On Becoming a Hermit, Sort of ... Day 29

Day 29
(Tuesday, 14th April 2020)

I had a lie in this morning. B got up at 7 to feed the Zoo and watch the news. Apart from editing a haiku triplet, the theme of which I rather like, I decided to familiarise myself with TikTok ahead of hopefully getting my oldest granddaughter to teach me how to do the 'TikTok dance'..? There is a purpose, a plan, which might be revealed in due course ...

In the mean time, I further progressed my attempts to get some money back and/or claim insurance from flights and accommodation booked for Hallmark of Harmony's trip to Ireland for the IABS international barbershop convention in October, where we were due to compete as part of our preparation for going back to compete at BABS convention in 2021, following our year off as champions. Ooops! That was one of my long sentences. Apologies.

So far, I've managed to get 50% back, or will do in 5-7 days, from Airbnb for the flat I booked in Killarney. The rest, less the usual service/booking charge, I have to claim from the host. So we'll see what happens over the coming week. As for getting anything out of Ryanair, I've not even received the courtesy of a reply to my request for assistance from them, so it could well be next stop claiming from the travel insurance. I'll let you know how it goes, assuming you have the slightest interest ... if not I'll give you fair warning at the beginning of a paragraph when I am about to report on progress. So there you go.

In between whiles, this is how useful Guide Dogs can be ... 

Another good session on Zoom with Tim Briggs and 40 or so members of the Hallmark band of brothers in the evening, was followed by a bit of telly, including a harrowing and emotional episode of "Our Girl". Ooof, that's all you need just before bed! 

And also today's choice of music from Clemency Burton-Hill's "Year of Wonder", which is "Fruhlingsglaube - Faith in Spring" by Franz Schubert. The text is by poet, Ludwig Uhland encapsulating the bittersweet promise of Spring. The second verse is, as Ms Burton-Hill relates, "wistful" ...

With each day the World grows fairer
One cannot know what is still to come
Now all, all must change.

See you tomorrow.

However you may be affected by anything I've written about, do leave me a comment below or, if you prefer not to, talk to a loved one, a friend or someone you trust.