It’s Sue’s birthday. We have been waking up at around 7 each day in lockdown. Today was no exception. I always get up first unless Sue is working. I went downstairs, fed the dogs and took a coffee up to birthday girl.

It is also my Dad’s birthday. I gave him a call before our daughter came round with one of the grandkids. I don’t often get to talk to him. Mum is quicker off the mark when the phone rings. He was telling me how he had been using zoom to hold Rotary meetings. He had also chaired a zoom meeting with a guy in Chicago. This was a little surprising. He has an old Nokia phone and I think has sent me 2 text messages in the last 20 years.

Our daughter turned up. She stood half way down the garden path with Ivy. Ivy was full of smiles until she realised that we weren’t going to give her a hug. Then she sulked. When she sulks she won’t even look at you, never mind talk. Still, it was nice to see them. We have only seen them on Facetime since March.

Sue hadn’t managed to get her antibody test done yesterday. On her ward they are allowed to test each other. She hates needles. They tried 5 times to take a blood sample but didn’t manage more than a teaspoon full. She has bruises all over her arm and keeps banging on about being stabbed 5 times.

The World Health Organisation announced yesterday that if you have the virus but don’t have any symptoms then you are very unlikely to infect anyone. If that is correct it’s a big deal. You would think they would not announce that if they wren’t pretty sure it’s true.

The replacement for the damaged light diffuser turned up this afternoon. There was only one in the package but it was in perfect condition. I queried with the supplier why there was only one. The guy told me it was only meant to contain one. I forwarded the order confirmation email that clearly states that it is a twin pack. Apparently the word twin refers to the twin brackets that hold the diffuser. I had thought that I was ordering a single item but thought I had been mistaken when 2 damaged ones arrived yesterday. I probably won’t use that company again.

I was in the mood to trade some tennis today. Bachinger should have beaten Simon. It was Tobias Simon, not Gilles. Simon is pretty poor on clay but Bachinger hadn’t played since February. He was likely to be rusty. He was. VERY rusty. He did look the better player in the early games but Simon was serving well. Bachinger wasted a few break points. Simon had just one and took it. He held on to take the set and went a break up in set 2. Bachinger wasted more chances but finally broke back when Simon served for the match. Simon took the set in a tie break. I had laid Bachinger when he had break points in the early games. Small stakes. I did back him around 2.00 after he was broken. I gave some of my profit back but the lay on Simon when he served for the match meant I hadn’t completely wasted my time.

I had better go and start the prep for Sue’s birthday meal.

Stay safe.

 

Sue is working today so I have a “me day”. I have chosen not to relax! I scrubbed the floor in the downstairs toilet. Sue does her hair in there and hairspray gets on everything at the sink and mirror end of the room.

The diffuser was delivered for the kitchen light. I wasn’t expecting a twin pack but that’s what was delivered. Unfortunately both of them were damaged! One of them could have been used. There were 3 or 4 cracks on one side. I put the cracks towards the far end of the kitchen. You could hardly see them. I emailed the supplier with photos of the damage. I figured if they offered a refund I would accept it and tell them I’d buy some locally. I would then just leave this one in place. They are sending me a replacement tomorrow. Other than that it was a damn fine plan.

It’s Sue’s birthday tomorrow. I’m cooking. She has requested tuna in my mustard sauce. I went shopping this afternoon for everything I needed. Tesco got rid of their fresh fish counter a few months ago. They still have a pre-pack section. I thought I was out of luck. They had a whole cabinet full of salmon. No way will they sell all that in the next couple of days! Hidden behind some of the salmon I found some packs of tuna. The steaks aren’t all that big so I got 3 packs.

I have done a bit more housework and wrapped Sue’s presents. Now it’s 4 pm and I am having a sit down! Another rock n roll day.

It will be interesting to see if the BLM protests spark an increase in coronavirus cases. I have read on Twitter a lot of people justifying the lack of social distancing by claiming that the virus is a scam. They obviously don’t have a relative working on a coronavirus ward. I’ll be sure to let Sue know that the victims who have died a painful death right in front of her were faking it.

Despite growing up in Bradford in the 70’s and 80’s I have seen little racism first hand. I can remember a few occasions when I have stepped in. Usually on night’s out when taxi drivers were getting abused by pissed up mongs. My social circle was very diverse as a kid. I genuinely just see people rather than seeing a black person or white. Everyone gets my respect until they prove that they don’t deserve it. The colour of their skin has never been a factor.

America is clearly a very different matter. I don’t know if any amount of protesting will greatly change anything over there. I struggle to see why looting and destruction will change anyone’s opinion on anything.

Stay safe.