Up at 6.15 am each day.
Fearful, not wanting to meet people,
I walk, alone, up to Knaresborough castle.
The world is silent. There are no cars.
Only the sounds of nature breaking forth on a spring morning.
I meet people whom I have never seen before…a runner, dog walkers, Mr E who, voluntarily,
Polishes the brass on the War memorial every Friday and Sunday at 7am.
They become my new friends.
We greet each other every morning.
I find out about their lives and what they are missing!
The castle grounds are planted beautifully for Spring.
The sun illuminates the beauty of the colours. They bring me joy!
I see and hear the 7am train leave the station, cross the viaduct on its way to Leeds…
a break in the silence of this new, peculiar world.
I see the heron waiting patiently on the weir…stock still…like a statue.
There is no litter…the bins are empty..the castle grounds are pristine. I am alone!
I breathe in the spring air…clean, exhilarating and life affirming.
Nervously I walk down the castle steps…no close contact allowed. Keep your distance..2 metres.
I take photos of the river, the viaduct, Low Bridge, the boats…without a single person in each shot!
The boats are lined up..I pick out Oliver, Penny, Rose….my grandkids’ names…I’m not allowed to see them close up!
I look up at the clock on St John’s church…’Redeeming the time’…make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.
How apt I think! I remind myself to be thankful that I live in this beautiful town during lockdown.
I walk up to the market place and ‘ window shop’…a different experience for me!
The bookshop window gives me ideas of books to order online.
I gaze at the trousers in Harriet’s window every day. I’ll be there on the first day of reopening to buy them.
I pass Mother Shipton and Blind Jack observing the social distancing rules but Blind Jack is looking warily at Mother Shipton!
I remember the ‘taken for granted’ times of supping beer with friends in Blind Jack’s hostelry.
Time is moving on. I have to return to my refuge.
I gaze up through the branches of the cherry tree opposite King James School.
For the first time I wonder at its beauty against the background of the brilliant blue sky.
‘The Snow Queen’….now I understand Anne Shirley’s description of the cherry tree at Green Gables.
The crossroads at the bottom of York Road is eerily silent.
I cross easily to the other side of the road to avoid another Walker.
I open the door of my castle. Home, at last! Relief! Less anxious!
Breakfast…then solitude! Another day in lockdown!
Refer to: Nov 2021 – Oh my days!
Day after day
This paints a lovely detailed image of a typical day under lockdown, much of which will resonate with all of us who lived through this strange unreal period.
Absolutely. It’s good to be taken back vividly to those days.