Coronavirus diary Archives | Running on Full https://runningonfullblog.com/category/coronavirus-diary/ Random thoughts, used to be about running Tue, 23 Jun 2020 17:12:45 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 London – Day 92 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-92-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-92-of-lockdown/#respond Tue, 23 Jun 2020 17:12:45 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=4016 A glorious day though as a hayfever sufferer, it’s not quite so much fun in the great outdoors. But no complaints. My tan lines are coming on a treat. It’s lovely to have sunshine and warmth in these strange times. And this may be my last post for a little while as things seem to be moving on. I haven’t decided yet! Perhaps I’ll ramble on about trying to get back to some semblance of normality without completely freaking out. I haven’t been on public transport for close to 100 days. Today is the last of the daily Ministerial briefings, […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-92-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 91 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-91-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-91-of-lockdown/#respond Mon, 22 Jun 2020 15:56:12 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=4011 A glorious day. And it’s due to get much hotter later in the week. Luckily I have a good stock of 30+. I’ve been out today a number of times for walks to clear my head. All in all, it’s been a pretty chill day. When out and about, I see more and more people meeting up. Many are staying at a distance. Many aren’t. Fifteen new deaths, the lowest figure for months. Though of course numbers are low on weekends and early in the week due to delays in reporting. This brings the total to 42,627. We’ve not yet […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-91-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 90 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-90-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-90-of-lockdown/#respond Sun, 21 Jun 2020 16:58:58 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=4007 A good day today. A bit of a late start to the day but it is the weekend. I headed off to the Horniman Museum gardens to meet up with my friend with the funky shoes. We chatted. We gossiped and we had a few laughs. I’ve largely avoided the news today. A knife attack in a park in Reading has left 3 people dead. It’s been declared a terrorist incident. It makes no sense. And Covid-19 rumbles on. A further 43 deaths bringing the total to 42,632. Let’s just hope no Ministers say how ‘proud’ we should all be […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-90-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 89 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-89-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-89-of-lockdown/#respond Sat, 20 Jun 2020 17:22:29 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=4004 I woke up calmer this morning. Certainly calmer, less discombobulated than yesterday. Discombobulated is an underused word. Perhaps a word well suited to these strange times we find ourselves in. After a bit of writing, I headed out. I headed to Belair Park, one of the quieter parks in lockdown land, and met up with a friend. I haven’t seen this friend for months as she’s been staying outside London with her husband. A good solid two hour something chat about pretty much everything, I headed home. There were phone calls either side with another friend. The weather shifted from […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-89-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 88 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-88-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-88-of-lockdown/#respond Fri, 19 Jun 2020 16:22:13 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3999 I had a moment on waking up where I believed we were in ‘normal’ times. In the next moment I remembered we weren’t. I had memories skipping through my mind – of journeys taken, of friends seen, of places visited. I imagined how I might spend this Friday, only to realise I couldn’t do those things I would have had the option of doing 6 months ago. I’m missing the experience of London. I miss all those things that at times I equally love and hate about this city. This was not a good start. But it did get better […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-88-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 87 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-87-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-87-of-lockdown/#respond Thu, 18 Jun 2020 16:36:59 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3996 I’m in a much less grumpy mood today. I’ve managed to be pretty productive and no naps have been needed. And the news in response to Covid-19 continues at pace. Government has abandoned the development of a centralised Tracker App, instead looking at a decentralised approach. The aim of these Apps is to notify users when they have been in recent proximity of another user with Covid-19. It uses proximity data. It was meant to be rolled out in mid-May. Oops… Everyone was telling them it wouldn’t work and even if it did, the approach meant that it would be […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-87-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 86 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-86-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-86-of-lockdown/#respond Wed, 17 Jun 2020 16:52:30 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3992 It’s been a grumpy day. No good reason. I don’t think the weather has helped, though I was quite impressed with the thunder that went along with the torrential downpour earlier today. When these types of moods hit, I find a nap is a good solution. So a nap was had. Also I don’t think watching Prime Minister’s Questions helped. There was a lot of banter about the importance of getting kids back to school. Yes, it absolutely essential that kids go back to school when it’s safe to do so.  