JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR

The first Sunday morning ride since the lockdown and I met with my 80 year old cycling buddy, also an ebike user due to health problems. We usually meet on a Sunday either at a cafe in Hamstreet or one in Appledore and, after coffee and toast, ride out together over Romney Marsh. At a convenient place we split up he returning to New Romney and I to Ashford.

Cafes are now a no-no, but we still met at Hamstreet and sat on a bench (at each end, to preserve "social distancing") by the village green, having each brought a flask and food. Munching a banana/jam sandwich it was just like "elevenses" breaks in the old Cyclists' Touring Club (we are both life members) club run days of some 65 years ago.

Luckily it was dry, but we would not have been out anyway if it was raining. Whilst we so sat a woman, who we both recognised as a regular Cosy Kettle Cafe customer walked over the green, holding a takeout cup of coffee and sat at a nearby bench. She also recognised us and on greeting said, "the cafe is still open for takeaways if you want a cup of coffee and a slice of cake". We said we were a self preservation society, thank you. "I need to get out amongst others since my husband died a while ago, so it is good to be able to still go the the cafe, even if I can't sit there and chat to people", she said - from a safe distance.

The cold wind began to make itself apparent on our backs after a while so we shouted our goodbyes and "Marsh meandered" away. Around Hamstreet (which is just off the Marsh) primroses were absolutely prolific, but it is a known phenomenon that once below the Royal Military Canal and on the Marsh proper all wild primroses disappear completely.

COVID-19 CORONA VIRUS

My wife and I are both 81. She is in the high risk group as she has a  low immune system due to rheumatoid arthritis, so we are both going into voluntary isolation, since I do not want to get the virus and infect her.

But this does not mean not getting out into the fresh air. I can take her for drives and I shall still continue to cycle. But I shall do it alone and won't call into cafes.  It will be like my youth when I couldn't afford to buy food in cafes and took my own flask and sandwiches when out cycling. But my heart goes out to those small, intimate cafes. They are going to experience a large drop in clientele, as will many others. It looks like the big hitters like airlines will be government subsidised (from us, the tax payer, ). But these small, often one man/woman businesses which try to make their way will be thrown to the wolves.

Our government's latest announcement suggests that anyone over 70 should put themselves into 4 months quarantine, regardless. Hell! I was very busily working until I was 75 until a stroke told me that I was, perhaps too busy. Even now, at 81, I need to get out for 30 mile rides, albeit on an e-bike. If I was really "confined to barracks" I should get stir crazy.

Hopefully we can get food delivered from our local supermarket, although they are experiencing difficulties with over subscription at present, so planning ahead will be vital.

But I am just reading Hilary Mantel's last volume in her "Cromwell" trilogy and the 16th century's matter-of-fact attitude to the mortal "Sweating Sickness" (gay at breakfast, dead by evening) and the Black Death puts these current tribulations into better focus.

I hope we all have a long, hot summer, which apparently kills the virus and will give a chance to find a vaccine.