Monday 21 December 2020

21st December - Advent Photo + Thinking About Isolation

Yesterday I delivered the Christmas hamper to my Sister in Law  H. (Colin's sister) and her husband S.. They have been seriously isolating and  shielding since March. S has a condition which requires him to take tablets to suppress his immune system and luckily H has been able to work from home all this time. Lucky also that they live up a long lane in a old farmhouse with space and land all around to walk.
I was able to have coffee with them outside in the summer but since the colder weather haven't seen them. I knocked on the door and put the hamper on the doorstep when the door was opened, they stood well back with S at least 15 feet  away. I felt intrusive and it's difficult to have a conversation when they are standing so far away and living in a different world. What they are doing is understandable but I wonder what's it like to be so worried?
Although there are many things I used to enjoy doing that haven't happened this year I've not been scared of going out, shopping, swimming, library van etc.Trying to keep things as normal as possible, while being careful and hopefully getting back to real normal whenever that's possible. Will people who've been shut away ever feel brave/safe enough to return to the world? H & S aren't old - they are both younger than me by several years so hopefully with the roll out of vaccines they will be able to return to all the things they liked doing.
 
As for the new tiers......it was pretty obvious after the November lockdown that the 5 days of Christmas "permission to go crazy" wouldn't actually happen so why are people so surprised? and I'm now sure that there will be a harder lock-down through January - with brexit looming and still no deal there will be lots of fresh food missing from the supermarket shelves anyway, so it won't matter if we aren't allowed out as there'll be nothing to buy  !!
 
Deep rooted Suffolk common sense and English stoicism  says that I don't react to things beyond my control but just get on with life as it is, whatever.

Anyway back to Christmas books in Advent......................

 This is the most recent acquisition to my Christmas books, another small book with not many pages. I found it in the Home-Start charity shop in Eye when they re-opened after the November lock-down. Books by Susan Branch, a well known author and illustrator in the US are rarely seen this side of the Atlantic and they are a bit twee.



This book is printed using a very small handwriting type of font, makes it difficult to read but her illustrations are pretty.



 

Today for the Winter Solstice I shall be going out for some Holly and Ivy and with Rosemary and Bay from the garden I'll decorate the house to symbolize the turn of the Wheel of the Year.

Back Tomorrow
Sue

 

31 comments:

  1. So glad that the Home Start Charity is still going! Yes, I share your concern for those who are shielding and quite cut off from real human contact.

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    1. Yes Home Start is still going.The Eye shop is nice and close to me. Their shop in Stowmarket where I helped for a while has had to close but they now do really well selling on ebay and have an office and a staff member who runs the ebay shop.

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  2. As you say, maybe a bit twee, but very attractive and inviting as well. Happy Winter Solstice to you. xx

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    1. A pretty little book with Very Christmassy illustrations. I'd like to see some of her more biographical books but they cost a fortune in this country

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  3. Such a pretty book.
    Yes it's the Winter Solistic and i have been 3 years in my little home. So much has happened in those three years, my stroke, my Son and B-in-L have cancer, my GD joined the police and my D changed jobs, I have crocheted 6 big blankets and loads of smaller ones, but people and life is still good.
    Thank you Sue for your blog and the enjoyment I get from it.
    Hazel c uk 🌈🌈🌈

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    1. It's frightening what can change in a few years and we have to go along with the changes and cope as best we can.
      I'm glad you like reading - I'll keep writing

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  4. Yes, hard as it all is for us,it must be terrible for people shielding. I just hope the roll-out of the vaccine means they feel safer venturing out. Good that you got to see your SIL and BIL, even if it was distanced. These are certainly strange times. xx

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    1. Strange and unsettling times indeed. Hope there is hope for some normality sometime next year

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  5. I follow Susan Branch's blog - twee indeed, but it has been comforting this dreadful year.

    Keith and I are still shielding as much as we can - we don't stand 15 feet away from people though (and Keith at times has to be told he's been too close to people). We went out a little bit when things were safer here at the back end of summer, but now outings are very limited. It's just been the Tip and Charity Shops to offload stuff, our little community-run PO and shop and occasional wanders round Llandeilo, mostly window-shopping. Numbers are the highest they've knowingly been in Carms now so we take no chances.

