March 19th 2020: Coronavirus day 5

Day 5?  Mm.  Seems like a lot longer! 

After Peter's first conference call of the day we went to Southwold intending to start work in the boys' bedroom by lifting and removing the old carpet. However, once we were there we decided that it probably wasn't a good idea to travel back and forth between Norwich and Southwold and that we would be better off isolating ourselves in Norwich.   So, I did a little gardening, we packed the house plants into the car and talked by phone to Nigel who puts out our bins for us.  We left what we owed him with the lady in the charity shop next door, had a cup of coffee and drove back to Norwich. The idea is that we won't return to Southwold until the situation changes and we are no longer required to stay put.  According to the news today, that's going to be at least three months and probably longer.  We're very sad about it and will miss Southwold.

Sainsbury's 

Back at home Peter made delicious Welsh rarebit for lunch and then had his second conference call of the day!  We talked to Rupert as he and Laura were driving back from the supermarket where the shelves were empty.  They wondered what they were going to cook with three random ingredients!  There was a clip on the news tonight of a distraught care worker on her way home who couldn't find any fruit or vegetables to buy.  She was in tears, begging people not to hoard food and panic buy.   The queues outside supermarkets are ridiculous.

Gill went shopping today to the market and kindly brought us some fish.  I met her at the back gate and we swapped.  I took the fish and she took a packet of radish seeds I had.  She'll plant them in our shared veg plot.  I talked to Mary V. via Zoom and we were pleased to have made it work!  I talked to Phyl in Italy who's got permission to go out tomorrow to collect a new computer and do some shopping. Lots of WhatsApp messages with family and the knit and natter group and our pottery tutor has also set up a WhatsApp group for her classes.  So much communication on my phone that my battery only lasted me half a day! 

Peter made spaghetti Bolognese for supper.  That's twice today he's cooked!  I made the humous and raw veg as a starter.   I think that both being at home for lunch every day is resulting in eating too much.  This, combined with lack of exercise, could become a problem.  

We keep having to remind ourselves what day of the week it is and to check our diaries.  There's so little in the diaries that it's easy to forget to look.  We seem to be filling the days with odd jobs.  

The prime minister Boris gave another press conference this afternoon.  Not very convincing at all.  He comes across as lukewarm and unlikely to inspire people.  We expect that measures will be taken quite soon to make people stay in.  Too many people still going to the pub!

Dropping off to sleep I thought "What shall I wear tomorrow?" and then I realised...IT DOESN'T MATTER!  No one's going to see me, I can wear the same thing day after day (hygiene permitting!).  To every cloud there is a silver lining and we're going to have to keep looking to find them! I do worry though about what I'll look like after no visit to the hairdresser for months!