WEEK 42 CORONAVIRUS - CHRISTMASTIME... LIFE COMES AND GOES

To say Christmas is cancelled is stretching it a bit.... Christmas has been 'modified'. A new variant of the virus has been identified and its transmission is much greater.  (Scientists are not sure if it is to do with strength or duration of the contagen, i.e. is it 'stronger' or just lasts longer?)  It is interesting to note that other countries have also found mutants, e.g. The Netherlands,  Denmark and South Africa. You don't have to look too far to see the reason: they have labs that can identify genome variations.) The fact remains, however, that viruses mutate and it seems to me this is the way things will always be and we will just have to deal with it... somewhat like the flu virus that comes around every autumn.

The Winter Solstice was this week - a glass of wine to celebrate the event.  As part of Life's Little Pleasures I managed to cut holly with some red berries from our own garden in order to decorate the sideboard.  While out with the secateurs I snipped some bay leaves, rosemary and thyme from the bushes which are still lush at this time of year.  (I do enjoy this 'fruits' of a maritime climate.) The candlesticks are Big Ish's... don't know their story.

Another of Life's Little Pleasures is making my own Christmas presents. Because of Lockdown I just used what I had to hand in terms of fabric for sewing something.  Some shops have been allowed to open at various stages  i.e. 'essential' ones can open e.g. wine merchants but the lady who does sewing repairs and sells thread and other sewing notions has to shut.  (This week Full Lockdown starts on December 26th, no one is going anywhere.)

Here is the result of my handiwork:

I made cushion covers for the 4 grandchildren.  They have pockets on the outside for a book.  I guess they would be called 'book cushions'.

I enjoy getting cards and am quite happy to spend time writing them.  Every year there are fewer and fewer and this year is no exception.  Yes, email contact means many people are dropping the posting of cards and that is fine.  There have been a few deaths, not from coronavirus, but 'natural causes'. Just as an anecdotal observation, no one in our social circle has died from coronovirus and the only people who have contracted the virus that I know of directly are a neighbour and her husband (both taxi drivers). (Yes, friends of friends have had it but that is outwit our circle.)

Life's Sadnesses:  In Canada Carol, my brother's wife, died, not unexpectedly, on December 22.  (A fuller post will be made.)

This is a recent photo of her standing behind her grandson Zack (Kim's son) with my brother Don on the left.