Monday 30 November:

Had breakfast and then read in bed for a while.
Morning coffee with Moira and then I had my doctor’s appointment call scheduled for 10am. In the event Dr Davies didn’t ring until 10.30am but, hey, she’s busy!! I explained my symptoms of the past 10 days and went on to indicate that, essentially, things had more or less got back to normal over recent days (4 decent night sleeps etc). Her general thoughts were that, as I seemed to have made a decent recovery, it was best to leave things as they are (unless symptoms re-occur). She felt what I’d be doing (re-hydrating/fruit/exercise etc) seemed appropriate. I queried if it might have been gallstone-related (in the light of Mom and Alan) and she felt this could well be the case – but take no further action at this stage (simply monitor and contact her if things re-occurred).
Took a walk via Greville Smyth Park, harbourside and then home via Gaol Ferry Bridge (oh, forgot to say that I saw rough-sleeper Phil for the first time in ages - happened to have £10 on me! - he’s obviously finding things very tough at present).
More reading and more sketching in the afternoon.
Evening telly: ‘Only Connect’, ‘Nigella’ and ‘University Challenge’.
Image: another Katmandu sketch.

Sunday 29 November:

Another decent night’s sleep – for which I’m very grateful.
Moira and I went on our usual Sunday harbourside walk (pretty misty, but quite mild)… Moira’s hip was aching somewhat, so she made her way back home half way through (pre-planned).
Coffee and streamed church (Advent Sunday). I’m trying hard to focus on Advent this year – trying to come up with a discipline and a fresh understanding. Nick gave the talk – which felt more like him reading his essay (which was slightly disappointing)… and I ended up bailing out during the course of Liz’s prayers – because her home internet connection was so dire.
Urban Sketchers met in Katmandu (‘virtually’!) – I think there were 11 of us, plus 2 or 3 people who sketched remotely. Good fun, as ever.
Read a little of my Bryson book (as we age together – he’s slightly younger than me – we both seem to have become somewhat intolerant of a whole of slice of humanity!!)… he does makes me smile!
Delicious roast pork supper… candlelight and cosiness!
Evening telly: ‘Dark Materials’ excellent).
Image: one of my Katmandu sketches.

Saturday 28 November:

Another good night’s sleep(!) and feeling pretty well (almost back to normal?).
Went to Tesco first thing to get the newspaper (via voucher)… and realised that I also needed to get some paracetamol – which meant using my card for an item costing less than £1 (nobody carries money anymore). Ridiculous. Surely, there MUST be something else we need? Fortunately, I spotted the mince pies…
Life is full of difficult decisions.
Spent a small part of the day continuing to explore Katmandu sketching locations.
Watched ‘Swallows+Amazons’ on telly.
Spoke briefly to Ruth. Iris (after 2week isolation from her friends) was due to meet up with one her best mates today… BUT her friend had just received an virus positive alert (which obviously meant SHE had to go into isolation for the next fortnight). Understandly, Iris (and her friend) thinks the world is against her.
Moira met up with Hannah very briefly on Castle Hill to chat through Christmas possibilities and exchange a couple of things. I get the feeling there’ll be much juggling this Christmas!
Watched a streamed version of ‘The Grinning Man’ from the Bristol Old Vic, via laptop. Quite brilliant (how we’ve missed the theatre this year!).
Image: The Grinning Man.

Friday 27 November:

No dawn walk today. Was determined to make an online doctor’s appointment so tried very first thing, yet again, to log on to the Surgery website. In the event, this didn’t work out (none of my old passwords had worked and so I decided to click on ‘Forgot Password?’ and get a new password)… I simply received a polite response saying: “Sorry, we could not complete your request at this time”!! I gave up and decided to join the queue of telephone callers at 8.30am instead. Amazingly, I managed to get through within 10 minutes and, within another 5 minutes, had sorted out a telephone appointment with Dr Susie Davies at 10am on Monday!! Much relieved!
In fact, I’d had a very comfortable night and a pretty full night’s sleep until just after 5am.
Moira and I ended up going for our regular harbourside walk immediately after she’d had breakfast – but, before coffee! M was keen to wait until we returned home before filling ourselves with warm liquid!
Very misty morning, but with the sun just coming out when we arrived by the water – so our timing was immaculate!
Moira popped down to Hugo’s just before lunch (there are always queues outside these days – just one customer at a time – but that’s fine).
I watched another film on catch-up in the afternoon (‘Brief Encounter’).
Moira, Hannah and Ruth trying to confirm Christmas arrangements… (ongoing).
Moira had bookgroup in the evening.
Had my first glass of wine for 8 days (just hadn’t been feeling like wine in my present ‘state’.
Did some brief preparatory for Sunday’s urban sketching meet-up in Katmandu.
Early to bed and hoping for another decent night’s sleep.
Image: swanning around in the morning sunlight…

