Rainbow pants...

I used to think of the world as:

• before and after Daughter was born,
• before and after 9/11,
• and before and after Brexit. 

Now I think of it as: 

• before and after Covid-19. 

The "after" part(y) hasn't happened yet, but, for our sanity, we have to believe that it will.

My last blog post was in January. I envy those innocent days when we had no idea what was looming on the horizon. I think rumours had started to reach us about a virus thousands of miles away, but we were told we had nothing to worry about. Wrong! It's a small world.

Since then I have experienced every emotion, except happiness. That will come the day we hear the virus is under control. It will be thanks to the huge efforts of the medical profession, and to the sacrifices of the general population who are living under unthinkable conditions at the moment. Some are taking more care than others, but that's life...and death. 

Personally, I only have to look at the marvellous new hospital that has appeared in London only a few miles from where I live. It has been converted from a large exhibition centre and will have 4000 beds. Impressive and a life saver. But going in there would be my idea of hell on earth. Luckily, my family and I tend to be healthy and fit. We avoid hospitals at the best of times, and that is one we definitely never want to visit. If I have to stay indoors for a few weeks, so be it. I have plenty to keep me busy.

Meanwhile, people are coping as well as possible. There have been efforts to cheer us all up. One of them was to encourage children to paint rainbows and put them in their windows. I can't say I have seen any. But I am living under lock down, only allowed to go out once a day for a walk and essential shopping. If anyone has put rainbows in their windows, thank you.

I stopped knitting for a while when the shock of what is happening turned my world grey. I was waking up in the mornings and, for a few seconds, all was well with the world. Then I remembered what was happening and the dread returned. The tv was on too much playing a constant loop of tragic news.

But then I decided I had to stick to a routine and keep busy. I'm still knitting worry monster pants for Knit-for-Nowt. As going shopping for wool is not essential and it would be impossible to find any shops selling wool, I'm using up what I have. The mauve wool is a bit boring. But I have been using up oddments and adding tiny splashes of colour. The rainbow on this pair of pants was a lucky accident.

I've been visiting all my favourite blogs and am happy to see everyone seems to be staying positive. Long may it continue.