The Prime Minister seems to be laying the blame […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-86-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 85 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-85-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-85-of-lockdown/#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2020 16:17:39 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3988 It’s taken 85 days but today is the day I’m really bored with lockdown. I’m not bored as such. I have plenty to do. But bored with the horror show that is the news. Bored of one announcement after another. Bored with how this is all playing out in the UK, and specifically England. Of the announcements today, government has reversed its decision to not provide food vouchers for children over the summer holidays. While they wouldn’t be provided for in ‘normal’ times, there is nothing normal about these times. So, with thanks to a campaign led by a footballer, […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-85-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 84 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-84-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-84-of-lockdown/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2020 16:49:58 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3985 I remain confused. Yep, I’ve been confused a lot over the last few months in trying to keep track of the twists and turns of government policy and messaging. Perhaps it’s because I have a slightly grumpy lower back today. At least it’s been more productive than most of last week. Government is currently reviewing the 2m rule for social distancing. Reducing the distance will have a positive benefit for the economy (subject to lots of people not getting ill etc). But we’re also following the evidence and the science. So which is it? Is this a political decision, or […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-84-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 83 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-83-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-83-of-lockdown/#comments Sun, 14 Jun 2020 17:00:44 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3979 It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow as non-essential shops open. It’s been 3 months. Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, has been walking through an empty shopping centre today to demonstrate how safe it is. Lots of safety measures have been put in place including hand sanitiser stations. Direction arrows are on the floors. However, given how people move around in spaces like shopping centres, and there’s a clear inability to follow direction arrows in supermarkets, let’s see. I won’t be going shopping, apart from perhaps a few groceries. And there’s growing demand from some Conservatives to reduce […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-83-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 82 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-82-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-82-of-lockdown/#comments Sat, 13 Jun 2020 16:49:05 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3975 A good though tiring day. The pain in my back is much less, but it is exhausting. Just as well I can’t take the good painkillers otherwise I would have been unconscious for most of the day. I did meet up with my friend at the Horniman Museum gardens for a stroll and to say hello to the alpacas and goats. The alpacas weren’t in the mood for a photo so I took one of the very funky goat instead. I had some minor rants about life on my part, we chatted, we had some laughs. Always a fabulous catch-up. […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-82-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 81 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-81-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-81-of-lockdown/#respond Fri, 12 Jun 2020 16:23:44 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3970 I’m tired today. I don’t know if it’s because of low level back pain (though certainly better than it was), or the weather, or this low level existential angst that many of us seem to have in lockdown land. It could well be a combination of all of these. Given this, not a particularly productive day. It’s not been a great week but hey ho, time rumbles on. As least I should manage to sleep better tonight given the reduction in my pain levels. And it’s been a pretty lazy day. I managed to get some groceries in and go […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-81-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 80 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-80-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-80-of-lockdown/#comments Thu, 11 Jun 2020 16:52:30 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3966 It’s been a day full of the joys of back pain. I slept badly. Every time I moved, I woke up. But it does feel as though the pain is easing up a little. One thing I forget whenever this happens is just how exhausting pain is. It necessitated a midday nap. I should be back to normal in a couple of days. It has meant another day of not getting a lot done so hoping I’ll be a little more productive tomorrow. And on it goes. The days, weeks, and months, merge into a formless mass. These words here […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-80-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 79 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-79-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-79-of-lockdown/#comments Wed, 10 Jun 2020 16:59:19 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3957 Today has been a day of pain. I tweaked my lower back this morning. I have a weak spot where I’ve slipped a disc twice and have occasional facet joint issues. Thankfully this is a facet joint issue, a lot less painful than a slipped disc but painful all the same. I managed to get a physio appointment so I sit here tired, and with my lower back all taped up! What it has meant is a day of getting little done apart from managing to reduce my inbox. Reducing my inbox is about as exciting as my day got. […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-79-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 78 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-78-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-78-of-lockdown/#respond