogs, wanted to give me a tea towel that would inspire an interesting, topical, and possibly controversial, Blog.  She sent me a tea towel from the Florence Nightingale Museum, designed by Alison Gardiner, about nurses; this was the time we were all ‘clapping for carers’.  My view was that if you ‘clapped for carers’ this should be something you remembered for a very long time; ten weeks on your door step wasn’t enough and, therefore, everyone should have one of these tea towels.  It was a windy day when I photographed this one!!

A friend of mine described my trips on YouTube as ‘following the rabbit warren’ and so it is with tea towels.  This was a great tea towel but the style was very similar to an Advent Calendar I had.  First I had to delve through my Christmas decorations, and yes it was by Alison Gardiner.  Then I was distracted by her website.  This was a woman who designed a lot of tea towels; this was a woman I’d like to interview in In Conversation With… And here we are……

I am always interested in how tea towel designers describe themselves and how they got started:

“I would describe myself as an illustrator.  I originally studied printed textile design at West Surrey College of Art and Design, however whilst still at college I started working for a greeting card publisher designing cards.  Having left college, I worked as a freelance designer of fabrics, magazine illustration, children’s books, cross stitch and tapestry kits.  I have also exhibited my paintings at a few one-man (or should I say woman!) shows.  Then, in 2000, the National Trust commissioned me to design and produce a range of mugs for them which led to over 50 designs.  That is the point of when I took control of producing my own work.

By 2010, I joined up with a partner to grow the business rather than being a sole trader.  This enabled me to take on more production and expanding my designs onto more products.  We have also taken on distribution of another companies products – German Advent Calendars and party masks – so this has expanded our business being a one stop shop for store buyers looking for Christmas products.

We now produce a whole range of products which are all made in UK: mugs, plates, teapots, tea towels, Advent Calendars, Advent candles, notebooks, coasters, bookmarks, fridge magnets, rulers, postcards and prints, tote bags and jigsaw puzzles”

So, do you have any favourite products?

“I don’t feel there is any one product that I have a preference for but the Suffragette/Votes for Women range is one of my favourites.  I went to a couple of talks during the 2018 Centenary (one given by the Great Granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst, where I presented her with a mug!) And discovered more about the incredibly brave and inspiring women who were Suffragettes.  It has made the design take on a more poignant significance.  This year I have slightly adapted the design for the US market (changing colours and wording on placards) as they celebrated winning the right to vote in 1920.  During Lockdown we kept on our five members of staff and concentrated on boosting our online sales.  Fortunately we sell to a few online catalogues in the US, and Amazon.  Not surprisingly, we found our jigsaw puzzles very popular during the Lockdown and had a huge increase in sales.”

How do you see things in five years time?

“I don’t like to think that far ahead.  I suppose I’d like to keep building on the foundations, expanding sales in the US.  We used to have a shop but now only sell via Trade fairs, direct online sales and occasionally I take on personal commissions”.

And your interest in tea towels?

“My mother used to hang a tea towel, with plastic rails on top and bottom, above our breakfast table.  She would change them as she bought new ones.  (This seems like a good idea, might try it myself).  I especially loved the Lucienne Day designs (I wish she had kept those) in 1960s.  (For anyone who knows me, the mention of Lucienne Day sent me off down the ‘rabbit warren of tea towels’ and I discovered ‘Night and Day’, designed in 1962.  That’s the sort of tea towel you should never throw away).  These were replaced by Pat Albeck’s designs for the National Trust in the 1970s.  I remember looking at the tea towels over breakfast around the age of 7 or 8 and being inspired, feeling that I wanted to be a tea towel designer when I grew up!!  There was a link with Pat Albeck in that she studied at Hull Art School at the same time as my father (who studied Exhibition and Interior Design).  So I grew up knowing and admiring her work.  As my father was a designer, we grew up with contemporary furnishings, including Jacqueline Groag and Lucienne Day curtains and clearly these designs had a strong influence on me which led me to study textiles.

The themes of my tea towel designs have come about to match the mug designs, apart from one or two.  Some of my main customers have been Cathedral shops hence the Clergy, Monks, Pilgrims and Chorister designs.  This originated from a commission by Portsmouth Cathedral for a mug to commemorate the installation of their new bishop…. Ten years later I supply most of the Cathedrals in England, either with bespoke designs or from our regular range.  Other bespoke tea towel designs have developed from Advent Calendars I designed for Blenheim Palace and Highgrove.

 This can be quite tricky to limit the colour palette to seven colours for a tea towel, whilst keeping to the original work.

Lastly, my favourite tea towel design again is Votes for Women…. often give them as gifts to male my male friends!”

Thank you, Alison, for a really interesting story.  I’m left wondering which Pat Albeck tea towels were hung in your kitchen, maybe I’ll just imagine.  I’m going on your website to look for jigsaw puzzles because I am one of the people that have taken up jigsaw puzzles in ‘Lockdown’!

