Monday 22 March:

Regular harbourside walk… bright start weather-wise but cloudy by the time I got to the marina. Reflected on the violent protests (by a small minority) in Bristol last night… and came across a group 7 beer-drinking, ‘young people’ (4 blokes, 3girls) on Wapping Wharf (at about 7.15am!). Three of the lads had climbed up to the top of the arm on the steam crane. I wondered, rightly or wrongly, if they’d be involved in last night’s protests. Bristol Mayor condemned the violence saying it was self-defeating because they’d into the hands of the government (he also, later on telly, apparently he said: “Experience would suggest that there are a group of people running around the country looking for any opportunity to enter into physical conflict with the police or representatives of what they see as the establishment, whether it’s the bill, whether it’s some other protest, they’ll take the opportunity. Let’s do the debate around a bill, justice, and not attach it to these people who’ve gone out and tried to smash up my city”).
On my way back home, I spotted my first balloon of the year – which turned out to be manned by a single, hanging pilot (ie. no basket)… wondered how/where he was going to land – given that, without a basket, his fuel capacity must be restricted?
Moira enjoyed our usual morning coffee… M feeling pretty low and flat (and, in her words, ‘old’)… feeling that perhaps this pandemic will never ‘end’ and that we’ll always be living with uncertainty.
I’d apparently had a ‘missed call’ from Zabiullah a couple of days ago… so I returned his call this morning (10.45am). Think I woke him up… I’d wondered if he was going to ask me to provide some form of letter in support of his asylum appeal, but now suspect he may have accidently miss-dialled my number! He sounded very vague and it was a pretty awkward conversation. He’s obviously found things difficult over the past year (especially with no college – due to no internet), but was grateful the mosque was open again.
Read more of my ‘Lemon’ book later and started an initial draft for the next USk session (to Durham).
Received an email from CharlotteN saying she was struggling with her internet (and therefore also the zoom link for USK)… so, after chatting to Moira, I’ve taken up a year’s subscription so we can host future sessions.
‘Attended’ Mark Loudon’s funeral just after lunch (video link to the service at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral). Quite moving – especially the eloquent tributes from family members which were read out.
Ru popped in, on her walk back from Paper Plane(!), to sort out some art things for posting… so Moira, Ru and I ended up sitting out in front of the house over a cup of tea (with passers-by smiling at us as they passed).
Evening telly: the usual ‘Connect’ and ‘Challenge’.
Image: First hot-air balloon of the year…