Friday 3 April:

Dry and bright. Went for an early walk down to the Avon lockgates (see image: poster hoarding). On my way home, I saw an elderly couple (ok, they were probably younger than me!) doing their morning exercises. As I passed them, I noticed that they were following a video ‘gym routine’ on their iPad/tablet… and their iPad/tablet was set up on a traditional old music stand. It made me smile.

I went to Madrid to sketch today with a group (maybe 12 of us?) of urban sketching friends! In these difficult times – when we’re unable to get together to draw – we experimented by choosing a Madrid location (Ana’s home city) for accessing via google maps/streetview… combined with zoom (so we could talk and share our final sketches). It worked very well (despite the odd technical glitch!) and people have suggested we repeat it in a few days’ time.

Ruth+Stu managed to buy us some baked beans, tinned tomatoes and cheese to top our supplies (we’ve got another supermarket order in the pipeline, for Easter Saturday, and and also a Hugo delivery in the pipeline)… so we’re fine.

Moira and I recently discovered that we were able to watch ‘Portrait Artist of the Year’ on SkyArts catch-up (last year’s series?)… and we’ve been really enjoying the programmes – SO much better than the BBC near-equivalent.

Government’s updated coronanvirus figures (5pm 2 April): 3,605 UK deaths (30 March: 1,789 deaths; 18 March: 60 deaths).

Having appeared with some colleagues on 1 April (after serving just 5 days out of his SEVEN days in isolation!), Mr Johnson – according to this evening’s BBC website – “will carry on self-isolating after continuing to display mild symptoms of the coronavirus including having a temperature”. “Do as I say, not as I do” (don’t get me started)!