Saturday 31 July:

Fetched the newspaper first thing (ie. usual Saturday routine)… morning coffee inside.
Set out more stuff (ie. mostly the same stuff) outside the front of the house early on the basis that the forecast was for rain just after lunch. In the event, no rain and we managed to get rid of a couple framed pictures and quite a few of my old (quite large) mounted photographs and sketches – which would have been a nuisance to store.
Spent much of the morning vacuuming under my bed (VERY dusty!) and changing the bed linen… and then, in the afternoon, more shredding! Also caught up with some of the Olympic stuff.
I watched some of The Hundred cricket on telly… and also filled a page of my sketchbook… and then a Sue Perkins documentary on Japan (very good).
Evening telly: started re-watching the original Montalbano series (again!).
Image: My ‘Hundred’ sketch. 

Friday 30 July:

Yet another early morning of non-walking…
Wet, very grey, windy morning (Storm Evert forecast)… not surprisingly, morning coffee indoors!
Had hoped to exchange contracts today, but the sellers’ solicitors hadn’t been able to get hold of their clients… and then it transpired that their solicitors didn’t not hold a signed Contract and Transfer deed in readiness (so were sending these out to their clients today!)… so, hopefully, we will exchange next week (but fingers firmly crossed).
Preparations for the house move have made me realise just how many postcards we have around the house (used and unused)… dozens and dozens of them!
Had a dental appointment (check up)… Dr Horsman reckons I can persevere with my current plate (and no other treatment required!).
Spent a couple of hours in the afternoon shredding paper (all old investment/pension paperwork)… all very time-consuming.
Watched ‘Lady Bird’ again on telly catch-up (just love that film).
Evening telly: Another re-watched ‘Young Montalbano’ on catch-up.
Image: collage of postcards…

Thursday 29 July:

Yet another ‘no walk’ start to the day…
I read and sketched after early breakfast… and put more stuff on the pavement in front of the house.
Morning coffee with Moira in the garden (bright but windy).
Took Iris and Rosa out to lunch at ‘Wild Beer’. Lovely to have the opportunity to site and chat and catch up on various stuff. They are both very lovely (and funny). We walked home via Vauxhall Bridge and had ice cream and chocolate buttons for ‘late pudding’ when we arrived home. They left for Temple Street at about 3pm.
More chilling and reading for the rest of the afternoon.
Evening telly: ‘Fake+Fortune’... I’m not keen on the repetitive, formulaic format and it so often feels as if they know the outcome very early on, but then invent a somewhat false 'dramatic' storyline to pan things out until the end. 
Image: house move clutter sketch.

Wednesday 28 July:

Yet another day without an early morning walk!
It should have been BP at the Society Café, but it was raining so we ended up zooming (DaveM, Dru, Robin, Nick, me and briefly Jeff)(no Ed or DaveP). Jeff joined us after 30 minutes but only stayed 2 minutes (having decided that our discussion about churchwardens meeting the archdeacon later today was unacceptable… which was utterly RIDICULOUS!!). We weren’t trying to pre-empt the discussion, simply offer the discussion up for prayer! After Jeff departed (very abruptly!), the rest of us just looked at each other in disbelief.The forecast rain was pretty heavy during the course of the morning.
I spent much of the morning and some of the afternoon taking down pictures (from the back bedroom, the stairs, the hall etc) – setting aside the framed pictures we planned to re-hang at Deanery Road and removing the images from most of the other pieces (and setting them aside for the portfolios)… and making the frames available for Stu, Ru+Han (if desired)… or others as necessary.
Spoke to Rosa briefly in advance of our arrangements for lunch tomorrow (she would be at a sleepover at friends tonight and was keen to know the meeting up arrangements).
Managed to put out some more stuff (mainly unwanted pictures) outside the house during the course of the afternoon (no rain, but plenty of wind)… and actually managed to get rid of a few things (which was somewhat surprising).
Listened to my Guardian podcast of ‘Everything you need to know about politics’ from Jess Phillips (excellent).
Evening telly: Another V+A museum episode.
Image: bare walls on the stairs. 

