Adapting to Change

 Like everyone else we are trying to adapt to carrying on life in the present pandemic. We are as I have said before taking baby steps back to some normal activities. One of these is my walking group Walk and Talk. Quite a few of my friends are vulnerable so we have to tread  carefully. Quite a few also live alone so social interaction is even more important to them. We have tentatively started walking again. Last month 4 of us had a socially distanced walk from the farm on a baking hot day.

This was followed by lunch in the garden everyone having brought their own picnic. One of our clan has recently retired so there was a compulsory glass of Prosecco and a cake to celebrate. Note that the bottle of hand sanitizer also features!

This month we ventured out from another friend’s house. There were a few more of us so we walked in two groups. Long walk and shorter walk. I plumped for the shorter one which took us around a local nature reserve in an old sand works.

We were lucky enough to see a heron and several red kites. No photos I’m afraid of either I didn’t have my close up lens with me. The red kites were soaring around on the thermals and were a lovely sight to see. 

We did appear to have our own red kite amongst us when it momentarily started to rain.

We passed another sign of the times,  an outdoor event venue being put together in a local field with views stretching out across the countryside.

Then it was back to my friend’s garden which is fortunately very big for a socially distanced picnic. 

The weather was not as kind as it could have been and umbrellas were needed. Some more successfully than others.

There were two other changes or ‘new for us’  yesterday. I had a letter by email from the minister from our church giving the date of the first Sunday service in this new COViD world. The instructions as you might expect were quite specific including details on entering, mask wearing, communion, seating and exiting. All helpful and reassuring information. There were two bits however that made me titter. The instructions started thus:-

Before leaving home please use the toilet/wash your hands thoroughly as the last thing/s to do before departure.

Well it’s some years since I have been instructed to have a safety wee especially by a member of the church! Further on it continued thus:-

We really want to see you again but please come with minimal baggage and other than tissues, reading glasses etc. bring your own face mask (essential) and gloves (if you have the personal need) and bottled drinking waterif you think you will have a need.

So I can’t take my large suitcase handbag in case I get bored during the sermon and want to start rummaging? Shame! You can see that I am truly wicked and will never at this rate earn my place in heaven.

Then in the evening after great deliberation Farmer Husband and I decided to have a take away from a local pub. We haven’t been this brave before but we want these businesses to keep going so we thought we would give it a try. I had rung through my order and turned up at the prescribed time. I hadn’t been given any collection instructions and hadn’t thought to ask. One door clearly said enter and another exit. So in I went, sanitized my hands to find I would stood in a relatively busy bar with lots of locals stood around drinking in the normal fashion (well old normal). Inevitably I knew quite a few of them so found myself chatting to them before asking where I went to collect a take away. They obligingly shuffled out the way for me to follow the well marked floor to the top bar. Here I found someone being served drinks at the bar ( I thought they had to be served at their tables??)

Eventually I got my take away and exited by the correct door in a bit of a sweat. The food was delicious eaten in the safety of our own house with a glass or two of wine. I will however be rethinking my strategy before I order another and I shall be thinking twice about visiting any pubs for a meal!