Day 63 - Thursday 21st May
Fortunately I slept well, as I have in interview this morning … a quick breakfast and then final prep, looking through my presentation and adding notes. The interview goes really well, the reaction to my presentation is really positive, they seem impressed by my knowledge of their industry and its challenges and I feel like I handle their questions well. However, to the question of what happens after the lockdown, the response is that the job will be based entirely at their London office, and I'm really not sure how I feel about commuting. It's both a health risk, unless there is an effective vaccine, but also seems time- and carbon-inefficient given that we now know how well remote working can work.
My friend arrives for coffee on the veranda, sans dog as it's too hot. She's brought some fresh leaves from her garden and the face masks I ordered from her. A milliner, unable to trade as usual during the lockdown, she's diversified into making masks from attractive prints and I'm delighted with mine. We have a good chat and the time goes quickly; by the time she leaves I'm really hungry for lunch and the fresh salad leaves go perfectly with the roasted veg frittata I saved from an earlier meal and yesterday's herb bread.
After lunch I do some laundry, pot up some more seedlings and sew up the broken zip on the polytunnel. It's so hot do the final task contorted into awkward shapes to find some shade. My son had asked to be woken but he's really struggling again; although he has slept for a reasonable period he's woken feeling exhausted again. Now that we think he may have had Covid-19 I'm wondering if it could have triggered a flare-up of the glandular fever he had last year. He seems stressed but when I ask if he's anxious or depressed he quickly insists he is not - perhaps too quickly. I persuade him to see the doctor and when I phone the appointment I'm offered is next Tuesday - to get same day appointments it's necessary to call at 8am. He lays on the sofa with his phone for a while, then goes to the PC; he needs to study but doesn't feel up to it so he's gaming.
I have my observed coaching session this afternoon; I have to take a student through the principles of ratios and how to simplify them. It's a bit awkward, teaching somebody you have never met when you can't see them … during the silences I just have to assume she's working out the answers. The feedback I get afterwards is really positive; as I have no formal experience of teaching it's fantastic to hear that my instinctive approach hit the spot. I pick up a message from earlier, my daughter telling me that my grandson keeps picking up her phone and saying "Nana". I call but he's out with his Dad so we arrange a call tomorrow afternoon.
We're barbequing again - souvlaki for hubby and Moroccan vegetable kebabs for the veggies, with rosemary and parmesan bread that was prepared in the breadmaker during my coaching session. My friend phones while I'm cooking and is keen to know all the details of how my calls went; hubby hasn't asked but I tell him anyway. My son has perked up and we have an enjoyable meal on the veranda; this is my favourite part of the day, especially when we can eat outside.
After dinner hubby and I watch a Horizon programme about coronavirus which is reassuringly science-based and balanced, then an exploration of the mental health challenges of Tony Slattery who was one of my favourite comedians during the 90s. He vanished from the public eye due to issues with cocaine and alcohol and is almost unrecognisable; it's heartbreaking to see how his excesses have damaged him. He has an adoring boyfriend who has stood by him and is desperate to help him; the relationship seems to be more that of a carer than a partner though and I'm sad for both of them.
Today I am grateful for good interviews.
My friend arrives for coffee on the veranda, sans dog as it's too hot. She's brought some fresh leaves from her garden and the face masks I ordered from her. A milliner, unable to trade as usual during the lockdown, she's diversified into making masks from attractive prints and I'm delighted with mine. We have a good chat and the time goes quickly; by the time she leaves I'm really hungry for lunch and the fresh salad leaves go perfectly with the roasted veg frittata I saved from an earlier meal and yesterday's herb bread.
After lunch I do some laundry, pot up some more seedlings and sew up the broken zip on the polytunnel. It's so hot do the final task contorted into awkward shapes to find some shade. My son had asked to be woken but he's really struggling again; although he has slept for a reasonable period he's woken feeling exhausted again. Now that we think he may have had Covid-19 I'm wondering if it could have triggered a flare-up of the glandular fever he had last year. He seems stressed but when I ask if he's anxious or depressed he quickly insists he is not - perhaps too quickly. I persuade him to see the doctor and when I phone the appointment I'm offered is next Tuesday - to get same day appointments it's necessary to call at 8am. He lays on the sofa with his phone for a while, then goes to the PC; he needs to study but doesn't feel up to it so he's gaming.
I have my observed coaching session this afternoon; I have to take a student through the principles of ratios and how to simplify them. It's a bit awkward, teaching somebody you have never met when you can't see them … during the silences I just have to assume she's working out the answers. The feedback I get afterwards is really positive; as I have no formal experience of teaching it's fantastic to hear that my instinctive approach hit the spot. I pick up a message from earlier, my daughter telling me that my grandson keeps picking up her phone and saying "Nana". I call but he's out with his Dad so we arrange a call tomorrow afternoon.
We're barbequing again - souvlaki for hubby and Moroccan vegetable kebabs for the veggies, with rosemary and parmesan bread that was prepared in the breadmaker during my coaching session. My friend phones while I'm cooking and is keen to know all the details of how my calls went; hubby hasn't asked but I tell him anyway. My son has perked up and we have an enjoyable meal on the veranda; this is my favourite part of the day, especially when we can eat outside.
After dinner hubby and I watch a Horizon programme about coronavirus which is reassuringly science-based and balanced, then an exploration of the mental health challenges of Tony Slattery who was one of my favourite comedians during the 90s. He vanished from the public eye due to issues with cocaine and alcohol and is almost unrecognisable; it's heartbreaking to see how his excesses have damaged him. He has an adoring boyfriend who has stood by him and is desperate to help him; the relationship seems to be more that of a carer than a partner though and I'm sad for both of them.
Today I am grateful for good interviews.
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