Tuesday 27 July:

Another no walking day!
Another disturbed sleep night (the pattern was just like the previous night… got up at 2am, read for an hour, went back to sleep quite easily, woke up at 6am).
Decided I wanted to finish my Atkinson book before the day really got started… and ended up finishing it just before morning coffee (outside).
Had left some of our ‘free to collect’ goods outside all night… and added further stuff first thing in the morning. Sadly, by lunchtime, it was raining so the process was duly reversed!
Moira and I popped into Storysmiths – which was rather nice (it seemed like ages ago that we’d gone to browse the shelves – we both ended up buying new books!).
Started the process of taking down pictures (with a view to storing some of work in portfolios – we won’t be able to hang ALL our current images (less space and we want a change).
House-sorting seemed something of one step forward, one step back… so it felt somewhat frustrating.
Evening telly: More from V+A documentary, then bed to start my new Roddy Doyle book (‘Love’).
Image: bare walls have started to emerge! 

Monday 26 July:

Another no walking day!
I woke incredibly early at around 2.30am… and read for an hour, before managing to climb back into bed and sleep for another couple of hours.
Morning coffee inside today (despite the fact that the weather was pretty fair). Saw Ru (on her first day back after isolation) and Iris briefly (Iris was having her nose pierced!)... and later Ru explained that the Southville Centre had allowed her to return hom from work (as they felt they had enough staff and because RU still wasn't feeling 100%).

It was a case of spending most of us both (independently) spending most of the morning clearing out the under-stairs cupboard (me) and the front bedroom (Moira)… and then putting of our discarded items outside the house for free collection. Some things went (actually quite a few), but it’s a long, slow process. Moira was absolutely zonked by the process, but I think we both felt as if it had been a positive day.
Evening telly: ‘Connect’ and ‘Challenge’… then bed to read.
Image: street wares.

Sunday 25 July:

Fetched the newspaper first thing (in the slight drizzle).
We went to church (Saint Stephen’s)(delivered various signed house documents through our solicitors’ letterbox)… and managed to get through Frances’ talk(!). I had to leave early to get the urban sketching session at The Cottage/Underfall Yard… still drizzling very slightly as I walked along the harbourside to The Cottage.
Fortunately, it had more or less stopped by 12noon and (I think) there were a total of eight of us (not bad considering we had changed the day at the last minute because of yesterday’s grim weather forecast). Felt pretty zonked by the time I got home, but prepared the vegetables for tonight’s roast supper.
Read my Kate Atkinson book for a while.
Sent off our 50^th birthday wishes (for Sarah) to Chris.
I watched another episode of the Ernest Hemingway documents (fascinating).
Evening telly: arty tour of European capitals (Lisbon).  
Image: Sarah’s photo montage. 

Saturday 24 July:

Rosa is 12 today!
I texted her first thing and Moira+I went round with her present (M had made a collared T-shirt… plus money)(RU later a pic... and it seems Rosa loves it) and some popcorn (R+S have bought her a popcorn-maker) and a jam doughnut for each of them.
Tomorrow is their last day of isolation (although Iris has been ‘free’ for 2-3 days – she was first to be diagnosed).
Newspaper and coffee (before popping to Temple Street) as usual on a Saturday.
The weather broke overnight (although it’s still pretty humid) – thunder+lightning followed by brief heavy rain (but despite the forecast that there was more to come, the rest of the day was dry but gloomy).
Very lazy day… read Atkinson… sketched while watching ‘Hundred’ cricket… and evening telly: ‘Young Montalbano’
Image: scaffolding across the road. 

Friday 23 July:

Another day of no walking (I MUST get back to walking daily!)…
Read for a while first thing.
Morning coffee in the garden with Moira… still warm, but the forecast is for rain/thundery showers over the weekend.
I sent a note to Urban Sketchers changing our sketching day from Saturday to Sunday due to weather (and even then, it might be a bit dicey).
I did a couple of sketches – one based on dandelions (from a Dutch illustrator?) and another of the scaffolding in front of a house on Fairfield Place (from our house).
Our dining table was duly collected (the bloke was very nice and we feel it’s gone to a good home!).
Someone expressed an interest in the throne chairs – but was haggling far too much (AND he lived in Burnham on Sea and wanted to meet half way!!).
We’ve received various documents from our solicitors for signing (Hannah from up the road has kindly agreed to witness them for us).
Ate supper in the garden (the wind is starting to build!).
Alice+Co have set off to Center Parcs (all very excited – and fingers crossed that Mikey is ok).
Evening telly: watched a documentary about the V+A conservation department etc.
Image: dandelion frieze. 

