Thursday 19 March:

Yesterday evening, it was announced in parliament that all UK schools would be closing on Friday (tomorrow) for the foreseeable future (and all exams cancelled)… and that children shouldn’t be left with “older grandparents or older relatives”… so it seems that Rosa has now left primary school! Spent a little time in the morning drawing some ‘old tulips’ in the living room (before they finally gave up the ghost)… and also took the opportunity to listen to Nick Drake’s “Five Leaves Left” album. I hadn’t heard it for ages… and it was rather lovely.

Rang my pharmacy enquiring about getting my prescriptions delivered. It took absolutely ages to get through (which was entirely understandable) and they explained that, at the moment, they only had one driver to serve all their Bristol stores. For the time being at least, they’ve asked for neighbours or relatives to call in to collect.

Another walk after lunch… we’re so lucky to have the harbourside on our doorstep (and also Ashton Court and Leigh Woods – but they’re a little bit further out of town and Moira would probably struggle a bit, so they probably won’t be part of our regular ‘circuit’).

My friend Kathie Smart shared this post (see image) on facebook this morning and I just found it encouraging and hopeful.

Last week, I started to watch some of our old DVDs (‘Once’, ‘Amelie’, ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ and ‘The Darjeeling Limited’); this afternoon I watched ‘The Railway Children’ (I know!)… I cried, of course – I always cry at the “Daddy, my Daddy” bit – these days probably because it brings to mind how Ruth, Hannah and Alice always used to watch ME instead of the film at that stage for full entertainment!