Lockdown Diary - Monday 15th February 2021

Trying to make the most of my non-working day, despite lockdown limitations. I have a few things to do, some writing and thinking/planning and the replacement cooker is due to be fitted this afternoon.

I'm up in time for the first carer call of the day, which I made sure of as I want to ask her for some advice.  She stopped preparing the meds and we had a quick chat whilst I took her advice on board.  Once she's finished the meds and setting up the PEG feed pump and said 'see you later', I go and get on with the process of fully getting up and ready to face the world.

After breakfast I set up the ultrasonic diffuser I bought my wife for Valentine's Day: so far I only have one essential / fragrance oil, Plum Blossom & Musk, which I unleash upon an unsuspecting world.

Shortly after setting up the diffuser my personal mobile rings and it's my pensions advisor.  Just a regular catch up with an update on things and the chance for me to update him about things that have changed in my life that might affect my plans.  As always he's happy to see me carry on working!

Most of the morning passes with me switching between writing stuff, searching for essential oils online (one of the carers is very good at helping me spend money on things for my wife!), picking myself up off the floor when I see how much they cost, and organising the next food shopping delivery.

Suddenly it's lunch time: time seems to pass so quickly when it's your own time to do as you please in.  Sons 2 and 3 and I make lunch, as fast as we can, because we're expecting the replacement oven to arrive 'in the afternoon' and it's bound to be when we're making lunch.  As we're about to add the final items to the plates, the door bell announces movement outside and sure enough it's the firm delivering the new oven.  We hastily add some sliced meat to the plates then everyone, apart from me, retires to a safe location to have their lunch.

The old oven is out in a flash and the fitter asks me what I'm expecting and a say a new replacement Neff double oven, which is good, as that's what he has outside.  He and his mate lift the new oven in to the kitchen, it's wired up and after removing the old spacers fits perfectly. They set both ovens running and say we need to burn them in for 30 minutes or so to clear off any manufacturing residues and then they're off to the next job.  I take a little time to look over the new ovens, which have more options and note that the build quality is way better than the Blomberg, though when I bought it, it was two or three days before Christmas, so it was an emergency and money was tight.  One odd thing I do notice, though there are three levels for shelves in the oven, you only get two and only a pan for the top oven but no rack.  I think I'm going to have to invest in a shelf or two and maybe a rack for the pan.

Finally I get to eat my lunch!

After lunch I go for a drive along the motorway thirty minutes or so - not going anywhere just was advised by a taxi driver that diesel cars need to get driven and warmed up at higher speeds every now and then.  Music selected, I head off for the motorway, planning a round trip and getting the car up to 70 mph, or thereabouts, for some of the time.

Home now, time to read a bit more of 'Where The Crawdads Sing', if I'm to have any chance of finishing it.  I'm finding it more and more interesting as the story develops, though I have a feeling it isn't going to end well.

Evening approaches, time to start preparing dinner and christen the new oven.  I get the lamb ready to cook while son #2 does the potatoes, then we split the vegetable preparation between us. This process leads inevitably to cooked and served dinner, and a gathering in front of the TV to watch another episode of 'Mr. Robot'.

These events, in their seemingly fixed sequence, lead just as fixedly towards bed, then sleep.

Something lingering from last year's 'not fully listened to yet' pile is Aksak Maboul's double album 'Figures'.  From 'Figures' comes this (highly) edited version of the song 'Tout a un fin'. Listen to the album for the full version!

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