Lockdown Diary - Thursday 14th May 2020

Another day in paradise.

Work takes centre stage again, though I've a few other things to do today. 

Got a text from our GP at 7:30am, the missing test results have been found and confirm what I already knew, I do still have an infection.  The bugs refuse to die so now we hit them with a bigger stick with spikes (aka a stronger antibiotic) that will lay waste to all in its path. Thanks to a wonderful friend I shall start taking that this evening, which should start having an effect by the weekend, with any luck. After the course is finished I'll return to the low dose antibiotic for prophylaxis and, fingers crossed, will stay infection free at least until my operation is due.

Took a brief timeout from work late-morning to deliver son #3's student loan form to a friend who has kindly offered to verify he is who he says he is which will only leave one hurdle remaining - getting them to understand why his mum doesn't work or have an income. I'm sure I've done all this once before with sons number 1 and 2. Hey ho!

Then it's just been work. Followed by more work, interspersed with a bit more work and then, to finish, work.

I'm about to call work to a halt for the day. In the next hour (less now) the carers are due and then, at 6pm, the Idler drinks with Sally Phillips and Jane Bussmann. The Idler drinks should be a good break and also a laugh.  Before then I want to do one thing...

...now finished reading Sci-Fi book club's choice, 'Futuristic Violence & Fancy Suits', about which my lips are sealed, until 25th May's book club meeting.  My focus can now shift to 'Three Women', which is a wholly different sort of book, not least because it's non-fiction. 

Another great hour spent on a Thursday evening - both Sally and Jane were amusing and great company. I've decided I rather like Sally Phillips. These 'Idler Drinks with...' have been one of the best things about lockdown. Next week they have Armando Iannucci, which should be equally amusing.

Damn. Just got a message from a friend who has been battling with Leukaemia for over a year now. He tells me that the Leukaemia has returned and this time there's not much they can do. I don't know how certain that is, but I'm feeling a bit down. We've known each other since the late 1980s and had a big impact on my life: he was instrumental in me meeting my wife; he was best man at our wedding and he's godfather to one of our twin sons. Happy times. This news has knocked me off course a bit. It reminds me of things that I try to keep at the back of my mind, things I really don't want to think about right now. It just sends my mind racing with tentacles of thought reaching for all the things I'd like to change and can't make happen. Reminds me that we have little or no control over anything but ourselves and even that is pretty illusory, in truth. Damn.

1988 was the year I met our best man, so that's the year today's song will come from.  He's from the West Midlands and so are this lot and - more than likely I'd've played this album to him at some point, too. He certainly suffered for our friendship ;-)  Here's The Wonder Stuff from the album 'The Eight Legged Groove Machine' with 'A Wish Away'. This is for you mate.

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