Knitting is supposed to be relaxing,

calming, soothing...
I may need it in the coming months. Our Prime Minister informed us yesterday that humans over a certain age should "stay at home". It wasn't quite a lock down but close to it. 
Other people are being asked to stay at home if they possibly can. Take the dog for a walk? Yes. Get some exercise yourself? Yes, if you take a walk with one other person or ride your bike or - presumably - use your skateboard or whatever. 
The "one other person" provision is there to protect women in particular, women who might only be able to go out with someone else. I know the Muslim woman who lives in the group of units across the way and down the lane from us would not go out alone at any time - although I have seen her scuttle alone to the rubbish bin with a last load of rubbish. 
Will people go for walks? I hope so. 
And will they do other things? The state newspaper now has a section called "Hibernation" - full of things to do while forced to stay at home. So far I have not had time to look at it. I don't need any more to do. 
I want to finish the book I started writing almost two years ago. The "of course you can find time to write if you really want to" noise does not take into account a number of things that really do prevent you from doing just that. 
And I hope I can knit...and knit more than I usually do. Yes, it is supposed to be relaxing, soothing, calming and more. 
Interestingly I did very little knitting when my mother was dying. Looking back I realise I had very little time...and I needed more sleep than I was getting. Knitting was low on the list of priorities. 
It is higher right now. The Senior Cat is supportive, encouraging and interested. (That he fails to understand the process at all just adds to the fun for both of us.) I still don't have a lot of time but I have more ideas than ever. 
But, more important than ever, I need to make sure I keep in touch with people I know live alone or will simply need support. I spoke to one yesterday. I will try and talk to another today and another tomorrow...and so it will go on. They need to know someone is interested.  Most of them knit and all of them read or indulge in craft of one sort or another. We should be able to find things to talk about.
We could grow further apart - or we could grow closer together.