I am beginning to see some green shoots.

The funeral last weekend was a sad event but there was one thing I noticed – there was a distinct lack of regard for all these daft rules that have been imposed. There were masks all right but by no means in the majority. I didn’t count but I imagine there was a rough limit of fifty to a room spread over a few rooms [which was insane as we all mingled before and after anyway]. Another thing was the handshaking and hugging which is something essential at a funeral. One hug speaks volumes.

Today I had to drop down to the village for the first time in a while. Things are moving there too. The traffic was nearly as bad, with idiots trying to do U-turns everywhere in an attempt to find somewhere to park [there hasn’t been any parking at all in the village for weeks now] and the pavements were still thronged with sightseers just standing, gawping and taking selfies. I parked in the “Locals only” car park and walked back to the village.

There was a noticeable decrease in mask wearing though most of ’em were putting on masks to visit the main shop. As usual, I didn’t bother. The main thing I noticed though was that a lot of the Disney shit has gone. Huge piles of props and stage settings have disappeared. All the bunting and a lot of the plastic flowers are gone. The village is slowly starting to look like the village and not some alien Disney fantasy.

They are back filming again next week but only for two days and then they are finished. At fucking last. Presumably they’ll then remove the rest of their stuff, including that Town Hall or whatever it is. Maybe we can then return to being just a country village and not some horrendous crowd trap.

Maybe even the coffee shop will reopen for the first time in over six months.

I’m beginning to feel quite optimistic.