Lynda Green
I observed the lockdown last April; it was easy, the weather was outstanding, there was long awaited decorating to be done at home, and finally I had time to put my allotment in order. For a week or two I listened to the news and became increasingly paranoid about getting ill. To the point that in Aldi, my heart began to pound, tunnel vision set in and I thought a heart attack was on the cards. I went home and, standing in my kitchen, tore myself off a strip, told myself to pull myself together or I would be giving myself something to worry about, a stroke or even a desire to jump off a cliff.
Thereafter, I promised myself to take care, but not to overthink the pandemic. Actually I don’t use the word, neither will I use the word ‘bubble’ in relation to my social life, not that I have one, some things never change! After that I got on very well. I gardened, lazed in my hammock reading lots of books I’d had for years and not got around to reading and, in the allotment grew some nice vegetables, while also being able to shout to fellow allotmenteers and put the world to rights.
I went back to work in July, ferried lots of holidaymakers about, putting the world to rights with them too. It was good to be back.
The second lockdown I chose to carry on working. The weather was wintry, not conducive to outdoor work, and all our customers were very respectful, grateful to us for working. None of the drivers became ill, and I got optimistic reports from various reliable sources that we in Cornwall were doing very well.
Now, in lockdown again, I am continuing to work. I have my opinions on the way our government has handled and is handling these troubled times, as I’m sure everyone has.
As I write this I am glancing over to my gate posts on which I sprinkle bird seed each day. I have pigeons and blackbirds (or are they crows?) come down to eat. One good thing about the quieter year we have had is that it’s given nature a bite of the apple, a chance to heal, if only a little.
I have missed, not in any order, car boots, writing group meetings, smiles on faces and oh, visits to the library. Finally I hold firm the thought that there have been more serious plagues and pandemics, and we shall get through this one as we have done before. It will be interesting to see what the history books make of it in the fullness of time.
Volume 35 no 4 March – April 2021