Lockdown Diary - Tuesday 16th March 2021

Back to work.  Work continues to be busy which, within certain previously tested limits, is a useful way to keep my mind distracted.

Beyond that, not a lot.  There seem to be a lot of things to organise concerning my wife's care at the moment, which generates more work, mainly in the form of phone calls and emails in the first instance, at least.

The details of my stepmother-in-law's funeral are now through and, after a conversation with work, I am having the afternoon off as compassionate leave.  I hadn't asked for it, but my manager offered it, and on reflection I realised it was a good idea.  I am so use to having things to deal with, I don't stop to think about the impact they have on me, occasionally with less than good outcomes.

The day progresses as a working day usually does.

I start cooking the dinner, joined a bit later by son #2, and eventually we sit down (three out of four - son #3 is engaged in his 'Rocket League' tournament) and watch 'Reginald Perrin' in lieu of not much else. After that finishes son #1 and I watch, totally unplanned, Roman Kemp's documentary about male suicide.  The programme prompted son #1 to have a chat with me about my experiences.   I did say to him that there are some things I don't find it easy to talk to him (i.e. and his brothers) about and, in at least one area, only really have one person I can talk to (the oft-mentioned carer), who goes on leave at the end of this week, which I suddenly realise will leave a gap. 

Clearing up, then sleep, still the best part of my days.

John Moore / 'Clouds Roll By' / 'Lo-Fi Lullabies'


[[]]

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Lockdown Diary - Tuesday 8th June 2021

Image
Back to work and the first day of a course spread over the next six weeks. Other than that, the same old same old. At some point in the day I published my review of 'The Alchemist' on my good reads page, further stoking the fires of controversy. Apart from the training course I also attended an hour long session titled 'The Art of Being Brilliant', the first in a series of talks about making the most of yourself / your life.  The speaker was Jonathan Peach who had some very interesting and enjoyable things to say, though most notably for me right now and as he pointed out, you do need to be starting from a good state of mental health.  It was thought-provoking and fun, but I think I need to get the Talking Therapies stuff under way / over, before I can really take advantage of it. During the evening I got a message from a friend I've not spoken to for a few months.  Last time I heard from her she was in the Maldives with her new  fiancé. She is planning a visit over
Read more

Lockdown Diary - Sunday 29th March 2020

Image
For the first time in I don't know how long, I've not read The Observer today. In the old world I used to go and pick up the paper, along with coffee and fresh food items on a Sunday morning, and maybe say Aloha to a few of those I'm on 'How the devil are you?' terms with.  In the new world, apart from the coffee shop being shut, I can't really justify going out to buy a newspaper.  Even if one of us weren't highly vulnerable to Covid-19, the risk of going out where there are other people, is too great for them and for us. I had attempted to rectify the newspaper catastrophe (yeah, I know it's not even on the scale, but everything is so over the top now, everything's a fucking catastrophe), however I left it too late: we do get some papers delivered but when I called to amend my order they told me they'd been overwhelmed with requests - 150 new accounts opened in the last week (I'm guessing a lot of people are ordering The Sun, Mail and
Read more

Lockdown Diary - Saturday 26th June 2021

Image
Saturday at last. Seemed a long time coming this week, dunno why. Shopping with son #2, followed by breakfast at home.  I'm off to a picnic in a park in town with some friends from book club: it's the last chance to see the couple getting married next weekend so it's an opportunity to give them a card and catch up before they depart to work and live in Denmark.   The weather is good-ish which means I've managed to get three wash loads done and hung out before I'm off out. Just returned from a very enjoyable picnic in King's Road Gardens.  In all the years I've lived here I've never been in these gardens, though I've driven past them countless times.  In the end there were seven of us in attendance, which wasn't bad for an event arranged at short notice on a Saturday afternoon.  I got home around half-four and, despite having indulged in some wine, decided I needed to go for a walk. Hit my walking target for the day and the week, ready for whateve
Read more

Lockdown Diary - Tuesday 29th September 2020

Image
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 interven
Read more

Lockdown Diary - Sunday 16th May 2021

Image
Well, that's a surprise! I've woken up to rain, so I'm gonna delay my walk until later, assuming the rain stops. Usual rubbish chores to do, not made any easier by the rain: when will it ever cease? I had a long chat with my younger sister which was a good reminder of what I should be doing, but I am failing to do.  Originally I had planned to drop by to see her and sit in her garden, but the rain has put paid to that. Over lunch I started watching a documentary about Betty Davis - the American singer who was married to Miles Davis and influenced his musical direction by introducing him to Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone - which was a reminder to check out her raunchy funk albums of the early 1970s.  So far, it's been well worth watching. Some time during the Betty Davis documentary my other sister rang and we had a good catch-up.  The carers arrived during the call, though the call came to a natural end before they left. I've got a lot of albums from 2021 I've not r
Read more