Handy!

Hi everyone! This week I was going to publish an out and about spring picture, but things have been against me, and instead I ended up being well and truly plastered. Like everyone else, we are getting used to the idea of a very different lifestyle for the next few months. I was hoping, before social isolation kicks in, to get my camera out and soak up some wonderful North Yorkshire landscape. Sadly, my plan was put paid to last Saturday, when someone drove into the car and broke my hand. I’ve now got a nice lightweight cast on, but for the last week I’ve had a huge old-fashioned plaster of Paris cast, from accident and emergency at York hospital. So no driving for me for the next four weeks.

I’ve had a fair bit of time to reflect that now is about the worst time ever to spend several hours in hospital being x-rayed and plastered. We definitely didn’t want to have to make three hospital visits this week, but didn’t have any choice. Last Saturday night, I was chatting to the nurse as she plastered my hand, and happened to remark that A&E was quiet for a Saturday night. I said I supposed nobody wanted to be there given the circumstances. 

‘No’ she said ‘none of us do.’

It made me realise that all the thousands of medical staff around the country are facing up to a huge challenge, and they’re just as human, vulnerable and worried as we are. And yet, they still turn up for work every day and everyone I met was  unfailingly helpful, cheerful and professional. So there are no pictures of daffodils this week, so instead, here is one of my cast as a big thanks to everything the NHS will be doing for us this year.

Take care everyone. Next week I’ll be writing about how an 18th century soldier and writer coped with some enforced social distancing.