Last night, the whole Square turned out to clap their hands and rattle those pots and pans to support our NHS and other keyworkers for carrying on working in this world crisis.
It began with a ripple further up the village and then everyone was at it, even a doctor at the bottom of the lane with a gong.
This celebration of our NHS is now going to happen every week during the lockdown. But, as my GP niece said on social media, thanks for the applause – but I just wish people would listen, be a little less selfish, and treat us (and each other) with respect and consideration. We’ve always deserved that- but it matters now more than ever.
It breaks my heart that some people are abusive to health workers, biting the hand that heals them. It upsets me when successive governments use the NHS as a political football and sell off bits of it when we’re not looking, with people I know actually heaping praise on the very politicians whose ideology threatens to destroy the thing we’re clapping for every Thursday.
This groundswell of support for the people we rely on to properly live our lives has to be captured and nurtured after all this nonsense is over.
This is the second weekend of lockdown and, despite the brilliant memes and cheery social media posts, I think we’re all beginning to get sick of it. When will it all end? When will things get back to normal?
Depression is knocking on our door and we don’t want to let it in.
So many things – from operations and exploratory tests to family gatherings and holidays – have been put on hold.
On a lighter note, it’s my dog’s birthday today. Six years old and she still can’t read.


Happy birthday, Artemis.
That’s about it.
Love Maddie x