Here’s to Looking Ahead

25.04.20 – Darrell Priestley

You may be wondering how in the present circumstances my blog posts always manage to be so relentlessly upbeat. Good point. Truth is, you don’t know the half of it. If I get fired up about things, I start to write, to work it out of my system, as it were. But as long as Eileen is my editor, you just get the upbeat stuff, and the rest goes in the bin. Which is as it should be.

Continuing the upbeat theme, then, and contrary to some news items you may see, and more than a little online chatter, there have been some brilliant examples of social distancing, but with a friendly flavour. My son, an NHS manager, had a day off from work today, and spent part of it on a countryside walk. While out and about in the Spring sunshine, he observed several instances of groups of friends enjoying their daily exercise together while observing social distancing rules. It is so encouraging to see how people are making the effort to contain the virus and stop transmission, while maintaing the warmth and friendship that they are accustomed to.

To close, a few of the things we are looking forward to when allowed out. In no particular order, they include:

i) Going to a garden centre – I am getting withdrawal symptoms, and chomping at the bit.

ii) Enjoying lunch at King’s Croft with our friends Brenda and Bill.

iii) Calling in at our local, friendly coffee shop, Jolly’s, to catch up with Darren and Alison. I would like to say that everyone is invited, in fact we should probably have a party to celebrate a) their reopening, and b) being allowed to have a party.

iv) Seeing everyone at the Northern Music Academy and teaching in person for the first time in ages.

v) A big, big bike ride. Note: When you go on a big, big bike ride, you need to plan for two key things – a) coffee stops, and b) toilets. Fortunately, you can generally combine the two, but for either one you need cafe’s to be open of course.

vi) Going on a picnic. Quite frankly, I’m not too fussed where, but in the meantime it’s picnics in the back garden or, on rainy days, picnics in the living room.

vii) Going to the museums in York.

These next three are big ones:

viii) Hugs with the family.

ix) Grandchildren coming to sleep.

x) Getting the whole family round our table for dinner

Why not let everyone know what you are most looking forward to? Send your thoughts to us at the usual email address.