Spring, sunshine and a cracking garden?

In the space of a week, my garden has gone from a bog to a dried up river bed and being clay, has set hard. Turning the soil is impossible and any ideas of weeding is out of the question. The forecast says it will get colder and there may be wintery showers; ironically I'd like some rain please.
Mad isn't it, this year we have had floods and deluges of rain and in less than a fortnight we are battling the world wide spread of a very contagious virus, being forced to stay at home and forcing gardeners to stare a their soil in dismay....well at least down here, anyway.
I went for a walk (one of the ones we are allowed to do in a day) and watched a man struggling to get a rotavator onto his allotment. To be honest that would be one of the few things which would get through the hard pan at the moment.
I was really pleased with what I have achieved;

• pruned all the perennials ready for their new growth
• cut back the shrubs which need lopping each year
• pruned the roses ready for their new growing season
• dug and weeded the long border in front of the kitchen and living room windows (that took 3 days!) 
• dug the herb garden ready to plant out seedlings
• dealt with the vigorous sweet pea in the greenhouse 
• collapsed in a heap and enjoyed the sun 
• got sunburnt on my shins
• read the Camping and Caravaning magazine from cover to cover 
• did countless loads of washing plus all the necessary ironing
• AND watched every daily news briefing from Downing Street

 Not bad for a 10 days me thinks.
So, today is a quiet day. My shins sting from the sunburn and I have spent the last three days  dealing with what feels like a flu of some kind. I don't think its the Covid-19 as I've had this hanging round as sinusitis for some time, but the cough is coming out now so I am staying away from people as much as possible.
Living on your own makes that very easy and having bought in all I really needed, I was able to self isolate for a week and a few days. Today, however I needed vegetables (only rice and pulses left) and was delighted to find not only Sainsbury Metro round the corner almost empty, but there was a full shelf and good variety of vegetables.
I'm now very happy and can withdraw behind my front door once more.
We only have 200 cases reported in Kent and of those only 5 I think have died so far. Long may those figures continue. I have no idea what it is like in the town as I've not been there for over a week but if around here is anything to go by, the place must be deserted.
 

Google image

I am just grateful I have a house with a garden, no bills to hang over me like a sword of Damocles and no worries about income as I am already living off pensions and savings.
I am luckier that most and for that I am very grateful.
I am also grateful for the song of the birds in the morning and the emerging buds on the trees and shrubs. I am enthralled by the growth of the tulips and aliums and look forward to them opening their flowers.

courtesy of Gardener's World

I am delighted to duck as an oversized bumble bee flies past me and to sit with a cup of coffee and have a beautiful peacock butterfly land on the table next to me.
To turn my head to the sun like a sunflower and soak up the vitamin D and to enjoy the peace in my area.
I am blessed during this time of stress and worry for many. I have no worries, what will be will and I dream of camping trips and summer gardens, of visiting places and traveling to them; of traveling abroad and enjoying the sun, the culture and the people.
All in all, its a good life and this is sadly the first of many viral pandemics to come. Let's hope I die of natural causes and not succumb to one of them in the future.