Pre-holiday tension

We had been planning a trip to Bamburgh – a chance to combine a holiday with our grown-up children with visiting Nigel’s family in Northumberland.

A week on the English coast seemed like a very down-to-earth option.

But in the ten days beforehand I realised the holiday was in fact a preposterous proposition.

How on earth could six of us, including three from London and one from Edinburgh hope to escape the surging new wave of Covid?

And even if we escaped Covid itself, how could we possibly avoid getting pinged and told to self isolate?

I began to have a mental picture of Bamburgh Castle surrounded by clouds – we had built a castle in the air.

The solution should have been to undertake as little social contact as possible for ten days before the holiday.

But we all had various long-standing commitments - in Nigel’s case, a trip into central London.

A couple of days before the holiday, Nigel sounded a bit wheezy. 

‘It’s hayfever!’

The next day, still wheezy.

‘My hayfever has triggered my asthma.’

Finally, he took a test.  I had so many parts of my anatomy crossed that I nearly strained myself.

It was negative.

And miraculously, all the youngsters were also in the clear.

I still can’t believe we all got to Bamburgh!

And the other thing I can’t believe is how quickly the long-awaited week rushed by.

Photo shows us with David & Carolyn - Pascoe's godparents