My aunt Catherine has been ‘at it’ once more: a diary with four dated days.  She is certainly challenging my ability to find a relevant tea towel.  The best I can do today is ‘Garden Birds’ because the birds in Catherine’s garden are one of the things that are keeping her spirits up (and I don’t have any tea towels about ‘cat sick’, ‘exercise’ and ‘food deliveries’).

28 May 2020

Last night I went up I for my shower, as I was putting my clothes in the wardrobe, my foot touched something really cold, and it squelched through my toes.  Cat sick, yuk!  This morning I had another lot on the window sill, carpet and blanket so I am nominating Tilly for ‘Cat Sick of the Week’.

Up early this morning; it’s Dustbin Day, had to get the wheelie bin, with the food bin, to the bottom of the path.  Cats fed, food for the starlings, then Weetabix and tea for me.  I got myself ready and decided to post my ‘Diary’.  I stopped halfway, to catch my breath, when a man asked me if I was alright.  Then he promptly told me “exercise is good for you”.  I told him my daughter would agree with him.

I’ve been saving the left-over dish water, and watering my plants with it.  With all the hot weather they might ban hosepipes, not that I can use one.

Finished the day with a slice of bread and honey and a gin and tonic.

29 May 2020

A day of not doing much.  I’ve taken up a bit of balancing exercise.  Amanda gave me a ‘foam roller’ a month ago.  It has a flat bottom and curved top; by putting my feet on it alternatively it is helping me with balancing.  I can stand on it for 20 seconds without falling off; hopefully it will help me with my walking.

Between 1 and 2 pm, I had a tearful hour.  I don’t know why, as I’m not ‘down’, still feel normal.  Do pensioners still get hormonal or is it to do with the phases of the moon?

Amanda was lucky tonight.  She saw a load of geese, in a ‘V’ formation fly over her back garden.  I’ve only seen that twice in my life.  On her walks she visits a pond with swans and cygnets, geese and goslings and feeds them with special foods.  My brood of starlings are on their last ‘fat square’ so I asked Amanda if she could order me some fat balls and fat square.  They are being delivered on Sunday, lucky birds.

In three weeks time, Amanda and Wade have asked me round for brunch in the garden.  I’m excited, but trying not to be, because it all depends on the weather.  I think there is rain on the horizon but one lives in hopes that it will be fine.

Jennie, Amanda’s friend, mentioned she liked bacon with maple syrup.  I gave it a go on a small piece of bacon.  Yuk, keep maple syrup for pancakes

30 May 2020

Highlight of the week.  Up at 6.30 am, shower, dress, feed all the cats.  Amanda’s coming for a walk.  Amanda brought with her: my Diary print-off, four bottles of liquid bathroom plug hole cleaner, four bottles of kitchen plug hole cleaner (because although I don’t put fat down the sink you still get residue from the pans), Weetabix, mince, two big boxes of Felix cat food and Tilly’s special food.  We went for a ‘tandem’ walk to the shop, a nice short walk, bought a paper; magazines, bread and chocolate for Christine.  She has an ‘addiction’ for chocolate.  I’ve still got half an Easter egg in my fridge.  When we came back from the shop, Amanda did a phone video of me singing ‘Happy Birthday’ for Bruce’s cousin’s husband, Gordon, who is 60 in June; he might need cotton wool in his ears.  I told Amanda she could keep a copy of me singing as a memento; she said “I don’t think so”.  Amanda then went for a walk with her friend Jennie, a two and a half hour walk.  They did 13,000 steps.  I’ve been offered the same walk but I said “on your bike, no way”

1 June 2020

Yesterday, deliveries arrived.  Really meaty thick suet squares and suet balls, a big tub.  I felt thrilled to see it all.  Amanda popped some treats in my food delivery: cakes (I can open a cake shop), steak, cider, tonic water, pizza, loads of cat food.  Nothing more glorious than opening a cupboard and seeing all this cat food.

It’s 10.15 am and I’m not dressed yet but I have been doing things: washed the cat trays and put new litter in, threw a bucket of water on my Briar Rose.  My ‘babies’ have arrived, 15 of them and two doves.  I’ve also been watching Jeremy Vine demonstrate how to do a barbecue.  In my opinion it’s not safe, too many things to remember to do.  By the time you get to eat the food it would be stone cold, so many rules to follow.  Anyway I won’t be doing one, probably blow myself up!

This afternoon, I am going to Vivienne and Michael’s for Afternoon Tea, in the garden, two metres apart, really looking forward to it.  I have even put on one of my ‘forever’ blouses (had it forever!).  Still M&S clothes don’t date.  Even the handbag is going on a jaunt, not much in it: tissues, phone, keys and sanitiser.

Amanda phoned this morning saying she had ordered a bottle of champagne for Bruce and I’s 50th Wedding Anniversary.  Amanda said we should still celebrate though I thought ‘let it pass’ but she’s right.  Amanda, you are very thoughtful”

It’s strange the things that become important, or exciting, in this time of Lockdown (and easing of Lockdown), animals, deliveries, meeting friends at a distance, keeping in contact, worrying about friends……..

As an explanation about Catherine’s 50th Wedding Anniversary, Bruce, her husband, died unexpectedly last October.

Keep safe.

