As retired and “aged” local residents of 80 and 76 we would just like to say a little about our life since the Virus. From the start of lockdown we kept to the Stay Home rule without fail. We both like listening to music of all types and the repeats of comedy on the radio. My husband misses Sport on TV but we are fortunate to have a large garden and so we have been able to work in it as exercise and recreation.

The weather has been kind and so there have been only a few days when we did not want to be outside. As we have a pavement outside our fence that leads to the Downs we have been able to chat with people about their ways of dealing with the current situation. Thus, although in isolation, we are fortunate to be in touch with others, social distancing, of course.

The local people formed groups to offer their help and mobile phone numbers that we can contact for errands and fortunately very early in the crisis I had an email from Waitrose offering me, as a valued and vulnerable person, the opportunity to order my shopping on line. I had not shopped on line before but within minutes I became an “on-line shopper” and have had a delivery every week. This has pleased me as I can feel independent, not dependent on others who are helping so many. When my delivery arrives I am extremely cautious to wash all packaging and remove bags and containers. My shopping habits have been changed forever and I have since obtained other household items onlinefor the home. We also have regular deliveries from the local butchers.

As we are both from large families we have had lots of phone calls to keep in touch and we make sure we call and check friends and family. We both had our childhood during and just after the war. The problem then was not how to access food but to actually be able to obtain it because of great shortages and indeed rationing. Parents could only get their food allowance using Ration Books. The Toilet roll crisis amuses us as we grew up having squares of newspaper strung onto a skewer as the standard !!!!

We feel sorry for the school children but feel there have been some good lessons learned for some by being at home and taking part in domestic routines, including our grandchildren. We miss them terribly, no cuddles or hugs, but technology allows us to keep in touch as much as we want to. When we grew up we did not have the joy of having a phone and contact was by letter writing, so conversation and arrangements took quite a while.

Until 18th May we stayed locked in but then we went for a walk in the field behind us. It was interesting to see how Nature was thriving and had changed since before the Virus. On the 26th of May we took our first steps on the pavements around the streets nearby and observed the changes in other people’s gardens. Life has changed for us but we feel that if we observe the rules weare doing the best we can for all including of course our dedicated NHS.

By Jacque and Brian, May 2020

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