Lockdown Diary - Sunday 7th June 2020

Started the day with a walk, returned home to the carers and started getting organised for the day. After the carers left, I got ready and dressed for breakfast. Apart from washing, I didn't do a huge amount on Saturday.  I need to do a bit more today, if its stays dry I need to do some more gardening: the garden waste bin is empty and there's serious trimming to be done round the side of the house and also, more visibly, in front of the kitchen window.

Before starting that, I'm going to read today's paper, update next week's shopping order, eat my breakfast and probably delve briefly into the wonderful world of Facebook. 

Having chilled out for a little longer than I planned, I remembered I had washing to do. Damn!  Got that on and then ventured outside with the hedge trimmer and the notion to do battle. As I began attacking the bushes and they, in turn, fought back, it occurred to me that shorts were not the best choice of trouser for this job, especially as quite a few of the bushes are viciously prickly, not least the holly.  The garden waste bin is now full to bursting again, which luckily coincided with me having cut back pretty much all I wanted to.

Gardening over, I decided to have a break. First off I started to watch lesson 2 of the 'Introduction to Psychedelics' course, this one titled 'A Short History of Psychedelics'. Another excellent lesson, focused on the modern discovery and use of psychedelics in the west, as opposed to an anthropological history of their use by past civilisations, though it was mentioned.

Then I listened to another Freak Zone and was reminded of the 'danger' of the programme: in most shows there are several new bands or recordings I hear that I instantly want to investigate and buy their music, in whatever form it's available. This show, from the 10th May, introduced me to Moonweevil and Sir Richard Bishop, both excellent. The featured album was 'After the Heat' by Brian Eno, Moebius & Hans‐Joachim Roedelius, which I was fairly certain I didn't have (I don't) but which sent me looking back into my German albums ('krautrock' as it often termed) and discovered that I hadn't ripped 20-odd of these albums, including all of Cluster, La Dusseldorf and most of Harmonia and a lot more besides. I had to fix that immediately and so ripped the CDs whilst I got on with other stuff.

During both the course and the radio programme I had interruptions: calls from both sets of outlaws.  First from my father-in-law and stepmother-in-law.  I always have to speak to both of them and every time I have to answer the same questions. If anyone asks me if I have a date for my operation yet, I will have to scream. At the very least.  No sooner had I put the phone down and was back into the land of psychedelics, it rang again.  This time my mother-in-law (MITL for short).

A couple of sentences into that call, the front door bell rang and it was the carers. We decided to stop the call until after they left. Call resumed at around twenty to seven and thus I was regaled with tales from the Wirral (it's like 'Tales from the Riverbank' but less happens.) I do my best to be engaged and interested, as I think MITL gets lonely and I'm one of only a few people she speaks to. At least whilst I'm on the call I can feed CDs to the ripper.

Call over now, time to clear up in the kitchen, empty the dishwasher and get ready to start making dinner with son #3.

Watched three episodes of 'The End of the F***ing World' followed by the usual close down sequence.

Still investigating this album, which sounds very promising so far, but here's the track I first heard: 'The Coming of the Rats' from Sir Richard Bishop's recent album, 'Oneiric Formulary'

[[I think lockdown is starting to get to me]]

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