OK, sometimes Catherine dates her diary entries, sometimes she doesn’t; sometimes she puts the time on it, sometimes she doesn’t; sometimes she forgets to write something so adds it to the back of the sealed envelope, must be interesting for the post people but always she thanks the post people.  This diary wouldn’t happen if it wasn’t for the Royal Mail service because Catherine’s missives are always hand-written, sent by First Class Mail.  The trip to the post box counts as her daily exercise.

The tea towel was a present given to me, by Wade, following him competing in the Nuclear Races in May 2019.  As you can see from the photos at the bottom, he must be mad!  At 8.30 am on 27 May 2020, this is what she said:

“A week ago, I couldn’t find Tilly’s hair comb.  As you, my Readers, know, I brush her hair everyday.  How can you lose a yellow plastic comb?  I was worried she would cough up the dreaded black fur ball, a devil to clean off the carpet!  I happened to move Bruce’s ‘Service Sheet’ and out it popped.  Amanda said “Dad must have put it there!”.

I thought it was about time I spoke about Wade (Amanda’s husband).  It’s his birthday this week.  I asked Barbara and Liz to write a poem about what he does for me: goes to the supermarket and gets my shopping, picks up my medication from Boots, changes my light bulbs and batteries in the smoke alarm, makes a brilliant roast chicken with a lovely crispy skin (and lovely roast potatoes and vegetables) which I am looking forward to after lockdown is over.  He put my lovely new lawn mower together (it came in bits) and, above all, supports and loves my daughter.  Happy birthday Wade.  I will be texting Wade at 12.05 tonight.

The plants in the garden are changing again.  The plant that has prickly branches, orange berries in winter, starts with a ‘p’, looks as if it’s got an avalanche of snow on it, so much flower.  The briar rose on the wall has started to develop red and white flowers and the peony which is white, with a touch of maroon, is blooming lovely.  That plant came from Fred’s garden in Greenford (my late father-in-law), over 31 years ago.  So Rupert (teddy bear) will be taking another ‘turn’ round the garden.  All this fresh air he is getting! 

Last Wednesday, a friend took me for a long walk, took me past the nature reserve, down a country lane.  It was hard coping with ‘social distancing’ and talking at the same time.  I’m not good at multi-tasking; I kept looking at the ground so I wouldn’t fall over.  Amanda took me on the same walk on Saturday, but in half the time, a shock to my system, fell asleep Saturday afternoon.

Wednesday, I received a jigsaw from Barbara.  Afraid to say it, I am still stuck on the ‘outline’ but I’m managing to put a piece in nearly every time I walk past it.  Saturday I received my lovely, long-awaited frying pan and on Tuesday I had a go at pancakes, not quite the Delia Smith recipe but they came out superb and had three with maple syrup.  Really proud of myself adding them to my repertoire!

I don’t write much about Amanda.  She is always there and very supportive to me, organises my shopping lists and any problems that arise.  Amanda visits once a week, sometimes twice but always outside and always ‘Social distancing’.  She is always there at the end of a phone.  I’d like to thank O2 UK for giving me three months free phone calls, so I will be adding them to my Thursday ‘Clapping and Bell Ringing’.

P.S: I thought Rupert was very photogenic in my Diary print off 

P.P.S: Onions still doing well on the front lawn

P.P.P.S: The dreaded tweezers might be coming on Saturday, my one hair beard is getting longer!

Thank you, Catherine, for keeping me, and many others, entertained.

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.

I love Instagram.  It’s not stressful (at least not with the people I follow), not political with lots of great photos.  There are the professional photographers or those that try to make a living from using photographs; then there are those people who record aspects of their daily lives.  In the time of ‘Lockdown’, those ‘ordinary lives’ are not necessarily what people were expecting.

One morning, strolling through the latest on Instagram, I came across Mimi.  She had posted the above photograph; I looked at it and exclaimed “I’ve got that tea towel”.  Followed by “I wonder if Mimi would like to be a Guest Tea Towel?”.  I love reading the ‘bio’ for people’s Instagram account; you soon know if you want to follow someone.  Mimi describes herself as “Nature explorer.  Flower enthusiast.  Scoliosis warrior.  Guinea Pig mumma”  You should go and look at her photos of Guinea Pigs; they are so cute.  And here we are with Mimi’s Tea Towel Story:

“Thank you for wanting to feature me in your Tea Towel Museum .  I absolutely love tea towels too. (I didn’t know that when I invited Mimi to be a Guest Tea Towel!)

We went for a 6 mile walk all along Salisbury Plain, then we decided we needed a good picnic with a beautiful view!  I actually used the tea towel to wrap the mugs up for the coffee!  I didn’t buy it too long ago, though; I know it’s quite new out but I absolutely love it”  (I didn’t buy mine too long ago.  I got it from the Emma Bridgewater factory and the ‘full frontal’ is below).

Thank you mvmking for a lovely story, and I love the flask!

After eleven editions of Catherine’s Diary, it seems unkind not to include the photographs of her cats and Teddy Bear that she sent to me and asked for inclusion.  Her view is, if her Diary is going world-wide, her co-stars should share that fame.  Seems reasonable to me.  The Teddy Bear (Rupert, I believe his name is) is, of course, in celebration of the work of the NHS, along with the rainbows and displayed in a window.