Tue, 09 Jun 2020 16:35:07 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3954 It’s one of those days in lockdown that I would have been better off staying in bed and letting the day pass me by. Minor irritations became major irritations. I’ve been for plenty of walks. There have been good moments. I ran into a fellow Queenslander in Dulwich Park. We met a few months ago. I heard him calling for his dog and heard his Aussie accent so of course had to stop and chat. His wife grew up in a suburb close to where I grew up. So we chatted, and I kicked a ball for Max, his dog. […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-78-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 77 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-77-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-77-of-lockdown/#respond Mon, 08 Jun 2020 17:13:06 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3951 Not a terribly productive day today but some days are just like that. I’ve got itchy feet at the moment – I’m eager to go beyond my ‘within walking distance’ confines of southeast London. But I suspect it won’t be any time soon. I’m avoiding public transport as it’s not a necessity. And on the news… A further 55 deaths bringing the total 40,597. This is the lowest figure since 21 March – pre-lockdown. I’m a little confused given we know that 59 people died in England… A further 1,205 positive cases, again the lowest since lockdown began though it’s […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-77-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 76 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-76-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-76-of-lockdown/#respond Sun, 07 Jun 2020 16:17:15 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3946 Today was alpaca day! A wander to the Horniman Museum gardens for a good catch up and a gossip with my friend and a hello to the alpacas. The lucky things have had haircuts again. I miss having my hair cut. It’s been an easy day. Another late Saturday night chatting away led to a slightly later start to the day. And a reduction in the number of deaths, down to 77 which is the lowest figure since lockdown began. No further deaths in Scotland or Northern Ireland. The total reported across healthcare settings is now 40,542. This is a […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-76-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 75 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-75-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-75-of-lockdown/#respond Sat, 06 Jun 2020 16:27:27 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3939 I’m at the stage of lockdown I’m too exhausted to be furious. I’m sleeping well but I do keep waking up at around 5.30am. I’m not really an early morning person. At least I’m not having the strange dreams that lots of other people seem to be having. I dare not track the amount of time I spend daily shaking my head at the horror show of the government response to Covid-19. Here I’m referring to national policy approaches, particularly those in England. As of today, another 204 deaths in the UK, bringing the total to 40,465. These figures only […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-75-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 74 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-74-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-74-of-lockdown/#respond Fri, 05 Jun 2020 15:58:21 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3935 A lazy day today and I’m over the grumps of yesterday. I’m also over the carb munchies which I always get when I’m about to get a cold. And I managed to catch the 5 minutes of sunshine we had today. All is well. Except if I see too much news. The reports coming out of the US are horrifying. At President Trump’s press conference today, he declares the US as pretty much over Covid-19, and pretty much over the protests about the murder of George Floyd. ‘It’s a great great day for George Floyd…’ You couldn’t make it up. […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-74-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 73 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-73-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-73-of-lockdown/#respond Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:05:59 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3932 It’s one of those days in lockdown where I’m in a grump. It might be having getting up way too early after waking up from 4.30am. It might be the change in weather – grim, grey, chilly. Or it might be that in going to the shops today, it seems that lots of folks can’t be bothered with social distancing anymore. Maybe because I’m having carb cravings which for me is an early indicator of a cold (and yes, I can still smell and taste, no aches, no cough). It’s one of those days I’m tempted to throw a temper […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-73-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 72 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-72-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-72-of-lockdown/#respond Wed, 03 Jun 2020 16:41:31 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3925 My light entertainment of the day consisted of watching Prime Minister’s Questions. It was a cringeworthy performance from the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in responding to direct questions from the Leader of the Opposition, Sir Keir Starmer. While amusing to watch, it is of course underlined by bad political decisions which have cost so many lives. I think the only response is to laugh with incredulity, or to cry. Perhaps a mixture of both. I think I need to get out more! And it’s the political positioning that is painful to watch – being told that government have done a […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-72-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 71 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-71-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-71-of-lockdown/#respond Tue, 02 Jun 2020 16:25:44 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3921 Where do I even start … On the plus