Lockdown from Bridport - Part 3 - Day 12

Today has been a day, rather like any other day of late except I doubt if many of you have passed it in a haze. Well, I'll rephrase that, you may have indeed been in a haze and for that I wouldn't dream of passing judgement but it will not have been in a haze like mine. I found myself engulfed in a wonderous world of hues of purples, lavenders and lilacs of every imaginable shade, all bearing down on me in bold patterns until my head began to swim. It all began innocently enough when I took a large delivery of clothing and sorting through them (with my rubber gloves on) it dawned on me that the original owner had a massive penchant for these colours alone. In the end even I had to admit defeat. 

Moving swiftly on, isn't it marvellous to see so many cars still on the road? It could really be a normal Saturday, where it not for the fact that we are in lockdown. Last night with the bedroom window open I wondered aloud what the strange hum was in the distance. It was, of course, the coast road busy with late night traffic. It seems even with the starkest warnings being constantly broadcast people are choosing to ignore advice. Tonight France begins its 6pm curfew. You have to wonder how we would respond to this. With criticism I daresay. It is not the virus that's the biggest bore, it's the people with no respect for the wellbeing of others. 

People love asking 'The Undertaker' if he is busy. If he answers no they seem relieved, if he answers yes they shrink back in horror. 'Do you have any covid bodies in? will be the next question. He sighs in response. People are in denial. 

A grey day overall weather wise. Bird table is still being resolutely ignored much to 'The Undertakers' annoyance. He announces that he is taking delivery of a quantity of muck to dig into the borders. I wonder if this will repel the birds completely but give thanks that it is at least the winter so we won't offend any of the neighbours. Pleased to report that the shoots of daffodils and crocuses are pushing their way up through the soil so spring is surely only just round the corner.

This afternoon we light the fire earlier than usual to jolly things up a little. It crackles away and lifts the spirits immediately. It is the small routines that keep us going along with the refusal to let other people drag us down, making us weary with their behaviour. I try my hardest to concentrate on the positive, to sort out the wheat from the chaff, to look forward and not dwell on the present nor mourn for the past.

Tomorrow is another day. I have found a local charitable cause for the clothes (mentioned above) which  will be collected soon thus benefitting someone somewhere. It takes far more effort to arrange this than simply discarding the ones I cannot sell and taking the easy option of the local clothes bank.

We sit and reflect upon the day. I feel I have achieved nothing of note. 'I suppose I still have my sanity' I say to 'The Undertaker'. No reply. He has his head in the weekend crossword which I must assume is why he didn't respond...