Stray thoughts from the home front

It’s only been a couple of weeks, but it already feels we’ve been locked down for ever.

Like many people I started out knowing I was going to USE this time: I digitally stockpiled so many books, documentaries, podcasts, recipes and exercises that in 6-8 weeks I would emerge resplendent from my flat a veritable polymath, as well versed in Byzantine history as Strong Theory whilst nibbling at a perfectly baked slice of sourdough.

After a fortnight though it’s become that this scenario was as realistic as picture on an Angus steakhouse menu. So how have I really been occupying my time?

Panicking.

My schedule so far seems to have been, wake up…panic. Shower…panic. Go for walk…panic in the open air. Go to shops…panic in an alien confined space, where the pin pad is loaded with virus laced there especially for me.

Evenings though are of course different. Sit in armchair scrolling through Twitter whilst gently panicking. Retire to bed and panic. Get up read some more Twitter and then panic some more. Go back to bed and then sometime between 12:30 and 3:00 am finally fall asleep into a panicky dream plagued sleep.

This has been hard on my flatmate the Queen (as I call her,) as I’ve been like a tightly coiled spring, the slightest disturbance on which is liable to set it off. She has started on a project to pretty much clean and redecorate our abode from top to bottom which I know is her way of coping, but seems to ridicule mine which involves staying in bed for as long as possible, with my head strategically placed under the duvet.

The last couple of days though I feel like I might have been starting to turn a corner. I’m not saying that I’m out of the woods yet, more like I’ve found a ‘You Are Here’ notice. I’ve started doing crosswords and trying to put the phone down during ideal moments. Yesterday I put my headphones on and had a dance around the living room, and I’ve started making plans of what to do once this is all over, for believe me it will be over…not as soon as we’d like but earlier than we fear.

I’ve also found crosswords and Suduko good for distraction, and easier for me personally to lose myself in than books and movies, though I have made it a missio

n to get through Frank Herbert’s Dune in a week.

I’ve also started getting little treats delivered, using speciality food stores like Foreman and Field and House of Bruar, panic buying of luxuries if you will. It is strangely calming though to know you’ve got a job lot of smoked salmon coming in two weeks, accompanied by luxury chocolates.

One thing I haven’t done much of though is drinking. I have enough booze at home to fill a bath, this though is more to do with my disinclination to home drink. I’ve been buying the stuff for years but have always preferred drinking in company to a lonely wallow in front of the idiot box.

I did however order a delivery of beer and cider from Sambrooks, who are still doing local deliveries. Despite knowing the quantities involved I was still gobsmacked when an industrial sized pallet turned up. The crate of beer is still unopened, but me and the Queen, have been making some inroads into the strawberry cider.

Now then I think I’m still traipsing through a long dark tunnel. It’s scary and I still don’t know how long I’ll be in it; I think at last though I can see a chink of light emerging and that makes all the difference. The best thing we can do is stay inside as much as possible, talk to our friends and family as much as possible and take each day as it comes. Where we are now and where we’ll be in 4 weeks might be an entirely different place, even if each day seems the same.

For now, I leave you my best wishes, and thoughts for your safety of you and your loved ones. Restaurant reviews might be a bit thin on the ground at the moment and as soon as this is over, I’m hightailing it the West End to carouse like there was no yesterday. Till we hopefully soon meet again.

Rob