Thursday 5th November 2020 - Day One

Well here we are; day one of the second national lockdown. Rules are not as strict as at the beginning of the first lockdown so it will be interesting to see if at the end (December 2nd) the desired effect, of a considerable decrease in Covid-19 cases, is achieved. The day started with one of Overstrand’s stunning sunrises observed by us and other villagers, some walking their dogs, a photographer and a couple from a campervan on the car park (should they have been there?). After so much rain, I was keen to get out in the garden and enjoy the dry day. I was surprised just how many more leaves there were to clear. I emptied the last grow bag, used for tomatoes, onto a couple of borders at the front and am now thinking of manuring the back border. Peter burnt some old wood in the incinerator - this had nothing to do with the smoke from another far more pungent bonfire not far away. I stopped for a break to drink hot chocolate and one of the apples from our tree, now in storage, before continuing. These days, it is not uncommon to see unseasonal growth and flowers, so I should not have been surprised when I saw a hyacinth already pushing up and the myrtle (see today’s photo) in flower again.

How is lockdown affecting Overstrand? The White Horse will be open for take-aways on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, whereas the Sea Marge, Conservative Club and the Cliff Top Café are closed, as are Ivy Farm Caravan Park and the Belfry Centre for Music and Arts. St Martin’s church is open for private worship and the planned outside services for Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day will still go ahead. It’s business as usual at the shop, the garden centre is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the Belfry School remains open too. With travel restricted for the purpose of exercise, and after the last of the holiday makers have gone home, Overstrand and the surrounding area will be very much quieter than of late, when we have seen far more visitors than has been the norm for this time of year.