Bimbo’s home from hospital.

Ruffy got some healthy shopping for him.

Later Bimbo texted saying “Thanks for the shopping. Please bring chips and chilli sauce”.

So Ruffy did.

He was worried that it wasn’t very healthy food for a convalescent.

But he learned from a real doctor that the chips will give Bimbo vitamin C and necessary carbs, so then he felt all right about it.

Points phoned.

I said it was very nice of her to go on the demo last week.

She showed me some pictures by Mona Chalabi about the chances of getting arrested if you’re black, or if you’re white.

Oh gosh.

I’ll start with the easy bit.

I do have money.

I’ll send some to the Stephen Lawrence Trust.

Or should I send it to the Red Card?

Or maybe the bail fund?

I’d better see what petitions I should be signing.

Does it really make a difference signing a petition? It’s only one name.

But if everyone thought that, I suppose nothing would happen at all.

At least they don’t know how small and insignificant I am.

My name is as good as anyone else’s.

Oh dear. When everyone else is working hard to make things fair, I feel I should be working hard too.

But I’m retired. Nobody wants my special skills any more.

I’ll work a bit more on my silvery tone.

We’re keeping it a secret from Bimbo that we’re all practising our instruments.

We’ll surprise him when we’ve perfected our technique.

I think my tone is getting a bit purer and more silvery.

Now I’m going to find what that key is for.

Politics is the most important thing in the world, but you can’t think about it all the time. At least, I can’t.

Here’s something that needs winding up.

But it doesn’t need exactly this key.

What can it be for?

Ah, I think I heard the postperson!

Postcards! And a letter!

I’ll make a cup of tea, and then I’ll put on my special gloves and have a look at the post.

bin day

I’ve slept late this morning.

No nightmares last night.

So, what does the day hold?

It’s bin day.

That’s all right. I put the bin out last night.

It’s completely full, because I was ruthless yesterday.

I cleared hundreds of things out of my box, and threw them all away.

But hang on a minute.

That key that I threw out.

I thought, if it doesn’t unlock anything, there’s no point in keeping it.

I tried it in all the doors, and it didn’t lock them, or unlock them.

So I threw it in the bin.

But what if it’s not the locking kind of key. What if it WINDS something?

Quick quick, get everything out before the Refuse Collection Operatives arrive.

Just in the nick of time!

The key was right at the bottom.

This jumper has gone funny because I washed it too hot.

But it’s still quite cosy, and it reminds me of being at school with my friends.

That isn’t a real umbrella, and it’s broken, so I threw it out because it will never be any use for anything.

But there are two amazing things about it. And I could try to glue it back together.

I could mend this angel, too.

I’ll put aside the things that can be mended. It’s just lazy to throw them out.

Now I don’t need to put the bin out , because there’s nothing in it.

That’s saved me a job.

Just as well I got to the bin before the Refuse people did.

I was in such a rush to find the key, that I didn’t do my early-morning yoga.

Now I’m all stiff.

I wrote to Georgina the yoga rabbit about the Warrior Pose.

I explained that I’m a pacifist.

Georgina wrote back and said I should think of being an ECO warrior, like Greta Thunberg.

Eco warriors have to be strong, to fight against pollution and destruction of the environment, and also bendy, to adapt to the new green way of life.

That’s reasonable.

Better get dressed now, and phone the hospital.

But first I’ll tell you why Ruffy hasn’t been reporting on Bimbo’s condition.

He and Points went to Hyde Park for the big protest on Wednesday.

They hitched there. A kind lorry driver gave them a lift.

The demo was bigger than they’d expected.

In all the jostle, Ruffy dropped his phone and couldn’t find it again.

They marched to Parliament Square.

It was very crowded, and Ruffy and Points got split up.

They were searching for each other till nearly everyone had left.

By then it was too late to hitch home, so they slept by the statue of Nelson Mandela.

We’re all proud that they went to protest. I wish I could have gone.

I hope they haven’t caught the virus.

They did wear masks, but they couldn’t avoid being close to people.

So that’s why Ruffy hasn’t been phoning the hospital.

I’ve phoned now, and here’s some good news.

Bimbo is well enough to go home today. I wasn’t expecting that.

They’d been worrying because his skin is so grey, and his arms are blue.