side, I’ve had a few lovely short walks, some good food and I got a decent amount of work done. I was wandering past a preschool today as a few kids were arriving with their parents. There was laughter, there were a few tears. The staff looked so happy to see the kids. But the news…oh, the news today has unleashed waves of fury and despair. I’m sure I’m not the only one feeling this way. And that’s without looking at the news in the US as that just makes me […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-71-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 70 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-70-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-70-of-lockdown/#respond Mon, 01 Jun 2020 16:45:37 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3918 A couple of schools near me have opened their doors to some students. Judging from the photo the students organise themselves into bubbles, I’m assuming to limit them mixing too much. It’s made all too real when you see newly painted lines on the footpath measuring the distance they should stand away from one another. This school has been open for the duration of lockdown for the children of essential workers. A lot of people in the ‘shielding’ group, sent a text on Saturday evening telling them it was OK to go outside, remain at home. The text was sent […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-70-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 69 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-69-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-69-of-lockdown/#respond Sun, 31 May 2020 16:01:40 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3913 I continue to be befuddled by the UK Government’s handling of this crisis. While the daily infection rate of those tested has now moved below 2,000, the view from the Office for National Statistics is that it hovers around 8,000 a day. And infection rates continue to vary widely across the UK, and across England. I’ve linked here to a dataset that gives indications of the rate of infection (the R value) across local authorities. Schools are due to open tomorrow, though only certain grades. Many of those shielding due to being high risk if they become infected with Covid-19 […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-69-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 68 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-68-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-68-of-lockdown/#comments Sat, 30 May 2020 17:21:39 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3907 My discovery of the day is yes, alpacas can be cat like. I wanted to jump over the fence in the Horniman Museum gardens and give him or her a lovely belly rub. I didn’t. But my days in whatever stage of lockdown we’re now in continue with me being befuddled. From what I’m seeing, and what I’m hearing from others, it seems many have forgotten about lockdown, about social distancing. An increasing number of SAGE members are nervous. SAGE is the government’s scientific advisory group for emergencies. One member has gone as far as saying that politicians are not […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-68-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 67 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-67-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-67-of-lockdown/#comments Fri, 29 May 2020 17:33:13 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3903 The sunniest May in the UK since records began. Monkeys in Delhi attack a lab worker. They escape with Covid-19 samples. A Trump tweet was tagged as having violated Twitter rules. Riots in Minneapolis. Cumming’s remains as the PM’s advisor despite making a 260 mile trip to Country Durham with his wife ill in the car, and him at high risk of having the virus. It wasn’t possible to make alternative childcare arrangements in London… More and more people finding themselves retweeting Piers Morgan. It is indeed strange times. And things are slowly changing with a gradual easing of lockdown. […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-67-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 66 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-66-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-66-of-lockdown/#respond Thu, 28 May 2020 17:05:11 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3899 The thing about being in lockdown, about being in the midst of a global pandemic, is there’s no time nor room for boredom. At least for me. There have certainly been times I’ve been frustrated, annoyed, angry, lonely, a little miserable, exhausted. But given my background in health policy and my current interests in data and tech, there’s little time to be bored. Today was the launch of the government’s Track and Trace programme. Only it won’t be fully up and running until the end of June, another month away. The idea is that if you are symptomatic, you get […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-66-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 65 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-65-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-65-of-lockdown/#respond Wed, 27 May 2020 18:03:17 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3894 There’s some further easing of lockdown – some good, some anxiety inducing. Traffic is up today. Walking to and from Brockwell Park, traffic seemed about 70% of what it was in ‘normal’ times. I shouldn’t be surprised. Yep, avoid public transport, drive, cycle or walk where you can…. Lambeth Council have narrowed some of the roads to give more space to pedestrians. It will be interesting to see if such changes are made permanent. The park was busy. While many stuck to social distancing, I saw at least one large gathering of what looked like a few families, trays of […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-65-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 64 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-64-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-64-of-lockdown/#respond Tue, 26 May 2020 17:02:05 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3890 A bit of a change of pace required today.  