SomersTownLisa

London Life
2020-11-07 20:59:58 (UTC)

The new lockdown - two nights in

Friday and Saturday
The arrival of the lockdown doesn’t feel at all like the start of the last one, because there was such a contrast at that time with our previous lifestyle: going into our offices every day and straight out for entertainment most nights. This time, the main change is the reduction in volunteering opportunities and accompanying socialising; the entertainment had barely restarted anyway. The Government now aim to test the entire population of Liverpool as an experiment, and there is real hope a British vaccine is on the way, so perhaps things will look better by the Spring.

Yesterday I went for my second routine blood test, and at lunchtime we headed for Earth Natural Foods to get some soap, and got take-away lunch at a new café nearby. I had sweet potato and salad, with some gorgeous dressing, which I ate on the way home. In the evening, we watched the third episodes of both ‘Roadkill’ and ‘Ghosts’. The former has too much going on; this episode spent time detailing the lifestyles of the protagonist MP’s daughters, another distraction from the main plot. Two separate characters had road accidents and two unconnected characters have died tragically.

‘Ghosts’ had an entertaining first couple of episodes, but seems to have run its course already; the comic characters have done their routines, and the gag where people think the girl is talking to them, whereas she’s actually talking to a ghost, is already wearing thin, as it did in ‘Randall and Hopkirk’. It might have worked better as a one-off feature film.

Today I managed an early-morning 5km run, partly as a prelude to our “post ParkRun coffee” Zoom chat, and partly to join my running group’s virtual 5km. I was pushing hard to get somewhere near my old speed, despite my bad ankle which still feels as if it’s not supporting me properly. I was pleased to average 5:19 minutes per km, which encompassed a slower 5:50 for the last km when I was along the canal. Later in the day I entered a 50km ultra-run next June, because so many of my friends have quickly entered. So far my group comprise more than half the entrants.

We listened to ‘No Such Thing As A Fish’ in bed, then I went for my Zoom chat with Simon, Caz, James, Steve L, Caroline and Patrick, in which we talked mostly about Caz moving to Bristol, as well as Caroline disappearing on the walk. Steve L is glad Crossrail 2 is being cancelled because he would prefer the Northern link to be built. He was annoyed to hear of the Oxford-Cambridge line. Steve C is recovering and has been out walking. I finished the Top 100 and we went to the bike shop to fetch Jack’s bike, which they’ve had for four weeks - we’re going to need it during lockdown.

For lunch, we got a takeaway buffet in Pentonville; the only vegan food they had left was butter beans and rice, albeit with some tasty salad options. We ate it in Argyle Square then walked home. In the evening I listened to the online football commentary, which I haven’t done before, and it was pretty boring, I’d be just as happy just to see score updates, though I’ve paid scant attention to them since we haven’t been allowed to attend matches. I did try the Radio London version, but they had a female commentator, too shrill for football. I stopped listening halfway through the second half.

In the News, talks with the EU are still deadlocked with only a week to avoid a No-Deal; they still can't agree on fisheries, common standards or state aid. In the USA, the Democrats have won the USA election, which is good news for the climate crisis.




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