Total infections 29,474, 2,392 deaths.  Somerset 6 deaths 54 infected.  Lowest figures in the country.

Weird sense of unreality permeates life as we sit and wait – hoping nothing will happen to us or those we love. weight has increased by 4lbs above my 12 stone ideal.  Eating too well and walking not as good as Gym workouts.  Will try no food for the day.  Do Pilates and plank exercise every other day. Plank 2.5 mins. Fast walk around Sports Ground 35mins.

8pm Clapped outside our front door alongside most neighbours.  Also all smailed and waved.  Remembering the NHS .  A good ritual.

Writing an email to an old friend in South Africa makes me aware of things I would like to share with you, dear reader.

We (Elizabeth and I) remain very lucky with our good health, funds, home and garden with lots of room, wonderful nearby country walks and access to good local shops.  All things so many do not have both here and of course in SA where things for the poor sound really dire.  So glad to hear Ramaphosa is leading well and hope that the end of this will see a strengthened position for him as he fights corruption.

Boris and his boys – almost all boys – have been tardy over testing unlike Deutchland which will cost us many lives, but we still have our Army able to lead in the building in two weeks the Nightingale Hospital for 4,000 beds.  Also really heartening has been the huge response for volunteers, 250,00 asked for and 700,000 came forward to help with supporting our NHS. Wish I could.

Have just been reading Tom Holland’s book, Dominion. He is a most impressive historian and he takes an interesting line in his retelling and review of Christian history and the history of the Western mindset.  He concludes that our habitual morality is not simply the product of the 18th century Enlightenment, but that in the face of Rome and Greek culture – Jesus backed by Paul introduced a revolutionary moral tradition which remains alive and well despite and within secularism – as the volunteers to help the NHS shows.  Without himself accepting evidence for the supernatural, his depiction of both Jesus and Paul is brilliantly vivid and believable .

Sadly the book focuses only on the Western mind and he does not explore the similarities between the Buddha’s teaching and that of Jesus, both being revolutionary in their rejection of force and violence and in their promotion of compassion.

I also attach my notes  on the next post of an excellent book I have read.  I have summarised 9 chapters. It is entitled Why Buddhism is True – a deliberately provocative title.  The book is by evolutionary psychologist Robert Wright.

We are using Whatsapp to keep in touch with our family and time is rushing past.  This whole thing  was predicted (see The Uninhabited Earth p111 ) but  it is really appalling for only the far Eastern countries who had the experience of SARS were prepared.

I think this Buddhist blessing fits for where we all are now,

May you be well, happy and free from suffering,

Spent time listening to virologist friend and retired professor from TCD Greg Atkins talking about viruses and taking his advice to get on board with ZOOM as a possible way of keeping ANVIL going.  It seems an excellent platform for group meetings.  What Greg had to say about the infectious nature of the corona virus is sobering, its size and the power of the electron microscope that can see it amazed me.

Numbers of deaths go up.  Brazil, India, South Africa and Syria in a dire situation, as is the US. Discussion including Joan Bakewell on Radio 4 .  How should doctors choose when faced with limited ventilators between old and young who both need them and should the elderly be encouraged not to take up a hospital bed and die at home?  Where do I stand?  I do not want to die painfully, or alone, though that worries me less than I thought. I think I would still be prepared to go off to hospital on my own if there might still be some chance I would recover, for I enjoy life. However I do not want my treatment to block the treatment for younger people – such as my daughters and certainly my grandchildren. This leaves a dilemma. I also would hate to be separated from Elizabeth if either of us get the virus.  Guess these are thoughts we all need to reflect on.

MONDAY 28th

Morning walk to Windmill Hill the hill farm where Wincanton’s oldest grave was found, (3,500 BC scull and mortuary pot now in Taunton Museum) It is also where years ago I photographed our MP David Heath by this great tree which has since died.  Biting cold wind but sunny.