Massive sharing platter of seafood

Dave came to Stroud today on the train, because I did not want to go to Cheltenham on the bus and mingle with the larger crowds there. We shopped a bit, had a fabulous hot chocolate at an artisanal bakery, shopped some more, then went for a fabulous meal at the Corner House, an Italian restaurant. I say fabulous, because we had this sharing platter and some beetroot risotto to follow, and enjoyed it greatly. But now Dave is texting to say he feels sick...

As we sat at the artisanal bakery, I remembered how just last year, the Merrywalks centre was mostly a horrid dark building site, and how I was surprised to see carol singers there on Christmas Eve. This year there's no singing in public, the Merrywalks Centre has been renamed the Five Valleys Shopping Centre, and is filled with attractive food stalls, as well as anxiety about new variant CoVid-19.

After our big meal, we shopped a bit more. The Christmas market was still open, so we bought some decorated candles, even though we'd both bought different sorts of candles earlier! Went for another cuppa, then Dave wanted to get to the station early. I left him there, so I could catch the local bus home. I was laden because I'd already been to Waitrose earlier, (and done the weird airport-style queueing in a marquee to get in!) Walked down from the bus stop through the cemetery in the gathering gloom, nearly bumping into several other people because it was so dark.

Got home in one piece, phoned a friend to say I'd got her a diary. She told me that she and her husband had had their vaccinations this morning. They are both in their 90s, and said that the process was very straightforward.

I'm now relaxing in front of the news (ha!) And hoping not to have to go out to town again anytime soon.