Our unpacking, when we arrived home last week, broke all records. Not that we keep records, but I’m pretty sure that we’ve never had Bertie completely unpacked within 15 minutes of arrival before. Six days later some (most?) of the stuff has also been put away from its original dumping places.
That was the unpacking, but how did we do on the packing for this trip? I already mentioned in earlier blog posts that we forgot the salad spinner and our swimming costumes (both of which are now on our ever-growing packing checklist). We managed without the former (which serves a double purpose as a mixing/serving bowl), and bought replacements for the latter. The swimmers only got used once, but the main reason we wanted them was for the final stage of the trip, when we due to have a large family gathering (involving a hotel with a feature swimming pool) at Disneyland Paris by way of a belated birthday celebration for Mick. Clearly that gathering will now not be happening. It remains to be seen whether we are able to get refunds or claim on insurance.
Assessing the state of Bertie’s pantry (a storage box in his garage) when we got home, I see that I managed to pack an appropriate amount of chutney for this trip, and I think Mick’s marmalade supply would also have lasted until mid-April. However, I under-packed on jam and was down to my last fifth of a jar when we came home. Obviously, we could have bought any of these items in Spain, but it would have been annoying when I’ve got a cupboard full of home-made preserves at home. Must do better next time!
We also under-packed on crosswords. Every day we do a cryptic on our tablet, working a month in arrears so that we don’t have to find wifi to download newspapers too often. We also usually have with us a crossword book and this trip was no exception. However, we packed a book that only had something like 50 empty puzzles in a book of 100, for a trip that was just shy of 90 days long. Rationing (unnecessary as things turned out) had begun only about a month into the trip.
As for being home unexpectedly early, I confess we have indulged ourselves. On the first day (over eight weeks after we last had a wash using a mains water supply) I had both a bath *and* a shower. Then we went to bed without doing the dishes (something that *never* happens in Bertie). We also called out for a takeaway delivery (something I don’t think we have ever done before). I would say that normality will soon resume, but I have no idea what ‘normal’ looks like now, nor what it will look like tomorrow and next week!
Whilst we received no advice or mandate to isolate ourselves once home, given we had come from the fourth most infected country in Europe (albeit the region we were in had, at the time we left, very few diagnosed cases), it seemed a sensible precaution to keep ourselves to ourselves for fourteen days, for fear of being unwitting carriers. My one exception to staying at home is that I consider that running alone on ‘from home’ routes* is acceptable and safe (for others; my main concerns are of transmission not contraction). What has been noticeable this last week is the number of people using one of our local lanes for exercise – I reckon that I saw more people on foot on that lane on Friday (when I passed along it twice) than I’ve seen cumulatively along there before. The lane is wide enough for two cars to pass, so it’s easy for pedestrians to give each other a wide berth, but it seems that an unfortunate side effect of the current state of worry and uncertainty is that people are behaving as if eye contact, nodding or uttering a greeting are also dangerous activities. We live in a friendly place where people do usually acknowledge each other on the streets, so I do hope this is not a lasting effect.
I’ve nowt else of relevance to report, except that I finally finished these socks that were started in Spain a few weeks ago.
The toes don’t match as it turns out that 100g of WYS 4-ply isn’t quite enough for two pairs of matching trainer socks in Mick’s size.
(*I’m avoiding the canal for the time being. If I head south then it’s guaranteed that I’ll meet dog walkers and the path isn’t wide enough to pass at a safe distance. To the north it’s rare that I’ve ever met anyone, but it’s likely to be a hideous mud-fest at the moment.
General note: Reading back through what I’ve written I realise I’ve not actually referred to Covid-19 (Corona Virus Disease – identified in 2019) and surely anyone who may read this at any time in the next few years will know what situation I’m talking about, but just in case when I’m in my dotage and my memory is fading even more than it is just now and I can’t remember what it was that occurred in 2020, I’ll just pop this little note here.)
That was the unpacking, but how did we do on the packing for this trip? I already mentioned in earlier blog posts that we forgot the salad spinner and our swimming costumes (both of which are now on our ever-growing packing checklist). We managed without the former (which serves a double purpose as a mixing/serving bowl), and bought replacements for the latter. The swimmers only got used once, but the main reason we wanted them was for the final stage of the trip, when we due to have a large family gathering (involving a hotel with a feature swimming pool) at Disneyland Paris by way of a belated birthday celebration for Mick. Clearly that gathering will now not be happening. It remains to be seen whether we are able to get refunds or claim on insurance.
