Friday, March 20, 2020

Striking the right note

It's really hard to nail the appropriate tone on here right now. Yesterday I thought being cheerful was the way to go, but as the day wore on I wondered if my cheerfulness sounded complacent and uncaring about the mass of people under huge stress, worrying about their jobs, their future, how they would pay the rent and feed their children, how they would work at home when their children were not at school, and not forgetting the valiant people working in the NHS.

Dave and I have it easy. We have our house and our pensions and we have enough food for now. As long as we can sort out a regular online shop we'll be fine. Dave is being mega-strict about self isolation, which began when I arrived home from America with a sore throat, and then continued with the instruction to 70-pluses to stay at home. I still have the sore throat. I've had it for almost two weeks now and nothing else has developed and I feel quite well. Thankfully we can still go out on our bikes. If that becomes verboten the daily call from Zoe will not be just to say hello, but will be to check we're still happy to be sitting in the same room together and not having running battles throughout the house, pelting each other with Scrabble tiles. 

Yesterday morning I decided to clear out some books I know I'll never read, and then I realised that even if the charity bookshop in Bakewell is still open, I wouldn't be able to take them there, so I gave up.

A friend emailed later to say she'd been to town - where it was so quiet that social distancing was easy - and bought some books and a jigsaw in Waterstones, and it sounded such an exotic trip! That's how self isolating and distancing and hermit-like we are at Hepworth Towers.

I had a nightmare last night in which my sister (who lives 50 miles away) had driven over and walked in the back door and given me a hug, and I was so pleased to see her I forgot about this self isolation business. Then I remembered and said 'Quick! You've got to go! Dave will be back from his bike ride soon!' So she left and I felt mean and sad, and turned around to find one of Mary's daughters in the hall and my other sister and her husband (who live 200 miles away) on the front door step - all people I'd love to see (Yes, Dave, I mean in normal circs - not now, of course!

I tried to go back to sleep but couldn't because my brain decided it would try to think of a catchy title for my new book. I emailed two to myself in the dark without my glasses on. I checked the emails when I woke up. 

One says: 

Hepworth Towers and all who sail in her

The other says:

In which I try not to lose my blob. 

Yes, well.


The high spot yesterday was my FaceTime sax lesson. That worked really well. And Mel got a chance to tell Dave how well I'm doing - like Parents Evening. Who knows? I might become one of those people posting music on YouTube from my sitting room.

For now I'll be knitting in the evenings. I'm using all my odd bits of wool up to make jumpers for tiny refugees. These are my first two, and I'm pleased with them.



How are you all getting along?

7 comments:

marmee said...

Oh I was happy to read something upbeat! Although I keep up with the stuff that is happening I really am seeking out uplifting things as well. I watched a couple of lovely anime movies on Netflix: Only yesterday and My neighbour totoro. Love the beautiful artwork and reverence for the countryside in both movies and personally I keep the japanese soundtrack on so it is even more peaceful with just the bare few words of the subtitles.

Sue Hepworth said...

I’m glad, Marmee. Thanks for telling me. Have a good day!

Anita said...

Enjoying reading your blog at such a difficult time as this! I live just next to the Trans pennine trail near Penistone ( the old Sheffield to Manchester line) and spend a lot of time walking and pushing grandchildrens prams along there. The social distancing has become tricky this last few days though since schools have finished. We await what comes next!!

Sue Hepworth said...

Thank you for saying, so, Anita. It’s so great to hear where you live! I’d love to hear from other blog readers are.
Long may we continue to walk our trails, Anita. They are such a blessing - and even more so right now.

Christine said...

Love the jumpers!

Anonymous said...

Those jumpers are so cheerful (I’m a terrible knitter - my tension is so unreliable and I can’t get excited about it) Glad you are finding things to do - for us as if it were not enough having to keep to close quarters, our son who turns 30 this year has had to move back home, and is unemployed. It was supposed to be in the coming weeks but it has all accelerated this week, so now we are exhausted from driving to and from Worcester (we live in Stourbridge) emptying and cleaning his flat but was finished yesterday. So we have to get used to having him living back home with us and he can’t escape as he has to isolate with us. And we with him. You can probably imagine. I shall now retreat to my sewing room. Its been a long week. So many people have it worse than us so I’m generally upbeat. Your blog helps. Love to all. Jenetta

Sue Hepworth said...

Hi Jenetta, it’s nice to hear from you, but I’m sorry you’ve had a hard week and that the coming one will be hard in other ways..
It’s good you have a sewing room for sanctuary. I hope you will perk up as the tiredness recedes.
And thank you for the nice comment about the blog. X