Thursday 26 November:

Had an uncomfortable night… restless and with some pain (and I was sweating too) so, despite the prospect of a beautiful morning, I resisted the opportunity to go for my usual dawn walk… all rather ironic.
Had a facebook message exchange with Alan regarding his own gallbladder/gallstone experience… and it does sound similar. Tried to make a doctor’s appointment (ideally online)… sadly, their website has been over by a rubbish “big boss” entitled ‘Patient Access’ (there’s a joke there somewhere) that can now offer you appointments all over the country. I sensed that this organisation might be the brainchild of one of Health Minister’s friends (no experience required, simply focussing on revenue… of course). Making an online appointment USED to be a doddle, but today I found it completely beyond me. At one point, I really thought I might have ‘cracked it’… and found myself being referred to an entire list of “services” (you could scroll down several pages) from ‘physiotherapy’, ‘psychological’, ‘hair’, ‘counselling’, ‘erectile disfunction’ (I could go on!)… but, for me and my small brain, apparently nothing that I could click to arrange a doctor’s appointment. I ended up having to ring the surgery and, completely unsurprisingly and understandably (when I did at last get through), I was then in a 5-person queue. The person I spoke was incredibly helpful (and was duly apologetic that I was taking up her important time etc)… she emailed me with new codes. I duly tried the new codes. I was told that ‘it’ recognise my password (which I’d previously ‘banked’ several weeks/months/years ago). I again went round in circles. I ended up phoning the surgery again (another 45mins of joyful queuing) and spoke to the same lovely person who’d tried to help me before. “Is it possible that I could just arrange a doctor’s appointment over the phone?” She empathised with my predicament completely, BUT the system ONLY allows people to book telephone appointments from 8.30-10am each day (I may have misheard the details… I’d glazed over by then)… and she absolutely acknowledged these queues are pretty huge etc. She suggested that she cancelled my existing ‘account’ details and that she should me completely NEW ones – together with crucial access codes/passwords. Anyway (I thanked her again – isn’t it brilliant to have such lovely dealing with such boring people like me!) and she was as good as her word… my online services access documents duly arrived… and, yes, perhaps tomorrow I’ll find the energy, enthusiasm and tech knowledge to try again. The thing I found just a bit scary was the second email from the surgery (they both arrived at the same time). This one read: “Your Online Services account has been locked. To access your account again, please visit the practice to confirm your identity”. Suddenly, I felt as if I needed to start seeing the world through Bill Bryson’s eyes… “It didn’t used to be like this but, hey, the sun is shining and Mr Trump is on his way out”.
In other words, a wasted day (probably quite sensible as I wasn’t feeling ‘brilliant’.
Ursa had three of her ‘silver teeth’ extracted at the Bristol Dental Hospital (brave girl)(brilliant caring staff).
Mr Asda made his fortnightly delivery.
Bristol has been earmarked as “Tier 3” (‘Very High Alert’ – the highest category) when the nation comes out ‘lockdown 2’ on 2 December.
Evening telly: ‘Portrait Artist’ and the last episode of ‘Berlin 1945’.
Image: Harbour water (bit like I feel at present). 

Wednesday 25 November:

Another relatively quiet day of continuing recovery. I went for my usual dawn walk (30 minutes later than usual – but you’d never have known, it very overcast and grey)… lots more people about on my homeward route past the local school.
I would usually have participated in Bloke’s Prayer, but decided to opt out for today (and also to back down from tonight’s ‘Books’ zoom meet – although the blokes ended up, against my wishes, re-arranging it for 11 December instead! It seems that at least two have made any inroads into the book at all… which is a bit frustrating to put it mildly.
Morning coffee with Moira.
It now seems as though BOTH Iris and Rosa are in self-isolation due to others (or one of their family members) having been found Covid-positive. All very frustrating for everyone.
I ended up managing to speak to both of them by telephone at the end of the afternoon and they both sounded fine and coping (but who really knows?). As things stand, Iris returns to school on Monday; Rosa will be off for 2 weeks.
I did a quickish coloured sketch loosely based on some crochet – reminded me of all my grandmother Rose’s shawls!!
Read more of my Bryson book (the perfect type of book for these times).
Chatting through my various ‘ailments’ with Moira, she wondered if I might some gallstone issues (and, having checked some of the symptoms online, I think she might be right).
Evening telly: ‘Repair Shop’… early to bed.
Image: ‘crochet’!?

