The Coronavirus Diaries, 2nd June 2020

To be fair the cuckoo’s song is not one that brings joy because of its intricate trills and wide repertoire. It’s the herald of spring and for a number of years I have anticipated hearing it in early May when at das Boot. It is now early June, but I drove here this morning and the first sound I heard when I climbed out of the car to open the gate was a cuckoo. The same or another cuckoo has just been calling again. Are there cuckoos in London? Maybe in parts with woods, but not in my very urban patch, though the dawn chorus is impressive.

It was strange to drive so far from home. Since March everything I have done, everywhere I have been has been local. It was nice to confirm that Stratford and points east still exist. It was a nice drive, as despite various roadworks, a diversion which sent me back in the direction I had come from, and several sets of temporary traffic lights, the traffic was lighter than usual. I had slept well, and later than I had intended, so far from a very early start I didn’t get away until half past ten.

MasterB had to be oiked out from under the bed which involved semi dismantling it and then putting it back together again before we were both strapped in our seats and ready to leave. No worries, I thought, I’ll be there at lunchtime. Which I was. But I was forgetting the boat would be dirty. How did I manage that when I have been talking all week about how I’ll need to clean it. So lunch was delayed. It wasn’t just the cleaning, it was finding that one of my seating cushions had become wet and the cover ruined, that the water wasn’t heating properly despite the engine having run. 
I called Stuart and like a knight in shining armour, or at least a silver van, he arrived and put things to rights. We can’t work out how the water got in, and one of my tasks over the coming days is to play Miss Marple. 

The cuckoo is calling again.

During this time MasterB remained in the car. It was parked under a weeping willow and I had the doors and the boot open. I did bring him on board briefly before I knew Stuart was coming, and he had a much needed pee. So that was good. In the car he was not disturbed by us, and when he finally came on board made a good meal and settled down for more sleep under the quilt. I hope he’s not going to be full of beans at midnight.

I shall not be sorry to get to bed. 

I didn’t really get lunch, so supper tonight was lovely. I need a new battery for my scales and am sure I had more pasta in my salad than is recommended, but it was good. Now I am sitting I can see the places that still need cleaning. The spiders have been very busy.

A duck joined me while I was eating, first in the water by the boat, then on the pontoon and finally on the roof. She was a mallard and seemed very relaxed around me.

Mallard on the roof of das Boot

The cows came to this end of the field, some with calves. I said hello to them. Since reading a The Secret Life of Cows I know that they recognise us. Maybe these did recognise me, but I’d be hard pushed to say if I have met any of them before.

Cow and calf in silhouette

Janet Eggs has six eggs put by for me to collect in the morning. I think I’ll go to Snakehall Farm at Reach and see what delights they have, but if I am getting a battery it’ll have to be the Co-op at Burwell.

There were more cars at the marina than I had expected, more people. But social distancing is easy, and the toilet block is open but with instructions on and washing and hand gel.

The duck has just come back and quacked and whistled to me through the open window. The cuckoo is calling again.

I am glad I came.

Stay safe. Keep well.

This has been quite difficult to post due to poor internet connectivity. I’ll try again tomorrow, but I may not be lucky.

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