#LivingInLockDown
Day 5 – Friday March 20th
Interesting day! Woke up late and a bit groggy from the bottle of wine the night before. Not hungover as such (no headaches or raging thirst) but definitely not on top form. The idea of doing any exercise is off the table and slobbing in bed for most of day seems like a good plan. Not sure this is just the wine as I’m perfectly capable of drinking more than one bottle, inertia seems to be setting in.
Fortunately I am rescued by the fact that I have a scheduled 10am conference call with a friend who is doing a long term review on her business. I’ve been acting as an accountability buddy making sure she completes the objectives she sets for herself. Obviously there was no accountability today as the world is upside down. Any business plan we were working on has just had a major kick up the backside. It’s not gone away but has had its priorities rearranged. It’s a good thing we are mentally strong and flexible women who are quickly able to adapt to this fast changing business environment. Go girl!
A call to my sister in care. She seems in a better mood today so that relieves my mind. Hopefully the regular calls are helping. Then I FaceTime my Dad and give him the promised tour of my apartment. He’s not happy as they are now restricting the number of any single food item that you can buy at the UK supermarkets. Apparently panic buying is rife over there. He’s unable to buy enough pork pies which he eats every other night, alternating with toasted teacakes. Yet he’s amazingly well for his age with the most resilient constitution. I hope I’ve inherited it.
I contemplate doing my exercise routine, but the body is still saying a firm no. It’s obviously working because I am aware of my muscles. They’re not sore just a little stiff, so I do some half hearted stretches, then shuffle over to the window to stare out at the world I’m not allowed to go into. It’s another cloudy day, the sun has gone into quarantine with the rest of us.
I’m temporarily amused by a delivery guy who is wandering lost around our urbanisation. He’s struggling to find the right apartment block because there are so many of them. Eventually he shouts up to a woman at one of the first floor windows and she gives him directions. I note that he not wearing any gloves or a mask and I wonder how long the virus can survive on the surface of a cardboard box. Good God! Everything revolves around this bloody virus these days.
Lunch! What I need is food to soak up last night’s alcohol. Whilst in the kitchen I realise I will need to do another supermarket shop within the next couple of days. I assume that people still working will need to visit the shops at the weekend and therefore it is better if I stick to weekdays so as not to overcrowd the store. I’m aware of a momentary qualm about going out. That is what happens when you spend too much time indoors. Eventually going outside becomes a scary thing. Well bugger that! We’re definitely going to the shop today.
Best I make a list for a weekly shop. This is easier said than done because I haven’t done a weekly shop in years. I usually buy day to day as the mood hits me. So I sit down to make a weekly meal plan. Another activity I haven’t done for years. It’s like being back on a diet (God forbid!) Who knew shopping could be this stressful.
Eventually I set off for the nearest supermarket shopping list in hand feeling very proud of myself. I take the longer route via the main road, rather than the park, because it means I can be out for longer. On the way I play a game of spot the car breaking the rules with 2 people inside. Not one car had more than the driver in it, and a fair few cars passed me. I was pretty impressed with this obedience.
On reaching the supermarket, which I get into no problem as there is no queuing at 2pm, all my plans for a weekly shop go down the drain. Once again the fresh produce shelves are full and they’ve also restocked some of the dry goods though this is still a patchy affair. The problem is I usually buy the pre-cut bags of vegetables and salad leaves. Every one of them has a use by date of 24hrs to 48hrs. I don’t know if this is deliberate to stop hoarding but it definitely cocks up my weekly shopping list. Stood in the supermarket trying to avoid standing closer than 1.5m to any other person my brain was unable to rework the list to use loose veg. I’ll have to go back to the drawing board and rethink this. I get enough for at least 4 days and try to ignore the fact that I’m secretly pleased I have an excuse for shopping twice a week.
I take the shopping home, put it away and then I go out again to the pharmacy. I know I should do both at once but that shopping was super heavy and I neeeeeeed the air. I’m on the hunt for paracetamol. I already have a pack but if I come down with this disease and ibuprofen is off the table it’s best I have sufficient stock of the alternative. Once again getting into the pharmacy is no problem. I’m the only customer. They have plenty of paracetamol and sell me a pack, which seems somewhat more expensive than usual at 3,95€, but far be it from me to quibble. On the way home I read the box for dosages and realise that even with two packs I only have 7 days worth. If this virus knocks me out for 2 weeks, which is possible, I’ll need another two packs. I wonder how long I should leave it before the pharmacist forgets my face. Fortunately it is not my usual pharmacist, who knows me well.
Home again and to bed for a siesta. Siestas were made for sleeping off the boozy night before. I get up in time for the 8pm clapping session then settle down at my computer to design a poster for the online social gatherings I am arranging for Costa Women Madrid. A search of all the sites with free photo stock reveals a distinct lack of images of women drinking alone at home. Not a niche that anyone thought would be needed I guess. By the time I’ve finished the poster and advertised the events on the website (which I don’t get on with), the Facebook group and via the newsletter it is now getting late. I watch some TV series on Amazon Prime until I’m tired enough to sleep (the downside of a long siesta).