Thursdays

I actually can barely believe it's Thursday again so speedily. This is, then, the evening when I should be relaxing in the euphoria of having survived it - shopping done, most of what we wanted/needed available, another week till I have to do it again. But actually I found it so stressful this morning that the angst hasn't quite left me, nor the resentment that I should feel thus. Not going to dive into it - I'll just ask one question: Do people who don't wear masks, for whatever reason including medical exemption, consider how they make other people feel? Does it ever cross their minds that the person they come close to in a shop, for example, might be even more eager to have them at a distance than if it was a masked stranger? (And doesn't that sound so very much more interesting, that last description, than it really is?)

But in other news ... The beautiful blue and pink sky of the dawn fairly rapidly became pale grey, though there was brightness from time to time. It was cold, but seemed to get warmer after dark. It stayed dry. I had a leisurely breakfast, recuperating after the shopping, then made Green Welly soup (aka bottom-of-the-fridge soup) to which the addition of ginger and allspice made for a good, warming flavour. I ate some for lunch. 

Then I decided I had to keep up the good work of yesterday with a brisk walk. I realise that the combination of the short days and Himself's sore back is a lethal one when it comes to motivation, but today we began together and I marched off as soon as I'd warmed up. The view above was taken on the Ardyne shore, looking towards the Arran hills over one of the lowest tides I've ever seen there - I was carefully noting the sand that's usually covered with water, with reference to future bathes. There wasn't another soul there and the only sounds were the burbling of birds on the shore and a distant saw in the woods, perhaps dealing with storm damage. I just love that little touch of golden light on the sea. 

By the time I was pounding back along the main shore road to where we'd left the car, it was growing pretty dark. It's a nice idea, walking on a quiet road in the gloaming, but the reality can be pretty terrifying when you don't know how visible you are to an oncoming car and there's not really any space at the side of the road that's not covered in brambles or the dreaded knotweed. 

I've just been watching a bit of BBC Question Time, which I usually body-swerve these days. The panel was an interesting one - an epidemiologist, a retail giant, the impressive cellist who's now the Shadow Leader of the House, a Scottish Liberal MP - and the hapless woman who seems to be the Vaccines Minister. I was glad she was eventually able to smile, as for long enough she looked as if she was chewing on a wasp - I wouldn't have been in her shoes for the world. I'm afraid she didn't inspire confidence.

Anyone out there who still works: Are you having an office party?