Emergency bread making blip

I am very much in favour of gadgets, if they help make my life easier. I struggle with the most basic of physical tasks, having being born with dyspraxia. Back then, it was called "clumsy child syndrome".

Anyway, after a surprise trip to Waitrose on foot this afternoon, I found myself with a GF bread mix. It seems very silly to make a loaf now, when my Dove's Farm flour baking selection is due to arrive tomorrow. But I couldn't wait, I suddenly fancied a slice of crusty bread for breakfast tomorrow morning. So it's in the machine now. I can't smell it yet.

Morning was spent fielding calls about S, our vulnerable friend, who has been phone-diagnosed with the virus. She is in touch with a specialised nurse for the elderly in her neighbourhood, who will ring her tomorrow, apparently. It's not much, but it's something. Our other vulnerable classmate M, has now tested negative, and may be allowed to leave hospital soon, once her home care plan is in place. Presumably her pneumonia has gone, too.


I zoomed with my friend D this afternoon, to help him get started with Canvas for his class later on. Difficult. I also worry about his continued longing for foreign holidays, eating out and other things that may not happen again for months. 'Why can't he just take up baking or making macrame potholders?' I ask myself. Er, because he's not me, perhaps?

The highlight of the day, however, was meeting my friend J at the corner shop / former pub. I'd got her some flour and yeast. She'd brought me some cartons of custard. We both bought vegetables in the shop. Then we sat under a tree in the park, at a distance from each other, and ate ice creams that I'd brought from home. Children were playing. Normality seemed not that far off.

The walk to Waitrose was uneventful. More cars on the road, for sure. Outside Waitrose we didn't even have to queue, but an announcement came over the tannoy telling us ( I'm sure it was intended for us) to Stop Enjoying Ourselves, Finish our Shopping, and Leave Forthwith so that Serious People can Shop. Dear God, it's only the second time during lockdown that I've been to Waitrose. Maybe they don't need my money. They definitely need my stock of birthday cards, they're almost completely out of greetings cards! I have plenty at home am still accepting online orders from the warehouse.