Thursday 22 July:

A strange old day (and another very hot one!)…
Coffee in the garden with Moira as usual (these days) and we discussed some of the initial steps it would be worthwhile making towards starting to prepare for the ‘move’.
Ended up advertising the Edwardian throne chairs on FB ‘marketplace’ for £100 and the bed settee, dining chairs and dining table on a ‘free to collect’ site. Someone subsequently contacted us and arranged to collect the table at 5pm (rapid need to dismantle things!)(the couple came along to collect on foot and, between us, we decided it was too heavy to carry to Coronation Road – they’re coming back tomorrow!) and someone else expressed an interest in the throne chairs (but needed to check dimensions)… sadly, he later came back to say they were too big!
I was determined to finish my ‘Heatwave’ book (which I duly did) and wrote up a brief review… I’ve just started another Kate Atkinson book.
We had an Asda delivery due, but when Moira checked she discovered that she’d accidently ticked the click-and-collect box!! So… we marched down to Asda with an assortment of bags and trolleys and trundled back, heavy-laden in scorching heat (it took Moira an hour to recover!).Supper in the garden again.
Evening telly: watched the first part of the first Men’s ‘One Hundred’ cricket and then ‘Repair Shop’ on catch-up.
Image: we no longer have a dining table (well, it’s going to be collected tomorrow)! 

Wednesday 21 July:

Another scorcher! Bloke’s Prayer first thing (DaveM, DaveP, Ed, Robin, Dru, Nick+me) sitting outside at the Society Café. I had a brief chat with Robin afterwards regarding our ‘progress’ on the house move… he felt we were doing the right thing in pressing the Hewitts (but felt that BNS weren’t quite as bad as I claimed… and hoped that EWS1 stuff would be clarified reasonably soon… but agreed there was likely to be cost implications).
No email/phonecall from Nick, so I sent off an email expressing frustration (and disappointment) but that we now wanted to press ahead on agreeing a completion date.
Nick rang me an hour later… explaining that Matthew Hewitt was adamant he was going to reduce the price (although Nick felt we had a justified ‘case’). Sad, but hey ho!! Completion date w/c 23 August agreed at least.
I emailed Emmaus about furniture donations (they later came back to me to say they hadn’t any space left and referred me to another site)… and also phoned Fox Removers about moving costs (agreed a zoom call on 2 August and also CityMoves visit 4 August) for price… 24 August pencilled in for move.
Supper in the garden…
Bloke’s Prayer met in Saint Stephen’s garden for another discussion about ‘Death’ (very interesting). Jeff came along too - but was in one of his ‘negative’ moods (really difficult to know how to cope with him). LOTS of young people about in town – absolutely rammed!
Image: tonight’s moon. 

Tuesday 20 July:

After another night when it was difficult to sleep due to the heat, I went for a dawn walk to the harbour on another sunny morning (it was going to be very hot again!), then toast+coffee breakfast.
Our back yard needed weeding (and I’ve been meaning to do it for some days)… so decided that, if I was going to do any weeding, it was best done before full strength of the sun had emerged. Managed to complete the weeding by 8.15am and felt duly smug!
Morning coffee in the garden with Moira.
Went to Tesco’s (for tonic water+bread) and then to Hugo’s for fruit+veg.
Emailed Laurence (now back from holiday) with suggested completion date of w/c 23 August… and he later rang me (after speaking to both George’s solicitors and to George himself) to say that that date seemed fine. I updated him on the Deanery Road situation (and he was duly positive and upbeat).
I HAD been expecting a call or email from Nick (after yesterday’s email exchange)… but, disappointingly (and frustratingly!), had still not heard anything by late afternoon.
The government got into yet another mess about ‘mixed messages’ today (employment says one thing about pings from NHS Covid-apps and is immediately contradicted by number10!! Number of Covid deaths (96) the highest today since March.
Read through one of Dad’s old diaries (1943).
Heard from Hannah (they’re currently at Drimnin) that Fee’s play at the Old Vic (rehearsals were due to start at the beginning of August) has had to be cancelled… which is massively disappointing news for him (and them).
Had an evening zoom session with Alan and David… another long chat!!
Image: yet another dawn pic from the marina.

