Into town and back, Worcester: Monday, 8th June, 2020.

Last night's meal in the wok…….

……and divvied up and in the bowls:

Chicken and 8 (count 'em) veg pasta.

Italian food is great!

Dessert:

Mangos, strawberries, and blueberries.

Town is about as busy as it was the last time we 

ventured into it.

David, why are your ears sticking out like that?

Outside the first port of call: Boots.

Customers not wearing masks.

Staff had masks but the one at the till had hers hanging from 

just one of her ears. Not very effective then.

It was quite warm in there having said that.

M&S food dept was even worse. Complete anarchy.

No social distancing and only one or two customers 

in masks. Strangely, in the Mens Dept all customers had masks.

On the way home we bump into 'Elkie'.

Whisper it, but she is not Vicky's favourite local.

Three cygnets on their own on Gheluvelt Park brook.
Where are the rest of the family?

Mum and the other four cygnets are about 250 metres
further up-stream near the pond.
Can you spot the Dad?

Vicky feeds them some oats.
Mum's not keen but the cygnets quite like it.
They all prefer swan food pellets but until the
Pump House re-opens we can't buy any.

Why Dad is up on the bridge is anyone's guess.

We've all heard the expression 'linear family'
but this one is taking it to extremes.
There's at least 250 metres between them all.
Still, Mum and Dad must know what they are doing
'cos all 7 cygnets have survived so far.

Finally, it's good to see that the bumble bees now have more
than just blackberry bushes to get their nectar fix.

Evening meal:
Beef slice with new potatoes, peas, carrots and broccoli.

Dessert:
Strawberries.

Dodging the afternoon showers, Worcester: Saturday, 6th June, 2020.

Brunch (cooked by David, Vicky isn't 

doing any cooking today):

boiled eggs with wholemeal bread and butter.

Vicky wants this kept a secret from any other locals 

on our walks - this one is her favourite.

We could be here for some time.

Not many bees on the blackberry bush now.

Most of the nectar must have been devoured.

On the way back home and Vicky's favourite 

gets a fuss from an olde balding fella.

Evening meal:
Sirloin steak, peas, mushrooms, tomatoes,
salad and potato salad.

An evening trip to Sainsbury's in Blackpole.
Very unusual for us to do this but Vicky has a theory that
it will be quieter and there will be some social distancing
in force, unlike last time. So, fingers crossed.

Vicky's been a while.
What will her verdict be?

The good news:
they have tinned ratatouille.
Chicken, rice and ratatouille is back on the menu!
The bad news:
Vicky was the only one wearing a face mask,
there was no social distancing, and there were no
bathroom surface wipes.
So, overall, disappointing and we probably
wont be coming back for some time.

Walk via the Linen Laundry, Worcester: Friday, 5th June, 2020.

It's spat with a few drops of rain but,

in the main, it's sunny and warm……

…….enough to draw the bees outside again.

They are constantly buzzing about as they endeavour 

to save the planet (whilst those of us at the top of the 

food chain buzz about as we endeavour to destroy it).

Collecting our quilt and saying hello 

to Tuco (named after the Ugly one in

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly film starring

Clint Eastwood - in case you were wondering).

Afternoon cake baking:

Apple and sultana loaf.

Evening meal:
Roasted Mediterranean vegetables with roasted
chicken strips.

Walk via the Post Office, Worcester: Thursday, 4th June, 2020.

First in the queue to get in (not to get to 

the counter) so not too bad.

Still took about 10 mins to buy some stamps tho'.

Vicky tempting a squirrel with some nuts.

Mmmmmm, M&S almond you say.

Lovely. I'm gonna eat that one straight away.

I'm already looking forward to seeing you here again tomorrow.

Evening meal:
Chicken & vegetable stir fry with brown rice.

Dessert:
Mangoes, raspberries & yoghurt.

Hospital (am) & damp walk (pm), Worcester: Wednesday, 3rd June, 2020.

Just had an ultrasound scan of my aorta. 

Very busy in the hospital. 

Car park full, of course, although it is free at the mo'.

All staff and most patients/visitors wearing face masks.

Not enough hand gel dispensers tho'.

Glad to get away.

Light rain fall throughout the afternoon walk.

Carried an umbrella but hardly used it.

Not a single bee of any sort on the blackberry bush today.

Porridge oats for the ducks in the park.

They don't like it much.

Evening meal:
Sea bass with vine tomatoes, crushed new potatoes,
tender stem broccoli and wilted spinach.

Dessert:
Nectarine, apricot, raspberries, blueberries,
nuts and seeds, with berry yoghurt.

Big Shop (am), Droitwich & Blackpole, & walk (pm), Worcester: Tuesday, 2nd June, 2020.

More traffic on the roads and lots more folk out and about

so it's not surprising that there's a longer queue here this week.

Mask on, trolley wiped down, and ready for battle.

No queue here.

And still no tinned ratatouille anywhere.

So just who are these ratatouille stock pilers then?

If you know who they are - out 'em!

Summer of '76?

Nope. It's the Spring of 2020.

Swan family with 7 cygnets on the river and near the park

(and a kayaker not looking where he's going).

Must be 'our swans then.

Seem to be doing very well (fingers crossed).

Afternoon traffic along Upper Tything is already getting

back to pre-lockdown levels.

We're gonna miss the lockdown.

Evening meal:
Bitsa buffet
(bitsa this, bitsa that).

Not much to report, Worcester: Monday, 1st June, 2020.

Lovely morning (if you like it hot) and there's a

well-disciplined social-distancing queue outside
the  Ombersley Road Post Office.

No problem for us 'cos we're not going in today.

Plenty of flowers in bloom but far fewer bumble 

bees to be seen today.

Evening meal cooking and……..

……in the bowls ready for demolition.
Tuna linguine with lemon, shallots,
spinach, and tomatoes.
Love Italian food.