The days have fallen into a pattern.

We eat breakfast while taking in 10 minutes or so of TV. The news is never good. You want to watch enough to be informed, but not enough to start the day demoralized.

We walk, or we walk-to-shop. We return. We've designated the main bathroom (which we don't otherwise use) as a clothes-changing area. Outdoor clothes stay there, rather than hob-nobbing with indoor clothes or sitting areas. Then it's time for coffee, with chocolate if we have it. Uncertain supplies of everything certainly make me eat my chocolate mindfully these days... I savour every second of my regulation two squares.

Then we do what we do. Which is pretty much what we always do, pandemic or not -- read, write, learn, cook, eat, exercise.

There were two unusual things about today.

One is that my father-in-law was celebrating his 88th birthday. Back at the beginning of the year, the family had been planning a big celebration lunch, but of course it was clear many weeks ago that this was not going to happen. At least he was able to enjoy a nice sunny day in the garden.

The other was that the Queen gave only the fifth special address of her reign.


"We should take comfort," she said, "that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again."

May it be...

In the meantime, let's enjoy each day that we have.