Lockdown Diary - Tuesday 29th September 2020

Although I have today off, it pales into insignificance compared to the action of yesterday. This is often my challenge.

I decided last night that I'd get up later, but I have to admit, though technically I had more sleep, I don't feel any better for it. I still struggled to get up and I know that there is an undercurrent of tiredness which cannot be cured by sleep alone. Less or more, makes no difference. Ennui.

I've only got one specific thing in the diary today, which is a call with an ex work colleague who I've not spoken to in a while.  Not sure how long.

At the appointed hour WA kicked into life and I began a longish video call with an old friend. He has retired (who hasn't?) - in fact he's been retired for two years and seems to be enjoying life, subject to the same restrictions we are all living under.  It turns out he didn't even know my wife was ill, never mind bedbound, which means we may not have spoken for 11 or more years.  Despite the intervening years we chatted as easily as ever and have arranged a meetup in a couple of weeks subject to changes in the rules. One thing that struck me was that part way through the call, his wife came in and brought him a tea or a coffee (it matters not which) and I said 'hello' and remarked upon it, along the lines of 'that's nice' or kind or some such throwaway remark.  It was a tiny thing but it made me realise how much we have lost.  I was trying to think of a quick joke to make, but couldn't - the thought processes had momentarily taken the wind from my sails. If I may resort to useless metaphors. Overall it was good to catch up. [I can't help thinking: 'one more person I'll be in touch with when the shit finally descends.']

I'm not sure what happened after that but soon I was welcoming the lunchtime carers in for my wife's twice-weekly excursion from her bed to the special tilt-in-space chair.  More company for me.

After that meditation then lunch. Made lunch with son #2 and then watched most of a documentary about Warren Buffet with him.

The rest of the afternoon was eaten up doing various things, but before the final carer call of the day I'm going to go for a walk, so I can hit my daily 30-minutes brisk walking target.

Back from walk - it's still quite a pleasantly warm day - and within 10  minutes the carers are here.

Wrote a few emails and then started preparing the dinner, which was soon taken over by son #2. It's getting to the point where he's doing almost all the dinners these days. I am grateful for him doing it, but I think we need to share the task more evenly as it will become too easy to rely on him.

Dinner served, it was time for another episode of 'The Bridge', one with a suitably unexpected ending.  I wanted to watch another episode, but sons 1 and 2 weren't up for it.  It was probably the right decision as I have to be up early for yoga then work tomorrow, so begrudgingly I accept the will of the majority.

This can only end in one way. It does/did.

I started listening to 'Kats Karavan' yesterday after hearing The Passions and came across a great version of a song that I wouldn't normally listen to as I've become too familiar with the original. This version breathed new life into it and so it will be represented here. But not today. Instead a song from one of my favourite albums and probably the second best album by this artist, in my opinion, at least.  This is 'High Fidelity' from the album 'Get Happy!'. It is of course by Elvis Costello & The Attractions.  The bass playing on this track is something else.

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