9th August, 2021.137th to 152nd day of Isolation.

Somehow I have lost the original Diary #58, so this one covers a long period which coincidentally roughly covers the Olympic Games fortnight.

This turned out to be a spectacular event, watched mainly by other competitors, coaches and medical staff. It was a big risk by Japan/Tokyo but with the superb TV coverage, turned into a stunning event. I was glued to the TV and watced everything from skateboarding to boxing. Great Britain were fantastic, coming fourth in the medal table with a total of 65 medals which equalled our London medal haul. Quite an achievement. There were handreds of great stories including the fact that we beat the Russians. They competed under the ROC flag. (Russian Olympic Committee). I don’t understand this as they, the Russians were banned for drug offences sanctioned by the state. There were so many in the squad, it was indistinguishable from what would have been the normal team. And yet, nothing was said about it. I don’t know how many medals could have been gained by GB but it must have been some. Maybe even Gold ones. We will never know as it looks like everything stands. I always thought that if there was drug taking, the country was banned as a whole, including those where drug taking could not be proved. And they may have been guilty anyway. They sent a squad of 355 athletes! It appears that the only real penalty suffered was that the could not have the Russian National Anthem or the Russian flag at Medal ceremonies. Big deal!!!

Our biggest challenge during the last week was he injury to granddaughter, Maisie. Instead of going “round town” with her friends, they collectively decided to go to Beverley Westwood to Play on a rope swing somewhere in the centre of it.Inevitably it was Maisie who fell, badly resulting in unconsiousness , cuts and bruises and suspected broken bones. The Yorkshire Air Ambulance came as access for an ambulance would prove difficult. As it happens, an ambulanc came vary close and the helicopter, having landed, was sent away. The outcomeof all this was a 36 hour stay in Hull Royal Infirmary Accident and Emergency. Several Xrays and scans and examination by a Neuro Surgeon later she was sent home with a broken wrist, cuts bruises and scrapes and probable concussion. Two days rest at home with David who was in the hospital with her the whole time (nobody knows where her mother was. We think abroad) and she was well on the mend. Quite an episode.

We had a lovely afternoon tea with friends and neighbours Dave and Thelma. Their work for the Make a wish charity is inspirational and Jenny hinted she may like to do some voluntary work for them.

We have spoken alot to Sally and Jim who had a great time in Crete and went from there to Sally’s flat in Spain. Interestingly, the drove to Loss Vicentes and had a drive by our old house (and Bill’s). The gardens were full of weeds and looked very sad . Nobody was living there at the moment but they saw our old neighbour Jose. He had had Covid badly but is fully recovered. He looked well and was pleased to find out that we were all OK. I have a mind to send him a card wishing him and Lola well.

Covid 19 continues to feature in our lives. I don’t take much notice of the figures as they can be made to say whatever the government wants. We just stay inside most of the time and if we venture out we are ALWAYS masked. Many are not! Sister in law has still got covid as has her daughters’ family. They are all double jabbed so as the scientists predicted they have a mild form of the disease but still have to isolate. They could have contracted it from Leanne’s children. Or even their dog, Poppy. Who knows? We haven’t seen Carol for three weeks so we are OK. It pays to be careful though. Especially as Sally and Jim are coming here next week for 7 days and we want to have a really good week. Lots of wine will be drunk. It will be great to see them for the first time since February 2020.

Brexit outcomes get steadily worse. It is not, as thought, a question of shortages due to new border controls but a shortage of 100,000 truck drivers. All the Europeans have gone home and Boris’s solution is to draft in 2000 military to make up the shortfall That’s 2% of the missing drivers and therefore a hopeless con by Boris. Soon, if things don’t improve, we may even need ration books for food. The actions of our leaders is criminal and in years to come we may wish that the likes of Johnson, Cummings and Gove should have been banged up in jail. I am not really a political animal but if Kier Starmer said that the labour party is going to fight to rejoin the single market, he would get my vote! He won’t do it though.