BeeC

Hi there, I’m doing ok thanks. Never used to go out much due to disability so I’m quite used to staying home. Not much different for me. I go out a couple of times a week with my daughter. I guess I’m lucky as she’s having to work from home so I have her here with me. Must admit I don’t enjoy the queuing up to get into shops tho - that’s painful at times. Went for a wander in a country park a few miles away, and found a clearing in amongst the trees with a bench. Sat for a while and was amazed by the amount of robins and jays that popped by. Was peaceful and tranquil even though the M4 was right behind us. Sounds like you’re doing a good job helping others on the community site - but you must remember to look after yourself first. Why don’t you take some time out for an hour or two and do something you enjoy? A stroll, or a bit of gardening if that’s your thing. You do need a break from constantly being there for others. I help to care for my neighbour who is 81 and is housebound so can’t get out at all. She calls day and night, mostly because she’s lonely. I’m always there for her, on the phone or in person. But at times I have to say I’m having some time out and will be here in an emergency but otherwise I’ll be in the garden relaxing without my phone. She understands. I can always hear the phone through the window but at times I need to take that time out for me. I used to teach adults but had to give it up due to illness in Dec 2018. I loved the job and was sad to go but couldn’t physically cope with it any longer. I spend my time in the garden, watching tv and listening to music. I like doing crosswords and playing word puzzles. I love football and can’t wait for my teams return on the 20th June. What do you like to watch on TV? Are you a football fan? If so which team do you follow? Bee

Hi Soulman, Very sad reading your post. Hope you are coping as well as you can in the current situation. What have you been doing with your time in lockdown? Bee

Hi Brenda, My apologies - I have just seen your response, more than a week after you sent it! Are we supposed to get a notification when someone replies - I’ve no idea! But thank you for replying, so nice of you. I’ve ‘eard of that there ‘Eywood up in Lancashur, don’t think I’ve been there but have been to Preston and Blackpool a few times! The land of ‘want a brew?’ and bacon barms! I enjoyed reading your message, the writing and the books written - well done you, that’s brilliant. My daughter is trying to get me to write my autobiography, but wouldn’t know where to start really, and who would want to read that? She keeps insisting and even bought me a book on ‘how to write your first book!’ Telling me now it’s part of her history too so I should do it (ever feel like you’re under pressure via guilt?) The gardening - well! Have since decided to re-do the garden and Darryn the fella we used to chop down the jungle last year is coming back to re-turf it and give me some strips down the side for pots of plants etc. I can’t really plant them as I have a disability and can’t bend down to tend them. My daughter decided to grow tomatoes and chillies! She deseeded one of each and we now have tomato plants growing! Something she learnt from her Nanny when she was around 6 years old! They’ve sprouted and she’s very pleased. This has now turned into a flurry of seed hunting and planting. So I’m sure we’ll have everything sorted by the time the garden is finished! I’m watching her closely and picking up tips, Nanny must have taught her well because she looks like she knows what she’s doing (either that or she’s secretly googling or asking Alexa!) Nice to meet a fellow female foot fan! Being an East End girl I LOVE West Ham. The Claret & Blue draws me in and I’m hooked! The sounds, the sights, the feel of Matchday... that hope of winning, seeing my team score and celebrate as almost 60,000 fans sing, shout and yell with absolute pride... ooh I love being a season ticket holder, but missing g it all so much. It’ll be a long time before we can get back to the stadium that’s for sure. Nice to hear you’re a Citeh girl when you’re supporting Manchester. I love their ground - it’s fantastic for me. Can’t walk far so to be able to get parking and literally step from my car and walk a few steps to the stand is amazing. Plus I quite like Citeh. There’s not too much friction between our fans and the banter on match day is great. Plus, we were lucky to get Pablo Zabaleta a couple of seasons ago. He’s such a nice guy. Sad he’s going to retire at the end of this season, but I’m sure he’ll go back to Citeh to work with the team. He’s adored in both teams and gets a fantastic reception when we play Man City. Great to read about your train hobby. I don’t think it’s sad at all! Sounds like you really enjoy it too so be proud of it. And look at all the skill and patience you must have to work on the bits and pieces! And your knowledge of the subject sounds very broad. That’s something you could teach to others who are interested in the hobby. Isn’t it annoying when people do that ‘talking to the male’ when discussing something a woman ‘shouldn’t be doing!’ Drives me mad. I get it a lot... that I shouldn’t be running my football groups on social media! Only thing I can say to those people is ... *raspberry!’ Shouldn’t make any difference! Sorry to hear you lost your hubby, hard times eh? But I’m sure he’s peeping over your shoulder reminding you you’re only as old as you feel (28 I think you said haha) and the time warp continues to go on! We held a socially distancing tea party for our now 81 year old neighbour yesterday. Only 6 of us (sticking to the rules!) but was a nice afternoon, and she loved it. We have a giggle with her and often tease her that her hospital bed in her living room only has metal bars on it so she can handcuff people to it in bed! So we gave her a set of handcuffs and a feather boa to help her out! She roared with laughter! We do tease her and she whinges that we wind her up but secretly she loves the attention. We also got her a Kindle Fire Tablet and need to teach her how to ‘video call’ us. She gets very lonely and we’ve noticed on the days we can’t get to see her she always has a bad day the next day. We’re hoping even if we can’t get over there we can see her every day via video, and it gives us the chance to see how she physically is too. A good investment I think. She was over the moon when we said it had Alexa - I can only imagine the conversations they’ll have! We also rounded off the party by giving her some space dust which pops in your mouth. Was expecting her to go mad but she went into a kind of trance, staring into space and just listening to the pops and feeling them explode in her mouth! She looked up and said ‘Oh isn’t it lovely! It’s all fizzy in my mouth‘ She had some in her hand which had got sticky, my daughter passed her a wet wipe to clean it but she said ‘Oh no! I don’t want that!’ and popped the rest in her mouth and drifted off to space again. We was laughing so much as she innocently looked round, saying ‘I’ve never had this before. It’s lovely. They didn’t have it when I was young..’ Was a lovely afternoon and we rounded it off with fish and chips for her tea. Strange how little things can please someone so much. If I’d known a 10p packet of space dust would do it I could have saved £75 on the tablet and case Hope you’re a safe and well Brenda, and keeping busy in these strange times. What have you been up to to keep the boredom away in lockdown? I actually took myself off to the kitchen to make bread pudding one day. Was told it ‘didn’t taste like Nan’s but it’s ok I suppose!’ I’ll take that! I hate cooking Take care Bee

Thanks Pat, it all feels a bit surreal sometimes doesn’t it? Since my daughters been working from home things really do feel different. Have been out a few times as the driver, and the roads have been deserted. It’s lovely to just poodle along at my own pace, no traffic around me. We do the clapping, I take myself (very slowly) across the road and stand the 2m away from my 80 year old neighbour. We do the clap together, then off she goes in again til next week. You stay safe too - a be alert as we are being told

Thank you - and for all your help getting it here