Coronavirus Challenge day 6
Saturday 21st March 2020
I didn’t sleep well last night. I went to bed slept for an hour and then was ready to get up. It was then I wrote yesterday’s challenge.
I was due to pick up T from Leicester so I decided I would get up for Sainbury’s opening at 6 00 am.
I awoke just before 6 00 am and was in Sainbury’s by 6 45 am. I filled up with petrol and put air in the tyres. The things I usually do only around a holiday. The store was a full as 3 00 pm on a Saturday afternoon yet here I was at 6 45 am.
I am not sure I can account for my time but I bet I am on this laptop more often and texting. I decided before T returned I should hoover and get the place half- sorted. I struggle to get such things done when I am sharing space with another.
I was reminded by Facebook that regardless of Covid 19 life is continuing and for others, it is in the least of their thoughts. A guy from my Junior High died his family would be mourning while people like me are preoccupied with this virus. It is important that we stay with people as life events occur. It somehow seems too easy to get lost in the mists of this virus.
I live in a block of six flats ( US apartments). Most of all live pretty private lives, I know them all to say, ‘Hi’ I know 3 of their names. I wanted to acknowledge that we are in usual times, I had been wanting to these last few days but didn't want to do something impulsively. Yesterday I noticed a scene from an old calendar that I have in my kitchen. Along the top, it had words from Echart Tolle
The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step that you are taking at this moment. That’s all there ever is.
I cut off the words of Eckhart as I didn’t want to say anything other than my own sentiments.
I left soon after for Leicester.
The roads were a little busier than Christmas day. I got there in the shortest time ever about 90 minutes. I did stop as I do at a service station. There were people as we stood in our queue for coffee. We remained standing as all the seats had been removed.
A made a few calls to my father in Northern Ireland and my sister in Belfast. It seems we all want to know where everyone else is and how they are.
With no trouble getting a parking space I managed to get T to get herself sorted within the hour. One of her flatmates was remaining as were many London students believing they were less at risk away from London.
We called again at Sainbury’s with T concerned that I did not have adequate supplies. She spotted someone carrying toilet roll and soon I was carrying one too.
I noticed at the pharmacy there was a barrier ensuring that people stood 2 metres back. Throughout the day I had listened to radio programmes and I was beginning to become unsettled as I am aware that members of the union of which I am a part Napo are being required to continue to operate a public service from their office including seeing clients albeit that something of a reduction in face to face contact is occurring. I am not aware that measures to comply with social distancing have occurred nor the issuing of any protective clothing.
Last Monday when I awoke I was wondering whether the buses and trains would be running this Monday I will most definitely be wondering.
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