Loo rolls left: Still sufficient.

We are now in the second day of n days of lock-down. My sister who is a Senior NHS critical care manager thinks that it may be six months. So six months of lockdown. Six months before things get back to “normal”, whatever normal turns out to be.

Day 2

After yesterdays uncertainty about whether we should, or could, continue to work, Engineer Surveyors have been classified as “essential workers”. We have been informed that certain settings are critical to the operation of the country. They are also vital in the fight against Covid-19. Places like hospitals and research laboratories fall into this category. Our inspections are safety critical and a legal requirement. Therefore, we have been told to carry on inspecting. However, this is only at essential sites.

Up to lunchtime was spent with phonecalls and emails trying to get a definition of an essential site. After that was agreed, I spent the rest of the time producing a spreadsheet for management. It detailed my essential work for the next three months. Duster came upstairs to join me, but then decided to self-isolate.

Producing spreadsheets is not my favorite activity. At about the time I had finished it Diane suggested taking a picnic up to the allotment for lunch. So we had our picnic lunch under clear blue skies and a bitterly cold east wind. It was a wonderful lunch.

Diane spent half her time trying to conduct a virtual tea party on her phone. A bit like herding cats. I spent my time clearing one of the beds and putting some seeds in; parsnips, beetroot, spring onions and radishes. Diane also planted some tomato, pepper and chili seeds which we have put into the cold frame. Hopefully it will work.

We finished the afternoon off with a bonfire.

Dinner in the spirit of self care (and because we had left-overs yesterday was steak and chips, followed by watching the film “Fisherman’s Friends”.

Day 3

I had to go and do some actual work today. I was out inspecting boilers at a school. Schools are considered essential. They provide care for the children of essential workers. These workers include NHS staff. Without this care, they might not be able to go to work otherwise. It felt quite strange having to make sure I was sufficiently distanced (2 metres) from other people. We have been instructed not to accept the offer of a cup of tea from the clients. By the time I got home, I was feeling quite de-caffeinated. I was also dehydrated because all my normal go-to cafes and coffee shops are shut for the duration as well.

I also managed to get some shopping done. Again a slightly surreal experience. I had to queue for about five minutes. I stood two meters apart from the people in front and behind me. This was necessary to get into the shop. The restriction wasn’t due to the shop being busy. It was to limit the number of people in the shop at any one time. I think that panic buying may be over. I managed to get everything I wanted. However, they were out of the brand of beer that I prefer.

Afternoon was spent redoing yesterdays spreadsheet, because management wants the data in a different form….grrr.

We just stood outside to give our NHS staff a minute of communal applause. I am about to take part in a virtual pub quiz. Life is becoming increasingly weird.