Lockdown from Bridport -Part 3 Day 56

I visited Dorchester hospital today for a routine check up and whilst there took the obligatory Covid test. I admit I did flinch slightly as the swab went up my nose but all was good. It was beautifully quiet and seamlessly organised. I got talking to the nurse who confided that she had had the virus and was now suffering from post Covid, despite taking all the necessary precautions, ie abiding by all the rules and not flaunting or bending lockdown guidelines. Words could not quite express the disgust she feels for people openly travelling around the country. 'If we could report them we would' she ended up saying. 'The Covid ward itself has never been busier' she added. I was taken aback I admit. Food for thought... The local paper report that over the weekend some forty people simply failed to show for their vaccines. Forty vaccines that some countries are currently fighting for. Unbelievable.

Yesterdays paper depicted a long limbed bronzed family glowing with health as they ran carefree over a seamlessly clean beach. 'We can finally get away' it announced, 'and not a moment too soon'. Hurrraaaah, the relief. Oh wait a minute, there's a new variant just entered the country...

We have a new lawnmower delivered today. The push along was becoming a hinderance as mowing was taking place less and less thus making it impossible to cut the lawn. We take the easy option then of garden maintenance and now have a battery powered one. 'The Undertaker' is thrilled I can tell. He is of the pristine striped lawn brigade whereas I want to save the daisies and am of the wild flower meadow persuasion. We have an interesting summer ahead I can tell, in more ways than one. 

I think these days are making us all far more reflective on what is important in life, in terms of not having to tolerate people and situations that make us unhappy or drain us of our natural exuberance for life. Without giving too much away, I walked across the road to the churchyard with a companion. The late evening sun threw a deep rich light onto the old church stone and the grave stones. The stark tree that would soon be laden with blossom framed the picture rather pleasingly. I took a deep breath. 'Sometimes' I say, choosing my words with care 'you have to walk away from the stage where the drama queens and prima donnas fight for the spotlight, leaving them to squabble amongst themselves. They won't notice you've gone, they're all too full of their own self importance. At the end of the day you have to think of your own happiness and health. She thanked me for my wise words. 'It comes with age' I say. It came really from seeing first hand today, people carrying quietly on whilst putting their own health at risk for the wellbeing of others without a hissy fit in sight. That is our NHS and a health service of which we can be justifiably proud.