Well, here I am, legally 64 years old. Honestly never thought about getting this far so I'm dead chuffed to be celebrating being 64. One of my closest friends from high school days emailed me a lovely birthday greeting this morning asking if I was planning to drive down to Liverpool ('When I'm 64' - The Beatles), had to disappoint him by saying just the drive six miles down the glen to the nearest supermarket was the big thrill for today. My husband does get bonus points for singing me the song at breakfast, that was very nice and I promised him on his 64th birthday (2022) I will still be sending him a valentine.

Back to that supermarket visit this morning, it was definitely an 'E ticket' grade drive over twisting narrow roads with lying water off the sides of the roads (sink hole anyone?!), leaden skies and spates of driving rain. Still, we managed to make the drive there and back comfortably (Paul kept it under 40mph and so it was not the usual Mr Toad's Wild Ride), and the supermarket visit was 'interesting' - first time couples were allowed together into shops including supermarkets. 

Per the 'new-normal rules', I donned a disposable three layer mask once out of the car and he pulled his scarf up around his face like an old time bandit (he had on his Australian cattle drover duster so he really did look the part of a stage coach robber!). It was AMAZING to actually go inside the store, I have to say. None of that Click and Collect tosh of putting something in the virtual trolley only to get to the virtual till and be told several items were no longer available. Huge hand sanitiser dispenser at the entry so I was able to sanitise my hands AND the trolley grip, that was nice. Everyone had to use it so I knew going in I could safely pick something off the shelf to purchase without being overly worried about possible contamination.

Surprisingly considering the complaints I've read online to the contrary, the other shoppers were great - no crowding, no 'trolley rage' incidents, no-one pushing past other shoppers to get something, and the only time I felt the slightest twinge of impatience was when the small family (Mum, Dad, newborn in carrier) lingered far too long over the fresh deli counter - all I wanted were two pizzas on the rack but I wasn't about to push past them. I waited until they (finally, ffs, pick yer pizza and bloody move on!) were completely past the 2m arrow markings before stepping forward from my 2m marker, grabbed my pizzas and moved on - as I did the man in the queue behind me thanked me 'for not dithering'. My pleasure, Sunshine, my pleasure.

Everything the C&C usually told me 'we're sorry but that item is no longer available for this trolley' was right there in the store, and the produce I succumbed to (tomatoes and potatoes) was GORGEOUS - fresh as though just off the vine and field. Moving through the till area was actually faster than it used to me, I think that perspex barrier inhibits long chats with the till operator so we were done and on our way out of the store in record time for a mid-day visit. 

Home again, we unloaded the boot, had the bags in the house and put away so quickly I almost didn't feel as though we'd been out at all.

BONUS: Kipling Angel Cakes (sinfully delicious individually wrapped little fingers of sponge and iced scrumminess, six to a box) were on offer - no need to see if there were any nice birthday cakes in the bakery section. 

My 64yo cup runneth over - and I do mean that. Being 64 definitely beats the alternative!

 LIFE IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS PART LAST

PUBLISHED 14 AUG 2020 1042HRS BST

Localised 'outbreaks' will continue leading to localised 'lockdown' but for the most part the pandemic appears to be over in my wee corner of the Kingdom. As long as people are sensible (strict hygiene, keeping distance from others, masks where appropriate) we should now begin to see a return to near-normal. 

 

Of course, the NHS all over the UK continues to claim they're working on clearing backlog (read if you should be having annual echocardiograms or other monitoring, or think you have cancer or heart disease, you're going to be waiting to the point of possibly dying whilst you wait), the death toll is being revised downwards to reflect 'more accurate data analysis' (read 'Oh dear, unless we change these stats we're going down as the 'European' country with the highest death toll!'), and wannbe little dictators like Nicola Sturgeon (Scottish First Minister) are rushing through all sorts while they still have a stranglehold on power - her latest is pushing through a 'hate' crime law so draconian no-one anywhere will have freedom of speech ever again - anywhere in the world speaking against, for example, unfettered criminal migration or the 'slamofication of the Western free world can see you extradited to Scotland to 'face judgement' if the SNP have their way. Oh, and her daily power exercise (read her daily coronavirus update press briefings televised by SkyNews and the BBC) continue - Lil'Nic is not going to give up her Hour of Power without a huge fight, I can assure you!

 

Meanwhile, here on the 'homefront' (read our house), things haven't really changed much and there really isn't anything new to report. 

 

Oh. Wait. Yesterday I was hit with a whomping case of heat exhaustion to the point of, well, you don't want to know except it was horrible and the heat cramps kept me waking every 30-45 minutes to try to make it to the bathroom. It got so alarming that around 3am we took the risk of telephoning 111 - surprisingly the person who answered was actually helpful despite our call not being 'Covid-related'. The GP telephoned first thing this morning to enquire - as the alarming symptom (and with the concurrent heat cramps feeling rather like a lower tum filled with razors) mercifully tapered off around 0600, I'm to do the Rice and Ice diet today, stay cool and telephone the surgery back if the most alarming symptom returns.   

 

I've had heat exhaustion so many times over the years I've actually lost count so I knew what to do and I knew when to worry. I've had heat stroke as well - twice. Part and parcel of having a lifelong heart condition. It's one of the reasons I am so particular to have hygrometers and thermometers in and out. 

 

But yesterday seemed to come out of nowhere, it was hot and humid inside and out but I did think I was managing it until the first awful heat cramp hit and I looked over at the coffee table temp-hygrometer to discover it was 27C (80F) and 70% humidity. I staggered outside where it was a 'mere' 26C (78.8F) while Paul moved the suddenly anaemic floor fan out and replaced it with the far more robust desk fan, opened all the windows (meaning the poor cat had to go in his crate - he's not allowed out for fear of killing the neighbour's chooks) and the front door. I stumbled back indoors, had an ice lollie, and enjoyed a respite in the lowered temperature of 23.8C (74.84F) and 60% humidity.