The Mock Turtle

I couldn't hear it, but I'm on the far edge of my village with a gap between me and most houses. My book club mate put a vid on Facebook though

Oof, I feel guilty now for forgetting and not going out. :(

No guilt for those who aren't volunteering - those of us who have no families and are limited in WFH are carrying that burden. You chaps are doing more important stuff like, you know, raising our futures.

We did the clapping. My next door neighbour is a GP. We knew it would be appreciated but we could hear the next set of houses over and presumably they could hear the next so I think it stretched further than I expected.

I wasn't out clapping, I went to sort the greenhouse and had forgotten til I got back in!

I live on a quiet road in a quiet village and wasn’t expecting much, but there was lots of clapping and whooping and flashing of lights. The kids across the road were flashing their torches at me and I flashed my garden light back, it was very sweet.

We had quite a few people out doing it, it was nice to see. I had totally forgotten about it until I heard the noise.

I didn't go and clap because stuff like that makes me want to die inside. I didn't hear anyone doing it either, although our local FB page suggests a lot of people did.

Pip, I hope C's job is ok.

We did the clapping and I took my biggest cooking pot and banged it.

It was really lovely, there were lots doing it on our street and I could hear it all around. It made me really emotional about this crazy shit being real and all of us are in it together, experiencing fear and a complete change to not normal life.

We all did the clapping too. Even my downstairs neighbour who is a total recluse. It was lovely.

I was hanging out the window at 8pm waiting for the nightly rave to start up (two men up on the main road have been dragging a full PA system out onto their balcony every night this week for 20 minutes of tunes) but instead he made an announcement and started the clapping. I was astounded how many people were out and how much noise there was from every direction, it really took me by surprise in a good way and I am usually not up for this sort of thing at all. Then I read on FB, that to make sure they weren't upsetting anyone, the music guys are now taking suggestions for songs and doing themes. Tonight is big band because Maureen and Alek don't really like the young people music we've had for the last few nights.

That’s tipped me over the edge, Shoe.

Oh, that’s utterly lovely, Shoe

Oh Shoe! I was poised ready to kill the ravers, but that is very sweet.

When I first heard they were doing it I was really worried as it could have turned into a total disaster however, the guys are being so thoughtful. It starts at 8pm every night, only goes on for 20 minutes max and is now tailored to trying to keep as many people happy as possible with the themes and the requests. A few people are walking round to watch from the street but all staying well apart and most people are just out on their balconies or hanging from windows so no contact with anyone. It's one of the things that has made me look really favourably on my community.

I love that, Shoe.

That’s the thing to make me tear up for this morning, Shoe. How lovely.

That's brilliant, shoe.

I'm trying hard to find things to like about the human race after having to ask several people to move further away from me when I was walking yesterday - couples walking hand in hand FFS, there's only so much a human can squish into a wall - and that has made my morning. Thanks Shoe.

Shoe, that is so lovely.

My best friend, a nurse, is currently in home quarantine (with her one year old, her husband and three other children have moved out) awaiting the results of her test.