Is This Mutton?

Covid-19 Update: In the month of April the lockdown in England was relaxed slightly in that we can now dine outside at pubs and restaurants; team sports have resumed and non-essential shops and hairdresser/beauty salons reopened. We can meet with 6 people (two households) outside in a park or garden. But we can't mix indoors with other households, eat indoors at a restaurant or pub, go to the gym on go abroad on holiday.

Thurs April 1

Fairly bright. Day off. Had eyes tested and chose a pair of glasses and prescription sunglasses. Did some weeding. I get a lot of square stalked willow herb in the back garden, which grows tall with pale pink flowers. We watched Made in Italy, a film with Liam Neeson. Terrible.

Friday April 2

Good Friday. Cloudy and cold. Did reluctant walk 4.8 miles. J did long bike ride. After lunch planted everything I bought in the garden centre a few days ago. Sun came out briefly.

Sat April 3

Cold, cloudy. Walked to Waitrose, came back with a chicken on my back. My long awaited delivery from Canada came: Anna Wintour necklaces. I treated myself to these with my mum's very generous birthday money gift when I was 60.

Sun April 4

Quiet day. Wrote blog post. Changed beds. Roast chicken.

Mon April 5 - Easter Monday

Weather not as bad as forecast. Did the mud walk. Now it's been dry for weeks there was no mud. 5.2 miles. As we're now able to meet family outdoors, we went for tea in R's garden, then had hot cross buns in Christopher's garden. It was a few days after the birthday of a special child, whose face I have concealed. Wasn't too bad being outside as the sun was out and I was wearing a lot of clothes!

Tues April 6

Sunny but v cold. Started work early. Busy and exasperating day. Started The Investigation, Danish crime series about a murder on a mini submarine.

Weds April 7

Horribly busy working on annual plans. Did quick walk, King's Head circular.

Thurs April

Trail walk in forest 4.2 miles. Cold. Busy day but finished by 5.30.

Fri April 9

Prince Philip died. Did a workout. Work was fairly quiet. John laid a trail of sawdust over my route "the mud walk" for an Orion race tomorrow.

Sat April 10

Papers full of Prince Philip. Radio 2 changed their schedule. Did walk, 3.9 miles. J did photography at Orions Mercury race. Watched last episode The Investigation. Very good series.

Sun April 11

Blue sky quite cold. Mud Walk 5.5 miles. Roast beef. The mud walk starts with a lovely view of the reservoirs and City of London, behind this tree.

Mon April 12

Quiet day. Started early to write Wednesday's blog post.

Tues April 13

Walk 3.9 miles including Connaught Water.

Weds April 14

Did Yates meadow mud walk. Sunny but cold. Didn't sleep well. Troubled by work things. Brain just wouldn't abandon it

Thur April 15

Didn't have time to do a walk as had a meeting at 9.30. Busy day but fairly productive.

Fri April 16

Urban walk today Tesco. Second vaccination booked for Friday next week and J had his today.

Sat April 17

Sunny, cold. Did long walk with J nearly 7 miles. Fairlies Park including deer tunnel, obelisk and temple (below). Watched Prince Philip's funeral. In the evening saw Promising Young Woman - 7 out of 10.

Sun April 18

Didn't go for a walk. Did some housework and gardening. Roast chicken. Even without the walk did just under 10k steps, which shows how much you can move at home if you're busy!

Mon April 19

Day off. Sunny and actually warm. Went to Jodie's to have hair done, a drive of 35 miles on the M25. It was a lovely day.Made chilli for dinner.

Back view of post-lockdown hair cut and colour

Tues April 20

Have a 3 day internal conf starting at 8.30 (three hours a day) so did my walk later. Difficult to get motivated today.

Weds April 21

No walk, clouded over and got cold by late morning. Good day. Some white gold stud earrings delivered. Now that my ears are visible I need more earrings. Only small ones suit me.

Thursday April 22

Finally warmer with blue skies. Small cattle back in the forest. Long horns, very gentle creatures. Did trails walk 4.9 miles. Quiche and salad.

Friday April 23

Sunny blue skies. Did Yates Meadow, hilly, twice. Had 2nd vaccination, this time at Walthamstow library. Jab happened bang on time. Very thankful.

Covid-19 vaccination centre at Walthamstow Library, April 2021

Sat April 24

Sunny still cold. No side effects from vaccination. Walked to Tesco, got too much and was loaded down by a heavy rucksack on way back. Did blog shoot at 4pm when sun had gone in a bit.

Sun April 25

Sunny, chilly. Sorted out last 2 bags winter clothes. Spurs in final of Caraboa Cup.Lost 2 nil unfortunately Roast chicken. Did a workout and more blog photography.

Mon April 26

Found out that another of the weeds which drives me mad in the back garden is ground elder. Difficult to remove as it grows from rhizomes and if you leave a fragment behind, it starts the growth cycle off again. Did a trails walk 4.2 miles. Sun came out later but still v cold.

Tues April 27

Sunny and warmer. Did a workout and went to the post office before starting work. Productive day. Started Mare of East Town - see what I thought in Friday Favourites.

Weds April 28

Sunny start, not so cold. Trails walk 4 miles. Fair has arrived. Remember how exciting this was when I was a teenager in Plymouth. Clouded over and actually rained !! Briefly. Quiet day.

Thursday April 29

Urban walk to Tesco and back. Saw a glimpse of bluebells in Larkswood so walked back that way (top picture and below). We finished Expanse and John chose to re-watch Game of Thrones again (for about the fifth or sixth time!).

Is This Mutton blogger Gail Hanlon with backdrop of bluebells

Friday April 30

Long weekend ahead, Monday Bank holiday. Quiet day, did some cleaning. Longish walk 5 miles including Yates. Fish and chips, 1st time from takeaway shop for ages. This is the garden today. Tulips (Dynasty) are out, as is scabious and a few dianthus. Daffodils have largely ended.