Monday 19 July:

I emailed solicitor Gail to indicate that we wanted to set a completion date on the house (we suggested w/c 23 August – and she concurred).
No early morning walk today because: a) I had to collect+delivery some shopping for Ru+co and b) Moira and I were meeting up with Alan+Gareth in town!
We met A+G for coffee at The Society Café and then sat in Queen Square to continue our catch-up discussions (another beautiful, hot day!).
After lunch, I rang estate agent Nick (because there’d been no response to my email sent to Nick last Thursday evening)… just got his voicemail, so I sent another email expressing our ‘frustration’(!) and asked him to endeavour to speak to the Hewitts and to get back to us within 24 hours. We’ll see.
Spent some of the afternoon reading my ‘heatwave’ book (somewhat appropriate!) and then responded to lengthy emails received from both David and Alan in advance of our zoom get-together tomorrow.
Nick came back and said his previous email had indicated that the sellers weren’t going to reduce the price of the apartment (and asked if I’d not seen his email!)… I said I had and had he not seen mine! He then responded to ask if we wanted to back out… I replied as diplomatically as possible (and said no, but…). Hey ho!
Evening tellie: predictably ‘Connect’ and ‘Challenge’.
Image: random digger sketch (drawn this morning over breakfast)…

Sunday 18 July:

We just KNEW it was going to be hot again today, so Moira and I decided on a relatively early walk (and to skip church at HTH). We’d originally intended to make our way up into Leigh Woods… and to sit on a bench and drink coffee/water. In the end, Moira was in a little pain, so we only made it as far as Greville Smyth Park (we sat under ‘her’ amazing Indian Bean Tree (leaves are as big as your face!)… but it was good – and we were very pleased with our decision to ‘walk early’! Collected a newspaper en route and read that over coffee when we got back home.
With the Health Secretary having been ‘pinged’ Covid-positive (and having been with Johnson and Sunak last Friday), it’d been expected that the PM+Chancellor would be spending the next 10 days in self-isolation… but Downing Street announced that they were part of 'pilot scheme' that allows ‘certain people’ to have daily rapid flow tests and therefore didn’t have to self-isolate. As you might expect, this was followed by a widespread outcry from a broad range of people (‘one rule for us, another rule for them’)… and, surprise surprise, within 3 hours of the initial announcement, Downing Street made a U-turn and said they would be self-isolating afterall!! What an absolute farce!
I finished my excellent Alan Davies memoir.
Watched T20 on tellie late afternoon (with the sound down!) and started my new bookgroup book (Maggie O’Farrell’s ‘Instructions For A Heatwave’).
Evening tellie: bits of ‘Antique’ and the last hour of ‘The Open’ highlights (the ONLY bit of the entire golf I managed to see!).
Image: Indian Bean tree. 

Saturday 17 July:

The normal Saturday routine at the start of the day (fetch the newspaper – plus tonic water and a pack Magnums!)… morning coffee in the garden when Moira eventually stirred.
Learned from Ru that her Covid PCR tests had come back positive (as she’d almost assumed)… she’s not feeling very well at all… and, obviously, the prospect of isolation for the rest of the family is difficult to take.
Spent most of the morning trying to locate old photographs of Sarah (it’s her 50^th birthday next month and Chris is trying to surprise her with contributions from friends)… I ended up putting together a ‘collage’ of images.
Decided to go and watch cricket at Bedminster after lunch (bloomin’ hot!). I decided to buy beer from Cork’s in order to avoid the issue of being NHS-App-less. It was my first game of the season(!) – in fact Bedminster first and third XIs were both playing – and it was very lovely just to chill and watch for 2 hours or so.
Moira and I ate supper in the garden, then settled down to another ‘Young Montalbano’ (I think we’ve got one episode left!).
Highest weekly Covid deaths since the beginning of April and 50K daily cases reported for the first time since January. All rather worrying – especially in the light of mr Johnson’s so-called ‘Freedom Day’ on Monday!
Image: cricket spectators! 

Friday 16 July:

Another busy/chilled, hot day!
Moira and I had coffee in the garden first thing.
I posted the ‘Broken Greek’ book off to Alan.
Met up with Mike Levine again at Royal Fort Gardens (over a bottle of red)… beautiful, sunny day – so it was good to find some shade.
Delivered a couple of pints of milk to Ru+co (we had excess milk!) mid-afternoon. Rosa feeling very sad that her birthday party celebrations have had to be cancelled due to Covid isolation!
No responses from Nick to my email on Deanery Road (and we’ve confirmed to Gail that we WILL proceed with the purchase even if we don’t’ receive clarification on the EWS1 stuff… but that we want her to delay ‘pressing the button’ until we’ve had a response from Nick.
Left feeling very depressed by the apparent lack of progress – we’d really wanted to have a completion confirmed this week… and it hasn’t happened.
Image: Mike enjoying welcome tree shade.

