The sun is shining, the grass is growing and slowly but surely it feels as if I’m coming out of hibernation. This tentative route out of lockdown might just be leading somewhere. I know you only have to watch the TV news to quickly realise the UK is currently bucking the international coronavirus trends. So for now it’s a case of keeping well-washed fingers crossed and hoping, long may it continue.
As lockdown ends the world is opening up and we can begin to think about enjoying ourselves again. In my case, coffeeshops are pretty integral to that happening. I may not be able to sit down in them yet, that’s due to happen from May 17th, but takeaways and outside tables are here. In previous years I’d have thought April a bit early for alfresco coffee. Not this year, I’m happily donning the thermals, wrapping a scarf around my neck and grabbing every opportunity. I’d forgotten how much fun ordering a black Americano could be. Particularly with a Danish or a Portuguese custard tart on the side.
I took another step out of lockdown last Friday with my first train trip in over twelve months. I went to see my dad in Cambridge, the journey only takes just over an hour, but it felt like the greatest of adventures. Then, if that wasn’t exciting enough, we had lunch in the garden of his local pub. A meal we didn’t have to cook for ourselves, weren’t going to have to do the washing up for afterwards, during which we shared news and caught up after not seeing each other for so long. All in all, it was a pretty good day.
We’ve already made plans for dad to come over to Norwich for a day towards the end of May and maybe next time we will be catching up over an indoor restaurant table.
Reading this back the events don’t sound like a great deal, but after the last year, they most definitely were. Hopefully, a first hint of the old normal.
David in the kitchen. 