No escaping Covid

I suppose sooner or later Covid was bound to catch up with us, and on our return from Manchester it did. We hadn't done anything unusual in the week leading up to this point, so it's a mystery where and how we picked it up.

First my husband tested positive, so we split the house; him to the living room with Marvel films on tv, me in the dining room attempting an interesting jigsaw with no box or photo.

It was too late though. After a couple of days, I tested positive too. In the days leading up to it I'd had the most dreadful cold imaginable with a pounding head and constantly streaming nose. Bizarrely, from the point of testing positive, I started to improve.

If one had to pick a week to be ill, we'd chosen well. The temperature plummeted, and snow fell again. I pottered out to the garden and rescued some bedraggled looking daffodils to cheer up the house, turned the heating up and retreated indoors.

A couple of quiet days had me feeling much better. 

I pottered in the garden, watching Spring return and sowing seeds for summer vegetables, and finished the jigsaw (the Coliseum, apparently) 
 

After a week I tested negative but, as it took my husband a fortnight to get the all clear, Mother's Day had to be postponed for a week. All in all it wasn't as bad as I expected it would be - for me, nothing more than a bad cold - but I've been left feeling exhausted. 

A month on; Not good but getting better 

Off I go again - Lincolnshire but not by the sea

 I'm determined at the moment to make the most of this time between the lifting of Covid restrictions and any future Third Wave of the virus, so almost immediately after my return from the Yorkshire Dales I set about planning my next trip. Again, I was looking for somewhere not too far, and preferably somewhere new.

Doddington Hall

Now Lincolnshire as such isn't a new place for me. I lost count long ago of the innumerable times I visited the coast there as a child. Growing up in the East Midlands in the 1960s it was the place for holidays. My parents owned a caravan on one of the many sites near Skegness, and from Easter to October we'd be there any sunny weekend (or so it seemed).

Gunby Hall

The rest of Lincolnshire though was just somewhere to be driven through. Tattershall Castle was an iconic marker on the route, and Gunby a place I remembered for its huge traffic roundabout, but we stopped at neither. 

Bolingbroke Castle

Since then I've been back and mixed amusement arcades with stopovers at Tattershall Castle or Belton Hall  This time I wanted to go back and see what else I'd missed - so no slot machines or ice cream, and only a distant glimpse of the sea, but countryside, walking, and a spot or two of history in the Lincolnshire Wolds. 

We found a place to stay through AirBnB again - a perfect cottage for two in a village north of Louth - and laid our plans, with booked entry to gardens at Doddington Hall, Gunby Hall and Belton, and tickets to the castle at Tattershall. We were lucky with the weather - going away in the few days between torrential downpours and the Bank Holiday heatwave, and I've come home convinced there is more to be discovered - certainly more country paths to be walked - and resolved to re-visit

Tattershall Castle

Belton Hall

First stop - Doddington Hall gardens

Tuesday - Gunby Hall gardens

                 Bolingbroke Castle

Wednesday - 5 1/2 mile walk near Binbrook

Sunsets and seamarshes

Thursday - going home - Tattershall Castle

                                         Belton House gardens

A super-cautious socially distanced holiday

You may have seen from the last half dozen or so posts that I've been away on holiday to the Yorkshire Dales. Actually only for three nights but after more than a year of hiding away from Coronavirus being away from home feels strange and risky - probably more than it really is. Although I've been out walking locally at National Trust properties, and visited my daughters on a few occasions in the past year I haven't been inside a shop or eaten out, and certainly not stayed overnight anywhere, so going somewhere different feels odd.

Last year I missed out on holidays by being too cautious. When lockdown restrictions started to ease, I thought I'd wait, let other people dash away to the seaside or wherever, and go later when the rush had slowed down - unfortunately by that point (late August) there was talk of covid cases rising and before we knew it the autumn lockdown followed.

This year I was determined to not make the same mistake, so once Easter school holidays were over, we headed to the Yorkshire Dales. My husband had had both vaccinations by then, and I'd had my first, but I was still a little (lot) cautious about going on holiday while there's still a pandemic out there, and excitement was definitely mixed with a certain trepidation. 

In an ideal world, I'd have had a self-sufficient campervan and no need to stay under someone else's roof - but buying one for just a few nights away isn't a sensible option. 

