Last week I managed to see Mrs F, as soon as lockdown restrictions were lifted. After shielding for the recommended twelve weeks, Mrs F felt it was safe to finally venture outside for the first time. Of course, it was good to see her, but I was and still am, sceptical about the lifting of restrictions so soon, especially for the most vulnerable in society. This deadly virus is still about  and isn't going anywhere soon.

Chatting with her, it was clear that she hadn't enjoyed her forced isolation. Like most older people, she spends a lot of the time on her own in any event, so the last three months of this pandemic have just highlighted her vulnerability. I sensed that she just needed someone to talk to, so took some time out from work briefly, to have a chat to her on her way home.

Mrs F is always a joy to talk to, with so many stories to tell and I always appreciate her company, so seeing her face light up, as I had a brief conversation was a joy to be seen. She explained that she didn't speak to family as much as she would like and always looked forward to seeing me at work. Of course working in a customer focused environment, you do come across many people on a daily basis and each of us who work in the department, have customers who come in just to see us, each day. We can and do take the time to speak with each person for as long as they need, and they value the small talk. During this pandemic I have seen many people who live alone, coming in for a quick tête-à-tête, while they pick up their essential shopping. This was a life line for many, and I am glad all of us were able to help create a feeling of normality at a time of crisis.

Last Sunday I phoned Mrs F, as I will later today, just to see how she is; I was able to spend a little more time than usual listening to her. Despite her only living a short walk away, I have said I will not come to her home, just in case I carry anything along I shouldn't. I am mindful of this virus at every juncture and continue to social distance, sanitize my hands and refrain from greeting in the usual way. When we talked a few days before, we stood the regulatory two meters apart, only elbow bumping briefly as she went about her day. This is hard for everyone, especially people like Mrs F, but it is necessary to ensure all of us are spared any heartache in the future.

I still remain unable to see my father and other family members but when the time is right I will see them all again. I no longer trust this Government or its motives - when they told us it was safe to socialise at a limited level, I continued to keep my distance, as I still do now. The way they have acted throughout this crisis is been reprehensible, moving too slow to shut down and too quick to reopen. I will continue to do what I consider to be right, even if it means I am following a different path to others.

I was recently contacted by a friend in Gran Alacant, Spain, where Darrell and I used to live, who explained the COVID-19 situation there. It seems that the urbanization has had an outbreak of Coronavirus and local residents are being asked to follow strict guidelines in order to bring any upsurge under control. I have no idea what is going on there on the ground, but it is a pointer as to what expect everywhere across the World in the future. We have done remarkably well in Portsmouth, keeping the virus at bay, but if we are not careful we will see a second spike and people like Mrs F will once again have to shield.

I will continue to do the right thing, probably until we have a vaccine in place to stop COVID-19. However, I am lucky to work in an environment, where I come into contact with customers and can maintain friendships and relationships with some truly wonderful characters. I am happy they are returning to normal life once again but always, always conscious of the threat that still lurks in the shadows. Every one of us should do what we can to stay close with our loved ones and look forward to a time, without the presence of Coronavirus in our midst! We should also treat this virus with the respect it deserves and avoid its manipulative path at all costs, keeping safe and staying as far away from others as we possibly can. Remember COVID continues to kill at an alarming rate and all of us are potential targets!

Steve Dale, author of 'The Planet Mirth Adventures One' has just had his second children's book, 'The Planet Stupiter' published. Steve's latest creation, is a charming story, detailing a dream, where Granny Beetroot, then a child, is transported to another world, meeting a girl from Earth called Princess. After telling her three Grandchildren of her adventures, they too travel to 'The Planet Stupiter,' meeting strange looking creatures, Queen Bella and the Gnomes who live there. Discovering the peculiar and wondrous World is in danger of disappearing, Niamh, Mia and Miriam hatch a plan to save the planet before hope is lost!

I met Steve, while living in Gran Alacant in Spain. I was working in a bar in Plaza Mayor, he and his lovely family were regulars, and we got to know each other well. The stories Steve told, were the tales I loved as a child and his amazing imagination was an inspiration for me, as I concentrated on my blog at every given opportunity. His words of wisdom and advice during a particularly difficult time in my life, were always accepted with thanks and I have always done my best to support Steve in his endeavours, as he has for me, commenting on my blog whenever he can.

