This week seems to be a series of meeting people in real life! With lock-down easing lots of people are now meeting up and catching up! I am finding it quite tiring….Not just the actual meeting people, but all the organising.
I feel out of practice, juggling times and arrangements to meet people. It felt so much easier in lock-down when we met on Zoom or didn’t see each other at all! Now of course, not only are we having to think of places to meet, but also having to factor in travel time to get there, etc…
Yesterday I met Hannah. This morning I met up with my friends Heloise and Brian for coffee, then Danny dropped by outside my flat, then I had a quick catch-up with Kate in Kate’s Park. Tomorrow I meet my friend Sarah. Plus, of course I spent last weekend with Henry!
I’ve seen more people this week (in real life), than I did in the whole of lock-down!
It feels a bit like Christmas – you know when you try and fit in a Christmas drink with lots of friends you haven’t seen for a while!
Not that I am complaining – but I am finding it totally exhausting!
How did I / we cope before lock-down – it was more of just the way it was. Whereas now it is all so new!
Plus, everyone has slightly different practices and behaviours around wearing face-coverings, using alcohol gel, washing hands, etc…
Conversations always seem to take a similar route as well! It starts with lock-down and how we are coping / have been coping. Then onto things we have read or heard about lock-down and the virus. Finally, onto how we envisage it will be in the future, how long it will go on for, etc…and how are we all going to cope!
Once all that is out the way, conversations go onto other things – although little anecdote about the virus and lock-down seems to seep in at times as well!
I am sure it won’t be long, before people start banning conversations about lock-down and the virus!!
Today when we were out and about on our daily walks, I stumbled across this wee box and message giving away some plants 🙂
So I now have a new plant to tender in my flat.
I have found this more and more in the last few weeks, which I’ve never seen before lock-down. Has lock-down brought us together more, connecting to our humanness? Despite living in a city, it feels that there are these anonymous acts of kindness 🙂
A couple of weeks ago, I found on a wall a box of alcohol gel and a sign saying “Help yourself, these were left over at my work”.
Poetry / Art Corner
This is the final post in the series of life drawings I did at my one and only life drawing class many years ago!
If you would to share some of your own art or poetry, please get in touch!
You have now seen all the drawings – so you can have a look at them all again and let me know which is your favourite!
If you click on the photo you will see the name of the picture and some have a wee note with it too!
I think Drawing 4 is my favourite!!
Readers Corner
Just one post here today.
John
I don’t think John has appeared in Readers Corner before?! But he has appeared in my blog, when Honey and I visited Portobello on a very hot day on Day 68.
John posted a comment on yesterdays blog saying:
“Great entry, Jim. (Only one “S” in Sheep Heid”, though.) -John the Pedant!”.
Thanks John for the correction. I’ve always known the pub/inn as the ‘Sheeps Heid’. I wonder whether this how locals refer to it? Anyway Edinburgh folk know?
It Made Me Smile
For regular readers, you will know, that this evening the Isle of Canna was the feature of a 60 minute BBC Alba documentary! I watched it and it made me smile. Partly, because I have been to Canna a few times and was great to see familiar faces and places. Also, because it is a sweet documentary, giving you a glimpse of living on Canna.
I did a magic gig in Cafe Canna last year at the start of the season. The first magic show in all the Small Isles! Most of the 16 people living on the island came along AND three families who had got stuck due to the ferry being cancelled due to bad weather 🙂
I can highly recommend the documentary, which is available on BBC iPlayer for 29 Days. You can access it here – https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000lcbm/eilean-chanaigh-summer-on-canna
And of course the regular blog contributor Fi, features in it 🙂
If you watch it, it will also make you smile 😉
Here are some photos from the documentary. Apologies if I get the names or facts wrong – Fi can let us know if I got them wrong!
Canna
Canna Stack of Nesting Puffins
I think they said there are 2000 puffins living on Canna!
Sheep Shearing
I think I they said they have 800 sheep, which amount to £2000 worth of wool! Including photo of Gerry (Farm Manager), Murdo (her husband) and Caroline (Gerry’s niece).
Small Isles Games
There are four teams across the Small Isles – Canna, Rum, Muck and Eigg.
Each island hosts the games each year, so each island hosts it once every four years. The documentary covers last year when Canna hosted it.
The last photo is the Canna Ladies Tug-of-War Team. You will have to watch the documentary to see who wins the games for that year!
Some Residents & The Post Office
Here we have a Community Meeting. Gareth who runs Cafe Canna – who randomly saw my magic show one year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, before getting to know me last year when I performed at Cafe Canna. Then there is Anna and Martin, who have booked me to perform at their wedding next year! And the Post Office!
Fi at Tighard Guest House
Not forgetting Fi at Tighard.
Day 17 of the Post-25 Day Push-Up Challenge
I missed this today, again so 75 push-ups tomorrow!
Today has been my ‘Day of Rest’, well when not seeing people! Catching up on much needed rested.
It has rained just about all day today, still that light fine rain. I have been going out in the rain without a jacket and just getting wet. It’s not been cold – just wet!
Tomorrow, it is forecast to be a heatwave – I can’t imagine how that will be after today 😉
Not forgetting tomorrow evening (Friday) is Majk’s gig that I am hosting on Zoom. The gig is called ‘Wanted: Superheroes’, which includes a Superheroes quiz!
Virtual doors open at 7.30pm. The gig starts at 8pm and will be finished about 9pm.
If you want to go you can find the login details here – https://www.facebook.com/events/278396176910061
Or send me a private Facebook message and I’ll send you the login details. If we are not Facebook Friends go through my Jim the Magician Facebook page.
His last Zoom gig (Day 26) 54 people came along! I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.
Hope you’ve all had a great day.
Enjoy Life!
Jim xx
Olivia Duggan
Hola Jim, great analogy to Christmas! ! I find it does seem to drain energy seeing and meeting more people lately since lock down lifted!! However, more normality is good too.
Also an interesting common thread of similar conversations we are having in Ireland.
The Isle of Cann (had never heard of it) looks gorgeous and also similar to Irish scenery! !