They hadn’t realised that that’s normal for Bimbo.

He’s managing fine without extra oxygen.

So Patient Transport will take him home.

I asked, can’t his friends go round and help cook meals and things?

But the nurse said no, he’ll do fine on his own.

I hope she’s right.

I’ll make him some welcome-home bunting, and ask Ruffy to take it round when he drops off Bimbo’s shopping.

I need to work hard on improving my triangulation, because we must get that Zoom Ensemble together soon.

That will really cheer Bimbo up.

(Sorry, if you’re reading in the email you can’t hear the music – you’ll have to listen on the website)

I’m working on my pure silvery tone.

I’m helping to organise the Ensemble.

I’m not very musical, but I’m tidying all the instruments on to one neat page, which I feel is helpful.

Now I’ll check on the bean.

No change. But I’m cautiously optimistic.

Then I’d better try that key out on some windable things.

It’s sure to fit something.

I’m glad I didn’t throw it out.

And I’m very very glad that Bimbo is better.

I did not have a good night.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Bimbo.

I know Ruffy said that the consultant was optimistic, but that just means they’re hoping Bimbo will get better.

It doesn’t mean that he definitely will get better.

When I did get to sleep, I had nightmares.

First just the ordinary sort of nightmares about missing trains

and being naked in the middle of the House of Commons with the Prime Minister saying that science isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

(I don’t know much about science, but I know that the more it’s cracked up, the better.)

Then I woke up in a sweat from a nightmare about scissors.

It seemed very real, even after I woke up.

I knew it was really Bimbo I was worrying about.

I made myself think about beautiful winged elephants chasing all my worries away

(it was Jean de Brunhoff who gave me that good idea) and I did get back to sleep in the end.

I got up determined to make good use of the day.

I phoned the hospital.

I’m glad they’re pleased with his progress.

I chose my book for the Book Club.

I chose it quite quickly, once I’d put my mind to it.

It’s The Bike Lesson.

It’s useful for reminding old people that they’re not always cleverer than young people.

I’m going to tidy all these books away on to the Book Club page. That will make a bit of space.

I resolved to seriously clear out my box.

I have too many possessions.

Jenny says you must only keep things that spark joy.

But that’s no help. They ALL spark joy.

Look at this!

Doesn’t that spark joy in you?

I love rainbows.

It’s only glass, and it’s not useful.

I’ll get rid of everything that I’m not likely to use in the next two years.

It’s no good waiting till the charity shops open again.

Anyway, most of my things are too worn out to be any use to anyone else.

(I’ve been forgetting about the badges while I was worrying about Bimbo. But I shall be using them all in the next two years. I’m not actually a grandfather, but I like this one.)

Today I shall be ruthless.

I’m throwing out hundreds of things. Into the bin with them.

There, that feels better.

I think.

It’s bin day tomorrow.

Now I have to work out a nice surprise for Bimbo when he comes out of hospital.

I’ve had a sort of idea.

I’ll ask Lopsy what she thinks about it.

If you’re reading this in an email, I’m afraid you can’t listen to the lovely music. You need to go to the website to hear it.

Now I’m almost hoping that Bimbo won’t get out of hospital too soon, so we have time to get really good before he gets home.

I shall practise hard on my triangle.

I wonder if I can find a way to stop it twirling round?

(Will it work indoors?)

It’s hot today.

I’ve put on my shorts.

(That’s the jug I learned to read on.)

They’re not exactly holiday shorts.

They’re from my school days. I haven’t grown much since then.

Anyway, it’s not a holiday today.

There’s work to be done.

First I’ll phone the hospital.

I do hope Bimbo’s getting better.

Well, it’s good that he’s not getting worse.

Now, it really is time I chose a book for the Book Club.

It has to be about bears.

Teddy’s wondering which Winnie-the-Pooh story to choose.

Lopsy said we must all read The Winter’s Tale, but I think she was just showing off.

Shakespeare doesn’t really write much about bears at all.

Not brass nor stone nor parchment bears, not one.

Well, that’s enough about books for today.

But you can read the book about Horace if you like.

I don’t recommend it.

I’ll choose my Book Club book tomorrow.

Time for some tidying.

Every time I look in this box it seems to have more stuff in it.

And that’s after I’ve put at least half of it away.

