09/01/21
Saturday dawns a bright and sunny morning. A very slight frost is around but it is a glorious day. Ian decides we need to do a big walk. We are missing our running but it’s too cold, I think it will be ok once we get started but its bad enough starting out on a walk with several layers, hat, scarf and gloves, perish the thought of just running gear.
We start off relatively early to avoid the weekend walker rush, and only really meet a few other walkers and er runners. Up through the vineyard to start, I love this walk at all the different times of the year, great views and it’s a treat to be able to walk through a vineyard, well we don’t have the beach so we have to try to compete with the coast dwellers and the fabulous beach pictures that get posted on FB. We are puffing a bit once we get to the top, that’s not good as we are only at the start. Into Pump Lane, our nursery running route, and take a left past the 3 Horseshoes and over the road. Mud, mud and more mud, I am not amused. Herman Munster springs to mind as I have so much mud on my boots, I can hardly lift my feet let alone walk. Once through the field and onto the footpath we are scraping the excess off our boots when 2 runners trot past us with barely a fleck of mud on them, nice day for a walk they say. Have you just run across that field I ask? yes comes back the reply as they disappear into the distance. I think they must know a secret way over unless they have special mud repellent running gear.
We wend our way down a footpath, I have never been along here before and am enjoying the new surroundings although I fear we are getting quite a way from home. We are now over the other side of Marlow Bottom and enter in Munces wood, we see a Woodpecker, several Redwings and lots of Blue and Great Tits. Loads of little birds making the most of the warm sunshine and abundance of berries.
Circling round the wood we follow the route and I am amazed at how steep the hill is going back down into Marlow Bottom, this backs on to gardens and in places is a sheer drop. I tread carefully and take my time; I don’t want to be hurtling down there any time soon.
We cross the road and head up the footpath on the other side of M Bottom, the climb here is steep and we are puffing again, we have had some good cardio exercise today despite not running. Once out of the woods we are at the top of Oak Tree road and only a few minutes from home. A lovely cup of coffee and Ian cooks us some Tortellini for lunch. The Stay Inn is opening at 3 so we had better get ourselves sorted. Not a cloud in the sky and the dreaded C word has been forgotten for a few hours at least.
Monday 11th.
Max is in need of a few groceries, so we have to venture into Marlow to Sainsburys. It was
very quiet, at last the residents of Marlow realise that they are not immune or excused from the virus or the rules. Max is still up and down but I think showing some signs of recovery. He is eating a little bit more and it’s a case of finding him a treat to tempt him. Today we bought him some Hot Cross buns and he had eaten one by the time we had got home.
He now admits how ill he felt and at one stage could not walk in a straight line, he also said that feeling ill for such a long time and being isolated made him feel desperate and a couple of times very down indeed. We are hoping that he will be able to get out from tomorrow, just for a bit of a walk and some fresh air.
I manage only about an hour in the garden as it is howling a gale although a bit warmer, so admit defeat and go indoors and bake a cake.
Matt Hancock delivers todays daily briefing.
Vaccine roll out is well underway, but I don’t think it is happening in Marlow yet, despite it being advertised that it would be available from the 4th Jan.
2.6 vaccines have been administered to 2.3 million people. Even if you have had the vaccine you must continue to adhere to the rules. Talking to my brother about the vaccines and the variants he did not allay my concerns by saying that there are a lot of ifs and buts around all of them at the moment and the worry is that if won’t be effective against the variants, as they could mutate faster than the vaccine can keep up with them.
Average deaths over the last week were 926 a day. We are at the worst stage of the pandemic so far. Further action of toughening lockdown is not being ruled out at this stage.
The new mantra is Act like you have the virus.
Having said that the rate of Infection in North Marlow is slowing down, In south Marlow it is increasing! The rate of infection is also decreasing where my brother lives, but the interactive map of the Government website is all dark blue or worse. West coast of Scotland and the Isle of Mull look like the place to be.
Tuesday 12th.
Listening to the radio, having a vaccine does not necessarily mean that you won’t get the virus. You can still get it but should have limited symptoms and the risk of a serious case or hospitalisation is greatly reduced. We have been warned that certain changes to our way of life will be with us for a long while and mask wearing might become a way of life for a long time. Also, they do not know at the moment if having the vaccine stops transmission of the virus.
Debates continue around people not having the 2nd jab as early as originally planned, more people can have some element of protection by having a single dose than people getting the 2nd dose. Again, this is all suck it and see as it is all unknown territory.
I managed to get out of bed this morning and have a little run, felt extremely exhilarated afterwards. There were no people around and very little traffic too, the weather has warmed up, so I was pleased I made the effort as it felt so good afterwards.
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