Steve's first book transported me to my childhood and at 49 years old, I enjoyed every word. I often read children's books, for the imaginative stories they tell. Anything that takes me back to better times, especially today is welcome. As I focus on the future, I am always inclined to focus with fondness at my youth and the stories I was told and read, encapsulating a brief moment in time. These books have remained a part of my life and occasionally I will remember a saying or passage in a chapter that has as much meaning today as it did then. Steve's books are memories of the future, for children of today. In a World so ravaged by COVID-19, 'The Planet Stupiter' offers the chance to escape and enjoy the innocence that all of us crave. Children of any age, right up to forty-nine years old and beyond, will enjoy these wonderful books of magic, wonderment and an imagination running wild!

Please click on the Amazon icon above, where you can purchase Steve's new book 'The Planet Stupiter.' Do leave a comment and of course a review of Steve's latest work. You can of course email me at Roaming Brit, if you have any questions or comments you would like me to pass on.

Happy reading!

I am making an urgent appeal for my friend Katie Stewardson. I met Katie while living in Spain. Katie became a close friend and has even written for Roaming Brit. A few days ago Katie and her family, including her two week old son Sebastián were evacuated from their Southern Spanish home, after their property flooded along with thousands of others in the region. Katie is now trying to raise money for the local community who have lost everything, trying to ensure animals and livestock are re-homed and looked after, following the worst storms to hit Spain in a century. Katie has asked me to advertise this plea for help, so she and other victims can start to rebuild their lives!

Please click on the 'Go Fund Me' picture below, to take you to her appeal!

"Our farm was hit bad by the flooding of the 'south eastern Spanish gota fria.' Paddocks are flooded and sheds are destroyed, the kennels for the dogs are non existent and they have no shelter. We are not the only ones affected .

We are fundrasing to build new kennels for the dogs and new shelters for the goats at our finca. We are also fundraising for other fincas and shelters in the same mess as us.

Dog food to buy. Beds etc

Please help if you can, every little counts to remaking homes for the animals."

I would like to wish two fantastic friends, Katie and Andy Stewardson, huge congratulations on the birth of their new baby son Sebastián, born on 28th August 2019. It has been a while since I saw these two, but they are both very much in my thoughts as I write this entry today!

Katie, husband Andy and their little daughter Lexi, became close, during mine and Darrell's time living in Gran Alacant, especially Katie and I. Both our husbands were away quite a lot during the time I lived here, consequently Katie and I became inseparable and enjoyed a fruitful friendship, despite the ups and downs of Spanish life.

Andy and Katie have found happiness and prosperity in Spain and now enjoy a productive and vigorous life, living in the country they love. Sebastián will be brought up alongside his Spanish peers and will become part of continental life, in a way many of us can only dream of. I hope to return to Spain one day soon and rekindle our friendship by starting where we left off. Whether or not Darrell and I decide to live there long term, as we did three years ago is anyone's guess, but in the meantime we are delighted to observe from the sidelines, watching this family grow and flourish in their new chosen home!

As Brexit turmoil continues to engulf British sensibility, it is heartwarming to see young people taking the plunge and forging a new life abroad. Whether you support Britain's withdrawal from the EU or want to remain, all of us should agree that our destiny lies at the heart of Europe. It would be a travesty if future generations were stopped from moving to pastures new because of policies that are designed to isolate Britain from the rest of the World. Katie and Andy are an example to us all, in how we can proliferate in new, untested, untried corners of the globe!

Congratulations to you all!

This was always a special time of year, living in Gran Alacant. The sun was shining but the hoards of tourists had not yet descended on this perfect little urbanisation on the Costa Blanca. Everyone seemed happy and cheerful, giving a friendly wave as they walked by and the bars and restuarants were slowly beginning to fill with home owners and visitors, returning from the long winter break. Social media is a sure fire way of being reminded of where we used to live, the friends we once knew and the wonderful times we shared. Today my 'memory' feed is full of stories from our three years living in Spain, and as usual I am able to smile and recall the events that made my time living in GA memorable, unforgettable and indellibly etched on my soul.

