Day 95 - Monday 22nd June
We're in last week of freedom territory now - one week today I start my new job. I have a few bits and pieces to tie up before I start, but the weather forecast for the week is good and I want to enjoy my free time while I can. First, though, I have a zoom meeting with somebody who was looking for some consultancy before lockdown. It's a good conversation and we agree that there is the potential to work together, although I'm open about the fact that it would either have to be done in the one day a week I have free or through my new employers. I agree to go back to her with a proposal in a couple of weeks, once I've started the new job.
My son and his girlfriend are up in time for lunch and I make a spicy noodle salad that we all enjoy. They are in shorts and intend to spend time outside - I'm happy to see this as he's normally inside pretty much all of the time. I've had the idea that we might put up a shade sail over the barbeque, having been under one twice in recent days and realised their value. He's enthusiastic about this and we start to work out dimensions - eventually the whole household is involved. We decide what we need and I go online to find it. There's a local company that sells exactly what we want, but their delivery leadtimes are currently 2-3 weeks and we want to take advantage of it this week when it's due to be uncomfortably hot. I give in an order from Amazon - it will be here by Wednesday.
A second victim of Saturday's attack has been named - he's an American who worked for a company based in Reading, and a member of the LGBTQ community. The name of the third victim emerges later on in the day; apparently they were all friends who had been enjoying drinks in the evening sunshine. Unsurprisingly, they were regulars at a popular gay bar where a couple of my friends knew them slightly. It's a big town but still a small enough place for social connections to be fairly tangled - I often find a friend I know from one of my activities to pop up through contacts related to something quite separate.
Mid-afternoon my son and his girlfriends ask if they can make cocktails. Why not? Well, apart from a slight dearth of suitable spirits. They enter what we have into an app which suggests a dark and stormy - rum and ginger beer. Sounds good to me, but I have a coaching call at 4pm and it would be inappropriate so I ask for mine to be served later. The call goes well - it's the final one of a series of three and I've definitely found them helpful. I emerge to find them a bit giggly after tequila sunrises. The dark and stormy is duly made and I take it outside to the hammock but it's shady there now and not warm enough. I find a sunny spot on the sun lounger and enjoy my drink while listening to the radio.
It's being reported today that further easing of the lockdown might be announced tomorrow, including opening of the hospitality industry. From 1st August those who were shielding will no longer be allowed to claim statutory sick pay meaning they may feel compelled to return to work even if they don't feel safe. Only 15 deaths were reported today, although there is sometimes a lag after the weekend. Meanwhile, there has been an outbreak in Wales at a meat processing plant, the R number in Germany is approaching 3 and the WHO has announced the globally cases are still on the increase. It feels like things are easing up too soon.
I have a yoga class at 6.30 and hubby interrupts to ask for the hand sanitiser - they are off to the kebab shop for takeaways. I find it in the bag I took to my sister in law's house, tell him where to find the masks and return to my class. They return with dinner and a bottle of vodka - a notable omission from our drinks cupboard. I enjoy my felafel wrap - we have had more takeaways this week than in the entire rest of the lockdown. Before I go to bed I reply to an email from my new employers checking how I'd like my name to be represented in their email convention. Tonight I am grateful that I have a new job to look forward to.
My son and his girlfriend are up in time for lunch and I make a spicy noodle salad that we all enjoy. They are in shorts and intend to spend time outside - I'm happy to see this as he's normally inside pretty much all of the time. I've had the idea that we might put up a shade sail over the barbeque, having been under one twice in recent days and realised their value. He's enthusiastic about this and we start to work out dimensions - eventually the whole household is involved. We decide what we need and I go online to find it. There's a local company that sells exactly what we want, but their delivery leadtimes are currently 2-3 weeks and we want to take advantage of it this week when it's due to be uncomfortably hot. I give in an order from Amazon - it will be here by Wednesday.
A second victim of Saturday's attack has been named - he's an American who worked for a company based in Reading, and a member of the LGBTQ community. The name of the third victim emerges later on in the day; apparently they were all friends who had been enjoying drinks in the evening sunshine. Unsurprisingly, they were regulars at a popular gay bar where a couple of my friends knew them slightly. It's a big town but still a small enough place for social connections to be fairly tangled - I often find a friend I know from one of my activities to pop up through contacts related to something quite separate.
Mid-afternoon my son and his girlfriends ask if they can make cocktails. Why not? Well, apart from a slight dearth of suitable spirits. They enter what we have into an app which suggests a dark and stormy - rum and ginger beer. Sounds good to me, but I have a coaching call at 4pm and it would be inappropriate so I ask for mine to be served later. The call goes well - it's the final one of a series of three and I've definitely found them helpful. I emerge to find them a bit giggly after tequila sunrises. The dark and stormy is duly made and I take it outside to the hammock but it's shady there now and not warm enough. I find a sunny spot on the sun lounger and enjoy my drink while listening to the radio.
It's being reported today that further easing of the lockdown might be announced tomorrow, including opening of the hospitality industry. From 1st August those who were shielding will no longer be allowed to claim statutory sick pay meaning they may feel compelled to return to work even if they don't feel safe. Only 15 deaths were reported today, although there is sometimes a lag after the weekend. Meanwhile, there has been an outbreak in Wales at a meat processing plant, the R number in Germany is approaching 3 and the WHO has announced the globally cases are still on the increase. It feels like things are easing up too soon.
I have a yoga class at 6.30 and hubby interrupts to ask for the hand sanitiser - they are off to the kebab shop for takeaways. I find it in the bag I took to my sister in law's house, tell him where to find the masks and return to my class. They return with dinner and a bottle of vodka - a notable omission from our drinks cupboard. I enjoy my felafel wrap - we have had more takeaways this week than in the entire rest of the lockdown. Before I go to bed I reply to an email from my new employers checking how I'd like my name to be represented in their email convention. Tonight I am grateful that I have a new job to look forward to.
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