Friday 15th January 2021

Halfway through January, and in effect it is the 320th of March 2020, as life really has been on hold since then. So in this alternative reality, it is, apparently, Friday. And because work is pretty much on hold, in terms of an actual direction in which we will conduct work this year, or even if we have a job after February 1st, work is pretty light, so come Friday, and I am not stressed, tired, but am sleeping well meaning that the upcoming weekend and I feel like one has just passed, not hoving into view.

I know, in this, I am lucky. Peope whose job is essential, who face the public, put their health and so lives on the line every day. Sometimes its hard to work out how this state of affairs came to pass.

In the end, the shock and stress many have been under for nearly a year will and how that will affect their lives, will need support from all of society, not just us move on and ask when the pubs will open or when can we go on holiday.

These are strange times.

And yet we sork, we eat, we drink, but not how we used to.

Friday is the first day of Jools' weekend, sho we can lay in bed until seven, if we wanted. We might want, but our brains wake us both at just gone five, so she gets up to feed the cats. I lay in bed a while, listening to the wind outside. It should stay dry for the day, we had suggested going out for a walk in the afternoon.

We shall see.

I get up, and there is a coffee waiting.

The day dawns, I do my usual check on the parts of the internet. A day nearer Trump leaving office, vaccinations in the UK over 3 million, the world seems to be improving, then I see that Brexit is still happening, and we will all get much poorer, except those who bet against the UK.

I am dressed by eight, and checking the mail on my work computer to see if there is an official mail regarding a job in the big company. No news as yet. Some have got them, but no one in my department.

The main event was a virtual party via Teams for a my old boss, or one of my old e-bosses, who was celebrating his 20th work anniversary.

About 25 of us gathered at half ten to say congratulations, most had coffee, some had cake, but all of us were at our homes as in Denmark and across Europe, the virus has spread out of control.

On a Teams meeting there can be no small groups of people talking and eating, just the one speaking, so after 20 minutes the event petered out, but promises were made for a "proper" celebration when restrictions are lifted. And I am still owed such an event from last April to celebrate my then decade with the company.

We might not have had fixx or cake, but I di make a batch of sausage rolls, so I made sure then were cooked before the meeting started, so I was able to taunt them with my great baking.

Go me!

Lunchtime comes round, we had eaten. And I go to the butchers to collect an order.

Work was slight, and I was up to date.

Jools stayed behind to wait for a delivery from Amazon, so I go out for the first time since the weekend, taking the car to drive to Preston.

The drive itself wasn't eventful, but I did see many more police about. Possible parking spaces for trucks are fenced off, and most roads off the Sandwich road are marked for light traffic only. There were police on duty at the Duke of Yorks and at Sandwich by the rare breeds place, so clearly they are expecting a lot more traffic soon.

I enjoy the drive, putting the Audi through its paces, powering away from roundabouts, passing other cars.

From Ash, the road across the marshes was wet. Flooded in places. One part it was over a feet deep, so we wait in turn for traffic to go from the other direction.

I even take a shot of the scene.

The boys were in good spirits, and they have my order ready. I pick up some burger patties too.

Yummy.

As most port traffic is now required to go to Manston first, the road from ramsgate past Sandwich to Dover, so a train of lorries in convoy were making their way down the single lane of the Eastry by-pass, so instead I go back home via Deal, taking the road through Worth to Sholden. Traffic was light, but once in Deal, I could see how busy the prom on The Strand was, cyclists, joggers and walkers, justling for space.

I am glad we live in the country, where distancing isn't an issue.

Once back home I spend half an hour bagging up 5Kg of chicken fillets, so to be there for when we want breaded chicken or something similar.

Jools makes a brew, and I check my work mails.

None had come in.

So, the afternoon fades.

We have the radio on. I write and we have a slice of toast made with the last of the loaf I baked a few days before.

No waste.

We stay so I could do the online pop quiz, I fail to get the answer until the 8th clue, then doubted myself so never sent it in. I am still yet to win a point.

We drive to Jen's for dinner and cards. She had made chilli and jacket potatoes, which was very good, especially with a pind of Adnams Old.

We tidy up, and I deal the hands for the first game. Since the end of Novemeber, Jen has been on a long winning run, and has won nearly all our money, but I am glad to report we had a good night with Jens following me by winning a hand of meld, that's 60p into the pot!

And then Queenie where we have sometimes played for three hours before anyone gets a run of four. So it was a surprise for Jools and i getting a run in the first hand, with me being first to play mine, so I win the pot. We play on, and then blow me, I get another run in the 3rd hand.

Endex.

As I had drunk one of three glasses of red, Jools drives us back along empty roads, no cars, no trucks. Just the wanker in the Volvo tailgating us on the Deal road before she turns off for home.