September - Here we go again!

 So we're in lockdown again. Sort of. Our area went into pretend lockdown a few days ago, but as far as I can make out:

• Me and John still go to work (oh joy!)
• The kids still get to go to school (but I will have to stay on constant alert in case a child tests positive in any of their class/year bubbles, in which case they will be sent home to isolate for 14 days, therefore sending us into a state of childcare crisis)
• We can shop as normal (though wine needs to be bought before 10pm and people are already stockpiling bog roll)
• We can go to the pub (I know. Some hope😂) but only until 10pm
• We just can't leave town (this is barely a biannual event for me these days anyway)
• We can't have any friends inside our house (if the kids want to play or socialise with anyone, they have to do it between the hours of 8.30 am and 3.15pm when they get to mingle freely with a hundred or so other kids in their year groups)

Those long days of proper 'what-actual-month-is-it' and 'have-we-missed-bastard-bin-day' lockdown are a distant memory. Faux lockdown has begun and I am already so over it!😠

My first battle was with Cleo who wanted to attend a party last night. As always, it was a party that literally everyone in the whole sixth form was going to and by saying no to it I was infringing on her human rights and condemning her to the life of a social pariah . Needless to say, Friday night in our house was absolute bliss, with her stroppy presence pervading every corner. She mainly sulked in her room but every so often she would remind us of her fury by means of a slammed door or a few muttered swear words as she passed us by, on her way to the fridge.

As always though, John was the most problematic member of the household by far. The rising cases in our area sent him into panic-mode yet again. When I caught him disinfecting the cat, it was the final straw. "Jesus Christ, John! Put him down, now!"

     "His fur is a SURFACE, Daisy."

     "How would he have gotten Covid germs on his neck, John? From an infected dandelion lurking in the hedgerows, or maybe a passing pigeon shat it onto him?"

     "Very witty! I've noticed that family at Number 2 fussing him and stroking him, actually. And I'm pretty sure that Margaret and Gordon give him titbits when they think we're not looking. Typical of them. Don't get their own cat to fuss, do they? It's cheaper to meddle with ours."

     "Listen to yourself!"

     "Excuse me for trying to protect the family. It's out there, Daisy. The president of the United States of America has got it, for Christ's sake!"

     "Oh well, we'd better go on full lock down in this house then, hadn't we? Being as we mix in the same circles as Donald bloody Trump!"

     "No need to get ridiculous, Daisy. I'm just saying ...."

     "Will you just put the fucking cat down, John? For the love of ....."

     "Mum!" Molly's voice came from out in the hallway. 

     Shit! I hope she didn't hear me cursing!

     "Hang on, Moll," I called back. "Dad and I are just discussing ....."

     "But Mum ....."

     "All I'm saying Daisy, is that no one is immune to this thing. It doesn't matter where you live or how much money you have. It could just as easily ....."

     "Donald bloody Trump has been mixing with all sorts out on his campaign trail, hasn't he?  The fact that he's got it, is neither here nor there. Poor Dennis probably hasn't been much further than the back lane throughout this whole pandemic."

     "Mum. Dad. I don't feel very well," Molly appeared in the doorway, looking all dishevelled. "I feel all hot!"

     I looked at John. John looked at me. The colour drained from his face. 

     Shit!  Could this be it???😱