Interesting times.

I’ve been avoiding writing about COVID19 like the plague. But here goes my ha'porth.

While others have produced many pages of words on their lockdown activities, how many books they’ve read, video conferences they’ve attended, or new skills they’ve learnt I’ve mostly been at work. Being declared a key worker right from the outset has meant the changes to my daily routine haven’t been that great. I still need to visit and interact with customers - albeit while trying to observe strict social distancing - and I already worked largely from home anyway. I haven’t needed to visit the main office, or rather I’ve avoided doing so even though most of the desk based people normally there have been despatched off to work from their kitchen tables but occasionally I’ve needed to visit a nearby site to access a printer. (Using my own printer at home being verboten for security reasons.) So work wise not so different from normal.

My planned trip to the far north of Scotland by rail was due to start on March 20th, so that didn’t happen. I’ve got most of the money refunded now and made a note of the companies who took a “tough luck, we’ve got your money now fuck off” approach to the situation for future consideration when trip planning. (Yes, I’m looking at you Caledonian Sleeper.)

That left me with a week off and nowhere to go, which has been my only real period of lockdown. In those early days of bog roll and other shortages I was glad I had previously stocked up for Brexit. Although I haven’t needed to use much of that stockpile since shop supply lines have since adapted. Shop once a week, Monday or Tuesday after 1400 hrs seems to be the way to avoid the worst crowds (though not necessarily the worst people) and still get most of what you want.

For my daily (well some days anyway) permitted exercise outing I’ve mostly headed to the nearby woods, scrub, and swamp of Wildmoor Heath or on a couple of occasions down by the Blackwater River.

I live in a built up area so it should be no surprise that with a lot of people needing to escape the confines of their four walls the open spaces will have more people in them than usual. It has apparently come as a surprise to the usual vociferous half-wits on social media though, encouraged by our appalling fourth estate (and in some cases Chief Constables). 

I’ve left it until 1830 or 1900 hrs before going out for a walk, avoiding most of the families with loud unruly kids and bikes. There have still been a few of the usual arrogant mountain bikers to try to avoid though. I think having a saddle stuck up your arse must do something to your brain chemistry. At least the weather has been conducive to outside activities. Although maybe if it had been pissing down we would’ve minded less about not being allowed out.

I did try going out very early one morning instead. It was bloody cold. And there were nearly as many walkers out as in the evening.

In spite of the generally good weather I’ve managed to get drenched at work a couple of times, just so I don’t forget what rain is I suppose. The joys of working outside. Now compounded by people who have no idea what 2 metres looks like and having to be alert to the possibility of attack by 5G conspiracy fuckwits.

I already lacked a social life before all this but evenings in have proved that there’s still very little worth watching on TV. I managed to stand about 3 days of government Corona-briefings before deciding I didn’t need to be depressed any further. Youtube has remained my channel of choice and Saturday evenings have been enlivened by the weekly Don’t Panic! livestreams from All The Stations. Also an epic and unintended 3h 10m livestream from Martin Zero the live comments section of which turned into a fantastic childhood TV nostalgia-fest 😊

In other news I’ve read quite a lot of eBooks, although not as much as I expected. Where does all the time go?

I’ve spent too much time on Twitter. I’ve had to temporarily restrict my tweets to confirmed followers to get a break from the wilfully ignorant and terminally stupid who always seem to be looking for a fight. I’m so glad I don’t do Facebook as well. That particular plague seems to be infecting Cix as well unfortunately😞

I’ve had my first adventure into Zoom land. The talented and generally lovely Odette Michell did a “live” gig via Silsoe’s NAF Club. An award-winning artist live in your own front room can’t be bad, even on an 8” tablet 😀 Gotta love the technology.

Steve Knightley and Show of Hands youtube channel has whiled a way a few evenings with musical entertainment as well.

I eschewed the VE Day 75th anniversary bollocks. I was unsurprised when it was inappropriately used to whip up some jingoistic nationalism. Did the virus take a day off so that the Daily Mail could celebrate what it referred to as “Victory over Europe” day? 🙄

That’s “sort of lockdown” so far, I wonder what’s next?

We await the buffoon in 10 Downing Street's widely-leaked announcement that restrictions are to be eased from tomorrow. I have no doubt this will result in a fiasco, will make things more difficult at work, and quite likely unflatten the curve as well. Still the elite are hurting in the pocket and hoi polloi need to be sacrificed to ease their pain.

We are to stay alert apparently.

Good luck to you all.