Thursday 15 July:

Woke to discover (eventually) that I’d received a text message from Andy Mabey(!) suggesting that we meet up for a drink… eventually decided on The Ostrich at 2pm TODAY!
No morning walk, but Moira and I enjoyed morning coffee in the garden.
With Ru+Co still in their 10-day isolation, we delivered some basic foodstuff, plus wine and lasagne to them during the course of the morning.
My meet-up with Andy was lovely – so many things to catch up on (he’s getting married in October  to Natasha; he works at the college next to ‘our’ prospective new home etc etc).
Still nothing from solicitors etc on the house, so we double-checked with Gail. No, nothing further (and she outlined various options opened to us in the absence of lack of info/clarification etc). We emailed back to say we wanted to proceed even if there wasn’t definitive clarification of the ESW1 stuff… and I also emailed Nick (with a ‘final’ request for the sale price to be reduced by a ‘token’ £5K).
Catherine came round for supper (in the garden)! SO good to see her and to catch up at last. She’s a very, very lovely lady (and great to learn that she and Mike are still together).
Image: I finished my Mount Pleasant sketch (not brilliant!).

Wednesday 14 July:

BP at the Society Café on a sunny, warm morning (but only Ed, Dru, Nick and me in attendance)… back home for more morning coffee with Moira in the garden.
No responses/updates from estate agent Nick or solicitor Gail yet (frustrating… we’re desperate for a moving date!).
Invited Catherine round for ‘simple supper’ tomorrow evening… so thought I’d prepare lasagnes for us and also for Ru+co (need to do some shopping for them as well tomorrow).
Quick trip to Tesco’s and then cooking at the start of the afternoon.
I’d posted a photograph of some of my old drawings on facebook yesterday and, today, I had this lovely comment back from Claire Dunlop:
“Soooo, around 34 years ago at the age of 15 yrs of age I wrote to 3-5 Architect Practices in HW to consider taking on a school leaver that loved 'drafting'... you took a punt on me ..... BA took me under their wing, i developed, learnt, grew up and have skills that i now talk to our girls about .... they both have an eye for detail and with the help of modern day 'minecraft' can 'build' to their hearts content!!   Who knows what the next years finishing up at primary school and high school will bring out of them. I cannot thankyou enough for seeing something in me, believing in me and a great work ethic that i can only forward on. I can see glimpses of myself in our girls and so hope they find the guidance that you gave to me in their work stories. The years have past but never forgotten. Sooo, to sum up, i have heaps of my plans/elevations/details in an A2 folder from BA days that i need to 'share' ... let the journey live on!” 
Did some sketching (from photo), but it was all very half-hearted and didn’t finish it… and also read more of my Alan Davies book.
Evening telly: some of the Women’s T20 match (England v India) and ‘Repair’.
Image: hydrangeas from the end of the street.

Tuesday 13 July:

Should I continue keeping a daily diary? It’s all got very repetitive and boring.
Quite a busy and varied day…
I started off with my (ir)regular dawn harbour walk – on a very cloudy start to the day, but the sun broke just as I arrived at the marina (and then disappeared soon after).
Morning coffee with Moira inside (and read some more of my Alan Davies memoir).
Spent a fair part of the morning going through old files in the wardrobe… and found, among other things, my diary from our 1971 minivan trip to Athens (and back!) – which I’d completely forgotten about! Noted: 3,300 miles completed getting to Athens (covered nine countries: France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Greece, Austria and Belgium); lots of van troubles; lots of people feeling ill; and buying a bottle of wine for 2s8d (13p) in Rome!
Maria came round to sort through Moira’s old textile fabrics… and she stayed for lunch (in the garden) – which was lovely.
After lunch I emailed Ken, Steve and Ian (and sent them a photo of various stuff I’d come across this morning).
Evening zoom with Alan… which, as usual, was lovely.
Image: various old architectural drawings I came across in my ‘sort out’. 

