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Covid-19 Update
I've been reporting on the UK Covid-19 situation since the global pandemic officially began. Current status: with England, Wales and Scotland all having their own version of the rules, and local lockdowns in place in towns in the north and in Wales, it's impossible to give a brief description for the UK this time. So I will give you the situation in London. Children are back at school and university teaching has resumed. It's fine to go to gyms, cinemas and shops. Restaurants and pubs close at 10pm exactly. Face coverings must be worn on public transport and in shops and pubs/restaurants, where contact details of one of the group must be taken. Social distancing is a must. Theatres and football stadiums remain mostly closed. Employees who can work from home are urged to do so. In the home, gatherings of more than six people, including children, from a maximum of two households, are banned. There are now sizable fines (but the reality is, hardly anyone gets fined!). The govt is reportedly planning new restrictions if the second wave gets worse,
Tuesday Sept 1
Sunny start. Had a second attempt at getting a passport photo. Still dire, but will have to go with it. See more in my post.
Wednesday September 2
Went to Power Plate. Fairly quiet day work wise as I am nearing my 2 week holiday. Delivery of new Zoflora fragrances including Rhubarb & Bergamot and Rose Noire. Salmon for dinner.
Thursday September 3
Usually get up at 6 and go off for a walk or exercise before work starts. But didn't rush off today, had a leisurely start and a bath and face mask, which I hardly ever do. Did a short walk that took in post office, Sue's house (to drop off a birthday card) and Co Op. Steak for dinner.
Friday Sept 4
Washed hair, cleaned kitchen, walked to Power Plate and back home by 9 for a work meeting. Last day at work for 2 weeks. Had fish n chips and watched 2 Weeks to Live and The Bridge, last episode of series 1. Cold day.
Saturday September 5
Sunny. Spent several hours pruning roses and weeding rose bed, then digging out plants and sweeping at the back. The forget-me-nots I sowed in trays a few weeks ago are ready to be planted out. Dinner was quiche & salad for me, pasta and salad for J as he does a challenging run on Sundays and needs carbs.
Sunday September 6
Feeling exhausted so didn't walk to gym, drove instead. Granddaughter Rosie (18 months) and Christopher and Katie came for lunch. Roasted a chicken
Mon September 7
Going to Mum's for a couple of days, Left home at 10.30 got there by 3.45. Salad and quiche. Got Mum set up with Netflix and we watched The Crown.
Tues September 8
Cloudy, muggy but became sunny later. Did a walk, 3.9 mile circular. My brother came round. Went to a garden centre for lunch as we always do. I got 2 houseplants and some anemone bulbs. Mum bought bulbs. a rose and a fuchsia. I planted the rose and fuchsia in her front border.
Weds September 9
Cloudy and muggy again. Hoovered. We went into Plymouth on the bus. Had coffee in Marks and Spencer where I claimed my free candle and packet of Percy Pigs. Mum - below - bought a top and some socks. I meant to go in the bank to get pound coins for next week when we're in the Lake District and will need them for car parks, but forgot.
Thurs September 10
Long drive home. Left at 8.30. Home by 3 including a detour to pick up a parcel. Mostly sunny. Curry.
Fri September 11
Did my favourite walk in the forest. Both J and I went to the bank to get coins for change so now we have plenty. Packed case. Took M to cattery. Usual Friday dinner of fish and chips, we take it in turns to collect it.
Sat September 12
Set off for Lakes. Long drive. I always look out eagerly for the first motorway sign to "The Lakes." Got to hotel in Borrowdale around 3.15. Went for short walk to Grange cafe and had soup. Dinner was slow cooked beef with starter of scallops and black pudding.
Sun September 13
After huge breakfast of porridge and poached eggs did walk of around 9 miles, Catbells, High Spy and Maiden Moor. Quite strenuous. Extremely windy at top of Catbells. We didn't take any lunch (just protein bars) but stopped at the Grange Cafe for J to have a soup and scone on the way back to the hotel. Dinner was rarebit crumpet starter and sweet veg curry with onion bhajis.
Mon Sept 14
Breakfast of yogurt and prunes and boiled eggs. Did easy day in sunshine, Latrigg near Skiddaw and then Walla Crag. J fancied a burger but our favourite pub was closed so we drove into Keswick. Had burger and I had soup in the Wainwright pub. Not great. Nice relaxing afternoon. Dinner was v nice, scallops again and pan fried salmon with sweet and sour sauce and tempura prawns.
