Total Guide to Self-Isolating for the Elderly: Life Under Lockdown

Hello everyone and welcome to week 2 of my social isolation blog...

I hope you are all keeping safe and well and are able to somehow enjoy the wonderful weather we have been experiencing. For me it has been a busy week.

The jigsaw is coming along nicely and my wonderful son Duncan has promised to send me some more.

My daughter, Total Guide to's Founder Liz Hutchings, my lovely son-in-law Ross and my most precious grandaughter Florence popped over at the weekend to deliver some groceries and to have a chat through the closed windows.

I've been playing lots of scrabble and at the moment am beating my daughter Liz! LOL. Also playing with my brother Duncan in Canada but he seems to beat me most of the time!

I have been singing Florence lullabies via skype every night at her bedtime and she loves it (as do I). She settles on her Mummy`s lap and closes her eyes and when I finish she says `again`. I will keep this up even when the restrictions have been lifted and hope it produces special memories in her heart.

I have started the knitting though not getting very far as I seem to have been so busy. For your information you can download free knitting patterns on the internet to print off.

On a slightly more negative note I spent the best part of Sunday trying to log in for a delivery. Eventually managed to place an order for Monday the 23rd of March with a delivery slot of between 8 and 9am and paid by debit card. I've never been so thrilled to do grocery shopping! Come the day and the order didn`t arrive and I can`t get through to my bank to see if Sainsbury's have taken my money as my telephone banking is too busy.  I can`t get through to Sainsbury's by phone so I have emailed them and await a reply with baited breath but I know how challenging a time it is for them.

My husband has cleaned the conservatory inside and out and is now enjoying working in the garden. I am expecting to see the garden up to the standards of Capability Brown when lockdown is over!

I have never liked cooking. In fact I adhere to Shirley Conran`s belief that `Life is too short to stuff a mushroom`. However I have been trying to stretch out the food and a Sunday roast chicken produced cold chicken and bubble and squeak on Monday and chicken stew Tuesday.

One point I should have added to last week's blog is at the end of the day enjoy a nice refreshing gin and tonic!

Are you a fellow 70+ Self Isolating? We'd love to hear how you are getting on and to share with our readers, just comment below with your self isolation tips.