Tuesday 24 November:

Resumed my dawn walks  – although, frankly, I had to force myself to make the effort! Very grey, dark morning… I’d probably set out much too early to have any hint of sunshine or bright sky. I was conscious of the need to get back into my routine quite slowly (essentially, I still felt somewhat ‘delicate’… lacking energy; stomach still had some way to go before full recovery; feeling a little stiff. Anyway, I completed my walk – albeit pretty slowly!
I had arranged to ‘meet up’ with Adrian via zoom tonight and had been considering postponing it until next week (and feeling a little guilty for doing so), but actually received an email from him first thing asking if we postpone our ‘session’ because Ellie had asked if he could collect her kids… so that worked out well (we’ve re-arranged for next Wednesday).
I’ve also decided to back out of both tomorrow’s “Bloke’s Prayer” and “Bloke’s Books” zoom meet-up… I’m just not in the mood (and the ”Under The Frog” book was pretty rubbish in my opinion!).
Collected a couple of books from Storysmith (another Bryson and another Bradbury)… and then stopped for a longish (somewhat overdue!) bath.
Read a little more ‘Rebecca’ after lunch.
Bloke’s Books want postpone our proposed meet-up tomorrow yet again (nice of them, but I’ve urged not to… it would be the FOURTH time it’s been re-scheduled!
Evening telly: Watched ‘Bake Off’ Final (Peter won).
Stomach and maybe even back (around the kidneys?) still annoyingly sensitive.
Image: Hotwells across the water… with streetlights.

Monday 23 November:

A really lazy day. I was feeling much better… no more stomach ache, but my stomach muscles were still a little tender… and I still had an annoying ongoing headache (so I just kept taking the paracetamol!). So, all in all, I just felt a little delicate…
I slept reasonably well (despite several visits to the loo), but the big bonus of the morning was that I actually managed a poo (and without straining etc)!! A GREAT relief, as you might imagine.
I didn’t go for my usual early morning walk and chose instead simply to read a little more of my ‘Rebecca’ book… and also to respond to an email from Lee asking how I was coping etc.
In the afternoon, I ended up watching the film ‘Amundsen’ on catch up.
As I say… a very lazy day trying to recover fully.
Johnson addressed MPs in parliament (via zoom – he’s in isolation) regarding relaxing/changing some of the Covid guidelines over Christmas (the message seems to be “so we can all be with our families for Christmas”… although, in truth, it’s more like “let’s get the economy back on track, despite the potential consequences”).
Watched some evening telly (half-heartedly, I must admit) ‘Only Connect’, ‘Nigella’ and ‘University Challenge’. Bed by nine.
Image: staring at the fireplace.

Sunday 22 November:

I actually slept last night!! Some relief after two blank nights…
More or less pain-free as far as my stomach ache was concerned… only real negatives are the ongoing headache and no pooing (but, hopefully, as I get back to more liquids, caffeine, and simple food that will improve)!
Went for our normal harbourside walk… on a very misty morning (although around the harbour it was pretty clear) and to collect The Observer… took it very ‘easy’ and, frankly, felt somewhat ‘delicate’!
Gentle day… read more of my ‘Rebecca’ book in the afternoon and scribbled a quick, lazy sketch (of the fireplace… again).
Managed to eat small portion supper.
Evening telly: ‘Dark Materials’, then early to bed.
Image: M-shed mist.

