Things are beginning to open up – at least slowly in most places. I understand why. Mostly it’s for economic reasons. Lockdown is expensive both for governments and for businesses to say nothing about the people who work there. We can’t do this level of economic freeze for ever. Luckily I’m not one of those people who need to start making decisions on the risk of going back to work or to start using public transport again. Personally at the moment I don’t feel safe going to my local supermarket an hour before closing time in the expectation of fewer people being there. How I would feel getting a bus to and from work and then being around people all day….. I’d definitely feel on edge to say the least. Nothing much has changed since the virus hit. We still don’t have an effective treatment or a vaccine due any time soon. So things are nowhere near back to normal nor should they be. Is wearing a mask in public and washing your hands any great defence compared to the risk? I don’t believe so. Until I am FAR happier with the risk environment I’ll be staying in my own personal isolation. I still need to get my work laptop and things into the office but that hasn’t been broached yet. If I feel happier about it I might even walk into work. It’s only about an hour away on foot.
So, I’m still OK. Surprisingly (or not actually) I’m still not bored. I’m sleeping about an hour or two more each day than when I was working. Maybe an hour too much to be honest. My reading totals are up a great deal. I’m easily averaging 80-100 pages a day so it’s looking good for around 75-80 books this year. Maybe even more. That’d be cool. I’ve started hacking the out of control undergrowth in my garden back so that’s looking much better these days. I’ve even begun throwing out some clutter that’s been accumulating over the years (including a few boxes of cassettes I thought I’d already got rid of. I’m also amusing myself finding things (including some books) that I’d forgotten buying. I also have time now to catch up on various boxsets of DVDs that I’d been accumulating. Presently I’m on Lucifer Series 1 – yes, I’m that far behind with things. I’ve never thought of myself on the leading edge of anything to be honest!
All in all things could be a lot worse. I am a bit frustrated that I can’t just go somewhere or do some things because I feel like it – presently there being nowhere to go and very little open. I do need to go out for walks though. I’m not exactly stir-crazy yet but I am putting on a few extra pounds that needs attention. Fortunately Amazon is helping me feed my book addiction although I do find myself torn between restraint and splurging on things. Presently my goal is to have a book on order and one in the mail on its way to me. Hearing that thud on the mat when a book arrives always brightens the day. I do find always having something to do, something to look forward to, helps as does a bit of planned variety. I don’t have a hard and fast schedule (which isn’t really my style) but I do have things that happen around the same time most days. Drifting through the days is, I think, quite a negative way of dealing with current events.
Anyway, as always stay safe and be safe and we’ll see things through to the other side.
3 comments:
a sane procedure... i was going to go for a bike ride today but it looks too much like rain which i try to avoid; tomorrow looks better... reading, yes, and i find myself spending too much time dreaming over crossword puzzles: a permanent addiction since age 8+or-.... working in the garage on bicycles, fighting moles, at least one honeydo a day keeps me as busy as i like to be which isn't very... sleep is good... i'm not anxious about the future mainly because i don't think about it much; mrs. m is a lot more worried... we'll see, like it or not...
Your thoughts are similar to mine. I have mostly enjoyed my time staying at home. The other day I finished cleaning and organizing all 21 shelves in my pantry and actually feel abashed at all the years I put that off and stored food and pans amongst such filth! One thing I miss is going out to restaurants for a meal now and then, but I won't risk that for quite a while, especially since the restrictions sound like it will not be the pleasurable experience it used to be. How does one eat while wearing a mask, anyway?
@ Mudpuddle: I'm not thinking *too* far ahead. A few days maybe, maybe a week. It certainly doesn't 'do' to dwell too much. Things will get better, more normal, eventually. Essentially we just have to stay safe and wait it out.
@ Judy: I can't believe how much junk I've already thrown out and there's more that needs sorting. It's good seeing the results too! I doubt if I'll be seeing the inside of a restaurant for a while! A group of my friends/ex-work colleagues/gaming partners get together about 3-4 times a year for a curry in the same place now for over 10 years. A LOT of life changes have been discussed around those tables.... But even if they re-opened tomorrow I wouldn't be there as much as I'd like to be. Curry & surgical masks most certainly DON'T mix!
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