Still the Covid life - week 23

Well, you don't say... It's not surprising that once the schools go back, there are lots of children with suspicious symptoms but it would be nice to think that someone had anticipated this.

However, freed from such things, we went to Lauriston Castle, walked in the grounds and had an ice cream (well, some did) from the newly-opened Mimi's Bakery.

Mr L and I went for a lovely sunny walk along by the golf course.

Things are beginning to look ominously autumnal. I'm never a huge fan of autumn (decay, death etc - though also beauty) but in these days, with worries about lockdown starting again (who knows?) it seems less welcome than usual.

There was a Red Arrows flypast the other night to commemorate VJ Day. It was rescheduled from earlier in the month, when it was too misty. This was spectacular, if noisy and somewhat alarming. (I'm easily alarmed and it looked very dangerous.) We remembered about it just in time to rush out from the house as it came overhead, but I hadn't taken my camera out with me. This was the smoke trail, though - rather pretty. I'm glad I did remember because it came very near our house and the noise would have given us (well, me) an awful fright if we hadn't expected it.

Yesterday, however, the weather was horrible all over Britain - windy and wet. We went up to see Son and his little ones - DIL was at work - so this was lovely apart from the driving. I'm always nervous on Big Roads, especially when the visibility is poor. Fortunately Mr L is braver and he drives.

Little Grandson is so cute. He's talking a bit now and is a very jolly little person.

We went out for a very wet walk.

Then Medium Granddaughter came home from nursery and among other things we watched a bit of Bing. It's a very strange programme but the children seem to like it. Medium is lovely and very chatty. I wish we saw more of her and her brother. She seems to accept us as part of her entourage, though, which is nice.

And there's always the garden. I do love clematis, and the colour of this one is very cheering on a dull day like today.

The garden is turning autumnal but there's still lots in flower.

And then there's the Big Mess. We got chaps to come today and remove the original 90-year-old iron fence which was lurking behind the hedge and I've been contacting landscapers to come and estimate for making this into a seamless extension of the lawn. There's a bit of work to do... .

And the Covid situation is still quite restricting. I've been socialising with friends in the garden, or singly in the house, but not to the same extent as usual with jolly groups. My two choirs are only going to be doing things on Zoom - which is not the same - and other activities are very much curtailed also. Mr L and I haven't gone far afield to visit gardens or stately homes or even nice cafes because it seems rash to take risks - and also because we're never very sure if the loos are going to be open and Mr L is at the stage of life when this is a consideration. I'm fortunate enough for it not to be such a problem ... yet. All these are minor complaints; but all the same, one has kind of had enough.

However, I fear the situation isn't going to change for the better any time soon.

Still, there's quilting.