(Saturday, 21st to Monday, 23rd March 2020)
Having decided to take the weekend off, to (sort of) make it feel like a weekend, things did happen, of course, not a lot really, but nothing did not happen!
Saturday at 7am was marked by a dash into and out of the Coop to get some things we needed, particularly milk and some veg. The only disadvantage of going at its opening time was that the bread van had not delivered yet. Surprised to find I was one of only three or four people in at that time, so I had some elbow room. By the time I had done, it was beginning to get busy. I did make a point of thanking several of the staff there for being there for us and it was very clear that they really appreciated being thanked. Clearly not enough people have thought to do that.
We weren't going to on the weekend, because of the fine weather and the fact that we knew the moors would be crowded, but later on Saturday afternoon, we did walk the dogs on a less popular part of the local moorland, where there are sheep grazing, so kept them on the leads at all times. No bad thing for them to get used to being on leads when they don't expect it!
Sunday we stayed home all day. B did a ration of gardening and I did some indoor exercises, training and games with the dogs. I also made some quiet time to sit and read, which is more than B got in the garden as the residents of the cottage behind us was playing music in his garden. You have to mow the grass outside, but it is possible to play music indoors! In the evening after supper, I had a test meeting (on Zoom) with my barbershop chorus, Hallmark of Harmony. Probably around thirty involved It doesn't lend itself, unfortunately, to singing together and being able to hear each other in the process, but with imagination we can do some constructive stuff, talk and share, set goals for learning and practice as well as having a bit of fun and, most importantly, keeping a team spirit going; keeping the 'band of brothers' together.
So that was the weekend.
On Monday morning, B woke with the inspiration that we should start doing Tai Chi again. So plan A: for the first week at least, to do some Qi Gong (Chi-gong), which is basically warm up routines that wake up the whole body step by step ahead of embarking on doing the short-form tai chi 'choreography'. Remembering and relearning all these routines has been the first challenge, but it's slowly coming back.
Various other tasks and activities ensued and my day finished with another , smaller meeting on Zoom with Hallmark, this time just for those who couldn't make it on Sunday evening. Just to get familiar with how it works. Some having more difficulty than others initially, but we will all get there soon enough.
We're definitely trying to ration news to the main bulletins and brief Prime Ministerial press conferences and pick up 'other news' from the on line press.
Dara Ó Briain provided the pre-bedtime comedy to lighten the spirit. I have to say he always talks so fast with his Irish accent, that thickens as his presentation becomes more intense, that I have great difficulty hearing any but half of it! But it is his energy and comedic timing, the looks, gestures and punch lines that are so unmistakeable and make hime so funny.
Gard blass 'em.
Three day's worth of Music Choices from Clemency Burton-Hill's "Year of Wonder" :
Saturday: Piano Trio No.1 in D minor, op.49 2: Andante con motto tranquillo by Felix Mendelssohn.
Sunday: Recomposed: Vivaldi Four Seasons 'Spring 2' by Max Richter
Monday: Heal You by Anna Meredith
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