Besides the cats, one of Catherine’s other interests is crosswords.  Catherine doesn’t have access to the internet, Google or whatever.  She uses her numerous dictionaries and reference books; failing that she texts her brother Christopher and me for help with the answers.  Catherine has a system of asking Christopher for any ‘across’ clues she is stuck on and me for the ‘down’ clues.  How she remembers where she is at with the crossword I’ll never know, but she does.

9 May 2020

“5 am.  I put the bathroom heater on, ready for a shower at 6.30 am.  Another 3 mile, 1 hour walk.  Yesterday, I wasn’t ready and had to go out without a shower.  Amanda thinks I need the exercise.  We were first in the queue for the paper; we beat the ‘old boys’!  After Amanda went home, down to breakfast and crosswords.  Texted Barbara for help; was she ‘away with the fairies’?  She didn’t know what day it was!  Mind you, I had to ask her what the lines on a guitar were called; my mind had gone blank (strings is the answer!!).

Must have had a load of energy today, after Amanda had gone.  I mowed the front lawn and it looks great.  I know I’m blowing my own trumpet.  Last night I had to remove the ‘little presents’ that cats and dogs had left on the lawn.  I know it’s supposed to be lucky if you tread in it but how much luck do you want?  Years ago, I used to put moth balls on the lawn which kept the cats and dogs off but you can’t get them now.  So today I put diced lemon and raw onion on the front lawn.  Will let you know if it works.

I had a late lunch.  Predicament: do I have a Banana Sandwich or a Honey Sandwich or a Honey and Banana Sandwich?  What a dilemma!  Ended up with new potatoes and left-over chicken-in-breadcrumbs which I had made the day before.  I’m getting a dab-hand at cooking.  Also made two single portions of apple crumble with cream.  Delicious.

This evening I actually indulged in a Banana and Honey Sandwich.  Fab it was!

10 May 2020

I will be going soon into my seventh week of Lockdown.  It doesn’t seem possible.  I seem to be set in my ways now, not so stressed out.  The cats and I are getting along really well now though Tilly was really picky with her food two days ago.  If she doesn’t eat, she doesn’t ‘perform’ and I have to give her medicine.  It’s judging how much to give, as it’s my responsibility now, where before it was Bruce who gave it to her.  It’s taken at least four weeks to realise you have a totally different way of life and it’s been frustrating.  Amanda said on Saturday that I was “frustrating”.

The routine changes, what time to get up, go to bed, what time for meals and locking up the front door at night.  A lot of people have gone ‘Housework Mad’.  I’m afraid I’m not one of them.  I did rearrange my bookcase and took a lot of books to the Charity Shop (just before Lockdown) and I do keep it dusted, books arranged in size order; can’t stand them looking big, small, big, small!

The Lockdown for me is a new experience.  I’ve learnt to cook again: apple crumble, banana pancakes, croquettes.  Not much you say but it’s a beginning.  It’s about bothering to cook, I make myself do it.  Every week, Amanda delivers my shopping, always a surprise in there, which I haven’t ordered.  A couple of weeks ago, I had strawberries, so lovely and sweet, didn’t need anything on them.  I ate them naked (not me, the fruit).  No cream.  Grapes, chocolates, steak , extra cakes.  It makes life exciting for me.

I hoover upstairs one week and the following week downstairs.  Actually it’s stuck half way down the stairs, reluctant to come right down.  Also I have more contact within Barbara (it’s a bit strange writing about yourself, part of me wants to remove that bit but it wouldn’t be the diary as Catherine intended ).  If it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t be writing all these letters; it’s given me an incentive to do something, helps pass the time.  I wish Bruce was here to see it all.  Tilly, Tinker, Blackie and Rupert are famous.  We are being read by lovely people all over the world.

Being in Lockdown, I have ‘inherited’ more friends: Sue, Vivienne, Wendy, Pat, Jennie, Lindy, Anna, Sarah, Tom and Gareth, Gary, Della and, of course, Christine who phones every day to check on me.  Today, though she spent a day in hospital, well looked after and fed, outcome was a frozen shoulder, the most painful ailment you can have for a shoulder, but she still found time to check on me.

The things I want to do after Lockdown is over: visit Wilko, have a haircut, meet my daughter in the same room, meet Barbara and Liz, see my friends old and new, eat an oyster and go to New York.  When we get our freedom back, Rupert will go back upstairs to my bedroom.  I’ll look forward to going back to the Thursday Club, just going out generally.  When we take that first step will it be nerve-racking?  Amanda tells me that in about three weeks I can sit in her garden, in a mask, when not eating burger and wedges.  The mask is waiting for me.  BJ (Boris Johnson) on Parliament Today said you are not compelled to wear one.  Will I continue to wear one?  I don’t know, though if it keeps other people safe then perhaps I will”

Today’s Diary has been a challenge to find a tea towel.  You don’t get many about hoovers, cat pooh, Banana and Honey Sandwiches, housework, apple crumble, lawn mowers………….It will have to be cats again

Emma Ball is a well known name in the field of tea towels, although tea towels are just one of a whole range of goods she designs and sells, like my biscuit tin, but that Also doesn’t include her original paintings, framed and unframed.  Her style is so easy to spot, very happy colours that you associate with a summer holiday with lots of puffins and seagulls.  My ‘Sidmouth’ tea towel appears at the top of the page because it is associated with great memories of my family (blogged about on 2 June 2015).  They are the sort of designs that just make you feel happy.  When you see lots of tea towels (and other things) by one designer, you imagine that the business must be huge but I am beginning to learn that that isn’t necessarily the case.

