Pandemic? What Pandemic?

I had an early morning delivery of a rose plant to make to a friend who has been a pillar of support to me over the last 18 months and who had a notable birthday yesterday. Because of the hour, I left it on her doorstep and texted her later to find it.

Having read Blipper Blethers eulogy on Hilary Mantel’s latest book -the Mirror and the Light- in the trilogy about Cromwell, and needing some more reading matter, I made my way down to Waterstones to check it out. Unfortunately it’s still only in hardback and was such a tome that I could hardly lift it free of the books around it. I will bide my time until it appears in paperback and then will probably decide not to read it. At the going rate of 2 pages a night in bed before I fall asleep, book in hand, It could take me 5 years to finish.

On the way I passed through the post lockdown newly instigated Farmers’ Market in Castle Terrrace with lanes marked out with tape to keep social distancing. I imagined it would be impossibly busy when the good burghers of Edinburgh emerged from their houses later.

Onwards then to the Gallery to see daughter#1 only to discover she was going to walk to Tollcross to get a new battery for the old iPhone I gave her. Apple have a sneaky way of making batteries less inefficient every time anyone upgrades them. We had a lovely walk back through the town and with the new battery installed as we waited, decided to have coffee In Söderberg In Lister Square. For the first time it looked absolutely like old times with the tables outside and inside busy. We even shared a cardamom bun.

I have never enjoyed a Saturday morning so much since my step daughter’s wedding 2 days before lockdown in March.