U3A members' contribution for the Living History Diary SLP of living through Covid-19, 5th - 18th April

Jenny Poole, member of Exmouth U3A

I started my diary right at the start of the information about washing our hands frequently and advising us to keep apart.

My neighbour who is very artistic drew some pictures of what the virus under the microscope might look like to a creative person and I have interpreted them in material and thread on a cover for my diary.

On one side of the page I write information from our Government, what might be happening nationally or internationally as a result of the pandemic and on the other what my husband and I have been doing and thinking. I also record how far we have walked each day and the route we have taken. In a pocket at the back I am keeping some interesting newspaper articles and the Government’s letter and leaflet we all received.

U3A Member, Sue, from the West Midlands

Palm Sunday, 5th April 2020

This morning we joined in our morning Eucharist service via Facebook.  It was quite a sleek recording and we are very proud of and grateful to our vicar for doing this.

Later in the morning my husband joined a meeting of his U3A military history chums on Zoom.  This is a preliminary run through ready for their usual meeting to be held next Friday.

Monday, 6th April 2020

Our personal news is that after our chores we did our daily walk to the shop, not the usual one, but to Marks and Spencer and we found it very quiet and with no queue.  In the evening I joined my Pilates class via Zoom.  It is so good to be able keep some things as normal as possible

Tuesday 14th April 2020

We tackled the garage today.  A clear out is well overdue but as the skips are all shut, we are unable to dispose of the rubbish, so we've just moved it out, swept up the rubbish and put it all back again

Saturday, 18th April 2020

One thing that I am glad about is that I am getting some wear out of clothes that are past their best, but too good to be discarded.  The standard of dress in our home has certainly slipped, but no-one comes near enough to see the darns.

U3A Member Betty

The circle of life is strange! I’m 93 and in 1944 I missed taking my  Advanced level exams (today’s A levels) due to going off to help fight a war.One of my granddaughters is the same age as I was then and she had missed taking her A levels due to this coronavirus Pandemic.

I do hope in the months ahead she will be fighting for nothing worse than toilet rolls and Pasta!