16th November, 2021.

611 days (recalculated) since our first lockdown day

I received an Email from Manfred recently. I had sent him a very long reply. It was disappointing to find the very high number of people in Germany refusing the Covid vaccine and the infection rates, as a result, are worryingly sky high. What is more worrying is that most are very intelligent people who should know better. Including a relative (by marriage) who should definitely know better. Her husband, who is a strong character, cannot persuade her otherwise. There must be a very strange atmosphere in that particular household.

We went to watch Ronnie on Sunday and his football team earned a creditable 4-4 draw. It was all the better as they had been 4-1 down. Ronnie had started the comeback with a goal driven into the corner of the net and in the final seconds could have had the winner. However the opposing coach named Ronnie as Tickton’s player of the match. He said he was a typically robust centre forward who made a great target man who was also a good header of the ball.

We picked Ronnie up from school on the 4th and went back to David’s house to celebrate Maisie’s 12th birthday. She is almost a teenager now. David had bought her a make up table which came flat packed in three boxes!! Guess who was nominated to do it. I spent about 9 hours over three days putting it together. It looks great. David sent me a bottle of Talisker single malt for doing it. That was not necessary but much appreciated!!

Val and Nick came for tea on Friday. Jenny had cooked curried chicken breast with the usual trimmings and a wonderful crumle for pudding. It was all lovely. We had been shopping in the afternoon and despite being really tired we chatted until nearly 11pm, which is a long day for old people!!

On the way back from a walk to Cottingham, we remarked on how lovely the village looked with a profusion of golden leaves on the trees and on the ground. Whilst kicking the leaves, Jenny spotted a nice new ten pound note which she picked up and pocketed. There was nobody around who could have dropped it. So, finders keepers I’m afraid.

We have visited Mum twice in the last few days. She is well and told me needs a new strap for her watch. I think this is the one that went missing a couple of weeks ago. So mystery solved. We are on the case for a new strap.