Saturday 21 November:

Felt very rough after a sleepless, painful night.
No breakfast.
Went to the pharmacy as soon as it opened… and was told that I simply needed to let things evolve (and that it was likely to sort itself out within 5 days). In the meantime, important to stay hydrated, eat fruit and get reasonable exercise… and, if things didn’t improve, seek a doctor’s appointment.
Probably easier said than done.
In the meantime, plenty of fluids etc. Just a mug of soup for lunch.
Jeff delivered a bottle of wine, a card and some flapjacks!
Read the Saturday paper (vaguely) and went and laid on the bed in the afternoon listening to the radio.
Slice of toast and herbal tea for supper.
Watched an old ‘Midsommer Murder’ in early evening telly.
Stomach ache somewhat improved by the evening, but headache now an issue (caffeine-related? No coffee for a day and a half…). Early to bed and just hoped for SOME sleep!!
Just a small ray of sunshine… weekly covid-related UK deaths over the past five weeks:
week 1: 1066; week 2: 1720; week 3: 2333; week 4: 2878; week 5: 2860.
Image: This will pass… 

Friday 20 November:

My usual dawn walk on a very grey morning… the sky brightened very briefly when I was beside the marina (it only lasted three minutes or so!), but it was immediately followed by drizzle – which lasted for much of the day.
Morning coffee with Moira… general catch up.
Spent the remainder of the morning dealing with various ‘admin’ matters (Christmas ‘cards’/letters; end of year reflection drafts; setting up a zoom meeting with Adrian next week etc).
My front teeth/gums have been causing some issues over recent days… just keeping my fingers crossed that it all sorts itself out without requiring a trip to the dentists. Poor Ruth is REALLY suffering with a bad tooth – and has an appointment for an extraction, but not until 7^th; she’s in an enormous amount of pain despite pain-killers.
A Cabinet Office Inquiry has found that the Home Secretary broke the ‘ministerial code’ (which has always previously meant that the minister resigns or is sacked), but the final decision rests with Mr Johnson – who, of course, has backed Priti Patel (surprise, surprise!). The standards chief (who carried out the inquiry) has resigned as a consequence. What a shambles!
Watched ‘Drugs+Sex+Rock+Roll’ film on telly in the afternoon, but developed a really awful stomach ache in the process… felt pretty grim and went to bed at 7pm.
Spent a very rough night… absolutely nil sleep, continuing pain, constipation(?) and was sick around 4am.
Image: Marina dawn sky… with a hint of pink.

Thursday 19 November:

Went for my regular dawn walk and, although general cloudy, I was lucky enough to see some early morning red sky.
Morning coffee with Moira (a little later than usual).
Did various minor domestic chores, including a washing load and thinking about a Christmas ‘card’ of sorts. Had a very thoughtful email from Robin (following the comments I’d made yesterday about tonight’s PCC – I’m no longer a member – and also about my struggling spiritual life!), followed by an equally lovely email from Jeff saying that he’d bought me a bottle of wine to ease my spiritual anxieties!).
Finished my Osman book in the afternoon (excellent) and ordered a couple of papaerbacks from Storysmith to keep me going on the run up to Christmas!
Chatted to Ursa on the phone at the end of the afternoon (she was very cheerful… told me about her appointment at the Dental Hospital next week and about her next door neighbour’s goats… and her cunning plan to build a gate into her garden!!).
Excellent fish pie supper!
Evening telly: Old episode of ‘Yes, Prime Minister’ and ‘Portrait Artist’.
Image: Dawn walk harbour colours…

Wednesday 18 November:

With sunrise not happening until 7.35am at present, it’s difficult to get in my dawn walk AND ‘Bloke’s Prayer’ (and with sunrises continuing to get later, things aren’t going to even start “improving” until the beginning of January). So, no dawn walk today.
Bloke’s Prayer spent some time ’analysing’ last night’s Resonate session – everyone seemed to think the speaker had tried to include far too much within the time. Some were more impressed than others (I was one of the others!).
Went to the Post office first thing to post my packages for Dave and Alan and then Moira and I went for harbour walk (around Bathurst Basin) before having coffee at home.
Ruth popped in briefly to collect some stuff from the studio. Iris is in isolation for 10 days (because someone in her science group has tested positive)… and she’s not happy – especially as it doesn’t affect her other close friends! In fact, she’s really struggling from a mental health perspective at the moment… ‘what’s the point of living’ etc etc. Poor thing (really feel for her and the rest of the family).
Caught up on ‘Bake Off’ (missed last night’s programme due to Resonate).
Read for much of the afternoon… and took delivery of ‘provisions’ from Naked Wines!
Excellent zoom chat with Steve Bowles in the evening… long time no see/much to catch up on.
Image: Christmas isn’t cancelled afterall…

Tuesday 17 November:

