Lockdown Diary - Monday 7th December 2020

Another week begins.

Usual start to Monday, more or less.

Son #1 was up early to go to Guildford and spend the day with his gf. Outside.  Not sure this is the best day to do that.

The morning passes and afternoon brings the first change to the mundane. Christmas lights.  I stick them up outside around the porch and garage. Nothing too spectacular - some of my neighbours appear to be in some kind of 'war of the lights', with at least two of them (possibly a third) trying to out do the other. I honestly don't see the point. I do love Christmas, primarily because we are usually together and I'm not working, even though much of it is just hassle.  When we both used to organise it, it was much better and easier.  Now I just appreciate how much effort goes into having some kind of enjoyable Christmas.  From this far off (far?!?!?) there still seems a mountain to climb: I've barely got any presents, I've only sent one card, more to follow, and apart from some food which I have ordered. There are two trees, largely decorated, lights, and some decorations. That's all I have to show for it.

Not long after fixing the final light, it's time to take son #3 to the main uni campus for one of his final three face-to-face lectures (the other two are tomorrow - guess who's taking him?)

Bloody hell! It's a cold, damp and foggy day out. The fog now having turned to rain as we drive to the university.

I am still struggling a bit with life at the moment and seem to be slipping into that state where only when I'm working do I feel OK. This is because I am so busy at work that I don't have time to think about anything else, so it kind of blocks out the rest of the shit.  On the plus side at least I've noticed this, contrasted with the fact that this is how things all began to unravel a couple of years ago, though at least some of the other factors are not present (though in at least one case that's both negative and positive, at the same time.  Beat that!)

Time to go and collect son #3 from uni. You were lucky. When I were a lad I used to have to trudge half way across Leeds in the freezing snow to get back home from lectures. Indeed.

The evening arrives, inevitably. Tonight should have been book club, but I've decided not to go. Haven't read the book. Haven't read any book, come to think of it. I think I'm in need of a 240 volt kick start.

Dinner. TV. 'The Haunting of Hill House' episode 2. Struggled to stay awake. I'm beginning to think the tiredness/sleepiness might be another symptom. Who knows?

Thankfully it all becomes irrelevant. The usual journey into darkness.

'Place Of My Own' will always have a place in my heart.  First off the keyboard solo in the middle (starts around 1m 40s) is one of my favourite instrumental breaks but, more than that, there's something in the lyrics that resonates too.  I like the ambiguity that the 'place' of the title could both mental and physical, though, regardless of which, it's a place to go when life drags you down.  Too much thinking. This is Caravan, originally from their self-titled debut, but also from the excellent compilation 'The World Is Yours' (amongst other compilations). Naturally I have both, being a bit of a Caravan obsessive, at least up until the point they went all MOR on us. ('Blind Dog at St. Dunstans' being arguably the last decent album they made. Discuss.)

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