Random items from today

Things are beginning to change, life is in tiny ways heading back to something to be lived not trudged through on the dull treadmill of lockdown. Nothing of great import has occurred today, except just ordinary things, just everyday normal things.

Random items from today:

• I did two washes, laundry on the line in brilliant sunshine, no poem occurred
• I was able to visit my sister in her care home. Okay, it wasn’t how it used to be when I would just roll up, sign in, wander around trying to find her – maybe in the day room, maybe watching TV, maybe in her bedroom, and then we would sit together chatting until she fancied a cup of tea when I would wheel her to the tea and coffee area and make her one. Today my visit was booked at a specific time; I had to have a PCR test (polymerase chain reaction test to see if I am uninfected) I had to wear a mask, a viser, a plastic apron, rubber gloves, meet my sister in a designated room and sit two metres apart from her. One of the staff kindly made us a cup of tea and we chatted for about an hour. I don’t mind of course, I would do anything to keep her and the other residents safe.
• I went shopping, masked up, hands sanitised on entering the shop, keeping well clear of any other customer, and being as speedy as possible
• while I was visiting my sister, husband walked to meet five friends in someone’s garden, to sit distantly and practice some sea shanties in the hope that this year by the time the Mevagissey Sea Shanty Festival takes place in Cornwall  October, they will be able participate. I arrived home while he was still there and grabbed a cup of tea before setting off to give him a lift home. I stepped out of the front door and closed it firmly as it doesn’t always close properly. You can probably guess what happened next. I put my hand in my pocket for the car keys and where were they? Not in my pocket but on the table in the hall. You can also probably guess that the house key was also on the same fob. What to do? The only spare keys are on my son’s and daughter’s key rings – where were son and daughter, at work. Should I ring my husband? What could he do – he could walk home and somehow get over the tall gate at the side of the house and then break into said house… except, husband had forgotten to shut the sitting room window at the front of the house. I dragged a big flower pot full of spring flowers over and climbed onto it even though it wasn’t quite tall enough, I did mange to get up onto the window sill (very painfully) and somehow squeeze through the rather narrow window. Window securely closed, keys to car and house now in my hand, I left home and drove to where husband was shantying. I messaged to say I was parked outside… twenty minutes later he messaged to say he was back home!! He had a spare key and was inside watching TV…
• … and nothing much else has happened! Lockdown lifted but locked-out still happened