Working From Home

Wednesday is my first day of working from home. L is doing the same having arrived home last night with a wheelbarrow's worth of files. She only got her new ‘very pretty’ computer at work last week and now she’s been parted from it. That said the annoying Cortana, who she hasn’t had chance to dismember (I mean disable) yet, will have to self-isolate.

L warns me that I’ll need to get used to working with the back door open and only actually working in between ball chucks. Sounds idyllic. It doesn’t appear that the dogs have any intention of spending all day asleep in their beds like they do on Dog TV.

Our morning dog walk hasn’t really changed much. People are doing social distancing, as they’ve been told to do, but we’re well used to people shouting 'Good Morning' to us from a safe distance for years. Usually from the safety of whichever car they’re hiding behind. The joys of being part of the dog walking fraternity.

On Thursday I shop for my Mum and Dad in Asda which is a traumatic experience. Shopping in an unfamiliar supermarket is like wearing someone else’s shoes and that’s before you presented with a confusing list from my Father. Not least because most of it is from the frozen and confectionery isles, both of which are alien territory to me.

Italy’s daily death toll seems to go up by 100 every day, reaching nearly 800 per day by the end of the week. UK figures are now 150 a day but rising and it is announced that all schools will close on Friday. Despite Donald Trump saying that the ‘Chinese Virus’ was not welcome in the US, it seems to have its feet (sadly) well under the table in New York City.

I am surprised to see that most of the pubs around Nottingham still seem to be open. Largely, I suppose, because they haven’t been ordered to close and many people who were told to avoid pubs and restaurants clearly aren’t. By Friday that changes as the Government instructs all pubs, restaurants, gyms and other social venues across the country to close their doors.

The weekend arrives, looking very much like the rest of the week. Parkrun is replaced by a quiz while Frank Turner’s gig at Rock City is replaced by a screening of his 2000^th gig which was at Rock City in 2016 and I was there of course. It’s rather good to experience it again.

(Saturday 21^st March)

Chilled Out Week

The week opens with Italy putting its entire country into lockdown and despite Donald Trump saying the coronavirus wouldn’t be hitting the USA, the Americans report their first death.

In happier news, Daughter has her formal interview with the police on Monday and then her driving test on Thursday. So, she’s in for a chilled out week. L takes her up to the Police HQ in Arnold and she seems more stressed out than Daughter is.

Afterwards L runs ‘only 10k’ (her words) which she says was horrible but 10ks are always horrible in my opinion and also the first run after a holiday is always horrible.

The Lad is at the Vets later for his annual vaccination and he’s thrilled about it.

Son secures a new job and tells us all about it. He also tells us about his plans for his ‘stag do’ which involves hiring a chill room with a group of mates, playing computer games and watching TV. Whereas the week after their wedding (they’re having their honeymoon later) will be spent chilling, watching films and playing computer games. There's a bit of a theme going on there and it doesn’t sound that dissimilar to every other day of his life... but each to their own.

On Wednesday I actually do some exercise as I bike to work and then on Thursday I run 22k from work.

Daughter passes her driving test. Hurrah. Manchester Utd dismantle Derby in the 5th Round of the FA Cup.

Sadly, a woman in her 70s becomes the first person to die in the UK of the coronavirus.

Crufts, an event with lots of foreign visitors, goes ahead despite the escalating number of cases around the world and now here in the UK. We did think of going but I’m sort of glad we didn’t now. 

(Thursday 5^th March)

The Least Worst Candidate

Today is a day of firsts.

Well obviously there’s Mr Trump but then there’s Nottingham having an ice bar. Only £12.50 including a prosecco but get in quick before Italy stop us importing it.

There’s also the fact that we now have new chic black soap dish to go with the new chic black tooth mug and the new chic black bathmats in our new chic bathroom. Not sure Donald would approve though.

Then there’s the Masons finally kicking out the Wainwrights and putting Adnams Ghost Ship on for my post-dogging pint. Wow, I’ll have one of those. Although with their limited bar choices it is a bit like an American election, where you have to try to pick the least worst candidate.

I think I may have got my choice right.

(Wednesday 9^th November)