I’ve found a bean.

I wonder if you can grow beans indoors?

Oh! I heard the letter-box.

A post-card.

But I’m not allowed just to pick it up and read it.

Ruffy says I must leave the mail on the door-mat for a while, or else wear the virus-proof gloves he gave me.

And actually I don’t really want to die quite yet.

Ruffy’s given me lots of these gloves.

They come in fives, and you just cut one off when you need it.

Let’s get this postcard into the light, and see who it’s from.

It’s from Snowy and Bunce.

I haven’t seem them for ages.

They’re farming down in Outermost Wessex.

Oh look, it’s a picture of their farm.

They grow every possible kind of leaf.

Now, can I read Snowy’s writing?

Oh yes, it’s quite clear.

Very nice to hear from them.

I hope they find someone to help with the fruit-picking.

I wish I could ask them about growing beans, but they’ll be out in the fields.

I know – I’ll phone Madame Cholet and Reindeer.

You should see their garden – it’s an arbour, an oasis, a bower.

What kind neighbours I have!

Just as well I forgot to empty the tea pot.

Now to plant the bean. They said two inches deep, but that would be underneath the flower-pot.

Nothing much is happening yet.

I’ll just phone and see if that’s normal.

I’ll wait for the bean to grow. And I’ll wait for Bimbo to get better. And I’ll wait for lockdown to end.

Anyway, that’s enough tidying for today.

I spoke to the COVID-19 nurse about my friend Bimbo.

Oh Bimbo, oh dear, I hope he gets better.

I’ll phone and tell Ruffy.

So I phoned to tell Bimbo’s friends.

I put his flowers back in water.

(They had an accident when I answered the phone.)

I ate the strawberry.

I can tell Bimbo how nice it was. Or maybe I won’t.

I’ve made him a get-well card.

He can have it when he gets home.

This time I’ll ask Ruffy or Strawberry to post it for me.

So now I’d better get on with everything else.

May as well test out the jelly pocket on my strategy suit.

I’ll put on a sporting badge, for this challenge.

This is something I’ve always wanted to do.

The jellies have turned out well.

One of them looks like a pear, and I think the other one is a tortoise.

I’ll use the fat part of the pear.

The pocket is ready.

Here goes. This is the moment of truth.

The jelly is in the jelly pocket.

A triumph. It fits perfectly.

(Of course, jelly does tend to fit into things pretty well.)

I think we’ve established that the jelly pocket is remarkably suited to its purpose.

That’s something to tell Bimbo about when he’s better!

Now I can eat the jelly.

Very tasty indeed.

My friend Bimbo is ill.

A nurse is going to ring and tell me what we should do.

I told Bimbo to drink lots of water so as not to get dehydrated.

I’d better drink some too.

This is an emergency, so I need to be fit and strong.

I should really do some yoga while I’m waiting for the nurse to ring.

But first I’m going to test out the jelly pocket in my strategy suit.

This should have been such a happy, proud moment, but I’m too worried about Bimbo to be very happy.

However, it’s no use leaving the jelly for another day.

It won’t last that long.

I keep getting a spoon out – it’s very tempting.

Oh! there’s the phone!

Oh dear.

Have I hurt her feelings again?

I hope the nurse didn’t ring while I was on the phone to Lopsy.

It’s not ringing now.

I’ll get the jelly out of the moulds.

It’s interesting – it turns out that it’s possible to be extremely worried, but also extremely excited at the same time.

DING-DONG! DING-DONG!

Oh no, that’s the doorbell!

But the nurse isn’t meant to be coming here.

They should go to Bimbo’s house.

. . . . . . .

Ah, that wasn’t anything to do with the nurse.

It was my neighbour from up the road, little Strawberry.

She’d heard that Bimbo was ill, and brought a posy for him.

She put it on the doorstep, and waved from a safe distance.

What a kind little bear!

I said I’d get Ruffy to take it round to Bimbo.

Ruffy’s young and strong, so he’s allowed to go out to be helpful and kind.

I’ll put the flowers in water to keep fresh.

The blue ones are forget-me-nots. Aaaah.

Bimbo will be delighted.

I forgot about him for a moment. I hope he’s all right.

I hope the nurse phones soon.

I’d better wash my paws, because I’ve touched something from the outside world.

