A F T E R THE A R R I V A L

Today is the day after Moonbase Junior 2's splashdown in the ocean of life and things have returned to the new 'normal' at Moonbase. We are in isolation again, me and the Missus.

The last two days where a whirlwind of emotions and travelling as we zoomed up and down the M62 to grab Moonbase Junior 1 while his sister was revving up . It was eerie to see an empty motorway on Friday with our car one of the only ones to be seen. Adding to the eeriness were the huge motorway signs, which would normally tell us about congestion near Leeds but now they hold a warning, "Essential Travel Only! Stay at Home! Save Lives!". It was quite literally like driving through the film set of 28 Days Later or the Day of the Triffids.

Yesterday was a massive family milestone for us during this bad global pandemic and for one day we waived the usual social distancing with our kids at their house. We hugged our daughter and son-in-law and held and kissed our new granddaughter. I'm pretty sure we shouldn't have done this, as we commuted between two homes but it couldn't be helped. We hadn't seen anyone the week before and had been sanitising rigorously so I think we were 'clean'.

The journey of life now begins for Junior 2 as it did for all us Moonbase bloggers many years ago. I wonder what she will do with it after such an unusual beginning in a lockdowned world? For the moment she is in the very capable and experienced hands of her young Mum and Dad as they all hunker down at home in seclusion. Parenthood doesn't stop for a viral outbreak.

As for me and the Missus, its isolation time again back on base and I doubt we will see our kids again until Easter in two weeks. Even then it's a huge question mark if we should come together at all given how vulnerable a newborn is to infections and bugs, which we might bring with our Chocolate eggs. Easter may be celebrated on facetime this year.

So, as I try to work out what day it is and gawp at entire families singing in isolation on the telly, the unhurried weeks of furlough stretch before us like Olympus Mons. Crazily I've sold something on Ebay, which I'd forgotten I'd listed, a Dracula board game. A fellow monster nut is clearly in need of the Count during quarantine. The downside is posting Old Vlad will require a trip to the Post Office, which, as is the modern way, is also a grocery shop, which is too small for the two to maintain social gapping very easily. Maybe I should wear the plastic fangs from the game and clear a path!

Expect lots more blogging readers.

I hope you are all well.