Tues September 15
Beautiful day. Early start to get space in car park. Did Haystacks, Inominate tarn and Fleetwith Pike (picture at top of post is me on Fleetwith Pike). Tough descent. There's a huge white cross on the side of the fell, the reason is explained in my post here. Legs killing me at end! Dinner was citrus smoked salmon and lamb shank with ratatouille and dauphinoise potatoes.
Weds September 16
Cloudy after a brief period of sunshine in morning. No hills today. Did a flat walk to Keswick via country lanes, fields and Derwentwater lake. 8 miles. Got bus back and had soup at Grange cafe. Back at hotel quite early, before 2. Had tea in the garden outside and read.
Thursday Sept 17
Sunny. Time to leave for another hotel. But first did a ridge walk. First the long ascent of Ulloch Pike. Then across the ridge to Longside and Carlside. Saw man walking with 7 dogs including an Alsatian, plus two couples with a dachshund. Finally went up Dodd, through a spruce and conifer forest. Very enjoyable day. Had an ice cream at bottom. Checked in at new hotel/pub near Ambleside. Free standing bath and 4 poster bed! Dinner: we both had burgers - needed after strenuous day.
Fri September 18
Sunny again. J did the 11 mile Fairfield Horseshoe. I had a rest day. Went on the bus to Grasmere, not much there except a famous gingerbread shop and homages to Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter. Got the open top bus to Windermere. J back at 3.30. Amazing. Ate in the hotel's pub and had fish and chips. Too many people in pub using loos without masks on. Not good.
Sat Sept 19
Sunny. Left at 9.45. Roads quiet. Home by 2 45. Started doing many loads of washing. Got a few essentials at Co Op. Had chilli for dinner. Watched film Chasing Liberty. Very poor, three out of 10.
Sun Sept 20
Sunny. Lost 2 pounds on holiday - yay! Did a four mile walk of the forest. Definitely feel fitter. It's described as a "mast autumn," where there's a bumper harvest in trees and the hedgerows. But blackberries seem to have had a bad year.
Mon September 21
Back to work. Couple of nice surprises. Funded to go to a marketing event and offered free flu jab. Collected M from cattery. Sadly learnt they are closing. She's been going there for years and seems to like it. Curry for J, falafals and salad for me. Started watching Borgen, Danish political drama.
Tues Sept 22
First day of autumn: rained. Power Plate. Not many meetings today. Several deliveries including new Zofloras and new black boots. Chicken casserole
Weds Sept 23
Busier day, getting back to normal. Sausages for J, quiche salad for me.
Thurs Sept 24
Sunny but colder. Half day to have hair done. Supplied with PPE, stylists wear visors and masks. Only half of the stylists are on duty at any time to allow for social distancing.
Got Halloween sweets. J succumbed first to putting the heating on.
Fri Sept 25
10 degrees getting cold! Felt under pressure this morning, did shopping but missed a gym class. House alarm tested. Did quick blog shoot for Monday's Style Not Age post which you can see here.
Sat September 26
Blue sky start. Did my favourite Yates/forest loop walk. Then went into London to go to the National Gallery. Thrilled to see one of my favourite paintings, Gainsborough's Mr and Mrs Andrews! There is a great back story to this picture. Gainsborough didn't like the couple which is reflected in what he painted. Big demo in Trafalgar Square protesting about masks and Covid restrictions. Of course they weren't social distancing. Gave them a wide berth.
Sun September 27
Walked to PP. V cold wind. Wrote a blog post for tomorrow. Roast chicken. Another BA 747 was retired today, G-CIVV. BA has the biggest number of 747s of any airline and they are all being retired now as a result of Covid. Pensioned off before their time. It's very sad. 
Mon September 28
Difficult to get motivated. Renewed passport online. Lasagne for J, falafals and salad for me.
Tues Sept 29
Cloudy, rained overnight. Power Plate. Quick dash into Waitrose to check toilet roll situ with reports of people panic buying because of a likely second lockdown. Only their own brand left. It's very silly, there wouldn't be any shortages if people stopped panic buying.
Weds Sept 30
Did favourite forest loop 4.9 miles. Was featured in an article in national magazine Yours: "7 Fashion Bloggers Over 50 You Should Be Following." Very exciting! It's so hard to grow blog numbers and can be a bit disheartening as blogging is a time consuming hobby. So to see the huge spike in numbers after the article and magazine were published was so wonderful. Let's hope they keep coming back.
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I enjoyed reading about your month.
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