Lockdown Diaries Volume 4, Day 20

Volume 4 Day 20

Time seems to be lost in some kind of vortex. No-one really knows what day it is and, interestingly, it doesn’t really matter.

The weather today is Sou’west and cool. Snow has fallen somewhere and the wind has that first chill that signals Winter will play hide and seek with Autumn in the coming weeks. The leaves are falling, and despite the gift of the occasional warm day that echoes Summer, our world is hunkering down in more ways than one.

The Easter bunny made a visit to our house, thankfully having the foresight to have stocked up on eggs before lockdown. We spent Easter weekend with an Easter egg hunt in the garden, and a picnic on top of the farm. Saturday evening was warm, so we had what will no doubt be the last BBQ for a few months, eating dinner outside, toasting marshmallows. The evenings are darker now after the end of day light savings, so we searched for planets with Rowans telescope, using the app Skyview lite to identify constellations. The children slept in tents that night, but (predictably) came scurrying inside scared at 2am despite the big old black dog choosing to sleep on the deck so she could watch over them. She possibly was the only one of us that got any sleep at all. All of this is to stave off too much boredom, but for the most part the kids are loving this quarantine life. I am totally not sold on it myself, having not been this still in my entire existence. My new found domesticity is a bit hit and miss. I made beer bread (unheard of) and pumpkin soup. I haven’t killed anything in the veggie garden yet but did accidentally murder my sour dough starter (white mould?). We are doing our level best to support the wine industry, while my friends are (nobly) keeping the boutique gin makers in business. Craft beer is getting a good nudge. I am slightly concerned about how excited I get when the weekly vegetable delivery arrives from Grown. What is happening to me?

Sanity comes from a daily walk on the farm, listening to podcasts or audiobooks. Mostly on my own, but sometimes Stella, our elderly dog, will find a burst of energy and come along. In truth, she is probably looking for peace and quiet too. She is ever-patient, but the new puppy gives her no rest.

In my spare moments, I have (certainly not because Gwyneth Paltrow suggested it) started writing The Novel I Have Always Wanted To Write. It’s been in the making for years. I started my first novel when I was ten so this is just a little overdue. Now, I have time so lets do this. So far, so fun. Watch this space.