The social isolation diaries — week 6

The social isolation diaries — week 6

If we didn’t suspect it already this was the week that we finally realised Donald Trump is batshit crazy.  He suggested this week that if bleach and disinfectant can kill germs on surfaces in a minute why don’t we start injecting it into ourselves in an effort to kill Coronavirus.   No, seriously he did.   Within 24 hours the likes of Dettol and Domestos were telling us not to do that, as if any of us needed to hear that.   How that man can be in charge of a nation baffles me, it would funny if it wasn’t so hideously dangerous.

It was also announced the vaccine trials have begun, though it could be next year before they are actually widely available.   The same could also be said for the home testing kits that we were told were made available.   A certain number are available every day and within two minutes they had all been allocated on the first morning of launch.     I will be honest and say that this feels like just another government spin exercise where the latest minister let out to stand in front of the lectern to make some promises that sound great, but then fail to materialise as promised.

On a personal level

It has actually been a lovely week for me, and I feel guilty for saying that as I know many people will have had a hard week.  Without the pressure of having to negotiate home schooling and a full time 9-5 though I realise I am in a very lucky minority.  My daily routine has found a natural rhythm now and I have to admit that when lockdown is over I am going to find it strange going back to “normal”.  Though I think we can all agree that normal is going to look very different.

There is a stillness in the air in the evening when I walk the dog that I adore.  It’s more than just a silence from a lack of cars, it really is a stillness and with two boys at home on various Zoom calls every day I find that stillness is something I adore.  Maybe it’s the only child in me.

Friday night is Zoom and quiz night, and Saturday nights are now pizza nights and we have blown the cobwebs off the pizza oven  so we can make the most of me not having to do the cooking being able to cook and eat outside.  As I said, when we have a new normal these will be another of things I miss.

Things I have loved this week

I have said a few times that I wished we could go out with our cameras and photograph the empty streets in central London, the quiet parks and grounded planes parked up at airports.  Obviously we won’t because we aren’t idiots, but it does mean that I am loving seeing pictures that others have shared. One of which is this website: “Signs of the Pandemic”

Another is View From My Window on Facebook.  It’s a glorious tour of the world, one view at a time showing the seasons, cities, small gardens and I have loved scrolling through the pictures this week.

I have also discovered false nails and super strong glue so have managed to stop my nails looking too revolting.  Its pathetic, I know but I have really missed being able to get my nails done every fortnight, and this little thing is making a big difference.

We all sat down for the Big Night In on Thursday night, an old school telethon that was a collaboration between Comic Relief and Children in Need that is to raise close to £30 million, doubled with a matched donation from the government.  It was a fun night that really had us giggling.

There is no sign that this lockdown is going to end soon so if you have some time to kill then fire up Youtube and watch this celebration of Stephen Sondheim in honour of is 90th birthday

Until next week, stay safe