Gratitude

I am starting to sound like a broken record, but today had been a typical Saturday. 

Farm shop in the morning. A coffee in their orchard. A bit of gardening in the afternoon.

One big task got dealt with however. I took my bike to be repaired. The gears "died" in early April, when there was no chance of getting a repair done. It needs new gears, new tyres, new brake pads, a service... 

That's good. It's a big incentive to use it when I get it back!

With half a thought of a long weekend away, to escape the routine, I looked at the UK Foreign Office's website to see what's rated green at the moment. Just as it was a month ago, it is a confidence trick. 

Estonia and Latvia - two places I would enjoy in September - are on this wonderful green list, but Brits arriving there have to self-isolate for 14 days! 

Poland looks OK. I've been to Warsaw a couple times for work, but that's it. But could I sit on a Covid 19 infested Ryanair flight for 2 hours in current circumstances?    

More interesting was a frank discussion I listened to on Youtube about why Russians - or Bashkirs anyway - vote for Putin even when they don't like him. 

Ufa

Certainly my Saturday mornings have been blessed with good weather since the farm shop was able to re-open the coffee etc function. I only remember one which was too wet. How many more, I wonder?