Lockdown Diary - Friday 26th March 2021

The weather and the way I'm feeling are in sync today, which is probably something, though I'm not sure what. I am on leave but I am still not really in a good place, made even more apparent by not having the distraction of work. Not that seeking solace in work is a good thing - I've been down that road before, and don't want to return - but I am struggling to find an alternative.  There is always alcohol but that's another road too well-travelled and again, I don't want to go back there again either.  Sleep seems to be the only safe place. I think Sylvia Plath was on to something: “I buried my head under the darkness of the pillow and pretended it was night. I couldn't see the point of getting up. I had nothing to look forward to.” (If you italicise a full-stop, can anyone tell?)

Somehow I occupied myself during the morning, partly trying to get the tap fixed, and with other stuff that needed doing.

After lunch I started the next lesson in my 'History of London' course, with today's topic being the plague of 1665 and the great fire of 1666.  Luckily the remedies that were used then to combat the plague (of which there were three varieties) are not used to combat Covid, otherwise you have to think death was preferable. It was a generally held belief at the time that the plague was the result of sin and so the remedies took this as their starting point - fascinating but also revolting. As any fule kno, the great fire started in the King's bakery on Pudding Lane, though what is perhaps less well-known is that Pudding Lane was not named for the art of baking, rather it was named because it's where all the animal entrails and offal was processed - so, pudding as in black pudding as opposed to peach melba, or some such.  (Useless fact #479.)

After the diversion of death and destruction (Useless fact #480:  officially only 6 people died as a result of the great fire, though it is generally believed the death toll was much higher.  Guess those that died were probably the poor and so no one gave one - plus ça change) it was back to reality or should I say back to trying to escape reality, which is my reality. Really. Real. Reel. And around again. 

Time to make dinner, some form of chorizo sausage casserole.  Aided and abetted by sons 2 and 3.

Dinner / 'Narcos: Mexico' / le fin

The Birthday Party / 'Jennifer's Veil' / 'Mutiny / The Bad Seed'

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