I decided to take my dawn harbour walk on the other side of the river this morning… via the Pump House, Brunel Wharf/Hannover Quay, Lloyd’s Amphitheatre, Pero’s Bridge, Prince Street Bridge, Gaol Ferry Bridge. Although the weather forecast was again predicting a pretty grim, cloudy morning I was fortunate that the sun crept through (albeit briefly) as I was walking past SS Great Britain – which made a very welcome change.
Home for morning coffee (and a telephone chat with David McLaughlin).
Spent part of the morning scribbling out a Drawing Group sketch (this fortnight’s theme is “Dream” or “Nightmare”… I chose nightmare – imagining that Trump had won the election!).
Spent some time packaging up Dave Buckley’s Christmas present (but forgetting to use any Christmas wrapping paper!) and Bryson’s book for Alan.
Read more of my Osman book in the afternoon.
Early evening telly: second part of the excellent Rinder ‘Holocaust’ documentary.
Resonate zoom gathering to discuss “Reconciliation, Race and the Environment”.
Image: SS Great Britain in the brief early morning sunshine.

Monday 16 November:

Dawn walk to the harbourside – but not my ‘usual’ route… M-shed/Prince Street bridge/past Riverstation/The Ostrich/Bathurst Basin and home. Again, pretty drab, overcast start to the day.
Mr Johnson has had to self-isolate for 10 days after a meeting with a Tory MP who later tested positive for the virus.
Morning coffee with Moira.
Slightly irritated (actually, quite annoyed!) that, once again, someone from Bloke’s Books (this time Nick) has asked to re-arrange our forthcoming session (the previous one in September had been re-scheduled three times!). I reckon that if someone finds he can’t make the meeting, he just backs out – and not ask the other six to change their diaries!!
Sketched a Bathurst basin boat (I cheated – from a photograph!) during the course of the morning listening to the ‘first draft’ on my ‘Alternative Christmas Lockdown’ playlist!
Spent some of the afternoon reading more of my Osman book.
Chatted to Alice and Jemima at the end of the afternoon – both seem to be ok… Jemina said she was ‘half good’(!), but we went on to have a really good conversation (half good isn’t so bad!).
Evening telly: ‘Only Connect’ and ‘University Challenge’.
Image: Santa Claus has come to Southville.

Sunday 15 November:

Overnight rain and the prospect of another wet day (albeit with ‘sunny intervals’)…
Moira and I went our usual harbour walk before streamed church – and happily, in sunshine.
Home in time for streamed church… which I regret to admit that I’m finding pretty depressing. I know I’ve been in something of a spiritual wilderness over recent months, but I have been finding it pretty tedious (and, at times, even depressing).
Read the Observer before having an early lunch before enjoying another Urban Sketching session (this time in Portmeirion)… rather lovely and eleven of us all linked via zoom. Good fun.
I watched “Journey’s End” film on catch-up (pretty impressive representation of the futility of war).
Evening telly: ‘His Dark Materials’ before early bed to read more of my Osman book.
Image: one of my Portmeirion sketches (pencil+watercolour). 

Saturday 14 November:

A REALLY grey, dark morning… which eventually turned to rain… and then back to grey again! All pretty miserable.
In fact, a pretty uneventful day all round – the weather made it feel best simply to hibernate.
Morning involved fetching the newspaper and then going through all the sections over coffee. I did another quick preparatory sketch in advance of tomorrow’s Urban Sketching session.
Afternoon involved finishing my Bryson book (excellent).
Homemade pizza supper while watching an old ‘Fake or Fortune’ and ‘Blackadder’.
Early to bed… to start the Richard Osman book.
Image: kick-boxing/personal training under the Brunel way flyover.

Friday 13 November:

Friday 13^th!? Unlucky for some… (but, happily, not for me)(and even John Lewis chose today to launch its Christmas advert!).
Raining first thing so I decided to skip a dawn walk and read in bed for a while.
Weather forecast indicated weather clearing by mid-morning, so I ended up taking another walk along the Avon (and briefly into Leigh Woods again). Very special at this time of year with all the Autumn colours.
Back well in time for lunch.
Read more of my Bryson book in the afternoon before watching ‘On The Town’ (1949) on iPlayer. Typical Hollywood glamour, colour and dance (and rubbish storyline).
Dominic Cummings has left number10!
Chatted to Dan by telephone. He seemed in pretty good form and much chattier than usual… sounds as if Mikey is fine (although only at school perhaps 3 days a week at present?), but that Jemima is struggling (mental health and sleeping issues… which is very sad).
Evening telly consisted of ‘Between The Covers’ and a documentary (from March 2020) on Dominic Cummings (scary).
Image: from my morning walk (Leigh Woods).