I was delighted to hear from Emma, at this very strange time, and one of the questions that I was interested in was about how Coronavirus has affected her business:  “We’ve had an increase on web sales of greeting cards during the Lockdown.  In fact, web sales, at the moment, are what’s keeping our heads above water.  As we don’t really sell our discounted cards to shops, it’s currently helping us clear out a lot of them!  I think next year will be tough whilst we come out of this but good solid, practical products that are reasonably priced, and make people smile, should be OK”

My first question is always about how people describe themselves: “I see myself as more of an illustrator, as I’m always working to deadlines.  I trained at Nottingham Trent University and have a BA in Graphic Design”. But did you always want to be an illustrator?  “No I wanted to be a window dresser.  The good thing is I get to do this now, at Trade Events”

So, how does your business work?   “I set up my business in 2001, beginning with a range of limited edition prints.  The company has grown since then with our range of quirky gifts, stationery, homewares, textiles and greetings cards.  We are based near the centre of Nottingham.   I’m the only in-house artist and I oversee all the designing and products.  I have a side-kick in the studio called Sharon who works with my art work, creating patterns and products for me from my illustrations.  We also licence artwork from other artists.  Caroline Cleave, Abigail Mill and Eric Heyman are the three that we have developed tea towels with.  We mainly go to Trade Events and sell to retailers worldwide, both with shops and some online retailers.  We also have our own website, as most shops only sell a selection of the wider range we do.  This means someone can buy a tea towel for a friend that lives in Suffolk when, perhaps, they live in Cornwall”

Where does the inspiration for your work come from?  “Anything and everything.  I generally have an idea whilst laying in bed, which then gets developed and turns into something totally different to what I originally thought up.  I love painting seagulls, oh how I love to do that, but also other birdies too”

How many tea towels have you designed?  “Gosh, I genuinely have lost count as I also design lots of bespoke ones for the customers we supply too!  I haven’t got a favourite.  It would be too hard to chose, I love them all”

What does an illustrator, as prolific as Emma Ball, do in their spare time?  “The simple answer is knit: hats, jumpers, socks, cowls….. it helps me cope with stress”.   And maybe that’s where the inspiration for ‘Sheep in Sweaters’ comes from?

Thank you, Emma, for taking the time to be in In Conversation With… and thank you for the images of tea towels.  I know in Lockdown, working from home, it has been difficult to access some pictures (good job I had some of my own!!).  For Readers with a liking for Emma Ball designs her website is full of online ideas, especially the cards which are on sale.  Enjoy a browse at http://www.emmaball.co.uk

My Aunt Catherine has been writing, her Diary Under Lockdown for many weeks now.  She lives alone, having lost her husband in October last year.  Her daughter, Amanda, lives a few miles away.  In her diary, she records her day to day life in this ‘strange new world’.  She writes by hand, posts her letter to me while taking her daily exercise.  Today’s letter contained photos of her three cats which she asked me to post, since they get a regular mention they should share the fame!  They will be posted in her next Diary entry but, today, the tea towel is the one my chiropodist gave to me on 4 March 2020 at my first, and only, appointment with him.  Who else gets a tea towel from their chiropodist?

6 May 2020:  “I started revising my new ‘Bucket List’.  Always at the top was an oyster, then America, see family and friends, hairdresser and chiropodist.  However, I was desperate to see a chiropodist and that went straight to the top of my list.  I asked Amanda if I could have a home visit; she said, as long as he had all the’ gear’ on, it was ok.  Today was the day, in Seventh Heaven.  I can walk in comfort without the nails scratching my skin and my slippers are comfortable!!

Last week, Amanda ordered some dried mealy worms and birdseed; it arrived in two days.  I asked the van driver to put the seed inside the doorway.  Boy, was it heavy?  It took two cups of tea, three restings and four ‘pulls’ to get it into the dining room which is like a storeroom now.  In there is: loads of bird food, cat food, hedge trimmers, new lawn mower, obsolete handbag and shopping bags, boxes of tonic water and ginger ale to go with the next delivery of alcohol!

In the past week, I’ve had four picture postcards: Oreo (Amanda’s cat), one of me at the seaside having a dip in the sea (feet only), me drinking cocktails and Barbara sent one of the two of us both looking really miserable.  Must be something she said to me!  (I would point out it was taken more than 60 years ago!!).  Where do people unearth those photos from?  Still, I had a good laugh.

