Day One Hundred and Sixteen - Damp Day

All seemed well when I pulled back the curtains this morning, a little dull to be sure but it looked dry. So I set to and did my physio. I'd like to just go straight for the walk because the sequence of exercises takes about half an hour. But my back really needs to be stretched and worked before I can put it through its paces. By the time I finished them it was pouring with rain. I hadn't even noticed. So that stopped me in my tracks. What to do? I did some tai chi, that's what I did! When I finished that it looked as if the rain had stopped and was brightening up a bit. So I thought I'll go for my walk. Only to find that the heavens opened yet again. This time I gave it up as a bad job and had my breakfast. By which time the rain stopped and it started to significantly brighten.

Another day without a walk I hear you say. No. I set forth. I didn't do my usual route. I only went as far as the Bermuda Triangle. And incidentally the Covid snake has stopped and coiled back on itself. There are number of things that really please me about that snake. It's kept going. They've allowed the grass to grow around it without trying to cut it. And no one has vandalised it. I think that's the most pleasing thing. But I digress. I went as far as the snake and then I turned round and came back and carried on into town. I went through the library Gardens which is a regular route of mine when I go into town so it was really nice to see it after all this time. And I was just-in-time to see the chemist open it's shutters.

Slightly curious incident. As I went to go into the chemist, having asked the girl opening the shutters if she was open for customers, somebody who was walking up the road said, 'Go on then, I'll let you go in '. They moved in front of me to open the door and I stepped back which elicited a puzzled look and I said I'm keeping my social distance. I felt bad because their initial reaction implied that they were ahead of me. Perhaps that was their perception. I went in and this person wasn't even coming in to the chemist anyway, it was most peculiar.

I collected my prescription and then went on to the health food store with there were a couple of people ahead of me in the queue. But everyone was perfectly socially distanced and it was easy to maintain that. So I got my bits and walked the long way back again along the cliff path up to the roundelay so I could see the sea. Then headed on home before it rained again! I've decided that I must try and go out more. Walk into town more. It might help soothe these disproportionate anxieties I'm currently harbouring.

I think it's also a good thing to vary the routine. You can get locked into a lockdown routine. And whilst I think some kind of routine is important you have to try and summon some flexibility.But what is interesting is how different the world seems at 9 o'clock than it does at 6 o'clock in the morning! And compared to the last couple of times that I've gone into the chemist or the health food store there is definitely more traffic about. I've had to wait at zebra crossings, wait at junctions, in previous weeks that has not happened.

I did some dusting and hoovering. I played the pop master game. Exchanged some text messages with my sister. And made some delicious vegetable and lentil soup. I know it's not much but it just feels like I've been more productive. I had some bookish stuff to do first thing as well and I've spoken with my brother on the phone. And I've tried not to think about coronavirus too much. I do hunger for some brighter weather though. It seems ages since there's been any sustained periods of sunshine. It's not that it's cold particularly but it's so damp and gloomy. And when it has been sunny it's been significantly windy and breezy. Having said that we are probably headed for a heatwave and I'll  be moaning about how hot it is. There's just no pleasing me.

My brother  was telling me about the trip he made on his son's birthday. They went to the Severn Valley railway. But it's not running at the moment so they were able to actually walk up the tracks. It's quite safe.  And I reckon that must be quite an interesting experience because it's not something you can do every day. Reminds me of all the films I've seen where people walk along railway tracks. I think I'd like to do it. But only when it's safe.

I seriously wonder whether I will see any complete return to normality within my lifetime now. I'm talking broadly, economically as well as sociologically. It seems that the country is in such a dreadful mess. I'm sure it's the same in other countries in the world. But I'm not living in other countries in the world, I'm living in this one. It seems highly likely that taxes will rise to cope with all the costs. Coronavirus has been expensive. I suppose it's only fair. We've all got to pull together and pay for it. But there are businesses closing. Huge companies you wouldn't expect closing branches. Companies like John Lewis and Boots. On a brighter note they're talking about reopening gyms this month. I suppose it's a good thing. When I was a gym junkie I can't imagine how I would be feeling right now. Starved of bench presses and cross trainers!  But the usual mantra - social distancing measures and sanitation. No one can function without addressing these issues. But I still say that there is a high number of joggers who refuse to take any precautions. Sometimes I don't know that there is a jogger behind me and they've even brushed against me on a couple of occasions. It would be interesting  statistically to see how many joggers have actually gone down with the virus and been tested for it so that they're in the statistics. Actually I don't mean that. It wouldn't be interesting at all! I need to get out more.