Thursday 12 November:

Went for my regular harbourside walk… drab and grey start to the day (and slight drizzle).
Morning coffee with Moira before she went off for an eye test.
Spent some of the morning preparing for this weekend’s ‘virtual’ urban sketching trip to Portmeirion… and listening to Ray Davies and 10cc!
Read for much of the afternoon (love Bryson’s way with words… very, very funny).
Had our regular fortnightly Asda delivery.
Decided to take up Naked Wines ‘Christmas Offer’ (which, hopefully, will see us well into 2021!!).
Today saw the number of UK Covid daily cases reach new high of 33,470.
Evening telly: ‘Portrait Artist’ and ‘Repair Shop’.
Today, UK recorded another 33,470 coronavirus cases - the highest daily figure to date.
Image: Autumn leaves, Leigh Woods.

Wednesday 11 November:

Decided not to bother with my usual dawn walk (with Bloke’s Prayer at 8am and dawn not happening until 7.25am currently, the two things rather overlap).
Bloke’s Prayer as usual (Dave, Dru, Ed, Jeff and Tim)(Robin in Canary Islands and Nick on hols). General expressions of great relief regarding US presidential election etc.
Decided to go for a walk anyway (about 10am)… despite pretty gloomy weather, which threatened rain (rain actually held off for some 2-3 hours, so I was lucky). Walked along the Avon and into the woods – very beautiful (saw two impressive runners doing ‘circuits’ up and down long hills… once again, I felt very old and incapable!).
Read some of my Bill Bryson book (‘A Walk in the Woods’) in the afternoon… very funny!
In the evening, I zoomed Derek Witchell (another in my series of catch-ups!)… very good to chat and compare notes.

The UK recorded its 50,000 Covid-related death today.
Image: boat left high and dry on the Avon.

Tuesday 10 November:

Usual harbour walk – incredibly dark and bleak (with slight drizzle)… the sky only started to lighten as I approached home.
Wrote up a brief ‘Fifty Fifty’ review on my draft blog… I really enjoyed the book.
Morning coffee with Moira…
Spent the rest of the morning and the early part of the afternoon thinking through (and scribbling out) some draft ‘New Year Reflection’ notes… yes, I know it’s early (and that things will change), but…
Received hospital appointment letters from Southmead hospital (lung and walk tests) plus telephone follow-up appointment. I rang the hospital, explained my situation (not a car-owner, avoiding public transport, not wanting to use taxi etc… and that I feel pretty healthy). They agreed to cancel and re-schedule perhaps in 3 months time.
Also had another letter from the Health Secretary (again simply signed ‘Matt’!)… advising me to stay at home wherever possible etc.
Watched the first part of a two-part documentary “My family, the Holocaust and me” (Robert Rinder)… absolutely excellent.
Evening telly: ‘Bake Off’ and Simon Reeve’s documentary on Cornwall.
Image: ‘Good morning sunshine’… oh. 

Monday 9 November:

Harbour dawn walk as usual (grey morning)… and the usual collection of ambling runners and joggers, but ALSO this morning I was incredibly impressed by two young women who really were amazing SPRINTERS – sprinting from The Cottage to the Marina and back x 2 times (with very brief pauses). Made me feel very old and doddery!
The rest of the day was somewhat strange (but very enjoyable) in that I spent virtually all of it reading (and finishing) my ‘Fifty Fifty’ novel. A proper ‘page-turner’ and pretty impressive.
Spoke to both Iris and Rosa by phone… interestingly Iris had been keeping close tabs of the US presidential election over recent days (and had also started watching West Wing!) and Rosa was very happy that the second series of ‘Dark Materials’ had returned!
Evening telly: ‘His Dark Materials’; ‘Only Connect’ and ‘University Challenge’.
Image: How to avoid parking tickets…

Sunday 8 November:

Moira and I went a wet (well drizzly) walk before streamed church. Frances led the service – which I always find a little frustrating – and Richard gave the talk. Slightly annoying that they chose to take the 2minutes silence at 10.50am rather than at 11am like the rest of the country. Despite the streaming, the timings could easily have been adjusted…
Spent the rest of the morning and some of the afternoon digesting the newspapers (Observer and Sunday Times) after the Biden victory. Trump was given pretty short shrift by both newspapers.
Finished my 'virtual' Salcombe sketch (via google streetview) in the afternoon, before watching a documentary on An San Suchi (essentially about her downfall).
Had a lovely telephone chat with Alice (she seemed in very good form)... and also spent some time responding to Lee's re-ordering email.
Early evening saw another BABEs get together – which ended up as a huge reflection on the outcome of the US presidential election (lots of relief!)… and family updates, of course.
Early bedtime… to read.
Villa beat Arsenal away 3-0!
Image: Salcombe pub sketch (for what it’s worth).

