Juliet, Holloway, 23 March 2020

Mum update: phoned hospital and still has high temperature, raised heart rate. Her own consultants are due to visit her today so I’ll know more by lunchtime.

Mum update 1 pm – just been seen by the doctor and relayed a message that she was feeling a bit better and might be allowed out in a couple of days when they’ve sorted a couple of things. Notes were being written up, so I’ll call back later when the nurse can read the notes to me. They’ll presumably have to wait for the Coronavirus swab results to come through too.

It’s dad’s 90th today. Have just spoken to him and he seems chipper, given the circumstances.

Another lovely day so will head out for a walk. Yesterday did a circuit past my old primary school, our first house in Lea, up to Dethick church and back via Common End and the bus stop where I used to catch the bus to secondary school in Matlock – and riotous nights out in Matlock when I got older.

Lea School
Pinewood (house on the right)
Dethick church
Bus stop at Common End

Did another longish walk in the evening too, which helped me sleep better. Netflix is my salvation. Enjoying The Stranger now…

Leon and Lily, Preswylfa St, Cardiff 22 March 2020

First an update on Mum: she‘s had a settled day and was drinking a cup of tea when I phoned at 5 this evening. She hasn’t had a huge appetite today but has eaten something. Still had a cough and a temperature.

Leon and Lily have settled in at my house in Cardiff. Think they’re the best off of all of us.

Today they drove 45 minutes out of Cardiff and climbed Pen y Fan.

Jack, Sevilla – March 21st – Day 6 of the Quarantine

Today we said our tearful goodbye to Michi as he left for Colombia. It’s been a surreal experience for all of us and he will be sorely missed.

The rest of the day was fairly chilled. The Argentenians made us Canelones for lunch which hit the spot nicely.

After a fairly boozy few nights I was ready for a chilled night so I shut myself away for the evening with Netflix, videogames and some podcasts.

Hours Worked: 0

Netflix Summary: The Shield (1 episode) Narcos Mexico (1 episode) White Gold (1 episode) Ultra

Albums Listened to: Amy Winehouse – Back to Black, J Hus – Common Sense, The Fall – The Infotainment Scan, Bjork – Debut

Juliet, Netherlea Cottage, Holloway, 22 March 2020

The hospital phoned back last night. Mum has been swabbed for coronavirus and put into a side ward. They’re treating her as though she’s got Covid until her results come through, which will be Tuesday at the earliest. I just phoned the hospital (8 am) and she’s had a settled night.

I’ve been visiting Mum daily so I think I’d better self-isolate now until we get the result, which won’t be until Tuesday at the earliest. Awful because it’s Mother’s Day today and dad’s birthday tomorrow and looks like I can’t safely see either of them 😩.

Just seen that Boris too has told us not to visit our mothers. It’s very hard because Mum has been so reliant on seeing a familiar face, if only for a short time once a day.

Friends who are having virtual parties and enjoying the novelty of isolation, don’t forget your oldies who can’t use social media. Help them if you can by dropping off food, prescriptions and newspapers.

Anyway, being holed up in Netherlea Cottage ain’t so bad and I can walk for miles in the countryside. Plus the weather’s nice and I have plenty of food, gin and Netflix.

Suddenly got very interested in how others survived things like this and downloaded Daniel Defoe’s Journal of the Plague Year and Eyam: Plague Village by David Paul. Might drive over to visit Eyam as it’s nearby. Its inhabitants self-isolated to stop the plague spreading.