Staying Home: Day 91

It is now thirteen weeks since I started working from home, just ahead of the official lockdown. I count myself very lucky - as M said to me earlier, we are healthy, happy and solvent, and you can't ask for more than that. There have definitely been positives from the last three months. I have learned that I benefit from a more regular daily routine, with proper down time at the weekends. We have been walking regularly, and since I recovered from the wretched virus that dragged me down for the first few weeks I have started building more exercise into my days, and I am beginning to feel stronger and more energetic. (Was the virus Covid, I wonder? The dates seemed wrong, but it is beginning to look as though it was spreading earlier than was previously thought.) We have enjoyed each other's company as a family, and all being home together has been good. As things have begun to open up and we move to a new normal I am more appreciative of small pleasures - chatting with a neighbour, ordering a takeaway meal, a drink in the garden with a friend. There are certainly things I miss. I'm disappointed we can't go on trips we were looking forward to, especially our long planned holiday to Disney World, but I know we will be able to do these things at some time in the future. I think I miss the possibilities, the knowledge that I could do things if I wanted to, more than I miss actually doing them. All in all, we have had a good lockdown and I am grateful.

I worked this morning but finished at lunchtime and spent a bit of time in the garden reading before we went for the first of what turned out to be two walks today. M and I did our regular three mile woods-canal-town loop. After a bit more time in the garden I made dinner - salmon baked in the oven with roasted potatoes.

R posted a picture of some home made triple chocolate millionaires shortbread on Instagram this afternoon, which looked so appealing we decided to drive over this evening and combine collecting some with going out for a walk with her dog. The weather, which had been nice all day, took a turn for the worse but the rain held off long enough for us to get in a two mile walk and to sit in R's garden for a while drinking coffee and eating shortbread. The village where she lives is good for walking, and it is nice to have a change of scenery.

While we were out H went round to see an old school friend who lives locally and have a drink in her garden, leaving her BF here with his Playstation for company. It has been another good and busy day, and tonight I am counting my blessings.