Thursday 4th June 2020

Without COVID, we would have been preparing for hour holiday on Sunday.

Cats to round up, cameras to clean, pack and batteries charge. Maybe suitcase to pack.

But not now.

We are trying to get our money back; its a lengthy process, but we should get it back at some point.

I have five and a half weeks of vacation to take before the end of the year, with half the year nearly gone.

I'm not too knocked out by it to be honest, I would liked to have gone cruising to Norway and Svalbard, but the thought of getting on a cruise ship mostly with people older than us didn't fill be with anticipation. So, the option of getting a refund is good, even if we do have to jump through hoops to do so. People all over the world will be doing this too, I guess.

We are hoping to do something later in the year, virus depending, of course. Top of the list is a motor tour through gastronomic France, with rich food and cheap local wines. What's not to like?

If that is impossible, we may go on a boating holiday on the Broads. Me on a boat, what could go wrong?

Well, we shall see, we might be all eating each other by the autumn. Or eating the politicians.

I wake up each morning, turn on the computer and check the internets. What it has been this week is reviewing the videos of police brutality in the US. I am shocked to my core. Not that it is happening, but that it goes on even as they officers know they're being filmed and do it anyway, like they know they'll get away with it anyway. I mean, if there is this many caught on tape, imagine how many such incidents must happen across the country?

And Trump eggs the police on, creating imaginary enemies of the State so he can defend further indefensible acts. The US totters on the edge on an abyss into which it will plunge unless the brutality stops. The Chef of Staff of the Army issued a memo reminding members of the Armed Forces that their loyalty is to the Constitution not the President.

Incredible times.

In contrast, my experiences pale to nothing.

It is Thursday; back on the phys, and putting the bins out.

Then work.

This was supposed to be the day that we got what is called "rain". Apparently water can fall from the sky? So, anyway, it meant, again, no going out and yet more meetings.

Jools doesn't go for a walk, instead she dead-heads flowers in the garden. I do 20 minutes on the cross trainer, and have the best session in weeks, hardly out of breath at the end of it. Hardly worth sitting outside to cool down. But I do.

The cats sit beside me, enjoying what would probably be the only sunshine of the day, Mulder looking like his fur was on fire in the warm golden light.

But time is getting on; there is breakfast to make, coffee to brew, and Jools has to go to work.

It is a three day week in Denmark, with Friday being Constitution Day or something, so my colleagues were demob happy, and thoughts of the weekend.

We have the meeting, then on to more meetings, calls and filing the last of the travel expenses. It was for £2.50 and for a toll payment driving back from Wales in March. If I don't fill out the report, they will cancel my company credit card, or something. So I fill out the report, maybe finance's computer will be happy now?

Not much happened through the day. Not even much rain fell either, just a short shower before nine. The garden will continue to look "parched".

In the afternoon I do a second session on the trainer. Another easy one too. I have a shower and change into something clean and comfortable.

Dinner was to be a vegetable extravaganza: breaded aubergine, asparagus and creamed spinach.

It was fabulous, full of flavour and pretty healthy. As long as you don't think of the cheese and cream that went into it.

Cheese and cream: natural, innit?

It seems the earlier we go to bed, the earlier we get up. Maybe there is a pattern?

We listen to the radio, do some bird watching to see what is nicking the fat balls. We still don't know, but a raven or crow are likely.

Anway; goodnight.