Also this week, I had a surprise parcel from Amanda: a BIG book of Daily Mail Quick Crosswords.  As I am a bit of a ‘peeker’, looking at the answers, I tore out four pages of solutions and gave them to the recycling men.  I have to work harder now, keeps the brain ticking over”.

8 May 2020:  “The moon, this week, has been fascinating.  It’s been huge, clear, bright, lighting the sky up.  Last night it was low, horizontal in line with my head, a light film over it and a slight orange tinge.  So excited I was that I texted Barbara.  No reply (must retire early) so I phoned Wendy.  She likes the moon as well but she couldn’t see it; the houses were in the way.  When I went to bed it had risen in the sky.  Outside my bedroom window, I have permanent star.  For some reason I call it ‘The Epping Star’.  

Talking about stars, Amanda gave me a ‘star’ as a present in 2003.  My star number is P15842367.  My celestial address is Oh47m13.5s; I am located in the constellation Pisces.  I am duly certified and henceforth be known by the name “Catherine Watts, all my love, forever, from Amanda”.

I liked your piece on Halloumi, Barbara.  I felt proud that you would almost, but not quite, eat it, if we could meet up”

The photos of Aunt Catherine’s cats will appear in her next Diary entry.

My grandfather was Australian, born and brought up in Australia.  Rumour has it that he was from a sheep-farming family.  I suspect there is no evidence to support this assertion but it comes from a stereotypical view that all Australians are sheep farmers.  However, we are talking about 100 years ago.  I never met him, my Dad never met him.  He died in 1919, in a Quarantine Ship in Sydney Harbour, from Spanish Flu along with up to 50 million people across the world, between 1918 and early 1920.  Over 500 million people across the world were affected, one-third of the world’s population.  The Spanish Flu Pandemic was handled in a strange way; a pandemic after the First World War was going to affect morale and so details were underplayed in a very political manner.  Is this sounding a bit like COVID-19?

I don’t have a picture of my grandfather; I don’t know whereabouts he came from in Australia; I don’t know anything about his family.  The only thing I know is his name because it was on my Dad’s birth certificate: Jack Craufurd.  Australia holds a bit of a fascination for me; I have thought about going, seeing if I could trace my grandfather’s family but then part of me  thinks ‘let sleeping dogs lie’.  However, Australians love a tea towel and, although I have never been there, I have loads.

Umaynah is the daughter of someone I worked with between 1999 and 2015; she still works in the same place and we are still in touch.  Umaynah is one of the children affected by Home Schooling who took up the challenge of writing a 7 Day Diary about Life Under Lockdown.  Completing the Diary, I asked her if she wanted another challenge and she eagerly accepted.  I asked her to find out 15 facts about Western Australia (because I have a tea towel of Western Australia).  While I know which side of Australia the west is, I’m not sure I ever thought about the fact that there was actually an area called ‘Western Australia’.  This task wouldn’t necessarily be easy.  Umaynah found out some really interesting facts, things I’d never heard of (I did check that these facts were not a figment of Umaynah’s imagination; sorry Umaynah).  The second part of the challenge was to use some of the facts, not necessarily all, and write a Tea Towel Blog, which would then be part of ‘We’re all in this together’; what I didn’t say was, that if it is good enough for a proper Blog, it would be published there too (www.myteatowels.wordpress.com).  It is good enough and will be published there too.  Here is Umaynah’s ‘take’ on Western Australia:

“When Lockdown started, I was feeling quite bored and upset as I could not meet my friends and family.  So, when my Mum’s former boss, Barbara, asked if I would like to take part in a variety of challenges, I thought it would be a good way to use up some of the free time I have.

Above is a very colourful tea towel of a map of Western Australia.  My second challenge that I was given, was to find 15 facts about Western Australia.  To find the facts, I started by writing down the different headings for each fact.  Once I was done, I searched each heading and found more detail about them.  Some of the facts that I found out, and thought were very interesting, are:

The capital city: the capital city of Western Australia is Perth.  It is known to be one of the most isolated cities in the world.  As you can see on the tea towel, Perth is in the south west part of Australia and it is the only city in Western Australia on its own and not surrounded by towns.  This is why it is known as an isolated city.

Tourist Attractions: Western Australia has a lot of tourist attractions, some of which are Western Australia Museum, Perth Zoo, King Park Botanical Gardens, Swan Bells, Krajini National Park and St Martins Tower. 

Ancestry and Immigration: Western Australia’s population is made up of people whose families are originally from different countries which are England, Australia, Ireland,Scotland, Italy, China, Germany, India Netherlands, Philippines, New Zealand and South Africa.

Before I started doing this challenge I did not know a lot about Western Australia.  I have enjoyed learning about it, although I don’t think I would want to go there.  I have found out that there are many species of venomous spiders in Australia!!”

I think this is a really good way of using random facts and bringing a piece together.  It will be a Tea Towel Blog.  In my usual way, I got distracted by the Swan Bells and needed to find out more.  Now there is a place I would like to visit.

