Third Coranavirus blog

Back in March if anyone had asked me when to expected the end of Coronavirus Pandemic I would have happily answered in about three months at the most. How wrong I was! Yet the light at the end of the tunnel was definitely visible by mid -May when numbers of confirmed cases and those dying of the virus were on a decline and some of the strict lockdown rules lifted giving the impression that control of the disease was clearly on the road to recovery, and eventually normality. During the following summer months we experienced some wonderful unusually warm and sunny weather, looking back now I realise just how lucky I was to experience some of the most enjoyable days of the entire year. Fortunately for me, most weekends of the those lazy, hazy days of summer were spent staying in a friend’s large house near Sedlescombe in East Sussex surrounded by fields and tall swaying pine tree. The other attraction was the reasonably sized heated swimming pool and more than anything I enjoyed early morning swims which suited my karma perfectly. Nearby Sedlescomble had two public tennis courts where we could play tennis from time to time, and even a golf course but I never bothered to bring my golf clubs only my tennis racket. This is where I spent many an idyllic summer’s day swimming and sunbathing, meeting friends and generally enjoying life –  seemingly the horrors of the pandemic were a million miles away which retrospectively did me the world of good and looking back now I realise how extraordinarily lucky I was given the circumstances we were living in. What better way to spend summer months?

Once tennis clubs and golf courses opened, I was happy to return to London to play tennis at Queen’s Club and golf at Richmond Park despite strict social distancing rules although initially booking tee times at Richmond Park were hopelessly oversubscribed as so many furloughed workers, most of whom had been imprisoned in flats and houses without gardens for nearly two months, and the freedom play golf in open spaces proved irresistible and probably why tee times were in such high demand. I didn’t even bother attempting to book a tee time on line, (it took well over half an hour anyway and in the end proved an unnecessary nightmare), but as demands decreased, booking tee times became easier and about two weeks later I finally played my first round of 18 holes on Richmond Park Golf Dukes course since lockdown although I did manage a couple of rounds on the 9 hole par 3 course at Dukes Meadow prior to that even though it initially involved re-dialling for around 15 minutes before a live voice eventually answered and a tee time officially booked. Queen’s Club on the other hand opened later despite strict social distancing rules. Initially we were only allowed to play singles with two cans of balls to stop us ‘touching’ opponents balls’! Thankfully this stupid rule soon changed allowing all to play doubles with one can of balls.  After nearly three months of lockdown, being able to freely play these two sports was a sublime experience.

But all good things have to come to an end and by the beginning of September as the warm summer days started getting shorter and changed to the Autumn chill, but the idea that another lockdown was just as remote as it was in February earlier this year. Few realised how near we were to another to lockdown and a month later social distancing rules were once more imposed on our liberties

However, on a cool, rainy day on 2nd September, I drove to Bath to celebrate my sister’s birthday. Celebrations were held in Bathwick Boatman restaurant belonging to her youngest daughter Rosy, my niece. Only 30 attended but food was plentiful and delicious and afterwards we were all regally entertained by various musical  performances by various great nieces and nephews who sang and played various renditions on the guitar but first Rosy read out an amusing ode she had written devoted to my sister, which had us all in fits of laughter. After spending the night  with my eldest niece Penny, around 11 the next morning I left for Sedlescombe, well that’s another story!

More later …