At this point in the 'roadmap' self-catering was the only alternative - which was fine by me; after a year or more of social distancing I'd rather have as little contact with the outside world as possible. So we booked a self-contained

farmhouse annex through Air BnB. 

It was entirely separate to the farmhouse, had a fully-equipped kitchen to cook if we wanted (although we hoped to eat out), and a garden to sit in if the outer world seemed too busy. A rigorous clean between lets was promised and it seemed about as safe as it could be. I took towels and teatowels just in case I wasn't happy with those supplied but didn't use them - the cottage's felt thoroughly clean. Also, unusually, I took pillowcases, and we did use these. I figured that although the bedding would obviously have been washed between lets, my nose and mouth would be closest to the pillow, so just as an extra safeguard I thought it worthwhile. Was I being paranoid? Possibly, but these precautions made me feel more comfortable, and armed with my dinky hand sanitizer spray (so tiny it fits in a pocket!) I was ready to have fun.

Once we'd settled in, everything seemed fine - and almost normal. A lot of time on my holidays is spent walking in the countryside; so no need to change my habits there. Going after the school holidays seemed to have worked as most places seemed quite deserted. 

The National Park had handy signs informing the public about social distancing. I didn't see any red squirrels, or even spaniels, to check this out on, but there were plenty of sheep, cows, and landrovers around.

Picnic lunch in the car which was pleasanter than my grimace would have you believe. We'd planned to eat out in the evenings in a pub garden but luckily had taken food 'in case' as this plan fell through due to chilly weather. 

And I even went in a shop! 

All in all it's given me the confidence to get out more - though May's weather hasn't co-operated with that plan. 

 

Jottings - 4th April -All Change

 Since last weekend things seem to have altered a lot.

The clocks changed, the lockdown rules changed, and even the weather obligingly changed (if only for a few days).

The clocks leaping forward isn't a particularly good thing, as we lose an hour's sleep, but the others were definitely changes for the better. 

From Monday we were allowed to go out beyond our suburban estate, and visit somewhere else! I'd said a trip to Shipley would be my first outing, but I wasn't sure about school holiday dates and thought it might be busy, so we headed to Kedleston, where the National Trust are offering timed entry slots to keep the number of visitors down.

It was very strange travelling out of the set 'supermarket and back' route, to somewhere I haven't visited since autumn. Everywhere was familiar and strange at the same time - closer to returning to a much-visited holiday destination than just driving twenty minutes down the road. It makes me wonder how we'll all feel when we can travel further afield to places which have been out-of-bounds for this last year. The weather was in holiday mood too - the sun shining as brightly as summer but not too hot for walking. 

The relaxation of rules came just in time for my birthday. I feel really sorry for people with birthdays falling between March 23rd (when last year's lockdown started) and 29th (when this year's ended, as they've missed two celebrations. Mine falls at the beginning of April, so last year's was a dull affair, but this time could have family round for a garden birthday party. 

Although not as hot as earlier in the week, the sun came out again, and we had a picnic lunch with TWO birthday cakes. 

I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that this is the beginning of the end of coronavirus, that with to dropping infections and increasing vaccinations we'll be able to follow the 'roadmap' taking us back to normal. For now, being able to meet family outside is a huge step forward, and I'm starting to cautiously look forward to a more-or-less normal summer. 

A Year Ago ...

 Today marks a year since my last real trip out - to Manchester to see my youngest daughter.  We went out for lunch to Grub street-food market but the city seemed to have already entered lockdown with the streets strangely quiet.

We all knew a pandemic was coming, but rather hoped that the three week lockdown would see the end of it. Obviously that was far too hopeful an idea.

It's hard to believe how suddenly life changed completely, and how this change has become 'normal'. The actual lockdown didn't start till the 23rd but (apart from an evening trip to Locko Park) from this point we stayed home, just to be on the safe side. Being somewhat older we've erred on the side of caution, so since then I haven't eaten out anywhere, haven't been inside a shop or to the pub, even though over summer these things were possible. I could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've seen my two daughters, though at least we had video get-togethers. How would we have managed without modern tech? I did go walking a lot - but only to pay-to-enter places, such as National Trust estates, where the numbers of visitors were limited. Looking back, I think I could have been a little more daring, but it didn't feel that way at the time. 