Monday 12 July:

Another non-walking day (it looked incredibly wet and gloomy ‘out there’!).
I finished my Catherine Fox book during the morning and scribbled out a brief review.
We've heard from Ru today that Iris has just tested positive from a PCR test... which means, of course, isolation for the rest of them! Fortunately, we haven't been in close contact with them over the past few days so, as things stand, we still have our 'freedom'! But it obviously has repercussions for both Ru and Stu as far as work is concerned. All very frustrating.
I emailed David and Alan about the possibility of a zoom get-together sometime later this week.
Estate agent Nick got back to me with info from Matthew Hewitt on Deanery Road (not particularly helpful and with not much more light being thrown on the EWS1 stuff – just a suggestion that our solicitor should contact BNS Management to find out the latest situation (and a refusal to accept any reduction in the purchase price!). I emailed Gail with an update and asked if she would try to contact BNS on our behalf… but she replied that as Moira and I currently have no interest in the property, they’re unable to do so… so I’ve asked (via Nick) Mr Hewitt to contact his solicitors and endeavour to get them to obtain answers/clarification from BNS.
I started reading Alan Davies’s memoir ‘Just Ignore Him’.
Pretty rubbish day all told… evening telly: part one of a documentary about Hemingway, ‘Only Connect’ and ‘UC’.
Image: Rivet Rivet (from a recent walk). 

Sunday 11 July:

I didn’t go to Saint Stephen’s today (although Moira did) as I was potentially ‘on call’ for Iris+Rosa – as Ru+Stu had to travel down to the Devon Guild to take down Ru’s exhibition.
So, I fetched the newspaper… read the newspaper… then read more of my Catherine Fox book.
I spoke to Rosa shortly after lunch… and they were both fine (Iris is currently in isolation again from school following someone in her school bubble testing positive). I’d given Rosa the option of meeting up in town – but she was happy doing ‘house stuff’ at home.
I spoke to Iris at 6pm (Ru+Stu had just got back home)… and it was good to chat to her. She explained that, because of various isolation bubbles and positive test results, she hadn’t actually seen any of her close friends for over a month… and I think, quite understandably, this has taken its toll. Terribly sad.
In the afternoon I watched the Wimbledon men’s final (Djokovic won in four sets – a good final).
Roast pork for supper(!).
Evening telly (surprise, surprise) was the Italy v England football game… England ended up losing 2-3 on penalties in extra time (1-1 at full time)
Image: my Euro footie scribbles!

Saturday 10 July:

Apart from fetching the newspaper, I spent the day indoors…
Newspaper-reading and morning coffee with Moira, followed by reading more of my Catherine Fox book.
In the afternoon, I watched the women’s Wimbledon final… and then the women’s doubles final… and also did some incidental sketching while doing so.
Had an email from Alan at the end of the afternoon (and also subsequently rang him). Eleanor had stayed with them for a couple of days. In the intervening period her Adam felt unwell. Covid Lateral Flow tests were negative but he went for a Covid PCR test which were subsequently positive. As a precaution, Eleanor had stayed on Brum pending Adam’s test results… on Thursday she showed symptoms and so went for a PCR… which subsequently also showed positive. Alan, David and I were due to have met for lunch in Brum on Thursday (David’s in Brum staying in a hotel and visiting friends for 3 days). Alan+Lesley now have to isolate – which means he can’t make lunch on Thursday. In the circumstances, I’ve decided, somewhat reluctantly, to opt out. Hopefully, we’ll be able to organise something in August/September(?). It’s a shame… and I feel like a bit of a wimp for cancelling.
Covid deaths are up some 80% this week (and infections have risen by 50% too).
I ended up going to bed quite early (what a surprise!) to read.
Image: Honeysuckle from our back garden. 

Friday 9 July:

Drafted an email to estate agent Nick first thing… chatted it through with Moira before sending off to solicitor Gail (she’d STILL not heard anything back from the Hewitts’ solicitors!). I’d indicated that, in the light of the continuing uncertainty on the EWS1-related stuff was concerned, either we needed answers to our fairly basic queries or else we felt a £10K reduction in price was justified.
Nick later came back (apologetic that he hadn’t chased his clients) and said he’d get back to us as soon as he’d heard back from them.
The Drawing Group was meeting up again for the first time since early March 2020(?)… an ad hoc arrangement to sketch in the cathedral/College Green. It was good to get together again… and I think 10 people attended(?).
Watched some of the Men’s semi-finals and read more of my book.
Evening telly: ‘Young Montalbano’.
Image: my Central Library sketch from this morning. 

