How was your day? (Random off topic chat)

My daughter was in the park near the lake with me the other day and overheard a little girl shout to her mother-‘Mummy,all the ducks on the lake are too close together’
I guess the mother would have to explain that social distancing rules don’t apply to waterfowl lol

I do a lot of holding my breath as I walk past people who are being uncooperative.

And he doesn’t know that you don’t have it, so he should be wanting to distance from you as much as you wanting to distance from him!

My mother's opening gambit today was, 'We met the cows today, they are 11 months old and their birthday is in June'.

Now I believe the we refers to her and the dogs though I'm never entirely sure it isn't a royal we. There was no mention of having met a farmer who randomly informed a passer by of the birth date of his cows so I am left to believe that the cows themselves actually told her?!

Ps a good day, new vacuum cleaner got right under the furniture.

I am dubious that they were people as she was smiling and that isn't the normal response to people, cows on the other hand generally get a thumbs up.

This made me laugh so much. But... No. I'm a bit afraid of cows: not because they are intrinsically scary - they are cute, actually - but because they are quite big and kind of clumsy.

My day started with a lovely conversation with my boss, who - completely unexpectedly - spoke about me to out unit boss, and they agreed she should tell me that they are counting, if nothing goes awry re:funding, to extend my contract once it expires (still some time until that happens) and are counting on me being a part of our team for a long time, if I want to stay (which I do, I love my job, really! - but am hoping for some minor tweaks...). Which was both reassuring and lovely and unexpected, and much welcome since this whole WFH business is, admittedly, making me a bit nervous about the future.

Also, it's sunny and warm, and I cannot wait to get outside. 

Riding a cow not for me, however if some enterprising person could come up with a good social distancing design for a load of horse drawn vehicles going into London for the commute I'd love it!

Have made the decision to stop worrying about when theatre will be back, I know it will be back at some stage which is all that really matters. Worrying won't help, getting upset over all the disappointments won't help and I keep reminding myself that as hard as it is for me to be without live performance for the foreseeable future it's far, far harder for all those working in the industry

Vacuum cleaner continues to work well.
Then sat in garden and read, Sara Paretsky’s Dead Land.

Not a good day.

I got some ice cream as a treat. I never go to this ice cream place normally because the cones are tiny and the ice is piling out of it. I am concerned that it will fall out and I voiced my concern a few times in the past and was denied the larger cones as I wasn't ordering the big portion of ice. Anyway, I did get some today as that's the only shop open and we cannot really be choosers at lean times. Bad decision, after about 50 meters the ice cream fell out to the pavement. I was very upset, went back to the shop but was offered no replacement or anything. Won't be going back, just have to be patient that the other ice cream place with normal sized cones re-opens.

Also, my husband was told he needs to do shift work, work to 7pm every second week. This is completely new to us, we both had a 9-5 jobs for our entire working life. This means we cannot do theatre once a week and weekly training and going for a drink/meal after work things we always do. I am really very unhappy about this and under the current circumstances he won't even be able to look for another job for a while.

londonpostie , good luck! Personally, I am a firm believer in the idea that - in all areas of life - everything should be enjoyed in moderation, but I have a few friends who are doing the keto diet as a lifestyle and are kind of happy with it. (They all slip occasionally though: apparently, nothing can replace the occasional celebratory chocolate cake.)

edi , hope today is going better! 


I got up this morning and realised the weather was so gorgeous so I got ready (I wore a dress - something I have not done for the past 5 weeks!) and I took a walk to Southbank and back (my watch says it was an 11km walk). It was just what I needed. I did get a bit sad walking past the National, though...

I also had the most hilarious exchange with a rather handsome young man who - apparently - though the time of global pandemic and self-isolation was as good as time as any to try to get a date (that would be me!), but was not counting on encountering this socially awkward apple. It went something like this:

I'm walking down Old Gloucester Street and a rather handsome (tall, sporty, black) guy walks towards me... I'm wearing big headphones, listening to music, but I notice he is trying to catch my attention and is saying something, so I take them off.

He opens with: Excuse me but... You look so familiar.
And I'm like: No, I don't think so... [Mind you, I am totally oblivious to the fact that he is trying to flirt with me; I thought he might ask for directions or something like this. I'm not trying to be rude, I'm actually trying to place him and am thinking if he seems familiar too, could he be a colleague from work, a neighbour...]

Him: You look like someone I'd like to get to know better. [At this point I am totally baffled. I did not see that coming, at all!]
So I say: Maybe not the ideal time. [Yeah, I know, cringeworthy...]
Him [in a lovely, concerned tone]: Did you do a night shift, and just got off work? Are you tired? 

Him: Oh, COVID-19! You might be right. [He starts laughing! Of course!]
[He walks away, laughing, saying I made his day.]

I'm so flirty, aren't I?! :)

I was laughing about this for as long as it took me to get to the National. [Jack Thorne would not have written a more suspenseful scene, casually leading to a grand finale of disappointment!] 
I am the uncrowned Queen of awkward social encounters!