Lanzarote: 2019. Not yet blogged about

While I know that Home Schooling has been a challenge for both parents and children, I am very privileged to have been asked to devise the occasional ‘project’ for a few children, Lyra being one of them.  Any ‘project’ that I might think up will always have something to do with geography, history, travel and, maybe, even a tea towel.

Lyra’s ‘project’ had two parts to it.  The first part was to come up with 15 facts about the Canary Islands.  Why the Canary Islands?  Firstly, I’ve never been there but I know Lyra has; secondly, I know nothing about the Canary Islands but I know Lyra does because she went there last summer; and thirdly, because I have a lot of tea towels of the Canary Islands, and probably Lyra doesn’t.

Lyra came up with a number of interesting facts about the Canary Islands like they are owned by Spain.  The second part of her ‘project’ was to use at least three of her facts and write the story of her holiday, what she remembered.   In the final sentence she should say whether she would like to go back.  An illustration could be included and the word count would be around 150 words.  As with any article included in ‘We’re all in this together’, I will provide the tea towels (and I do have a lot, for a place I have never been).

Canary Islands: Acquired 2020. Not yet blogged about

Canarias: Acquired 2020. Not yet blogged about

Tenerife: Acquired 2019 but much older. To read the story http://www.myteatowels.wordpress.com/2020/05/07/can

Islas Canarias: Acquired 2020. Not yet blogged about

Here is Lyra’s story:

My Holiday in the Canary Islands

“Last year me and my family went to Lanzarote and it was fun and I enjoyed it a lot.  Lanzarote is in the Canary Islands.  When we got there all the buildings and houses were white.  It was my 2nd favourite holiday.  You also have to take a 4 hour plane to get there.  It was very hot when we got there so we went to the place we were staying in to get some supplies.  The money was Euros and we got about 8 pounds each to spend but me (being me) spent it all at the airport.  When we actually got there we stayed in a little cabin next to the pool.  There was a boy there and a………. LIZARD.  I kinda…… nearly stepped on it.  I was quite scared and the boy there didn’t make it any better by asking me if I wanted to……. dissect it.  Instantly, I got out of the pool because that’s just disgusting.  We went to the beach and a fair….. which woke literally everyone up by going “Bing Bong! Ride the Roller Coaster” in the middle of the night and blasting really loud music!  I think I would like to go back again because there is a nicer cabin that we looked at last time with a hammock”

I was fascinated to know what her favourite holiday was, if the Canary Islands were her second favourite.  “My favourite was Austin in Texas last year and my third favourite was Italy in 2014″

Thank you Lyra for the story of your holiday and for the great picture of the Yurt you stayed in, by the pool, where you obviously sunbathed.

History of New Zealand: Date unknown but vintage. To read the story http://www.myteatowels.wordpress.com/2020/05/07/his

Weeks of ‘home schooling’ can be a challenge to parents.  Jai asked her mother if she and I would set some ‘projects’ for her children.  My ‘project’ was always going to have a link to history, geography and even a tea towel if possible.  There were two parts to the project.

For the first part, I asked Hamish to find out 15 different facts about New Zealand, without the help of Google.  Why New Zealand?  Because I know that Hamish spent a whole month there with his parents, because I know he will have no memories of New Zealand as he was only 6 months old at the time, because I have never been there so know very little about the country and because I have a lot of tea towels of New Zealand!

Hamish came up with some really interesting facts about New Zealand; the only one that I knew was that the journey to New Zealand was Hamish’s first time on a plane.

The second part of the ‘project’ was to interview his parents to find out what they remembered of the holiday and then use at least three of the facts in an article about New Zealand.  A drawing could be included.  The word count was about 150 words.  This is Hamish’s Project, with drawing, and as with every other article in ‘We’re all in this together’, I provide the tea towels!

                                        New Zealand

“If I were to go to New Zealand I would go to the North Island as it is more inhabited and has more cities to do stuff in but also tall mountains that I would climb.  The indigenous people of New Zealand (Maori) migrated there over one hundred years ago away from the southeast of Asia to the North Island of New Zealand.  New Zealand is part of Australasia and it is off the coast of Sydney and Norfolk Island.

A traditional celebration for the Maori is called Waitangi Day.  This is where they rejoice the day where their rights were secured as people.  On this day the Tino Rangatiratanga flag (New Zealand’s Maori flag) is raised as a symbol of unity.  Also on this day the Maori wear skirts called Piupiu made from flax plants.

Did You Know?

New Zealand is the easiest country to do business in

I would like to go back to New Zealand because I think I would like the scenery”.

Thank you Hamish for your work about New Zealand; I quite fancy a trip there.  I love your drawing, and the ‘play on words’.  It’s good enough to be a tea towel!

Readers will note that my aunt Catherine has been posting a series on ‘Diary Entries’ in this personal record of Life Under Lockdown.  This is her 10th episode.  The tea towel recognises some of the things that she looks forward to eating: Pork Pies!

“Two weeks ago, Amanda (daughter) came round (at a distance) with 6 boxes of Felix, or 240 sachets (to keep the three cats fed).  Now down to 4 boxes plus what is in the cupboard.  Blackie, the cat that lives in the greenhouse, averages 5 sachets a day.  A boy with a healthy appetite.