Assessing the state of Bertie’s pantry (a storage box in his garage) when we got home, I see that I managed to pack an appropriate amount of chutney for this trip, and I think Mick’s marmalade supply would also have lasted until mid-April. However, I under-packed on jam and was down to my last fifth of a jar when we came home. Obviously, we could have bought any of these items in Spain, but it would have been annoying when I’ve got a cupboard full of home-made preserves at home. Must do better next time!
We also under-packed on crosswords. Every day we do a cryptic on our tablet, working a month in arrears so that we don’t have to find wifi to download newspapers too often. We also usually have with us a crossword book and this trip was no exception. However, we packed a book that only had something like 50 empty puzzles in a book of 100, for a trip that was just shy of 90 days long. Rationing (unnecessary as things turned out) had begun only about a month into the trip.
As for being home unexpectedly early, I confess we have indulged ourselves. On the first day (over eight weeks after we last had a wash using a mains water supply) I had both a bath *and* a shower. Then we went to bed without doing the dishes (something that *never* happens in Bertie). We also called out for a takeaway delivery (something I don’t think we have ever done before). I would say that normality will soon resume, but I have no idea what ‘normal’ looks like now, nor what it will look like tomorrow and next week!
Whilst we received no advice or mandate to isolate ourselves once home, given we had come from the fourth most infected country in Europe (albeit the region we were in had, at the time we left, very few diagnosed cases), it seemed a sensible precaution to keep ourselves to ourselves for fourteen days, for fear of being unwitting carriers. My one exception to staying at home is that I consider that running alone on ‘from home’ routes* is acceptable and safe (for others; my main concerns are of transmission not contraction). What has been noticeable this last week is the number of people using one of our local lanes for exercise – I reckon that I saw more people on foot on that lane on Friday (when I passed along it twice) than I’ve seen cumulatively along there before. The lane is wide enough for two cars to pass, so it’s easy for pedestrians to give each other a wide berth, but it seems that an unfortunate side effect of the current state of worry and uncertainty is that people are behaving as if eye contact, nodding or uttering a greeting are also dangerous activities. We live in a friendly place where people do usually acknowledge each other on the streets, so I do hope this is not a lasting effect.
I’ve nowt else of relevance to report, except that I finally finished these socks that were started in Spain a few weeks ago.
(*I’m avoiding the canal for the time being. If I head south then it’s guaranteed that I’ll meet dog walkers and the path isn’t wide enough to pass at a safe distance. To the north it’s rare that I’ve ever met anyone, but it’s likely to be a hideous mud-fest at the moment.
General note: Reading back through what I’ve written I realise I’ve not actually referred to Covid-19 (Corona Virus Disease – identified in 2019) and surely anyone who may read this at any time in the next few years will know what situation I’m talking about, but just in case when I’m in my dotage and my memory is fading even more than it is just now and I can’t remember what it was that occurred in 2020, I’ll just pop this little note here.)
I agree about the main concern being the possibility of passing on to others before you know you have it, a point that seems to be missed by a vast number of people. The BMC have pointed out that Mountain Rescue are lkely to be stood down and even if they are not it is not fair to go out into the wilderness making yourself into a potential call out - we all know how easy that can happen even to the most experienced.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely a time for taking exercise close to home. One of the bloggers I follow took that to an extreme yesterday by completing a 5k run by doing 500 lengths of their back yard!
DeleteWell done on getting sorted out so quickly, Gayle, and it was good to speak to Mick the other day. My early morning runs are notable for the wide berth everyone gives each other - apart from cyclists on the towpath - and whilst many folk are avoiding eye contact, some do reciprocate the friendly wave as we steer clear of each other.
ReplyDeleteI feel as if I'm in the middle of a disaster movie, especially as Sue is being required to work at the hospital when I thought she would be working from home.
Either a different set of people were out today or people are relaxing a little. Everyone I saw (far fewer than previous days; it's quiet around here!) returned my greetings today.
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