25th March, 2020- We are in the midst of a global emergency and our country is on 'lockdown'.

Further to the last blog, the world has been plunged into a global pandemic- and our country is now in the same position as many of the other worst affected countries around the world. From Monday evening, we have joined many other countries in 'locking down'- the closing of non essential businesses and services and the imposition of strong rules around isolation from other people- measures that it is hoped will flatten the peak of cases and deaths from this new and deadly virus. Sounds like the opening of a novel, but it isn't- it's reality at the moment. United Kingdom citizens have been ordered to keep to their homes as much as is possible, only going out for one blast of exercise or for essentials like shopping and medical needs. We have curtailed our walking and haven't visited Furness Abbey for some time. English Heritage have closed all their sites anyway, and Abbey Mill Café is also closed. Frontline staff in key jobs are running the country now, and trying to keep people safe and well for the foreseeable future. I have total admiration for them all. When this is all over, or at least controlled, I hope we will remember those who haven't been able to hide away and look after themselves- there are a lot of quiet heroes out there at the moment- one of which is my sister-in-law- an ICU nurse at FGH. Total admiration for them all. So, a blog full of memories of Furness Abbey- to help the good and stalwart folk of Furness to be remined of what will await us all one day!

A quick p.s.- Happy Birthday to my brother- he's the baby in the photo! and that's the east end of London in the late sixties!

13th March, 2020......Coronavirus and Friday the Thirteenth!

Lots happening in the world since we last wrote a blog. If this blog sticks around for future generations to read, the world is subject to a global pandemic right at this moment, with the United Kingdom on the brink of what other countries have already tipped into. Travel has been severely curtailed and across the world, people are being advised to put themselves into isolation if they have any symptoms of the virus, and to only seek medical help if it is urgent. The economic futures of some countries have been placed into severe turmoil and the new chancellor of our country, Richie Sunak, has this week delivered a budget that included much financial support to get us through this difficult time. And today, on Friday the thirteenth, the spring sun is finally shining....

Lambing seems to have started in earnest.....

...and the scary looking Texels are running free in the meadow by the beck!

I dedicated our last blog to a fabulous colleague of our who sadly died a few weeks ago. Her family decided to give her a private funeral, so some of us got together and had a little memorial service of our own. My old boss took the lead with this and also planted a holly tree in his field, in her memory. It was a lovely afternoon and we shared some great memories of her, and of our bygone days of working together.

When I left my job, in November, I needed to regroup and also think about what I wanted to do next. I even applied for a job at our beloved Furness Abbey, but that wasn't to be. Since I was a child, I have always wanted to be a writer- I am, and always have been, an avid reader, and I thought this would be my chance to try and fulfil that ambition...so in January, I started three writing projects, A memoire, a fiction novel and a children's book. Just before I started to write this blog, I FINISHED the children's book, and am now researching what to do next.The story has Barrow and Furness Abbey in it (of course!). Who knows what will happen next!

Change is good!