I've been luckier than many - I have a garden to sit/potter in, husband to watch tv with at night, all of my family are still well - but I've really envied those who live in the countryside or, even more so, by the sea.

I'm really hoping now that we're putting covid behind us, and that things will be slowly getting back to normal after Easter. I'm not quite convinced about it though yet

Jottings - 29th February - good news

 It's been a glorious week weather-wise - sunny days, followed by dramatic sunsets. 

The flowerbeds are filling with purple crocus and the first daffodils have come into flower. 

After the recent cold spell, Spring seems to be dashing along, and I'm spending a lot of time in the garden. For now there's still a lot of tidying to be done but some of the trees needed a hard cutting back before the leaves grew and birds started to nest. 

News has been good too.  The newly announced 'roadmap' gives me hope for a normal sort of summer (I know we all felt this last year but I'm keeping my fingers crossed) The easing of lockdown restrictions means I can look forward to a family get-together for my birthday in early April; I've known snow to fall on the day so we might have to wrap up in coats or hide under umbrellas, but it will be worth it. In addition, I've managed to book my first Covid jab for next week. 

Meanwhile I've been busy cooking, using up homegrown veg in things like borscht, and making bread and pizzas with my sourdough. The one above is a normal cheese/tomato pizza; that below has sugar added to the dough, a swirl of apple and cinnamon jam and a topping of apple slices. I doubt any of it helps my intention to lose weight.

Rather late in the day, I've settled on my New Year's resolution - to continue to try new things. If life really does get back to normal there'll be plenty of opportunities for this; if not, there are still things to be tried at home.

 Generally though I feel hopeful about the coming months. Maybe, just maybe, things are looking up. I'm not entirely confident that we've seen the last of the virus and it's accompanying lockdowns, but the future seems much brighter.

Jottings - January 31st - the longest month ever

I think almost everyone agrees that this January has been the longest on record. It seems to have stretched interminably. 

This last week, on the other hand, seems to have flown by. It started with snow, and ended with snowdrops. 

Like last week, it's been busy, though for different reasons. I had two trips out to different supermarkets to pick up online orders!! I can't remember the last time I did this, but there's always something that one supermarket stocks that's special, isn't there? This time it was a specific chilli powder, and particular flavour of Pot Noodle. 

My sourdough, now named Dodo, is still demanding a lot of attention, but even if the bread I make isn't edible getting my hands sticky and floury has been worthwhile for the range of things I've made from the unwanted mix discarded each day. Dumplings are a definite favourite, and pancakes made this way taste almost like those made with eggs and milk. 

What I'm most pleased with though is making reasonable naan-style flatbreads. I tried this before, after watching a demonstration at the Good Life Experience At Home in autumn, and they didn't work well, managing to be both burned and undercooked at the same time! This time I got them right; maybe not perfect, but not bad.  Oh, and I served them with a new vegan dish discovered on the BBC Good Food site - a squash and cabbage sabzi - which exactly fitted what I was looking for with Veganuary; using up the allotment produce.

And a lot of my time has been spent playing Lego Lord of The Rings on the Wii. If you've played it yourself (LOL) you'll know from the photo that I've finished the first play-through of the game, and now reached the fun bit where extra quests and mini games have opened up. It may seem an odd thing to spend so much time on but while I'm playing all that matters is escaping from orcs and fighting my way to the end of the level; there's no coronavirus in Middle Earth! 
 

Jottings - 24th January - busier, happier week

 As you may have gathered from the title, this week has been busier and happier. Perhaps happier because busier. Actually, make that definitely rather than perhaps. 

  After the bustle of organising, and re-organising, and re-arranging everything again of Christmas (thanks a lot, Boris), January has been too quiet and I've slipped back into that empty nest feeling that comes when children leave home. Try as I might I couldn't find a focus for my days, and was in danger of slipping back into last Spring's lazy habits. 

Then I found a purpose in life - starting a sourdough culture - and my days since have revolved around it. When I wasn't actually tending it (to be honest that takes about 15 minutes max, but it does set something in stone which must be done) I was reading up and watching on line videos on best ways to keep one going. A lot seem to make things needlessly complicated - from fancy flour to specialist equipment - rather than help, but I found Irish Examiner food columnist Colm O'Gorman's Instagram tutorials helpful and inspiring, and posts I'd seen over summer from author Sarah Jasmon encouraged me to experiment and use each day's 'discard'. 