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    1. Because hospital numbers for Ipswich are lumped in with North Essex hospital in Colchester we don't really get the truth about about Suffolk. I don't like the sound of the virus mutation - worrying

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  6. Well I only food shop and the people in my local town seem to shield well. As you say it has left many of us worrying about something so simple as going out to shop. I don't mind being 'solitary' keeping in touch with family and friends by phone or over the net.

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    1. I've never seen anyone without masks in shops but Asda was very busy as they seem to have stopped limiting numbers which seems a bit odd

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  7. Yes, I am isolating but not to the degree that your SiL and BiL are. I am becoming a bit of a recluse, not needing or wanting to go out, telephone consultations with health officials, having my GP visit me at home because I am down as high risk and vulnerable. I became more relaxed with the second lockdown with visits from my hairdresser and chiropodist and of course looking after our grand-daughter again. I don't refer to now as strange, I think of it as unfamiliar as we are all having to change our ways of living.

    A lovely book with beautiful illustrations.

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    1. I was pleased to find this little book to use for these advent posts, otherwise I wouldn't have had enough for every day!

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  8. What a nice happy little book, Sue. And hooray for common sense.

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    1. I hope I have enough common sense to get through

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  9. The saddest part is that it has become political for many and they lose sight of the reality of the unknowns and being together in this in thought and deed. It is wet here today. I shall go out later but what a contrast to yesterday's blue sky and sunshine.

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    1. Wet We Wet here too - I got holly in the rain - mad!

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  10. Not reacting to things beyond your control and getting on with life sounds like a very wise attitude.

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    1. I'm trying as hard as possible to cope with everything that we are going through otherwise I could just sink out of sight!

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  11. Common sense and stoicism are very grounding in troubled times. I've often wondered this year if relentless anxiety isn't playing a role; the human body isn't designed to handle large scale stress and isolation. On this Winter Solstice day, and my youngest's birthday, I wish you a very Merry Christmas, Sue! The holiday will be as good as we each make it. In spite of everything.

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  12. You are quite right to not react to those things beyond your control. I feel a sadness from seeing how this affects so many and of course we are all so very tired of it and want life to go back to normal. I am hoping we will see life return to what it was once enough people are able to get the vaccine.

    I know your home will be lovely with all the greenery! Happy Winter Solstice Sue!

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  13. I admire your stoicism, Sue, and wish you a peaceful and happy Christmas. Hoping that we will all have a very much more sociable year (eventually) in 2021. X

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  14. I will be sharing Christmas with just my wife!, the first time since don't no when. Will Skype kids and partners on the day but life will continue as it has for much of the year. We are in their 4 so mean online deliveries, regular walks and stay at home. Divorce never an option but murder still on the table :-)

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  15. I love your “deep rooted Suffolk common sense and English stoicism” – I’m sure it helps a lot when it comes to facing life full on.

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  16. I 'slightly' follow the Susan Branch blog; she does a very long post every couple of weeks but, as you say, the writing is so hard to read.

    I'm one of those who is shielding and takes immunosuppressants. We have been out a few times to places like beaches with very few people, but I haven't been to a shop or cafe since March. At the moment it is really, really tough as I can't visit my father who has cancer. He's reasonably well at the moment, but if I caught covid the consequences would be disastrous. Telephone and zoom it is, hoping I can have the vaccine. Cheerful blogs like yours are great to keep us all going!

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  18. I have that book -- I love her illustrations. Her work really is very sweet. Sending all good wishes for a beautiful Christmas week. I hope you will be able to stay home and stay well and have a lovely holiday.

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  19. What a lovely book. A great addition to your collection.

    God bless.

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  20. It is going to be so hard for H and S to get 'back to normal' if any of us ever do. Like you I just take things as they come and get on with them to the best of my ability. When I do have to travel between areas for work I literally limit my contact with anyone to minute interactions and always with masks and safe distancing. We have to do our best for ourselves and for others and just simply get on with things within our local rules. Although it's been hard for me following the rules for two countries of the UK that differ so much and both change so regularly.

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