Saturday 7 November:

No dawn walk, but just a trip to fetch the Saturday newspaper and to pick up some fruit+veg from Hugo’s.
Morning coffee with Moira over the Guardian…
Started a quick ‘virtual’ sketch in Salcombe(!), but didn’t finish it…
Spent a fair amount of the afternoon reading my Fifty Fifty book…
BUT, frankly, I seemed to spend most of the day desperately checking various news channels for confirmation (or otherwise) of Biden’s victory in the US presidential election.
CNN eventually reported (towards the end of the afternoon GMT) that Biden had passed the 270 seat barrier and was to become the next president. Incredibly (and yet utterly predictably), Trump refused to accept the result and angrily resolved to make legal challenges first thing on Monday morning! He’s SUCH a bad loser! Meanwhile, there was a huge, tangible sense of relief in America (and, frankly, across the world) as people responded to the end of Trump’s narcissistic bigotry. The trouble is, of course, that Trump remains president for the next 76 days – so there’s still a sense of ‘anything can happen’!
Evening telly: ‘Pipers of the Trenches’ and ‘Being Frank’ (about BBC correspondent Frank Gardner) documentaries before more bedtime reading.
Image: a new day dawns…

 

Friday 6 November:

Another lovely day, weatherwise… although it started pretty gloomy and dull when I was dawn walking. I walked via Metrobus Bridge and the suspension bridge was pretty shrouded in mist… although the remainder of the walk was reasonably clear.
Spent a fair amount of the morning looking at my ‘Lockdown2’ Blurb book… trying to organise a few images (I don’t want to leave things for another four months and have to trawl through hundreds of photographs!).
Invariably, I found myself checking the Guardian website for presidential election updates – still counting votes in the last five States. It still looks as though Biden might be the eventual victor – although it’s still very uncertain and , somewhat predictably, Trump has been alleging “corruption and fraud” (without giving any evidence) and is claiming victory… and threatening to take matters to court.
Spent part of the afternoon sketching a white poppy as my Drawing Group contribution to this fortnight’s drawing them (either Bonfire Night or Remembrance Poppies)… and then watched the end of the ‘Happy End’ film I’d watched part of a couple of days ago (weird!).
Evening involved ‘Between The Covers’ book programme and then early to bed - started reading my next book (‘Fifty Fifty’).
Image: my ‘virtual’ Saltaire sketch. 

Thursday 5 November:

First day of second national lockdown…Lockdown 2 very different to Lockdown 1… back in March, the roads were empty… today the roads were just as busy as usual.
Interesting dawn walking in pretty foggy conditions – Hotwells Wharf reasonably clear but beyond SS Great Britain was a completely different story, with visibility down to less than 100m. It made for some interesting photographs… The sun came out later in the morning and it was a lovely day.
The US presidential election still dominates everything… it looks as if Biden might end up winning but, he does, it’ll be a very close call (and it still might take a few more days before the final outcome is known).
Finished my rather simple Saltaire sketch during the course of the morning.
I spent most of the afternoon finishing my Bev Thomas (after a slow start, I ended up thinking it was excellent).
Evening telly: ‘Portrait Artist of the Year’.
Image: ghost ship.

Wednesday 4 November:

Checked the radio at various times during the course of the night to check on progress of the US presidential election… depressingly too close to call. Already lots of signs of aggravation and accusation.
 Up early, as usual, but had poached eggs+toast breakfast BEFORE setting out on my dawn walk (because dawn doesn’t happen until 7.15am at present!). The walk was lovely… beautiful, still, crisp, clear morning… the first frost; mist over the water; mirror-like water; sunshine!
Then back home for Bloke’s Prayer at 8am (only Ed, Dru, Nick and me – Dave away; Robin being tested for Covid so he can travel on to the Canary Islands; Jeff at the dentist).
Had coffee with Ruth (Moira was in town) – our last ‘distanced’ coffee before lockdown.
Spent a little time sketching (virtual sketch of some houses in Saltaire) before preparing bacon sandwich lunch for Moira, Ruth and me (again our last ‘distanced’ lunch before lockdown).
Read more of my Bev Thomas book in the afternoon.
Busy evening… 6.30pm StorySmith bookgroup (the last until the New Year) – which, as usual, was excellent (and very important in these lockdown days) and 8.00pm zoom chat with Jennie Heap (which, again, was lovely… so good to catch up with her).
Image: rowers in the early morning mist.