I have spoken about negative aspects of my life on the Costa Blanca before and there were many, but after returning to the UK nearly a year ago, I am able to see past the difficulties and remember with passion the more carefree, contented times and to be honest, I miss living in this beautiful part of Europe, I do have some fond memories that continue to give me great joy today.

Despite the ducking and diving and financial struggles, Gran Alacant offered a community life that I fell in love with. The people who lived and worked there were always welcoming and willing to pass the time of day, share a joke and chat about subjects important to the Expats who had made this place their home. There were very few people I didn't like, I got on with most of my friends and neighbours, who were there for me at strenuous periods, especially after just relocating to Spain. Darrell and I asked others for very little, preferring to do our own thing, succeeding and failing in equal measure. The years we spent living in GA were character building and important for our future direction. As individuals we grew and experienced many aspects of life we hadn't before. The battles we fought then seemed terribly arduous at the time, but they were a catalyst for the way we cope today. My general sense of well-being is better now than ever, because I learned to survive in the harshest of climates.

In Spain I lived frugally, only spending what I needed to, surviving without luxury but never going without. As a couple we had an old car that barely got us from A to B, but it was ours and we learned to live as my parents would have lived in the 1950s. Cooking in bulk, no convenience food, no take aways and rarely eating out - the natural way to live, for those of us who weren't tourists that is and I actually enjoyed it. I'm sure I complained bitterly at the time, but the truth is, I look back with fondness at this struggles we endured and I am proud of what we achieved during our short time living in Gran Alacant.

The photographs from our Spanish life, tells a story of independence, doing things our way and sharing a special chapter with some truly exceptional people. When I read back over my blog from that time, I hear and see the determination inside of me to succeed living in Spain and for a long while I did; both of us really began to think we had found our eutopia. Had our circumstances been different we probably would have stayed and built a life for ourselves away from the stress and stain of Britain, but it just wasn't to be. The smiling faces in the selfies, photographs with friends and pictures of an outdoor life were really just a facade. This enlightening aspect of life was only ever going to exist all the time we lived abroad and to be honest, I am glad that is the case.

My spanish memories are positive in the main, because of the journey I travelled, an excursion that ended at Alicante Airport in April 2018. That doesn't mean Spain is over forever, I do hope to return one day. I have a special place in my heart for Gran Alacant, its people, the bars and restaurants and our little Casa over looking a revine with amazing views over Alicante Province. Today I look back with satisfaction at a life that could have been and remember with warmth and affection a place that will always remain home!

I recently saw this heartwarming video online, it really did bring tears to my eyes. A beautiful dog rescued from almost certain death. The love shown in this beautiful animals eyes was testament to its owners dedication, throwing a lifeline to ensure this little dog had a second chance at life. Named Freddie, the hope is she will now have all the devotion and love she needs to try and live a full life. Rescuing an animal is a truly amazing thing to do and something my partner Darrell and I have done many times ourselves!

Our first rescue cat was Lily, an oriental foreign white. She was a breeding cat, kept in a cage for most of her life and badly in need of a forever home. I saw her story in a local newspaper in 2007 and immediately fell in love with her. I had seen no photographs, just a write up about her situation. After giving birth to her last litter of kittens, she suffered complications from a botched cesarean, leaving her badly scarred; as a result she acquired a hernia, which required a further operation. Her life as a breeding cat had come to an abrupt end and she was about to be euthanised when she was rescued by a local charity.

Lily was a fantastic cat, who Darrell and I loved with all our hearts. We were lucky enough to have her in our life until her death in 2017. She was extremely needy, but wonderfully loving, always close to both of us wherever we went, even travelling with us across Europe to our new home in Alicante. Her final few weeks were terribly upsetting; the bond we had with this amazing intelligent cat was so close and unforgettable, that we found it very difficult to let go. Knowing when the time is right to say goodbye is important. When I rescued her from an uncertain fate in 2007, I knew instantly it was the right thing to do, just as I knew it was time to put her down in 2018.

