There were alot of announcements today, especially about how the government is going to pay benefits to employees and how everyone who qualifies will get help with mortgage payments, rent and overdrafts. The self employed were not forgotten and our new chancellor outlined the cash which would be made available to them. In the main, this involves calculations based on averages of profits taken from the last three years accounts. This is of little help to those who have recently become self employed or who have not filled in their tax returns or submitted any accounts. One group that may get caught short, are those tax evaders who have supressed their takings showing less profit than they have actually made. There will be thousands of them!!! Well, it serves them right.

David went to see our mum (his nana) and had a conversation through her front window. I was on the phone with her at the same time and she was very cheery and totally positive. She is 94 and a credit to her generation and always has her cup half full unlike many who only see the difficulties. Yes, things are bad but being miserable will not help. We will get through it all, in time.

We have got the huge cactus in the front garden cut down and we now have an uninterupted view.  Now we need to dig up the root. Jenny has done more work at the back which is looking really good. We will not be spending £8000 on landscaping as per the estimate received. We may not be professional but we have time and will plant lots of colourful flowers etc. The estimate did not include a single plant.

UK deaths 578.