2020 is commonly referred to as e.g. The Lost Year, The worst year Ever, etc etc. I was lucky; for anybody stumbling across this blog for the first time…I spent almost the first three months of this year on a cruise ship, dodging the Covid bullet until a slightly premature arrival at Southampton on 27th March (Day 1). The U.K. had been in lockdown for three days, and the journey home was eerily quiet. We weren’t allowed to travel more than walking distance from home, save for essential shopping, and other “exemptions”. Traffic on the roads was possibly at 1950s levels; it wasn’t quite safe enough to walk along the middle of the A6! But, the quietness was deafening as nature seemed to “continue where it had left off” centuries ago. It was all “rather nice” but, of course, simultaneously catastrophic for very very many.
Friday 4th December.
As the week drew to a close, it felt much colder, and the snow arrived, a small amount yesterday and a more substantial drop during today. But this is nothing like the snows of 1981 when it was not uncommon at the beginning of December for snow “up to the knee-caps”.
I slept well last night, apart from from a few necessary “bathroom visits”, then, eventually waking up at a very satisfactory twenty minutes past nine! But I had no inclination to venture into town to join in the festive retail therapy. Instead, I relaxed in my nice warm house, watching the first snow of winter stick to the ground outside.
Yesterday, I called in at the Parish Office, and as usual, was made welcome with a cup of Earl Grey tea. While there, I booked my place at seven church services during December. However, I shall give the First Communion of Christmas a miss, only because it straggles midnight, and these days, I am pretty tired after 10pm.
We are now out of lockdown, but where I live has now been placed in Tier 3, which is almost as restrictive. Shops are open , but hotels, restaurants and bars remain closed. All this is being reviewed on 16th December and with the current fall in new cases, High Peak may well be placed in the less restrictive Tier 2 which does allow restaurants, bars and hotels to operate under strict regulations.
Being over 70 years old, I have to be more careful, and thus, keep away from crowded areas, public transport and events. It is very strange; for the first time, as far back as I can remember, I have not travelled on a U.K. train for almost a year, the last time being from London Euston to Macclesfield after having visited family in London over Christmas. I stayed at a favourite hotel, The Clarendon at Blackheath; I can still recommend this place. Their curry at dinner is magnificent, and breakfast, too.
Now that a vaccine against Coronavirus has been approved, it feels as if there is “light at the end of the tunnel”. We have just one further obstacle to negotiate, i.e. the final severance of the U.K. from the E.U., with or without a “deal”. This news item seems to have (maybe just for today) usurped Covid from the top news slot. Either way, the news has me switching to either YouTube or Netflix for some much needed escapism.
Thanks for reading, David, 21.36hrs 4th December 2020.
I am sorry there are no pictures with this blog.
David's Cruise 