May 12th, 2021. 59th day of isolation/shielding

Boris has made a major announcement this week which eases the restrictions placed upon us. We can, from next Monday, visit pubs and restaurants inside. We can go to theatres and cinemas and outdoor sporting events although it is too late to celebrate Hull City’s early return to the Championship, from Division 1 of the EFL.

We will be able, with some restrictions, be able to get together with friends and family. We will also be able to hug. I am not sure about shaking hands but my automatic response when meeting someone, is to hold my hand out still. As for holidays, we cann visit “green” countries including Portugal, Tristan da Cuhna and the Falklands. Fantastic! Our holiday to Germany at the end of May with Val and Nick, has already been cancelled. We don’t think our road trip to Germany will come off this year but we can already book hotels in Germany for the Munich Beer Festival. We will go by car and the ferry bookings are possible up to July 2022 so we should be able to book soon, for us and Andy and Lindy. In the meantime, we shall try to get away during summer to somewhere in the UK. We are also hoping we can go to Romania to see Sally and Jim. We are watching the situation closely.

We would still have to be careful though as we may still have to have PCR tests which have to be paid for which may add £1200 for a family of four.

Ronnie’s sporting activities have entertained me during the last week. His under 11 cricket team had a good win against Driffield. He scored 8 runs but his two overs saw him get 2 for 2. A real good effort. I also saw his under 11 football team, Tickton Cobras, win a great game 3-1. Ronnie did not score this time but he nevertheless, had a great game against a very large team. That didn’t bother Ronnie.

We had David and the kids for lunch on Sunday. They and us adults demolished a large shoulder of pork and there was not enough left for us to make a soup for the next day.

The best Brexit quote of the year so far:-

“How come leavers knew what they were voting for but didn’t get the Brexit they wanted.But remainers knew what they were voting against and got exactly what they predicted”.

It was election week last week although here, we only had the Police Commissioner to elect. Because of alleged corruption, the first Tory candidate walked away and it would seem that they put a blue rosette on a complete unknown to us and the Labour Police Commissioner, who had done a good job, was voted out of his job. Time to give up?

I am and was a big fan of the late great Yorkshireman, Jake Thackray. John Richardson, husband of Hull comedian Lucy Beaumont is also a big fan and it has prompted me to buy Thackray’s greatest hits. All his famous songs are there and I am looking forward to hearing them again, including “Lah Di Dah”, “Sister Josephine” and “The Hair of the Widow of Bridlington”. If you’ve never heard of him, go onto YouTube. You won’t regret it. I mean, what else is there to do?

It has been very warm today and it inspired us to start getting more plants for the garden. The Garden Centre was full of Senior Citizens like us. Wednesday is 10% off everything. We still need to get a design for landscaping the back garden but the kitchen will be first. We have had three quotes all pretty much alike in that the costs are about the same. Moe than we expected but we are a bit behind the times.