Three month mark

I made the mistake of rocking up to the UK for a planned visit three months ago, and am still here. I may only be halfway through this enforced limbo. If I was in Mozambique I’d have had an automatic visa extension until the end of June, so could have been resting on my laurels. After that who knows what advice the government would have had, especially as cases there are now rising. However, I would have crossed that bridge as and when...

The phenomenal Elizabeth sent me this card, with commentary on how weary the whale looks, and chirruping that sperm whales are her favourite species of whale. No argument from me on either point. The card made my heart soar; the woman is a lyrical genius.

Another theme of the day has been cat vomit, with the card featured alongside a patch of it that we can’t get clean. Tips welcome.

I was talking to my colleague Eleanor on Skype at the moment a particularly pungent waft moved in my direction. We established that we hold differing views towards cats.

‘Do you prefer dogs or babies or neither?’ she asked.

‘Dogs then babies and cats tied for last place,’ I replied.

During my evening walk, I noticed John Lewis is advertising a gargantuan ‘Welcome Home Cambridge’ sign outside its store in the city centre. Hannah and I were simultaneously discussing the consumerism that has already returned with a vengeance. I am as much a player in this as the next person, but I don’t like how much time we all spend buying stuff that isn’t important or fulfilling, as there are better things to be doing with ourselves. Lockdown hasn’t lasted long enough to dent that psyche in any tangible way, and it’s interesting to mull over whether anyone’s life has fallen apart because they haven’t been able to upgrade their cushions at John Lewis. I suspect not.

‘I think we have established that we’re doomed as a people’, said Hannah, as we walked and chatted. She has a good point.

Talking of pointless consumerism, I took a punt on a papaya and turmeric juice when I was buying groceries. Completely ludicrous as a flavour. Not too bad overall.