Day 58: VE Day

Out with the socially distanced neighbours

and their patriotic pooches.

Friday was Day 58 of our lockdown but VE day marked an end to five years of war's shadow so the rejoicing of many must have been immense. My father was in Germany and my mother had to bring up my brother on her own. When a neighbour banged on her door to announce "Th' war's over, Jenny" it was a case of abandoned child in bed and "up the street" for a night of revelry and rejoicing; pubs opened (not for my Methodist mum!), a band appeared and there was revelry and dancing. And my brother remains unscathed to this day. For some families any joy was tinged with greater sadness. My mother lost two cousins, both only sons and one an only child. Furthermore as I grew up I was aware that some of my local friends' fathers had been captured by the Japanese and suffered terribly. So Day 58 is not too bad under the circumstances. We marked the day by a two minute silence in the road and at six a socially distanced drinks party also in the road - our neighbour parked his car across! We zoomed with our family at three and listened to Churchill's speech later along with the Queen and other programmes marking the event.
It was a glorious hot day so I lunched and sat outside but early in the morning  finished the last set of logs and in the hottest part of the afternoon laid them out as best I could and numbered them. It's very ho hum and rather than putting every fabric in every placement  it might have been better to have attempted shading from light to dark. Too late now.

Coming down the stairs

Laid out and numbered