If I had to choose one word to describe the last week, it would be "apathy". I'm totally lacking any motivation or enthusiasm for anything, feeling just tired. Sick and tired of the lockdown, and everything it represents.
On a positive note, a friend helped us to find more information about the Harris family (our Graveyard project). We discovered that Frank Edward Harris (the name on the gravestone which I showed in Photo diary a couple of weeks ago) was closely related to people who lived in our house.
The Windrush is still pretty high, and you can see the flood protection sandbags in the Bridge Street outside the front doors. This is too close to us for comfort.
Eddie and I walked around the old Witney Mill complex to check out the floods. The lower part of the bridge is completely under water.
We baked a chocolate fudge cake (baking was one of the homeschooling tasks in the last week).
Eddie wanted to decorate it as a castle with turrets, but we couldn't find big marshmallows to put under cones to make towers. We also cheated a bit and used a ready-made frosting. The turrets look more like witches' hats.
A fox in the snow - photo taken from the house in the evening.
Nothing like a pitiful smattering of snow we've got in the garden today, so much for the Beast from the East. Very disappointing Beast.
I spent most of Friday, reading Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift. It's not often that I read a book in one day, but that's what I did.
It's the end of the humankind after the big pandemic story. The main character is a woman who believes she's the only survivor in this apocalyptic world. There are some pretty revolting graphic visuals of the death from the virus in agony, families committing suicides, rotting corpses, etc.
I would not recommend it to anyone who's lost someone in the current pandemic, as it will be too triggering.
It made me think that publishing this book now (the author claims the idea of the book was born before covid) is not the most sensitive thing. The main character is also very dismissive of the covid, which again is rather heartless (and I do understand the difference between the opinions of the character and the author).
To many people who have lost their loved ones in the current pandemic, it might appear that their grief is irrelevant or diminished.
Saying that, I found the book gripping and thought-provoking. Have you read it? What did you think?
Snowdrops and crocuses are already in bloom in the garden, not yet at full force, but give it another week or so, and the ground will be carpeted with the white and purple.
One of orchids in the kitchen began to bloom as well.
I am sick of the lockdown too and the home schooling but it's for the best to keep us safe.
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool you are finding out more about the Harris family.
Eek! That is worrying about the flooding.
That cake looks fab! Yum! Yum! x
Thank you, Kim! I keep finding little snippets on the Harris family from the books on Witney, really fascinating.
DeleteAt the first lockdown I was joking that it is like living under communists (as in the 80s in Romania), but it gets too much indeed, especially as it could all be so much better if people would just wear a mask and wash their hands. Even today there are plenty of people who do not wear a mask or they have their masks underneath their noses. I am not even talking about parties and so on.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I'm puzzled by the whole baking as a school task thing. It must be my upbringing and what I learned in school that makes me resistant to the idea of cooking as a task instead of cooking as quality time with one's parent.
Love the photos from Russia; the fox is gorgeous and the lake picture is hilarious.
I'm not sure about the book. I know someone who died of COVID, but, at the same time, I know someone much younger (and closer to me) who died of cancer, as she was not able to get treatment fast due to COVID (not in UK). Dismissing the pandemic is how things got worse in reality, but, of course, it depends on how she is presenting the situation in the book. I don't think I would want to read it though.
Thank you, Anca, the amount of people flouting the rules is incredible. I often see couples and whole families shopping together. As for the baking lessons, I think they just want kids and parents to do something together as a project. When I was at school, we had food tech lessons, which I enjoyed very much, especially the eating after the cooking bit. :)
DeleteI will probably write a longer review of the book, as there were many things I wanted to say about it.
Blimey that water is high. Our orchid is doing well too at the moment but no sign of any of our bulbs springing into life just yet #365
ReplyDeleteThat water is high. I keep looking at our river saying please stay low! I'm not sure I could have read that book. I'm avoiding all pandemic type films. It's bad enough living it. I'm the same with autism related films as they make me sad. Love the fox photo. My little lady is obsessed with them but we are yet to see a local one #365
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about films with characters who have autism. I wept all the way through the Australian film The Black Balloon. Also the old film Mercury Rising with the autistic child, god, that set me off totally too, especially that the boy looks so much like my son when he was younger.
DeleteWe live near a river but have a train track between us and it so hopefully that would keep flood waters away if the water level got too high. Great bake! #project365
ReplyDeleteI have not read the book, but agree with you. I think some make not be happy with it. Wow that river I hope it subsides too. We were disappointed with the amount of snow not even enough to build a snowman. Our orchids are doing well I do wonder if I should attempt to repot them.
ReplyDeleteThat flood looks nasty!! That cake that he did looks so nice.. hope u guys enjoyed it... swimming is forbidden sign on a snowy place does sound funny..shahira
ReplyDeleteI am fed up of lockdown too, fingers crossed it won't be for too much longer. We have had some flooding here too but the river levels are now dropping. How cute is that fox in the snow
ReplyDeleteWe are feeling the same too, it just seems to be going on forever. I do hope that things start to change soon. The chocolate fudge cake looks amazing. Hopefully we can do some baking this week, cake is good at cheering us up at the moment.
ReplyDeletelol at the no swimming sign. I've watched Groundhog day recently, it does date with the music and technology but the story line still works well. Wow I wouldn't fancy having to rely on protecting my home from flooding with sandbags, hope it's gone down now
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