This morning when I opened the curtains I found snow on the canal, but only on one side!
No snow on the opposite side to where our four boats are, why is that?
I couldn’t work it out.
In fact looking at the photos now there is a kind of strip of snow down the middle of the frozen canal. The snow never lies near the boats, as the ice is less frozen.
It wasn’t as cold as I had anticipated, but I think it was cold in the night, as Honey the Dog jumped off the bed and went and lay on her bed, which is neat to the heater – which was on.
Another early start, waking up at 7am and getting up about 7.45am, before it was light!
Which gave me and Honey a nice long walk.
I am enjoying having more time in the morning before QiGong. I did QiGong indoors as it was sleeting outdoors.
On our morning walk the swans were sleeping on the ice!
After QiGong, Honey and I ran to the flat, via The Meadows and Arthur’s Seat.
The Meadows was relatively quiet with just a few walkers and people running. I remember back in March/April that it was always quiet in the morning and got busy in the afternoon – which is why I started going for a run in the afternoon to be around more people, than in the morning!
As we ran along the path in The Meadows, Honey was quite far ahead, she started going along one of the many paths that leads towards the road. So, as I do, I shouted very loudly at her to stop. Two couples who were walking slightly ahead of me both jumped. Then Honey corrected her route and carried along the path. But then I spotted a guy who was trying to catch Honey, then a runner did the same and others joined in!
I realised that they thought Honey was out of control and I was wanting to catch her. By now lots of people were joining in, trying to catch her, but she kept swerving away from them and I just continued jogging. A runner even sprinted past me and past Honey, bending down to try and catch her, without success, shouting some advice on how I could catch her.
It made me think, I must not look like someone who is out jogging with their dog? That is my only explanation – even though I was in running clothes – although I did have a rucksack on my back.
The other day I was walking back from the shops, without Honey, and a guy passing by held out a Tesco’s Bag, saying it was full of food and asked if I was homeless!!
Its clearly been a few days of mistaken identity, homeless and not a runner.
And then onto Arthur’s Seat which was exceptionally quiet with little ice and no snow.
Then I did an afternoon of gloss painting.
However, I walked home, rather than running. After feeling totally exhausted yesterday (Day 289) after my 11km of running to and from the flat on Day 288, I decided to pace myself. I will be running back to the flat tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday!
Then this evening I went to a Zoom lecture by a magician called Tony Griffith. I just found a book that belonged to my Dad which was written by him and also signed and dated February 1966! With some lecture notes in the book, I guess my Dad had also been to one of his lectures – nearly 55 years ago!
My Dad never knew me as a Professional Magician, but I am sure he would have been proud of me 🙂
Lockdown Restrictions Corner
Over the last few days I have been thinking about what is the definition of ‘Lockdown’ in relation to Covid-19?
This morning on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show he was talking lots about ‘Lockdown 3’, which all the media in England seems to be calling it. So out with that, have we not been in lockdown?
I’ve been writing this blog for 290 days reflecting on lockdown, when in fact, maybe there has not been a lockdown for that length of time?
For me, it feels that Edinburgh has been in lockdown since the end of September. Since then there have been restrictions on our movements and we have not been allowed to meet anyone in their homes. If we share a car with someone, we should sit socially distanced from them and if that is not possible drive with the windows open!
That feels like lockdown to me.
I wonder, whether in Scotland (well at least the Central Belt) our restrictions have been limiting us for a good few months, so that these new restrictions (and “lockdown”) doesn’t feel much different. Where as in England, it seems more when not in “lockdown” people have a lot less restrictions and able to go about life as pretty normal?
Or perhaps the “new normal” is not living in lockdown and then restrictions are tighter it is “lockdown”? Will the “new normal” be with us for ever?
Certainly, we have not been allowed to hug each other or shake hands since Day 1 of “lockdown” and for me that feels like lockdown, or perhaps that is the “new normal” and will be like this forever?
When pubs reopened in the summer we had to Track & Trace, this feels like restrictions on our lives, but was in lockdown or just restrictions?
What do you think? Have you been living in lockdown for 290 Days or just parts of that? How would you define lockdown?
Face Mask Corner
Today Helen sent me this –
“I thought I would send you a photo of me wearing a facemask for the first time in case you want to include it in the blog. Sweden has only recently started recommending that facemasks are worn. It’s still only a guideline and not law, and only applies inside NHS buildings and on public transport at certain times. I saw quite a lot of people wearing masks at the hospital, not everyone, but quite a lot. “
Thanks Helen, glad you finally made it into Face Mask Corner!!
It Made Me Smile
I saw this No Entry sign on our run today and it made me smile 🙂
Readers Corner
Helen
Not only did Helen send me a photo for ‘Face Mask Corner’ she also wrote the following about her visit to the hospital in Sweden:
“The waiting room was deserted!
I took the opportunity to take a photo. In the photo you can see signs on the walls and floor reminding people to maintain a physical distance, there are 4 alcogel dispensers (can you spot the all?) and the middle seats in the sofas are covered by signs so that people don’t sit too close to each other.”.
Thanks Helen, good to see what is happening in other countries beyond Scotland!
I can’t believe the hospital was so empty – I am sure that is not the case in most hospitals currently in the UK !!
Pat
Pat posted a Facebook comment on yesterdays blog (Day 289) saying:
“Jim..I For One Was Glad Last Week That Our Local Laundry Shop Was Open As Our Dryer Broke Down.. Stay Safe and Stay Well Mate…
“.
Thanks Pat! Glad to hear the local laundrette was open for you, but no dry cleaning? 😉
As I come to the end of this blog, my body is feeling physically tired. A 6km run, lots of painting and then a 4km walk home – is tiring! But after the run my energy feels so good, I am certainly glad that I have got back into running again.
Thinking back to my incident in The Meadows today, perhaps I didn’t look like a regular runner, as not only did I have a rucksack full of clothes, I also had my body warmer coat on – I had anticipated that I would be walking home and so wanted to have a jacket with me. Its interesting, that it was just one guy who obviously misread the situation and then everyone else copied him. I just continued running whilst all this was going on, not seeming bothered at all.
Tonight it is forecast to be cold again with more snow. It has been snowing a little this evening, but just a flutter. The snow this morning was not that impressive, about 1cm – after all the snow we had a week ago, these small amounts are pretty disappointing.
Today it has been cold and dull most of the day, rain, sleet and snow on and off throughout the day. Tomorrow night it is said to drop to minus 8 degrees!
Hope you’ve had a Tremendous Thursday.
Stay Safe!
Jim x
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