I'm a thrifty, waste-not-want-not style, housekeeper at best, and I hated the thought of throwing perfectly good 'dough' away, so loosely following Sarah's ideas I've tried to make something every day - pancakes, dough balls, dumplings, a pie/cake now named Rhubarb Caramel Sourdough, cinnamon rolls - and I'll continue to do that.

This has certainly kept me busy, plus my Veganuary challenge keeps me busy as meals seem to take more planning than usual to avoid repeating the same dinner too often. We've had a week of chillis, curries, pasta (with doughballs), winter roots stew with dumplings, but occasionally I've fallen back on lazy ready-prepared mock-chicken pies and burgers.

I've completed a skirt I started before Christmas (being home-made, it has pockets!), and knitted a pair of gloves. It's all kept me busy, and left less time for scrolling through worrying news reports.

To finish the week off in style, Sunday brought a heavy fall of snow. Normally my delight in snow is tempered by knowing it will be impossible to drive anywhere. But this year I've nowhere to go, so I can enjoy it.

Projects to see me through winter lockdown

 Today is Blue Monday, supposedly the most depressing day of the year. And this year surely has to be one of the most depressing on the record. Coronavirus is frightening. Lockdown is boring. The weather is generally dull and dismal - apart from a few rare days, we haven't had beautiful sunny frosty mornings, or even snow which would be exciting, and no problem as we're stuck at home - and spring seems a long way off. But even stuck at home I can decide to live a little differently.

I usually start the year with a list of resolutions, what I would like to achieve in the coming months but they often tend to be vague concepts rather than concrete plans. This year I feel I need something a little more specific than 'do art' or 'get fit', and I need something to do now, not when summer comes round. 

So I've replaced 'eat healthier' with 'join in Veganuary'. The rules are simple - avoid meat and dairy - and there's a finite length to it. Meals take more planning, to avoid pumpkin chili everyday, and longer to cook, which is good as it fills the day. 

It's probably not much healthier though, despite the soups for lunch, because there's no limit on sugar, and experimenting with vegan cake recipes is a good way to spend a damp afternoon.

As a sort of follow on to this I've decided, later than everyone else of course, to set up a sour dough culture. Two days in it isn't looking great, but there's time yet, and importantly it adds another thing which must be done each day*.

'Get fitter' has been replaced by 'up the step count'. There was a dreadful point towards the end of the first lockdown when I realised I was hardly taking more than a thousand steps a day! I don't want to fall into this laziness again. The weather isn't appealing for getting out and about right now, though I have some nice new 'sale' boots to wear, and my average step count has been dropping, but I can always add in a few minutes of zumba-style antics during the day, or just walk up and down the hallway for 250 steps every hour when prompted. 

Christmas marked a point where a lot of my knitting and sewing projects were finished, so after a week or so of laziness I've settled on what next. First a pair of gloves from Christmas present yarn, then a hat or scarf to match. 

Alongside, as knitting is an evening occupation, a skirt renovation, turning long and full, into shorter and somewhat tighter to wear with leggings. Another of my Christmas presents was a scarf-dying kit, but that's going to wait for milder weather as I think I'll do the messiest bits outside. And for later on in Spring, I've a grow-your-own-snowman-pumpkin' kit to start growing. 

I knit mostly while watching TV so, looking for a lengthy challenge, I've started rewatching Better Call Saul. That's a lot of episodes so should last for a few weeks. And then I'll follow it with Breaking Bad. The two don't quite join up yet, but they almost do. And for something more cheerful, I'm going to watch Frasier re-runs, if I can find it streaming somewhere.

For dark afternoons, I've taken up an old winter pastime - playing on the Wii, specifically Lego Lord of the Rings. Again, it takes a while, especially if the known bug (collecting things in the wrong order in the Weathertop section) kicks in and I have to start back at the beginning. When the days start to get longer, I'll probably abandon the little hobbits on their way to Mount Doom and sit out in the garden but fro now it fills a dead space in the day.

Hopefully by the end of lockdown I'll be able to put a 'completed' tick against most of the items on my list, but till then they'll keep me occupied.

Above all I want to be positive in my outlook on life.

*the sourdough DID get going and has turned out brilliantly.