Lockdown day #45

I didn't sleep well last night, and woke up groggy today.  I missed the study group, and it is not really for me.  I really do not like meetings/study groups/classes etc on Zoom.

There was a new thing to do - Sing for the Brain ... from 3pm to 4pm - I don't know we were meant to be singing, but I sang a few songs that I know, and it was fun.

I was sent the link for an Information Film about the virus - they put the important message into a fun setting, but getting the message home.  

I did some more research, although I am not yet in a rhythm for doing it, and downloaded two books to read online - one dealing with Portsmouth Corporation Transport and one dealing with the buses of Bolton Corporation.

Then was the time to clap for the NHS workers and other frontline workers, and I did the Virtual Pub Quiz - got a reasonable score of 28 out of 50 - it would be better if I had someone to confer with .. perhaps next time.

I had a variant of scrambled eggs for my tea - with a tin of salmon (smoked salmon would be better) - but this time I added some basil, and it seemed to work well.  

I rounded off the evening with quite a strange film .... I know I pick strange films ..... a Belgian film called "Noordsee Texas".  Quite hard going at times, with unexpected plot twists, but (maybe) a happy ending. ...

I hope I sleep better this evening!

Lockdown day #44

Today was International Dance Day and National Postal Workers Day.  To celebrate I had a wee dance as I wiped by letterbox with disinfectant.  Good job too as I received post - one of my membership magazines

I watched a film after I had my breakfast: Beautiful Thing - a film I have watched many a time.  A coming of age, and a love, story set against the backdrop of London's Thamesmead estate.

I pottered around for most of the day, took some exercise, and watched a couple of things on YouTube - "Ripping Yarns: Roger of the Raj" and Rossini's "Overture to the Barber of Seville" 'sung' by the Kings Singers.

I have been challenged to share some inspirational records, one per day, over the coming days - just the record cover without comment.  So I re-listened to one of my choices: "A Century of Salvation Song".  My parents had this record and it was played, and played, and played to death - and I love it.  It was a nice trip down memory lane to close the day.

Lockdown day #43

It was a weird day ... I didn't go out, I got up late (no problem there), I checked my e-mail and updated a couple of websites, I did some research ....

On Facebook I watched a "Special Song from Kermit" - which was fun.

In the post was a pair of shorts ... but they arrived just that wee bit too late, since the weather seems to have turned.  Hopefully the warm sunny days will return before too much longer.

I played "Words with Friends" - and won! woo-hoo, and had a couple of phone conversations.

I then watched a film called "Akron" - essentially a love story, but with a twist, and it powerfully showed grief and all the emotions that come from that - grief is a strong emotion, but as the film showed, love is a stronger emotion.   Well worth watching if you can.  

Lockdown day #42

For those in the Isle of Man - Happy St Maughold's Day! - St Maughold is, apparently, the patron saint of the island.

I tuned into Lunch Table Live from the USA - my friend Jon-Phil Winter is one of the presenters of this.  It was interesting.

I also tuned into an online dance class from the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS).

Then Virgin Media Internet crashed ... fortunately it came back up in time for me to write my blog.

I watched a strange film about college life in Canada produced in 1965 - "Winter Kept Us Warm" - I am not sure I totally understood what was going on - on the face of it, it was a boring year in a college. but there seemed to be an underlying tension.

As it had been a lovely day (and the ongoing forecast is not good) I went out for an evening stroll as part of my daily permitted exercise ... and thence to bed.

Lockdown day #41 - Sunday 26th April 2020

Today I should have been on a train ride on a steam train - but it has joined the ever growing catalogue of cancelled events.

I did Sunday morning worship via Zoom (I still don't like it ... it feels 'unconnected' and clinical).  I also downloaded a few old War Cry's from around the world.  Some of these are connected with my research.

These are from the United Kingdom, the Caribbean, South Africa and Canada.

I had pork, with potatoes, broccoli, carrots and turnip for my lunch ... I am determined to have a "proper lunch" every Sunday.

A cousin dropped me an email, and I chatted to a few friends, and finished the evening with a spot of reading before bed.

Lockdown day #40

Today was lovely and sunny.  I should have been in Bury as my dance group was booked to perform at Bury Pride - but that has been cancelled.  There was a 'Bury Pride in the Home' consisting of pop music on a local radio station, but that is a poor alternative.  I am grateful for one blessing due to the cancellation - I didn't have to wear my kilt on such a hot day!

