Diary of Spain in Lockdown - the remarkable and the truly despicable

Thursday 16^th April

Do some exercise each day they tell us. One WWII veteran did just that and raised nearly £20 million for the NHS.
In amongst the gloomy news reports about numbers of deaths and crashing economies, the story of Captain Tom Moore, was a heart-warming one. Captain Moore wanted to do 100 laps of his garden before his 100^th birthday and had hoped to raise £1,000. But his story seems to have touched people’s hearts and they have given generously.

But while this remarkable Yorkshireman is trying in his own way to help during this global crisis, across the Atlantic,  Donald Trump is doing the exact opposite. He has been busy withdrawing US funding to the World Health Organisation at what is probably the most critical time in its 72-year history, and criticising them for mishandling the coronavirus pandemic. Clearly an attempt to shift attention from his own mishandling of it. We all knew what Donald Trump was like and every time we think he can’t sink any lower, this vile, evil president manages it.

As the rain had stopped, we, like Captain Tom, also went outside to do some exercise, the new sport of choice, yoga! The little ones made a good effort and took it quite seriously, even Boira, the dog, joined in.  I reckon there are more people taking up yoga during confinement than ever before. Wherever I look there are adverts for free classes online or friends sharing their yoga pictures. And sales of yoga mats must have gone through the roof, I got mine back at the start of lockdown.