Tea and buns in the garden. Ongoing arguments about tiers. Christmas shopping. Recycling. Flood barriers. Escapism.

Here in Greater Manchester we continue in Tier 2 of the Covid restrictions, although Mr Johnson is threatening to impose Tier 3. So yesterday we organised a cup of tea and a bun in the garden with our daughter and some of her offspring, just in case we are not permitted to do it for a while. 

It all seems a little excessive where we are, on the very edge of Greater Manchester, but I suppose something must be done. There is apparently serious danger of hospitals being overwhelmed if we do nothing but local mayors are fighting for financial support for the business which may well go under if they are forced to close temporarily right now. Such a complicated time!

When I went to the market in Uppermill on Wednesday I spotted a rather pleasing wooden toy in the window of a shop selling clothes for babies and toddlers. Aha! I thought, a suitable Christmas present for a very small boy. I am aware that this year I will not be out and about in shopping centres picking up odds and ends in preparation for a family celebration that might not even happen this year. So I was pleased to find something for at least one of the small people. But there was no way I would fit it into my bike panniers. However, we walked into Uppermill the next day so that Phil could get his hair cut. (My hair, by the way, remains uncut since before the start of lockdown!) So while he was in the barber’s shop I went present-buying. But it wouldn’t go in my small rucksack and they had no carrier bags of the right size. So they offered to deliver it to the house later. Problem solved! “A lot of our stuff usually goes out by post in boxes”, they told me.

Which brings me to paper and cardboard. Apparently there has been a huge increase in household recycling in some areas of the country during the pandemic. We are all ordering loads of stuff online and it all comes with packaging. Even Phil’s new bike came in a huge cardboard box, which we duly recycled. And we order vitamins and beauty products online, all arriving in cardboard boxes. And we are not alone. 

I read that “8 in 10 English councils reported a rise in the volume of paper, cardboard, plastic and glass being collected since the national lockdown began, according to data from the Local Government Association (LGA).” Paper and cardboard I can understand, but glass and plastic less so. Is it because people are eating and drinking more at home? Or is being at home making people more recycling aware? Who knows?

Some good news: they have been testing flood barriers in Venice and may have found a system to prevent acqua alta. Hurrah! Maybe Venice will continue to be visitable, if we can ever travel freely once more.

Here on the outer edge of Greater Manchester we keep putting all these problems behind us by going off on our family “adventures”. So, as I already said in yesterday’s post, my daughter and I and several of her offspring set off to walk up the hill to Dobcross, planning to go down the other side to a playground and then back along the Donkey Line. As we approached the highest point, Dobcross village centre, one of our party suggested extending our walk to take in Diggle Chippy and a picnic lunch by Diggle duckpond. So we went down the hill by a different route.

We reached the chippy as they were about to close. All they had left was a half portion of chips, a small meat pie and a cheese and onion pie. Well  there were also rag puddings, a North of England delicacy none of our group have a liking for. So we opted for the two pies, the chips (for which there was no charge in the end) and some soft drinks. Fortunately, we also had a box of buns for dessert. Note to self: trips to Diggle Chippy need to be better timed!

So we happily ate a rather reduced chippy-lunch by the duckpond and admired the autumn trees. 

Then we went to a nearby children’s playground to let the small people play for a while - the four year old insisting on taking me on secret paths and the very small person shuffling around in waterproof trousers - until we set off once more for home. Phil, who had been busy at home, met us on the Donkey Line and eventually we had our cup of tea and another bun in the garden.

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!