It became Victory for our Community Day | Rick Jackson

If we had not been in lockdown I’m sure many roads would have been closed and street parties would have been the order of the day, especially as temperatures rose to 23C.

This didn’t stop us in our little corner of Alverstoke.

But before the self-righteous keyboard warriors start to click on to their Twitter and Facebook accounts, social distancing was certainly observed!

As the morning sun shone, I moved our cars off the front drive, parked them down the road and swept up, picking up rogue weeds. Union and St George’s flags proudly fluttered from our windows.

By 11am, 1940s’ music was wafting up the street, the strains of Glenn Miller and Vera Lynn bringing a true feeling of nostalgia as we fell silent to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for us.

At 3pm, Winston Churchill’s victory speech, broadcast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace to the thousands in The Mall and listening over the airwaves, filled our street. You could feel the emotion fill your veins.

Cream teas on the front drive at 4pm and barbecue smoke filled the air at 5pm as we cooked our dinners in front of each other.

There was a true, warm feeling of community spirit as we all pulled together as neighbours to make the most of these difficult times. Our spirit is well and truly alive. It was wonderful chatting to familiar faces but also to meet those whose faces we had seen but not had the chance to speak to before.

By 9pm merriment was at a high as the day was finished by a magnificent speech, pitched perfectly again by the Queen.

What a shame some in the media found photos from certain angles at these parties made good social media and website-filling space, coupled with more keyboard warriors happy to spread their claptrap. As Churchill once said: ‘Every man should ask himself each day whether he is not too readily accepting negative solutions.’

It’s the Lockdown Lament: Just give me peace and quiet

I’ll be honest with you, after more than 50 days of lockdown, I’m struggling. I understand how hard this must be for the many that live on their own, but for me it’s the opposite, I need some peace and quiet!

Maybe it’s down to being an only child but I love and need my own company. I’m not a fan of crowds and social distancing has been a blessing for me but I miss those days when my wife is at work and the children are at school.

My working day finishes at midday but as soon as I get in it’s mayhem in the Jackson household. Now, I’m desperate just to open the door and have nothing but peace and quiet until the school run. Lockdown works in mysterious ways.

What’s the buzz? Just the sound of a bad Corona-cut

I’ve finally given in and got myself a Corona-cut. My hair was getting so long I started to feel myself lifting into the air when a strong breeze blew.

So last Sunday I found my beard trimmers and got Sarah into action.

After a while, it felt like my hair was no shorter even though the setting was on six. I grabbed the clippers, suggesting she was doing it too slowly, then ran them front to back slowly over my skull.

Just like a lawnmower in long grass, a long tramline was left. Aghast, Sarah then had to clip the rest of my hair to the same length, so now I’m grade two all over.

You certainly notice the cold first thing in the morning!