Maybe I shouldn’t have touched the flowers.

RRRRRINGGGGGG!

Poor Bimbo really isn’t at all well.

He thinks it’s The Virus.

This is an emergency.

I’m glad he chose to phone me.

But I wish he’d chosen someone else.

I’m staying calm.

You don’t just rush round to your GP, or to the hospital.

It’s all different now.

(If you’re ill, it’s important not to get dehydrated.)

I found Ecosia.

I typed in my question.

So now I’m waiting.

I’d better get some clothes on before I speak to the nurse.

I didn’t have time before, because of the emergency.

I’m wearing my strategy suit.

I am very worried about Bimbo, but I could make use of the time while I’m waiting.

Perhaps I’ll get the jelly out ready for testing.

There they are, two jellies, waiting to come out of their moulds and into my pocket.

(Not really jelly, but same sort of thing.)

This is so good.

It’s what I’ve always wanted to do.

I’ve got everything ready.

I’ve got my wellies on.

First, I need to mix up a good oobleck.

I love oobleck.

It stirs like a liquid.

It slops like a liquid.

Oops, I didn’t mean to slop it that much.

But see that corner? That’s a bit odd, isn’t it? That’s oobleck for you.

But when you whack it with the spoon…

Oh. It splashes like a liquid.

But also it cracks like a solid, so it is very strange.

Seems a bit non-Newtonian to me.

I should have worn my badge inside the apron.

I find I have so many badges, that I plan to wear a different one every day.

Now I’m boiling the milk and mixing in the oobleck, little by little.

Stir stir stir stir, so that it won’t go lumpy.

I’ll make it pink with a bit of beetroot juice.

I don’t have real raspberries, but the pink will make it taste like raspberries.

I’m putting in a little marmite, because Michael says it makes everything taste better.

Mmm, that certainly does add a bit of oomph to the flavour.

Stir it all up. Oh dear, I didn’t quite avoid lumpiness.

Who cares? The lumps are the concentrated essence of tasty blancmange goodness.

Put it in the jelly moulds.

Now I have to leave it somewhere cool and go and do something else.

I can’t wait to try the jelly in my jelly pocket!

I’ll see if I can find a book about bears. That’s the next topic for the Book Club.

Oh no, that’s the phone again!

Maybe I’ll just leave it, and they’ll think I’m out.

Well no, they know I can’t go out, but they’ll think I’m asleep.

What a racket!

It’s going on quite a long time.

Oh, all right, I’ll answer it.

Oh dear oh dear. That was Bimbo.

He’s not very well, and he wants me to help him.

I said I’d just wash my paws, and then I’ll ring him back.

I’ll leave the cleaning up till later.

How can I help him? He’s not allowed out, and I’m not allowed out.

Oh dear oh dear oh dear.

I ought to be choosing a book to read for the Book Club.

And I should be tidying up.

The more I tidy, the more things there are to sort out.

I put all the long thin things together, and all the round things together.

But that doesn’t really work.

I need to think of a better system.

I think I’ll have a day off, and do something I really want to do.

Today can be the day that I try out the jelly pocket in my strategy suit.

I wonder how you make jelly?

Jenny will probably know.

I don’t have any of those things.

Ruffy might know a different way of making it.

That’s not really the point.

Bimbo will know. He’s a great cook.

Lie down? In the morning? I hope he’s all right.

Perhaps he’s not quite over that operation.

Well, I’d better use cornflour. I do have some of that.

I think this is all I need for the perfect jelly.

This may be quite messy.

I’ll need an apron and my wellies.

They’re my sister’s wellies, but she won’t mind me using them.

She lent them to me last year, when we went for a muddy walk.

All right, I’m ready to go.

Actually, all this telephoning, and organising, has made me tired.

Perhaps I’ll have a little rest too, and get up strength for the project.

When I sorted out my box, I found a nice piece of pasta.

I cooked it for my lunch, and I was just sitting down to enjoy it, when the phone rang.

I’ll have to cut the wire if I want any peace.

Ah, they don’t have wires any more.

(I think I was only joking.)

I was going to say no.

I’m not really a great reader, and I am very busy, what with everything.

But perhaps it’s sensible to be sociable, and to push myself a bit.

Of course the pasta was cold by then.

But quite tasty.