Day 96 - Tuesday 23rd June


The Morrisons grocery delivery arrives right on time but unfortunately without the halloumi which we eat a lot of now there are three veggies in the house. Hubby informs me that our toaster - which he had just tried to clean due to it smelling of burning when we use it - is not working properly. I look on the Tesco website to see if I can find a delivery slot - bingo! There's one tomorrow evening between 10 and 11pm. I find a toaster and then add halloumi and a few other bits and pieces I think we might need. Before I know it, I've spent £160.

The fixings and pole for the shade sail arrive, but the sail itself won't be here until tomorrow. Other than that it's a fairly standard day, slogging through paperwork interspersed with laundry. Then the daily briefing - the final one apparently - reveals some substantial changes to the Covid-19 restrictions, applicable from 4th July. Pubs, restaurants and accommodation will be able to open, as will hairdressers and barbers, and one whole household will be allowed to visit another indoors and even stay over. 2m distancing will be reduced to "1m+", the meaning of which is unclear and will surely annoy all those businesses that have been getting ready to open with 2m distancing. I don't plan to behave any differently to now - I don't feel any safer than I did at the beginning of the pandemic and I'm wary of a second wave.

I attend an online circular economy event featuring a speaker who is very supportive of the climate change partnership. It's at an annoying time, from 6.30 - 8pm which is right in the middle of dinner for most people, including us. The formal part doesn't start until 7, so I finish the barbeque prep while the organisers do their introduction which I've seen many times before. We're supposed to have break out rooms for discussion after the presentation but all 25 of us are sent to the same room. A minute later we're back in plenary and they try again. Again, all 25 of us arrive. The speaker endeavours to provoke interaction by directing questions at specific people for brief responses, but it's really not working too well. Back to plenary again, then another breakout room with everybody in. I finally give up and leave the call ... I'm just too frustrated with the chaotic organisation.

I barbeque dinner and we sit outside chatting for a while.

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