Unto them a son is born.
How lovely but what a scare! From ICU to the maternity ward in space of less than a month. More nurses/ Midwifes to thank in person – Boris style. Only he has the audacity to pull off such a time-compressed drama. Near death to witnessing birth in blink of an eye. One thing is for certain, Boris will be the card-carrying, patron saint of the NHS from this moment forth.
What did I do today? Got up very late as is usual routine since 21st March 2020. The wildest dreams of a lifelong night owl finally come true. Utter and total bliss. “Today” programme on catch up. (Cannot recall last time was awake early enough to listen in real time). Looked at cows outside bedroom window then emails, correspondence and calls on laptop till 1000 hrs ( Like Princess Margaret or the fictional Lady Julia Flyte)
Then prised self from the heavenly, soft sheets – lunged a mischevious horse, walked dogs, printed out sons home schooling tasks and later went out in car to drop weekend’s empties. Normally go on bike and planned to only suddenly remembered bike shop reopened Monday and both family bicycles are in for repairs. What a relief. Are all human beings naturally lazy? Bottle bank near full. Must scan its bar code and report to Council. Sneaked cheese and onion sani and pork pie from forecourt shop. The very good-looking, charming blonde young man was behind the safety screen. How delightful. He politely asked me if I was cooking anything special. (I had bought creme fraiche asked for tinned coconut milk to make Jamie’s Corner shop curry with the children” (Sold out).
I replied I was “doing something with wild garlic.” He said he sees so much of it about when mountain biking. So charming. I turned to see real vagrant scruff type in queue behind. Well, queue ….not as such. He and I only 2 in whole shop. His face wore the most desperate expression poor thing and he was clutching a bottle of red wine clamped under his arm. I went all way round back of shop to avoid passing him God it was heaven – the contraband sandwich and pork pie I mean. Sat and ate them in the car parked behind the bottle bank in case risking my tyres on the smatterings of broken glass in case anyone saw me and shouted, “Stay at home! Save the NHS”
When I got home, saw to my huge relief Tesco groceries van delivering “80 items max” which had arrived just as I was leaving on bottle bank errand (should have stayed behind to help, but put foot down and sped off before anyone could ask me) was driving off I.e. they had discharged van load and with help of other family members, it was being unpacked by gloved hands, washed down and put away. “Oh dear. Have I missed them? Sorry wasn’t here to help guys. ” I said breezily “They must have come early”
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The River Files 