Lockdown Diary - Saturday 15th August 2020

Got up early to get out and do the weekly shop, with son #3.  Busy house around 7 a.m., as sons 1 and 2 are off out walking with some of their mates in the Chilterns (starting in Great Missenden) for the day. I fear they may get wet, but as it's preparation for a few days walking in the Lake District in early September, they may as well be prepared.

Meanwhile son #3 and I were food shopping, a tedious chore which I've grown to dislike with a vengeance: the sooner it's over, the better. This week, apart from sharing the burden with son #3, which reduces to the tedium significantly, things were improved by the return of Bertie's Breadstall to the Saturday market.  Their bread is exceptionally good, the only problem is, we're spoilt for choice.  Son #3 was very happy as he managed to get a cinnamon swirl for Sunday's breakfast.

Got home and began unpacking before the main morning carer call.  As one of our regular carers is on leave, she was replaced by one who normally only does calls in the week.  I'd promised to make her a coffee, as she said there's no where else on this round where she'd feel happy to have a coffee made for her, even if they could. I didn't enquire any further, but I guess my wife is relatively young compared to most other clients they see, and many of the others probably live alone and struggle with most domestic chores.

Boring chores take over the day, and I'll not dwell on those.  

Mid-afternoon I had to return to the precinct for a contact lens check and an eye test.  It's a first: I've never had both on the same day, but this is how things will be in the new world. It went well and neither my contact lens nor glasses prescription has changed in 12 months (6 for the contact lenses).  Another change is that now my next appointment for both contact lenses and glasses won't be for 12 months - normally contact lens checks are every 6 months, but owing to the Coronavirus they are increasing the interval, especially where the prescription has remained unchanged and all the other checks of the inside of the eyes are fine.

I had planned to walk to the opticians, but as I was about to leave it started to rain. Typical. The only time it rained all afternoon.  Determined to get some walking in I went out for a walk shortly after returning.

Most of the day had passed and I hadn't found time to read any of the papers or anything else for that matter.  Decided to sit down and read a couple of pages of 'Ulysses' then start on the papers.

Sons 1 and 2 are apparently due home by 8:30 p.m. and so #3 and I get dinner ready on that basis.

When they arrived home they are soaked (even though they waterproof clothes) and hobbling - their feet have some conditioning to do before they head off to the Lake District.

Apparently they're off out again after dinner, once they've showered, though this time for drinks at a friend's house.  Film night is postponed.

One of my favourite albums of 2018 was this tribute to French composer Léo Ferré (apparently a cult hero in France) by the experimental musical collective La Souteraine (which translates as 'The Underground', I think). The album is called 'La Souterraine presents C'est Extra: 13 reprises de Léo Ferré'. Each track on the album interprets one of of Léo Ferré's songs, by different artists, each of whom produces what's called 'chanson francaise experimentale'. I've chosen 'Tu Ne Dis Jamais Rien' by P.R2B.

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