Hello everyone. I’m constantly thinking of all my readers in these strange and uncertain times and it’s so lovely to hear from you. A few of you have posted wondering, ‘What would Becky do?’ So here’s the answer…

With lots of love to you all

See you again soon

Sophie xxx

Becky’s Lockdown Diary

8 am OK. Don’t panic.

8.15 am Another day of lockdown. We can do this!!

8.30 am The trick is to find meaningful tasks to fill the day. I will… er… clear out the garage. Yes. Genius idea.

9 am Sort out garage with Minnie. Luke comes to lend a hand.

9.30 am Luke can’t believe how much shampoo we have. (Nor can I, I’d forgotten about the Tresemme.) Explain defensively, ‘I was not stockpiling, I was SHOPPING. It was in the Boots 3 for 2.’

10 am Exercise hour! Go up and down street with Minnie, leaving care packages of essentials at safe distance outside vulnerable neighbours’ houses. Each care package of essentials includes: L’Oreal moisturiser, shampoo, frozen smoked salmon, ‘#sprygge’ keyring.

11 am Arrive home. Oh my God, a delivery man is at our gate with a cardboard box. Back away, flustered. How much is two metres, again? Wave at him gingerly. Thank him fervently for his service.

11.10 am Notice Dr Patterson who lives across the street, leaving his house. Summon Minnie to the window and applaud him vigorously. Minnie blows her recorder. We both cheer and yell. Healthcare workers are our heroes. Feel quite tearful as he gets into his car.

11.30 am Text from Dr Patterson: I do appreciate your encouragement, Becky, but I find the daily applause from you and Minnie quite overwhelming. Perhaps you could stick to once a week like the rest of the country? With many thanks anyway. Stay well. John Patterson.

12 noon Text from Jess: do I want to join her in a’ plank challenge’? Text back regretfully: Sorry Jess, that sounds so great! But I’ve already taken my exercise hour.

12.10 pm Jess texts again: But you can do the plank inside, Becky.

12.15 pm I’ll pretend I never got that text.

12.20 pm Counsel Suze on phone, who is weeping about having to sacrifice her favourite pig, Ethel, ‘to the cause’. Tell her we haven’t quite got to that.

1 pm Tell Mum on phone: No, wine and cheese parties aren’t allowed if they’re ‘outside with plenty of fresh air’.

2 pm Suze suggests a Houseparty session where ‘all the children show off their craft projects’. Oh God. Why do all roads lead to craft projects??

2.30 pm Give Minnie some paper and glue and tell her to ‘express herself’.

3 pm Minnie runs into Luke’s office where he is on a Teams conference call and announces ‘I saw my daddy do a pee-pee!’ Six of Luke’s colleagues start giggling on screen.

3.10 pm Tell Minnie, that is not what I meant by ‘express yourself.’

4 pm Is it Minnie’s bedtime yet?

4.30 pm Google Is TV educational?

6 pm ‘Zoom and sherry’ call with Mum and Janice. Janice has started You Tube ‘lockdown make-up tutorials’. She says she wants to be an influencer and is going to sing ‘Songs from the Shows’ as she demonstrates her make-up, with Martin on tambourine.

6.30 pm Tell Mum: No, bridge parties aren’t allowed if they’re ‘outside with plenty of fresh air’.

7 pm Luke has finished work. I can’t offer him a gin and tonic, because we’ve run out. Nor do we have any wine.

7.15 pm Offer Luke a brilliant new cocktail I’ve invented, the ‘Sambuca and elderflower.’ He declines politely.

8 pm Minnie is in bed. Text from Tarquin: URGENT! Unmissable opportunity to watch Tristan und Isolde from The Met! Tonight!

8.30 pm Tell Luke about ‘unmissable’ opportunity to watch Wagner opera. We decide it is actually ‘missable’. Suze has told me about something called Tiger King.

10.30 pm It’s brilliant!!! I want to binge-watch the entire thing! Now! Ask Luke if he will bunk off work tomorrow. He just looks at me.

11 pm Well, here we are. Another day done. It’s a strange, weird, anxious time, but I’m just going to try to stay positive. Yes. And active. Exactly. Whether that’s through supporting my neighbours or improvising with limited stocks or staying in touch with loved ones and supporting their endeavours. Which reminds me, I should ‘like’ Janice’s make-up page.

11.10 pm Open my laptop just before bed and find Janice’s You Tube Page. Oh my God. She’s singing ‘A million dreams’ in a warbling voice whilst demonstrating blusher on herself. And everyone loves her!!!