The memories I have with Lily will be with me always, she was a big part of my life, as any pet is. Her plight pulled at my heart strings and I was so content watching her grow after such a traumatic ordeal. Because of her past, she did have many heath problems, surviving cat flu on several occasions, when she should have died, but she was such a special girl everyone who met her, just couldn't help falling in love. When she died, we had her ashes scattered in an animal sanctuary near our villa in Spain. A part of her will always remain there and it will always be an excuse to return to our old home from time to time. I am glad she was a part of my life, I will always have her close inside, often looking at photographs and remembering the times we all spent together as a family!

A few months before Lily died we rescued two tiny kittens, while living in Spain, they were no more than five or six weeks old and it was touch and go whether or not they would live. Thankfully they survived and we were lucky enough to have Mollie and Wildling for nearly a year. Of course we would have loved to have spent more time with this wonderful brother and sister duo, full of adventure and character, even after being dumped in a garden, trying to survive in the hot Spanish sun.

When I left for Spain in May last year we reluctantly decided to have Mollie and Wildling re-homed. Our destiny was moving firmly away from Gran Alacant and it seemed unfair to uproot these two young cats and take them to a new home in the UK. The last thing we wanted to do was give up the new additions to our family, but we found them both a home together with two of our friends living an hour and a half drive away in the southern Spanish province of Murcia.

We were happy to take on Lily, Mollie and Wildling, they were all very special pets. Every rescue animal has a story to tell and suffers from the memories of a past they would rather forget. They did have their own set of problems and we did have to dedicate more time to their rehabilitation, but the love they gave in return was so precious, it was worth all the pain and heartache.

If you are thinking about re-homing a rescue cat or dog, don't think twice, you will not regret it. The time we had with all our pets was rewarding and special, there was never a dull moment. When Darrell returns from Australia we hope to once again settle down and welcome some new rescue cats into our life, until then, it is great to continue reading stories of others, doing what they can to help animals in need, just like those in the video above. Animals do indeed make a home; my life certainly wouldn't have been the same without them!

This Sunday I had been given a personal day off from work, the first one in a long time. To be honest I have never really liked Sundays anyway and would rather be at work, so it was strange not being sat behind a till. After working at the Newcome on Saturday night, I hadn't planned to do anything the next day, except have a lay in and relax, which is a rare thing for me. True to form, I woke up on Sunday morning, as early as ever, ready to start the day!

After sitting down watching a film, I spent the evening cooking a roast dinner....Proper roast potatoes cooked in beef dripping, roast pork and vegetables. It tasted pretty good if I do say so myself!

As we approach Christmas, I am looking forward to the festivities more than I have done for many years. Like the impending Yuletide, spending time with family on a Sunday is not something I am used too. As a child I used to sit down to lunch with my Brother and Parents, but we did it as a small unit and rarely with extended family and friends. Living at my Aunts house I am experiencing a very different side of life, quite foreign in nature, but one I like and have accepted better than I could have expected. Living here has also taught me much about survival under the most strenuous of circumstances!

I suppose Darrell and I were very similar to my Aunt. We would always have people in and out of our home on a regular basis and rarely got a moments peace. There were other periods when we also kept ourselves very much to ourselves, especially when we lived in Spain. We chose not to have close friends in Gran Alacant, because of our past experiences, living in the UK. We passed judgement on others based on our own topsey turvy life, preferring to keep everyone at arms length. My life was all the poorer for the distance we kept, but it has also made me appreciate the things I have today.

I rarely get time to myself, except maybe when I am blogging, like today, but I am happy with that; I enjoy having friends and family around me these days. I am content cooking a Sunday roast and comfortable living my life around children for the first time ever. Watching my Cousins grow is probably the most special part of my time in Portsmouth. Bonding with all of my family has been a fulfilling experience and I am sure there will be many more occasions we can enjoy each others company. First and foremost I am here for my Mother and Father at a difficult time, but I am also here to rekindle my relationships with those close, who possibly understand me more than my parents. Having an important network around you at demanding times is the biggest Christmas present of all. My wellbeing is enriched and enhanced dramatically because of the life I lead today!