Holding out for a ... human interaction

Bananablip is a wonderful virtual buddy during a crisis such as coronavirus, keeping myself and others entertained with video witticisms and remaining at the forefront of new apps that help us stay connected. She suggested Sara Cox’s late afternoon Radio 2 slot was a way to access some lively tunes. I have always found Sara Cox a) hilarious and b) unfairly criticised for the time she said the Queen Mother ‘smelt of wee’. Her song selections nicely filled the time period between wrapping up work and heading out for my sanity walk. Holding Out For A Hero was a particular highlight that led me to send bananablip and Clare video clips of me miming along.

Today’s sanity walk took me around the city centre and into the meadows that spread out along the river. I don’t think Cambridge has the typical city plan in that from the city centre it’s easy to access open countryside within minutes, and other suburbs are a substantial trek in the opposite direction. I’m sure this is because of historical ownership of land by the university and colleges, which has stopped development filling in open spaces. Whilst I would usually criticise massive imbalances in wealth and ownership of assets, it does mean that strolling Cambridge in a time of coronavirus is very pleasant, if eerie and deserted.

Marks and Spencer at the station has shut its doors so I couldn’t comfort buy several bags of Percy Pigs, as planned. I’ll have to think more creatively tomorrow.

I didn’t resume work after the sanity walk as I know I’ll try and make headway on a few things during the weekend. I caught up with friends scattered all over, including one in Mozambique who I asked about the situation there. ‘Shit and going south’, was his reply.