Lockdown Diary - Wednesday 14th October 2020

Yoga started at 5 to 7 this morning, beginning with five minutes of chanting before getting into the breathing and movement sections.  It was an interesting experience: 5 minutes of chanting the same thing over and over again, rhythmically does have a very settling effect on the brain. There is something to be explored here.

As soon as yoga finished - without putting the mat, blocks or cushions away - I'm off upstairs to get showered, exercised and dressed in order to have breakfast made ready to start work by 9, at the latest. Not that that's a hard and fast rule, it's just what I like to try and achieve.

The rest of the day is centred around work apart from a brief web chat with HMRC, which, predictably, didn't quite get us to the answer I was after. I still have to call HMRC, though that can wait until tomorrow - I can only stand so much excitement in one day.

Early afternoon NRS Healthcare arrived to service my wife's mattress and associated pump. Largely a formality - the mattress had been repaired a few weeks ago - but another one of those little disruptions.

Sons 1 and 2 met up with son #3 in town and went together for a haircut (each, not just one) before meeting up with son #1's gf and returning home to make lunch.  I was spoilt today: they made bacon and eggs for lunch, which made the wait all the more worthwhile.  

Work over for the day, I found it was too late to go for a walk, which was a bit of a disappointment: I need to do better tomorrow.

Early evening, whilst working on something or other at the PC, I started listening to Saturday's 'Freak Zone', which included an interview with Ed Wynne of Ozric Tentacles and some music from their latest album 'Space For The Earth'.

Read a bit more of 'Ulysses' and Private Eye before it was time to make dinner and watch episode 5 of 'Lovecraft Country'.  The series has turned out a little different to my expectation and I'm just adjusting to the direction it seems to be going in, give or take a few surprises.  Oh, and if you are watching the series, make sure you've finished eating before you watch episode 5. That's all I'm sayin'.

'Freak Zone' provided an unexpected reminder of an album I've not listened to in ages, 'Ça Va' by Slapp Happy. I rather like Dagmar Krause's voice and 'Silent The Voice' is, ironically, a good showcase.


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