Tuesday 3 November:

No dawn walk today – I needed to go into town later and my heel was giving me some ‘jip’, so it seemed sensible to ration my walking.
But, actually, I also needed to put out garden waste bags (they needed to be ready in front of the house for collection from 6am onwards (slot booked online)… and, of course, it was raining (they’d been under tarpaulin fortunately) and one of the bags ‘split’ in trying to transfer it (not the easiest of tasks to deal with at 5.30am!) and I needed to re-bag stuff. Oh what fun! Anyway, the bags were duly collected by 8am and I was pretty improved with the Council’s system.
It was a morning of ‘jobs’. Firstly, to the pharmacist to collect my repeat prescriptions (somewhat concerned that there’d be a queue of people – but in fact there were just two of us at 9.45am); then up to Bristol Fine Art to see if they stoked particular printing inks for Ruth (they didn’t); and finally home via Cass Art, where I bought Dave’s Christmas present! I feel a little apprehensive about walking through town (which I did in my face-mask) but, in fact, there weren’t many people about… and it was fine.
Made lunch for Ruth and Moira before going upstairs to read and sketch (and listening to a Resonate podcast).
US presidential election today (probably another couple of days before the result is known?)… and I’ve been feeling incredibly nervous at the prospect of Trump (against the odds – he’s behind in the polls) being elected for four more years. Surely, the US electorate wouldn’t be THAT gullible? Would they?? Frightening prospect.
Highest number of Covid-related daily deaths (367) since the end of May (just over 5 months).
Evening telly: ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ and ‘Bake off’.
Image: mellow fruitfulness…

Monday 2 November:

Usual harbourside dawn walk… on a very gloomy and wild day (there were nearly waves out there!)… but invigorating too.
Back home in time for breakfast and to prepare for a zoom meeting regarding the church garden area. The meeting (‘attended’ by Richard, Bob and Frances) was useful and fairly brief (30 minutes), so it was good to have finished by the time Ruth and Rosa arrived.
They returned from their Devon holiday late last night (and it was an inset day today)(Iris had arranged to meet up with a friend) and so we had a chance to have a ‘catch up chat’ before Ruth and Rosa went down to work in the studio. Sounded as though they’d had a very good time… plenty of wild weather (but some sunshine too) and they seem to have really enjoyed their mealtimes (‘like eating at Christmas every day’ or something like that).
Ruth was working at the Southville Centre after lunch, so Rosa spent quite a bit of time generally catching up and hearing about first term at Ashton Park etc etc. She seems to have grown up quite a bit of recent months. All very entertaining (no surprises there then!).
Iris came round at 4pm so that the two of them could walk home together – and we managed to have a nice catch-up chat with her too. It was REALLY lovely to see them all.
Ruth has been furloughed in her framing job; kept on for 3hrs/week at Paper Plane; and is still awaiting feedback from Southville Centre… but is remaining positive. X
Evening telly: ‘Repair Shop’; ‘Only Connect’ and ‘University Challenge’.
Image: rough sea in the harbour!

Sunday 1 November:

Moira and I went for a shortened harbour walk (she was struggling with hip pain and me my heel!) before streamed church. I’m afraid I’ve rather ‘lost it’ when it comes to my spiritual life at the moment…
Bought both ‘Observer’ and ‘Sunday Times’ to try to get a balanced view on the government’s handling of the Covid crisis… they’re both highly critical (should have listened to the health experts several weeks ago)!
Last afternoon of purring cat-sitting today (and I also took some cooked meals for R+S’s fridge!).
Villa lost 3-4 at home to Southampton (they were 0-4 at one stage!). Hey ho!
Roast pork supper (joint MIGHT just stretch to two meals!?).
Vaguely watched ‘Countryfile’ and then ‘Spitting Image’ (the latter was pretty dreadful!) and then early bed with my book.
Image: looking back up Leighton Road in early morning sunshine.