Thursday 8 July:

Walked to Tom’s house after breakfast (took just over an hour)… we’d agreed to meet for coffee in his garden. It was lovely to meet up again and to catch up on so many things.
I’d decided beforehand that I’d come home on the bus… but ended up getting off by the time the bus got into town. Just too many un-masked individuals for my liking – I felt VERY uncomfortable (unmasked individuals sitting immediately in front and behind me). I’m afraid that it seems to be 20-somethings are key culprits… and they’ve obviously taken the view that it’s ridiculous to wait until the 19^th if ‘Boris has already decided’ (perhaps they’ve never been face-maskers?). The whole experience made me feel both angry and sad… selfish, selfish people (led by chancers!).
The newspapers are full of reports about the England victory – BUT also about England being charged regarding one fan shining a laser in the Danish goalkeeper’s face when the penalty was being taken (and also for booing and letting off fireworks during the Danish national anthem). SO depressing.
Moira has been continuing to think about high-backed armchairs (she’s determined that we buy two armchairs rather sofa) and has roped in the family for their suggestions… so I’m afraid that I’m feeling somewhat overruled. It all feels far too much like Care Homes to me (feeling a little sad).
Watched one of the Women’s semi-finals and a Men’s doubles at Wimbledon… and read my Catherine Fox book.
Ru tells us that Iris’s ‘bubble’ is back in isolation AGAIN (for 10 days)… her other friends will be returning to school tomorrow from 10 days isolation!
Had drinks outside with Moira before supper.
Image: my beloved tree stamps (which featured in LOTS of my elevational drawings at Brox). 

Wednesday 7 July:

BP at the Society Café first thing… sitting outside and just about managing to avoid the drizzle (Robin, Dru, DaveM, DaveP, Nick, Ed and me).
Morning coffee inside later with Moira.
Tom has erected a new fence and so I fixed eye screws to it to secure our rather tangled apple tree.
Finished a scribbled Wimbledon sketch (ie. added colour!).
Went down Aldi car park (North Street) at the end of the morning to collect some ‘lateral flow’ kits.
Prepared for the bookgroup session.
Rosa came round after school for tea/supper (poor Iris was feeling pretty depressed – lots of her school friends are in isolation and so she’s feeling lonely/friendless - and preferred to be on her own). Moira walked Rosa home (R is currently feeling a little nervous about walking alone).
Storysmith bookgroup (to discuss ‘Big Sky’)… very good discussion, as usual.
Watched the England v Denmark footy… went to ET, England won 2-1 (not amazing, but…).
Image: my Wimbledon scribble.

Tuesday 6 July:

Something of a non-day, I’m afraid.
I went for dawn harbour walk (but only relatively short – Gaol Ferry Steps/Bathurst Basin).
I spent a little time composing a comment on facebook in response to the PM’s decision to abandon all the Covid rules on 19 July (ESPECIALLY face-masks on public transport). My ‘status’ received lots of very supportive comments. I also wrote to my MP on the subject and signed a petition.
We sent off emails to Gail – asking her to do what she can to push the other two firms of solicitors (we’re obviously keen to try to have a provisional move date so we can talk to removers) – and also to Laurence.
I finished my ‘Greek’ book (excellent, despite being far too long – 582 pages!)… and wrote up a brief review (35 books read so far this year).
Watched some tennis in the afternoon and also started another Catherine Fox book (based on her blog diary of 2020).
Watched some of the Italy v Spain footie in the evening.
Image: this morning down at the harbour.

Monday 5 July:

Alice’s birthday (41)!
Something of a bizarre and frustrating day (but also positive news on the house and rubbish news from the PM!)…
I went for my dawn harbourside walk – dressed for the forecast rain, which didn’t arise.
After breakfast, I booked my train ticket (for Brum next week) online via the Trainline website as usual… and also to renew my senior railcard – only to discover that I’d ordered digital versions of both (there didn’t seem to be an alternative process and I hadn’t realised). So, after desperately trying to revise stuff online, I ended up walking to Temple Meads to resolve things. Unfortunately, due to Covid, the ticket/enquiry office was closed(!) and so all I was able to do was to talk to someone on the ticket desk – who gave me Trainline’s telephone number. This proved of no use really (when I got home) – as I rang, joined a queue… and was informed that I was 64^th(?) in the queue!! In the end, I did manage to download a digital version of my train ticket (via Trainline ‘my account’ link)… but ended up only able to contact them online with my railcard query. I suspect I’ll never get a reply!
Read more of my ‘Greek’ book… and did some weeding of the front steps (just as it started to rain).
Arranged to go and see Tom for coffee on Thursday and have set up a ‘Drawing Group’ session on College Green on Friday.
Received some VERY good news during the course of the afternoon… Laurence phoned to say that George’s lenders had confirmed their mortgage offer (which is great news… and comes as a great relief)!
Evening telly: basically consisted of watching Wimbledon… 5-set Men’s match and then a bit of Raducanu’s game (but I went to bed before the end of the first set!).
Mr Johnson announced that all Covid restrictions (including face masks) were being lifted from 19 July (I’m furious).
Image: Wapping Wharf just after sunrise today.