Instead, I downloaded more reading material.  Today this consisted of:

* The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Vol 4, Issue 2

* Nordfrim Great Offers 2020

* New Zealand War Cry 18 April 2020

I also received in the post the Royal Mail Postmark Bulletin Vol 49, No 5 - May Postmarks  

 

What an eclectic group of publications to read!

I watched a video on how to make Bara Brith - now all I need is to find Self-Raising Flour in the shops, and buy dry fruit, and buy some tea .... maybe it is not such a good idea to try and make it.  Bara Brith was originally a traditional Welsh standby thing to cook, because all the ingredients would be readily available to most housewives.  Having to put in most of the ingredients doesn't make it a cheap standby meal.

My exercise today was a trip to the shops (specifically B&M Bargains and Asda) and I managed to buy a box of Jaffa Cakes .. well a big box of Jaffa Cakes (100 in the box) - not that I am panic buying or anything ....

I finished the evening by watching the film "Out in the Dark" - a film about love across the Palestinian/Israeli divide.  Edge of the Seat stuff!

Lockdown day #39

Today I was up nice and early and decided to spend the day reading.  None of the books I read today are physically owned by me, and all were free downloads to help us "readers" who are running out of material to read.

Today's "must reads" were:
*The Golden Miles, Blackpool Corporation Tramways 1885-2010
*Hawaii's Religions
*Independent Buses in North Wales and
*MDS Books for collectors and enthusiasts 2020 Spring Book News.

I also received in the post the Cyprus Post News detailing their upcoming new stamp issues.

I took the opportunity of the sunny and warm weather (21 degrees near me) for a nice walk in the sun.  My ankle is easier to walk on and it felt good to be in the sun.

In the evening I "attended" the Lockdown Ceilidh - streamed live from a kitchen in Nottingham - great fun to watch, but a tad difficult to do by oneself.

Lockdown day #38

Today is St George's Day - and so I am wearing my green top from the 2002 Commonwealth Games for the Welsh team - with a dragon on it.  You can't have St George without the dragon, now can you?  This is a picture from the 2002 Games - and it is not me - but it shows you the design of my top today.

The morning started with a discussion group on Zoom - I am slowly getting to work my way round this new thing (as are many of us I expect).   I am still without a camera or a microphone, but have found the online chat function, so I can communicate.

I have read an online book - "Lancashire United The Fleet 1900-1981 Second edition" (the second edition bit is important - it is a special .pdf version for the days of the Corona).  Fascinating read.

Then I visited the Portico Library and viewed their new exhibition, online, entitled "What is it to be here - Colonisation and Resistance"  Apparently today is the 250th anniversary of the arrival of the first colonialists in Australia.  I am pleased to say the exhibition looks largely at the viewpoint of the original people of that continent.

It being Thursday it was the "Clap for Carers/NHS" night.  I didn't clap but had a red bell and played that.  There was quite a cacophony round here.

I rounded off the night listening to a strange piece of music - Pachabel's Canon like you have never heard if before - played on hundreds of train horns. 

Lockdown day #37

Today is the 50th Anniversary of the creation of Earth Day - designed to focus attention on protecting the Earth's resources.  Sometimes I feel we forget that we don't own the planet, we are just the current custodians of it.  There are signs, however, that this COVID-19 outbreak is starting to make the planet healthier - many cities which had a smog problem, now have more people in lockdown, less cars on the roads, and the air is better to breath.  I do hope when the time comes to come out of lockdown, that we live in harmony more with our planet, rather than trying to extract what we can from it for a quick 'buck'.

I stayed in much of the day, only going out briefly to get some essential supplies from Asda.  I managed to get some eggs, and there are signs that the supermarket shelves are less empty than they were before the lockdown started.  Perhaps the message that panic buying doesn't help anyone is getting through?

I read an e-book about coaches - Twelve Royal Tigers - described as the complete story of the coachbuilders Beccols & Bellhouse Hartwell and how Blue Cars became an important part of the tale.  It was very interesting.

I also read the first chapter of a book for a Study Group to be held on Thursday mornings.  Decision Making and Spiritual Discernment 

The only other thing I have done today is look back over Christmasses past - perhaps one day I will write my autobiography.  Watch this space ....