On Friday, Wade (son-in-law) came round with my new lawn mower.  I disappear while he puts it together (it came in bits).  Up and running in no time, tested it on the grass, perfect.  Got emotional, what’s new?  I wanted to jump for joy but because I am obese I couldn’t get my feet off the ground!  I mowed the back lawn, four bags of grass cuttings, rested then I did the front, two bags.  The mower is so light; I kept going out and admiring the lawn.  It looked fantastic.  Thank you, Amanda and Wade.  No more shearing, thank goodness.

It’s the little things that you run out of: white bin bags, foil, freezer bags (for the sprouts), food caddy bags; all now replaced but suddenly I ran out of shampoo.  Amanda bought me some Herbal Essences, really nice smell (I normally use Simple) but what a job I had to open it!  Amanda would say ‘it’s not rocket science’ but it was to me.  I pressed one side and luckily the other side opened up.  I was so happy I achieved it.

Fruit and vegetables still coming but not so much.  Plenty of normal groceries still coming: bread, butter, pork pies, sausage rolls, eggs, Chicken Kiev.  Getting self-sufficient now, will I leave the house again?  Saturday, I had asparagus, love it, could eat it every day, with lots of butter on it.  Amanda brought round some salted caramel chocolate brownies, absolutely delicious, so chocolatey.  I will have them as my ‘Last Meal’.  Amanda said when I’m on ‘Death Row’ in America she will pop over for some for me!  So, asparagus for a starter, Brownies for dessert, not sure about the main course yet.  Barbara, will your last meal be halloumi with pomegranate seeds? (And my answer is absolutely, definitely no).

After posting my electric bill last week, on the way home, I noticed one of the ‘turnings’ off the main road had bunting going across each house, a joy to see; it’s giving hope, isn’t it?

My clocks are still going well even if they all show different times: 11.55pm, 11.35pm, 8.10pm and 1.50pm.

No more ‘Inspector Frost’ or ‘DCI Banks’; can’t cope with two lots of ‘Poirot’ each day or ‘Inspector Morse’ or ‘Father Brown’.  Freeview, give me a break!  This Saturday, I watched ‘Agatha Raisen’, quite good, kept me awake, a quirky detective series”

Bye for Now, Catherine 

And for most of us, in Lockdown, food takes on a whole new meaning.  Meals are the ‘clock’ that reminds us where we are, food is something to look forward to, fear of running out of something takes on ridiculous proportions but many of us have learned to appreciate the smaller things in life like an easy-to-use lawn mower!

Ishbel is someone that Liz and I met on the Creative Writing Course we attended.  While none of us are currently doing (taught) Creative Writing, we have all kept in touch before, during and, hopefully, after the Coronavirus Lockdown.  Here is a letter Ishbel wrote to Liz (which she gave me permission to use) as her ‘take’ on Lockdown.

Ishbel’s reference to Scottish foods means that the most appropriate tea towel is that of Scottish Recipes!

Dear Liz,

Just touching sides to see how you are doing doing in these ‘new normal’ times?  Hope you and your family, particularly the old (your aunt) and the young (your grandchildren) are weathering these winds of change.

Arend and I have not really been seriously impacted, as we are not really gadabouts, certainly not to pubs or to dispensers of pricey, plastic food.  Admittedly, we have recently eaten some very strange combinations, as I single-mindedly am determined to eat our way through the deep-freeze.  Ah, the treasures  that I find!  Rhubarb, pumpkin pieces, kale, soup galore etc.  But, most exciting of all, those bags of ‘god knows what’.  That Scottish blood runs thick, not given to disposing of anything unless it is absolutely beyond redemption.  Would that this deep-freeze would turn up a Forfar Bridie, a Scotch Pie, an Arbroath Smokey or a good bowl of Cullen Skink.

Just remembered!  I have a Dundee Cake somewhere in a tin; hope, when I retrieve it, it hasn’t gone mouldy.  We can have it with some Blue Cheese, and pretend we are Yorks.

We certainly have not had problems with essentials, food etc but, oh dearie me, getting things like nuts and bolts and compost, frustration reigns supreme.

We are eating home-made chutney dated 2010, like a good whisky, the older the better.  Jams of various varieties are likewise all vintage, but none the worse for being shelved for a number of years.

The new 55+ Creative Writing term begins this week.  I am glad not to be a student.  I understand a lot of Zooming is going to take place.  At my age, a steady pace is what is required; Zooming is not on my ‘Bucket List’.  My resolution about getting my projects finished is something like a New Years Resolution, or giving up chocolate for Lent, they never go the distance.

Today is Domestic Goddess Day, as I get out the antique Dyson (no spares available) and push it around, even behind the sofa, just so that I can feel a sense of achievement and a job well done.  How low ambition has sunk!

Stay safe and strong

Ishbel

Thank you, Ishbel, for letting me use your letter in ‘We’re all in this together’.  There will be people reading this thinking ‘I’m glad I’m not the only one eating out of date food’.  ‘Best before’ will have a new meaning for anyone in Lockdown.