Tuesday 14 April

 Yesterday's walk - beautiful old tree at the junction of Wilfrid Road and High Street. There used to be one opposite but they had to cut it down, such a shame. I must find out what the tree is, it's an evergreen, maybe a sessile oak? Not sure. (Asked on the local FB group and it's a holm oak.)
 The building behind used to be the Clark's Shoe Museum, and the factory before that. Never got to see the museum, it's closed to the public now, although I'd be more interested in the architecture than the shoes, to be honest. I'd like to get up in that tower, fantastic view I should think.
Not many people around, quite a chilly wind - all the men have reverted back to trousers rather than the shorts they were wearing the day before!
Beautiful pink and white cherry blossom in Leigh Road.

View of the Tor from the field between Leigh Road and Hindhayes Lane. Love being able to see it five minutes from where I live, never get tired of the view.
















Plumber due late this afternoon. Feeling anxious about what he's going to tell us and also anxious about having an unknown person in the house at this time. I''m sure he's healthy but will be making a mental note of what he's touched and getting in there with my anti-bac wipes once he's gone!
Done a spot of yoga and tidied up the front garden although it's a bit too close for comfort to passers-by being a postage stamp sized garden. Looks very pretty now with lots of pulmonaria, comfrey and bluebells. Thyme, rosemary, geraniums and buddleia all doing well.
I shall be so relieved when all this is over but looks like we've got a few more weeks of lockdown yet. Better safe than sorry.

Reading: Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver
Watching: The Martian and Discovery of Witches
Listening: Phil Thornton, Solstice

Lockdown Blues (but it's not all bad)

Things are a tad stressful at the moment. You don't say. I am painfully aware that lots of people everywhere are going through far worse things than I am, which adds guilt to the mix.

What's going wrong?

Well, lockdown and being furloughed from work. I really miss the Chalice Well and my colleagues, they're a great bunch and it's such an amazing place to work. Seeing them once a week via Zoom but it's not the same as being there and seeing them in person. Then heart palpitations, I've had them for about two weeks and they are probably anxiety related, but what if they're not? I don't want to cause a fuss at this time but on the other hand want to remain well. So I shall try for a doctor's appointment tomorrow.

On top of this we have water coming through the dining room floor. We are not sure how long this has been happening and we don't know where it is coming from and are in the process of trying to rule things out. We now have a very bouncy, trampoline-like wood veneer floor where it has swollen and warped and I hate to think of the state of the floorboards underneath. We've stopped using the dishwasher and the washing machine and the water levels have decreased slightly; it's no longer seeping up between the gaps of the ruined veneer flooring. I fear it may be an underground pipe that's leaking;  more potential stress as floors are dug up, and the expense, which we can ill afford.

What's going right?

My family, friends and neighbours are all well. Regular Zoom calls with my kids.

I've done a hand wash this morning as it's a sunny day with a fresh wind, things'll dry in no time.

One thing that is keeping me sane and the heart palpitations a bit quieter is a daily gentle yoga practice and a walk, sometimes over to Clyce Hole on the river Brue on the levels between Street and Glastonbury; sometimes just in the field over the way from my home, it has a view of the Tor and beautiful mature plane trees to admire.

I have a job to go back to when all this is over.

We have a plumber coming tomorrow!


There. I feel better just for having written things down, it puts things into perspective.