Like millions of others, Val Savage, mum of ex-football star and Mirror columnist Robbie Savage, is self-isolating.
Val, 72, is a Radio 5 Live celebrity thanks to her appearances on Robbie’s shows.
Here she talks about her fifth week shut away from the world...
I watched Captain Tom Moore on TV doing his sponsored walk and told myself not to cry. But it was no good. I had to let go until I was heaving with loud sobs.
During lockdown, all my emotions have been extreme.
And thanks to Captain Tom, I was overwhelmed with so much pride the tears just would not stop.
Looking at this wonderful gentleman taking every tentative step, his back slightly bent but his chest held high and medals gleaming, made my heart swell.
The fact that his shirt was pristinely pressed showed his beautiful, old-fashioned dignity.
And it proved how much attentive care is shown to him from the people looking after him. Capt Tom has spoken so modestly as the total raised has topped £20million.
As a 99-year-old Second World War veteran, he must have lost many mates and wants to do what he can to stop any more passing away. That shows such selflessness, kindness and determination.
The fact that so many donations have poured in proves people felt as moved as I did.
Raising so much, when everyone is so strapped and worried about their jobs, reminded me what a wonderful nation we are.
I feel that same pride when I go to my front door to join in the street’s Thursday-night clap.
As the sound echoes around the close, we all smile at the opportunity to say thank you to the people keeping the country going, and to see the faces of neighbours who are all missing each other.
My mum always said: “Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Cry, and cry alone.”
So even if we’ve had a hard week and we’re pining for our grandchildren, we all come out to the door or the path to smile and cheer for everyday heroes.
Even when we are feeling horribly hemmed in, we’re all spending our days calling others to see if they’re OK.
And even if we have a long list of worries, all my friends have said how lovely it is to hear the dawn chorus of birdsong – lovely things we were often too busy to notice.
It’s proof that no matter what difficulties we face in our country, we are united, we care for others and we look on the bright side. I couldn’t live anywhere else. We are just a little island but aren’t we lovely?
I’m a happy bunny
I thought my lockdown birthday would pass as just another day. But I had more treats than ever and my phone never stopped.
The lady next door made me a lovely cake with Easter Eggs and candles on top. Robert sent me flowers so big I could barely lift them off the doorstep without having a turn.
Bless her, my best friend Sue came to the end of the path in her mobility scooter just like Madge from Benidorm. She’s marvellous for making such an effort. But as she left I was worried to death she might get a bit too much speed up.
And my son Jonathan gave me a voucher for afternoon tea so we can go out and enjoy ourselves when lockdown is over. That’s lovely but there are never enough sandwiches at an afternoon tea. And for the price of it, I’d expect a whole loaf.
But I’m still looking forward to it and I’ll have a Cornish pasty before I go.
First Wales shirt went to late grandad
Our Robert’s a little b****r and very mouthy on the football pitch.
As a player he sometimes got really stuck in. I had to walk around the football ground at half time because I couldn’t bear to see him be so aggressive.
He’s had hundreds of yellow cards – so many that if he stuck them all over himself he’d look like a Fyffes banana.
But off the pitch he’s mild-mannered and really kind.
So I wasn’t surprised to see him auction off a football shirt to help NHS charities. But I was astounded to see it raised over £16,000.
Fans might not know this but Robert has always been thoughtful.
He was really close to my parents and was devastated when my dad died when he was 18. It was his first experience of loss.
Dad had emphysema from his years working at the steel works and because he was bedbound and needed oxygen, he wasn’t well enough to ever watch Robert play. Robert had played one match for Wales as a schoolboy by then and asked the funeral director if his taid – that’s grandfather in Welsh – could wear his Wales shirt in his coffin.
That made us all cry. And that’s what we did.
Summer smiles
The news is so depressing and it makes me cry to hear the number of deaths.
So to distract myself from the sadness I’ve started watching Last of the Summer Wine re-runs and I love them.
The Yorkshire scenery is beautiful. The stories and characters are so funny. It makes me smile.
And it reminds me how life was so much simpler with no mobile phones or app things that I don’t understand.
Not on song
My legs haven’t been so great this week so I’ve postponed my stage appearances in my living room.
I thought about singing instead but then remembered I have a voice that sounds like a dog. Strange, because when I was young I was in the operatic society. Now I just mime.
Shopping disaster
This week there was an emergency situation: no Tena Ladies in the shops.
A lot of women like me, who have fetched and carried, wear them.
And I’ve bought so many in the past I should have shares in the company.
But now’s a time we can’t get everything we need so we have to be careful with what we have. So the other day when Jonathan phoned and made me laugh, I hung up on him.
