The Beekeeper of Aleppo

I can recommend this book by Christy Lefteri.Nuri is a beekeeper,his wife an artist.They live in Aleppo until they are forced to flee.
Did anyone see the series Unprecedented on BBC 4?There are 3 x10 minutes playlets filmed during lockdown.Some funny,some poignant.I think there are three episodes.

Common sense prevailed and we did not meet up with the family.Since March 13th I have been in two garden centres and two garage shops to get a paper.All masked and gloved.I have not been in a supermarket or pharmacy or anywhere else.My OH has not been in any .

Yesterday I had a "down" day.It was cold and wet and seemed to go on forever.I am much better today.We have had What's App chats with two of our granddaughters and our daughter..The girls who are 12 and 15!have really got into cooking and baking during lockdown and have really become much closer.We then had a chat with our son in Cambridge and one of his sons.These family chats really perk me up.

Over the last week our county  has only had two or three cases every day.Surely that is easy to track and trace.
A new week coming up .If it warms up friends can visit in the garden.That will be good.
Stay safe.Barbarax

I am a little bit worried....

The last two years I have paid for a private health check up.This year they are not doing it because their nurses are involved with Covid 19 but they did offer a package of tests.They send you a package which contains three phials plus lancets to prick your finger,wipes etc.It arrived yesterday so after lunch we decided to give it a go.I just could not get the blood to flow.Eventually I think I got enough?The instructions were not clear at all.Now I have to wait for the results.Do I really want to know that I have got Type 2 diabetes,liver failure(drinking far too much wine at the moment and the odd g&t),kidney problems and a host of other things.
What do you think?Is it better to know or better to be ignorant when I could die of Covid anyway.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this.
Results in three days,
Barbaraxxxx

Two interesting sites to visit or maybe three!

I know a lots of you are readers.Do you know that the Hay on Wye Literary Festival is on line this year.I have always wanted to go and this year I can.Earlier this afternoon I watched an interview with Maggie O'Farrell.Fascinating.She was talking about her latest book Hamnet which is about Shakespeare's own son Hamnet who died aged 11.Following his death Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.Lots of interesting talks ,readings,interviews etc coming up.People from all over the world were watching.Australia,Peru ,Kenya to name but a few.Have a look.

Another site I have enjoyed visiting is National Gardens Scheme.Virtual tours of many gardens.
It all helps to pass the time.

The third possible visit is to Encyclopedia Britannia which is doing a day by day of what happened in the past on that day.I haven't actually tried it but it has been recommended.

What have I been up to.I am plodding on with my Elizabeth Bradley Bell Pull.I dread doing the background but found I could do it watching TV so I am nearly at the bottom.Another week and it should be finished.I have finished a pair of socks and started another pair using KnitsPots Summer Fun pattern.I got the yarn from Folkstone Habour yarn shop,on Etsy ,and it is lovely.I have read two books by Mike Gayle which I enjoyed.I have read Redhead by the side of the road by Anne Tyler which was ok but not brilliant and I am now reading The Dutch House by Ann Patchett.

Gardening in small doses.I have just had another delivery from J.Parkers with geraniums,Crocosmia and a couple of little shrubs so I need to get busy planting but not until the wind dies down!!!
Hope you are all keeping safe.If you read this just give me a thumbs up please.
Bye for now.Barbaraxx

At long last it is finished.

This has been quite tricky!As you are going round doing petals you just hope they meet up.They did .Phew.The gold metallic bit was hard because the thread kept splitting and knotting. Very frustrating. I have a cross stitch kit to start now.It has been very pleasant sitting in the conservatory stitching,reading,doing crosswords and listening to the radio but I long to get out and meet people.
Our son in law who had a brain tumour removed in February has now been diagnosed with post operative epilepsy and ended back in hospital last Monday,a worry in itself at the moment.He spent one night there and came out with more medication.Good news for him was that he can still have a pint.
Are you finding that situations in the past you coped with are now very stressful?
Stay safe.
Anyone heard from Briony?
Bye Barbaraxxx

Happy Easter?

 I put a question mark by Happy Easter because there will be many sad,bereaved and lonely people today.
I finished this jigsaw last night.Rubbish picture ,I know .It was quite tricky as there are lots of churches.A friend has loaned me two more and I have bought two.It was amazing how many were out of stock.The country has gone jigsaw mad.I finished The Beekeeper of Aleppo and have started Half a World Away by Mike Gayle.I have never read anything by him before .Have you? Any recommendations?

 A photo of my garden and below my shed with bunting and three mandalas on the garage wall. I need to do more.I should have moved the hose pipe!

Keep safe everyone.Barbarax

Greetings from North Wales.

How are you managing?I have certainly settled into this isolation more and trying to have a structure to the day.
Slow start.
Listen to Woman's Hour on Radio 4.
Do Joe Wicks exercises for seniors.(on you tube).
Cup of tea
Lunch.
Watch the daily Welsh update.
Afternoon.Gardening.
Read The Beekeeper of Aleppo at the moment.
Craft.Maybe Blackwork,crochet,knit listening to a cd or the radio.
Tea.
Richard Osmans House of Games.
Maybe Coronation Street.
Jigsaw ( out of stock everywhere now).
TV at 9pm with a glass of wine.

Obviously not every day is the same but the above is a general idea.We have only been out to post things.Printing and paying on line for the postage is easy.
We have sent both our families a Virustatic Shield.This is something new and has been developed on Anglesey in conjunction with Manchester University and protects against viruses.It is like a snood that you pull over your head to cover your nose and mouth and ears.
I also sent them some surgical masks which I bought a month ago.
We also have FFP3 face masks bought in the hardware shop.
I have sent my two granddaughters two cross stitch kits each.I also included some yarn and three crochet hooks and hope they and Sarah will give it a go.Home school finished today for the Easter break so they will have time on their hands.Their dog has had so many walks(an excuse to get out) that he is now refusing to budge!!!

Take care one and all.

I had a blip yesterday...

I felt really sad yesterday and couldn't settle to anything.Anyway I have picked myself up and am feeling more positive.I think I was down because we had had a long phone call with our son.His wife has a coffee shop and a bakery.The coffee shop is obviously shut but the bakery is run off its feet.They are delivering bread etc but the logistics are hard.He was very tired as he had been delivering bread etc and then had to set up an online ordering system.Back to his day job on Monday where he was told his salary will be cut by 20%.So all in all he wasn't very jolly.I take all this on board.OH just takes it on board and says it will pass.
So,I have got up today feeling better.I stayed a bit longer in bed and then listened to Woman's Hour.Then we did the Joe Wicks workout for seniors.It is ten minutes but very good.This afternoon will be pottering in the garden,reading.Amazon have delivered two books which is good.
Hope you are all ok and don't worry if you have a "down" day.I think we will all have them.
Stay safe.Barbarax