Essential travel only

After the announcement last night (lockdown 3) I was all set to go to work today and plan for remote learning, school closure etc.
But Dad rang desperate for help with Mum and there was no question, I needed to go down to Kent. I knew I was Covid free after having had our test and not seeing anyone since.
A rushed goodbye to the kids, phonecalls to work and making arrangements with Andrew and I threw a few things in a bag.
The journey wasn’t without stress; phonecalls from Mum and Dad most of the way down, my phone battery rapidly dying, I ran out of data and all traffic was stopped about 40 minutes from the house. I was desperate to get there before the ambulance arrived. I really didn’t want Mum to be taken to hospital before I got to see her, give her a hug and let her know I was there for her. Thankfully I made it.
It turned out that, with Covid cases so high in the area, the ambulance service was completely stretched and decided to signpost Mum the local mental health crisis team.

An unbelievable day for us all.
Terribly sad to see mum so ill and Dad so isolated and worried. They were both exhausted and in need of support. The house was still set up as it was on Christmas Day.
Dad managed to rest for the first time in days.
Mum was pleased to see me and she needed a hug as much as I did.
This was definitely essential travel.