After the lull ...

Last week was ... empty. I felt the void hugely, the space in my life cleared for the holiday that never happened. I always knew I had a  busy week ahead when I was due home, but in the way of holiday plans I left it parked on a mental shelf. Today was the day I really got going by taking life back off the shelf - just little things, but adding up to quite a day as I scampered round fulfilling them.

The weekly shop came first, slightly earlier and slightly speedier than usual. There was just time for breakfast before I was out again, walking down to the dentist for an ordinary check-up. It's exactly two years since I was due one - on a day which fell four days after lockdown began. Since then readers of this journal will know I've had my share of dental traumas, all dealt with by my dental surgery, but this was maintenance, not emergency repair, carried out by my regular dentist - an X-ray and the judgment that I needed a scaling and a small replacement amalgam filling. Appointment duly made and home for coffee. 

An early lunch (and a very small one) was followed by a vigorous pummelling by my sports therapist - necessitated by the extreme sport of pruning, in this case - which in turn was followed by a zoom meeting of the church Vestry Committee. Then a hectic scamper round the house to put clothes together for a weekend of varied activity in Edinburgh - packing again! - before dinner. All this against half-heard news of Russian ships destroyed and the chilling, vivid story on the AP site from a journalist who was in Mariupol and had to flee - I'd read his piece in the Scotsman, but the full-screen photos on my desktop made a huge impression. 

Blipping a wonderful old car I passed on my way to the dentist - I've not noticed it in town before, but it seemed in exceptional nick. I'm sure someone can tell me how old it is ...