Staying Home: Day 98

Today in brief: work this morning, exercise class and lunch, a bit more work, time in the garden reading, making shepherd's pie / shepherdess pie (vegetarian) for dinner / three mile walk / an episode of the Chase on TV. Even after three months I am still faintly surprised how fast the days pass, and how there never seems to be time to do everything I would like to do.

We walked down the canal tow path and met the swan family - the cygnets are getting noticeably larger each time I see them. It was a warm afternoon but still pleasant for walking. The next few days are promising a heatwave, so we may need to take later walks or shorter strolls.

TG had  Teams lessons today for English and French. This afternoon we got a letter from her school to say they have arranged for all the Year 9s to go in for one morning to touch base before the end of this term. It all sounds very well planned. They have been put into groups of 12. Each group will spend the morning in a single classroom and have three lessons - English, Maths and Science - with the teachers coming to their room while the kids stay put. They will have a short break where they can socialise (at a distance) within their own bubble of 12, but not with anyone from another group. On the days the Year 9s go in, no other pupils will be in school, so that they can keep the numbers on site low.  I think they probably want more than anything to give them all an opportunity to experience  the new normal of socially distanced school before next term, although by then it seems likely that the rules will be relaxed so that more kids can go in and for longer days. TG has been given July 3rd as her date for her half day in school. Attendance isn't compulsory, but as coronavirus levels are now pretty low in our area we feel comfortable with her going.

M had a health and safety assessment form through for his NHS job. They are scoring everyone for their Covid risk, to check who can safely work and who can't. His score put him into the "amber" range, where he is judged safe to work in an area that isn't a Covid hot spot, but will probably need an occupational health assessment first. This - fit for work, but with caution - is exactly what we would have expected, so their scoring system seems quite accurate. Although I don't work for the NHS I scored myself out of interest and came in one point lower, putting me into the green zone but also requiring an occupational health assessment because of my asthma - again, much what I would have expected. I will turn 60 in October, which would add a point and put me into the amber zone. So, caution is still the order of the day for both of us!