Sunday 4 July:

Rainy day forecast… I fetched the morning newspaper.
Moira and I had morning coffee inside. Moira decided to skip church and just use the streamed link instead. I decided to go to HTH (simply because I was aware of effectively boycotting its services!)… and, yes, it did rain. Service taken by Wayne (his last day) and talk given by Nick (I usually find his talks pretty disappointing, but today’s was much better… in my view at least!).
The rest of the day was something of another non-day (more rain)… I read my ‘Greek’ book (plus the newspaper)… and also watched the last 20 minutes of the England v USA rugby game on Channel4 (England won 43-29… Bristol’s Harry Randall scored a try and was named ‘man of the match’).
Early to bed after usual ‘Countryfile’ and ‘Antiques’… and just hoping that the coming week brings good news on the housing front (hate the continuing uncertainty)(obviously, worst case scenario would be that George’s borrowers opted out due to knotweed!!).
Image: St John’s Wort flowering shrub (from my journey home from church in between the showers). 

Saturday 3 July:

Another rubbish night’s ‘sleep’… woke soon after 1am and didn’t really sleep after that. Got up around 4.30am and caught up on social media, last night’s sport… and then read.
I HAD intended to go and watch cricket at Bedminster CC but rain is forecast all afternoon (with the odd thunderstorm!)… and it was certainly raining when I first got up.
Thinking about Iris on her DoE hike today (the practice was last week)… waking up to rain and having to pack away a wet tent… and then have to carry it for the rest of the day (with everything else!).
Fetched the newspaper first thing... I HAD intended to go and watch Bedminster cricket, but rainy day, so that didn’t happen.
Read my ‘Greek’ book.
Watched various sport on telly (plus ‘Young Montalbano’)… Raducanu and Federer (tennis) and England 4-0 win over Ukraine.
Image: gift from Ru (in gratitude for contributions towards her exhibition). 

Friday 2 July:

Decided not to walk (again!) this morning because I wanted to bath and, more crucially, wash my hair… I’d have happily bathed at 4.30am, but I’d have probably locked Moira out of the bathroom in the process. Hey ho.
Morning coffee with Moira inside (Tom was hacking down the fence and erected posts and the like)… and then I went to Hugo’s for fruit+veg.
I spent much of the morning reading my ‘Greek’ book (it’s some 550 pages long!)… and the same in the afternoon (but mixed with the tennis).
Moira had sorted out various things for lining up in front of the house (textile books, boots, crocs etc)… and so I updated the book database.
Feeling hugely frustrated about house-related stuff… totally unable to make any real progress until we hear back from George’s lenders… and from the Hewitt’s solicitors about the EWS1-related stuff.
Hannah sent through a copy of Ursa’s very impressive school report (wonderful comments from her teacher… who clearly KNOWS her).
Tom and his Dad rebuilt the fence next door… bought them some token wine+beer… looks great (George will be please – if he EVER moves here!).
Image: the selfie that I DIDN’T post from our Wild Beer meal yesterday (don’t we look happy? - believe me, this was the best 'smiley' one!). 

Thursday 1 July:

We’d decided to go out for lunch today – the first time since we’d had lunch at the Ashmolean on Moira’s 70th birthday (just 476 days ago!)… so I decided to give my morning walk a miss today.
I’d had another rubbish night’s sleep (more tossing and turning).
Moira and I had a usual morning coffee (inside).
Emailed Jonny (to tell him about Lee) and Tom (to try to organise coffee together).
I sketched out a plan of ‘our’ apartment (based on the dimensions I’d taken the other day) – as an exercise as much as anything (but it might also be useful when/if it came to organising shelves and worktops.
We decided to go to ‘Wild Beer’ for lunch – sunny day, so we could sit outside… and we both fancied their fish+chip lunch (and, for me, a glass of their ‘millionaires’ beer!). It was all very enjoyable. We walked home via Vauxhall Bridge (Moira walking VERY slowly!).
Watched some tennis (excellent Kerber v Tormo match) and read some more of my ‘Greek’ book.
Image: fish+chips.