Week Eight – Day 1 May the Fourth Be With You It’s the Fourth of May and I suddenly realise why there are so many Star Wars references on the radio this morning! I managed to dig out another hat for the fundraising team’s Monday morning catch-up

It’s official as of 18th May I will be furloughed. Govenment support for the HE sector is huge or close to what was hoped for and so the University has decided to take advantage of the business support schemes already in place. I have this week and next to make sure everything is tidy for those left in charge and then I have 6 weeks in which to amuse myself away from work.

I went for my now regular Monday lunchtime cycle and was impressed with my progress, though I don’t think I am ever going to make it up to Frieth without puffing and cursing. I must remember however not to apply lip balm ahead of setting out. It acts a lot like fly paper while cycling, an added source of protein I suppose, but not hugely glamorous having to remove insect life from your lips on returning home.

The household remained alcohol free and another early night was had by all.

Week Eight – Day 2 A day of two parts, one lovely and one truly shocking. The morning brought an unexpected visit from a friend who had been dropping post at Hambleden Village Shop. We sat outside in the sunshine and had a socially distanced cup of coffee and a catch-up, which was a delicious luxury. How strange that it took a pandemic to make me realise that face to face human interaction with a good friend is so special. Can’t imagine how great it will feel when we can go back to hugging those close to us, but outside our lock down crew.

My lunchtime wander took me to the Village Shop to post a small package and a couple of letters and on the rather roundabout route home I spotted a big brown hare in the ploughed field behind the house. Bright but breezy day, with new wildlife, made it another memorable walk.

My afternoon’s work was disturbed by the sound of a helicopter, which sounded like it was landing on the roof. It circled a couple of times and so i went outside for a look at what was occuring. ALex (playing darts at the time) said it was the Air Ambulance and it had gone over towards the farm. I wandered out and saw it drop out of site on the far side of the farm. Our neighbour, John, had also come out to see what the noise was all about and we discussed how it might be a traffic accident or someone having gone in the river. I thought no more of it and returned to my desk.

The evening saw preparations for Nick’s foray into catering – he had watched a Gordon Ramsey 10 minute meal video and was determined to make us fish & chips for dinner. We had a trial run on the chips (delicious) at about 4.30pm and so felt he was all set for the 7pm kick off.

Tuesday evening we have a 6.30pm pub Zoom meeting and it was all going along in a very jolly manner until I received a WhatsApp from our neighbour, Ros, informing us that Oliver, the farmer across the road, had been killed in what looked like a livestock incident. The Air Ambulance had been for him. We were all stunned – we had just been joking about the state of the inside of his car at the annual charity car wash. He was such a part of the valley’s fabric, with his ruddy face and braces. His 4×4 rattling around with a mix of kids and dogs bouncing around in the back, not a seat belt in sight. A fellow Friday night pub goer, he was much liked and will be greatly missed.

It was a subdued dinner but the fish & chips were excellent

Week Eight – Day 3 Much WhatsApp activity as the news of Oliver’s demise spreads. I am very unsettled by it and really not able to concentrate on work. Robert and I took a walk along the river and talked about everything and nothing for an hour at lunchtime, and somehow that helped to process what has happened and to put things back into context – a tragic accident, but accidents like this are not unheard of on busy, working farms. The lovely weather continues and what happened yesterday reminds me we are so lucky.

Week Eight – Day 4 The Smallest Boy wanted to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a Mexican evening, but we decided margaritas on a Tuesday night was a dangerous way to start the week. We postponed it until Thursday evening, so we had the VE Bank Holiday to recover. He had made a sign (very creative) and we had the requisite spirits for the cocktails and Robert made a mean chilli con carne.

The 8pm clap for the NHS was particularly moving as on e of the village bells ringers rang the Church bells after the clap for Oliver. No one in the village can quite believe he’s gone.

Week Eight – Day 5 A slow start in the Spicer house this morning, largely due to the amount of tequila consumed last night, or it might have been the bottle of red wine Robert & I polished off sat on the patio watching the stars come out. Either way, not a lot was achieved apart from a bit of light bed stripping and some dusting.

It was the non-terminal variety of hangover thankfully and so by the afternoon I had recovered sufficiently to join in with a family game of darts, though my aim was spectacularly erratic. I was warned if my attitude didn’t improve I could be deselected for the darts team – I did point out that the requirement for 1 member of the team to be female, meant they’d be stuffed without me. A roast chicken dinner and a glass of AIX Rosé saw my recovery was complete.

Week Eight – Day 6 Despite additional practice we didn’t win the darts, but we weren’t last, and so the ring of shame is returning to Marlow and Hels is delighted that the winners’ medal is heading back to Dairy Lane, that’s if she can get it from round Mel’s neck. The hour and a half whistles by and is one of the best parts of my week.

Saturday night was pizza night again, and a very entertaining meal it is too, though we have decided we need a second pizza paddle, as only having 1 means the process is slowed down by having to wait for one pizza to cook before another can be constructed. A truly First World problem. Alex jubilant on 2 fronts – he finally agreed to play the Smallest Boy at FIFA on the Xbox and emerged victorious (3-1 a lucky fluke apparently) and then he won the Zoom quiz ha played with his old school friends in the evening by 4 clear points – go Alex!