And a very short post. My reason for writing these posts is to keep a record of what life is like in lockdown. At least my experience of it. It’s hard to remember what day of the week it is or how long this has lasted for. The days and weeks and months bleed together with time doing strange things. It’s now Tuesday, the day after a Bank Holiday weekend. And what a glorious weekend it was. On Saturday morning, I met up with my friend at the Horniman Museum gardens. […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-64-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 63 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-63-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-63-of-lockdown/#respond Mon, 25 May 2020 16:25:58 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3886 It’s very strange days. I can’t work out if I’m in a series of the Twilight Zone or Black Mirror, or is it more a gruesome Monty Python sketch or a perverse take on Yes Prime Minister. By way of background, on Saturday evening, it was revealed that Dominic Cummings, special advisor to the Prime Minister drove 260 miles with his wife, who they suspected Covid-19, he was symptomatic, and their child, to County Durham to stay at his parents’ property. During lockdown. He helped draw up the rules for lockdown. Cabinet Ministers spent much of Saturday evening defending Cummings […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-63-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 62 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-62-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-62-of-lockdown/#respond Sun, 24 May 2020 16:40:28 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3881 Much of my day has been taken up by following the news. And the news rumbles on. Media and social media has focused on one issue – Dominic Cummings, special advisor to the Prime Minister. It follows revelations that while his wife was ill and he was symptomatic with Covid-19, he drove 260 miles to County Durham to stay at his parents’ property [yesterday’s post here]. Cabinet Ministers spent much of last night defending Cummings and his right to protect his child during lockdown. Once they’d had their say, it was revealed it wasn’t just one trip to County Durham, […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-62-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 61 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-61-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-61-of-lockdown/#comments Sat, 23 May 2020 16:46:39 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3879 Last night it was revealed that the Prime Minister’s special advisor, Dominic Cummings, with his wife and child, drove 260 miles from London to County Durham to stay at his parents’ property when his wife was ill with coronavirus, and he was symptomatic. This was so his child could be cared for. The travel was done in the first week of lockdown. ‘We’re all in this together’ was a rallying cry in the early days of the lockdown. It became clear in the early days that this was never to be case. Support for the Prime Minister is waning after […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-61-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 60 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-60-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-60-of-lockdown/#respond Fri, 22 May 2020 17:23:28 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3875 I feel like I’m in the novel, Catch 22. The narrative is circular and repetitive, much like the days in lockdown. There’s little to differentiate one day from the other. Nowhere new to go. Very few moments that will be retained in my memory. Another 10 days will make it 10 weeks in lockdown. One day melts into another, melts into another. This is why time for me in lockdown retains a bendy and stretchy quality. Moments are long, days short, weeks even shorter. Months disappear. There is little to mark the days. But there’s something lovely about all this […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-60-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 59 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-59-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-59-of-lockdown/#respond Thu, 21 May 2020 17:14:25 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3872 Lockdown can be exhausting. I’m not a key worker. There’s noone else I have to look after day to day. I’m doing this solo which most the time I’m fine with. But some days it’s exhausting. Perhaps it was the 3 hour videoconference I was on. I only had to show my face for some of it so the rest of the time I could stand or carry my laptop with me into the kitchen to make another coffee or have a bite to eat. Perhaps it was running the gauntlet of a local supermarket. There was little in the […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-59-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 58 in lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-58-in-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-58-in-lockdown/#comments Wed, 20 May 2020 16:09:22 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3868 I woke up in an odd mood and the mood continued. Some days it catches me out. Day 58 in lockdown, it caught me out. I’ve spent some of today tearful about someone else’s circumstances. I won’t go into this here as it’s not my place. It’s enough to say that the social impact of being in the midst of a global pandemic is devastating, the fact of not being able to get through the good and the bad with friends close by. Yes, they can stop at your door, and chat at an appropriate social distance. But sometimes what’s […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-58-in-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 57 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-57-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-57-of-lockdown/#respond Tue, 19 May 2020 16:29:23 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3864 I’m at that stage of lockdown where strange days have become the new normal. Yes, it is now normal to cross the street if I see someone coming my way. I pre-empt if they’re older folks or folks with children, otherwise it’s a case of who moves first. Yes, it is now normal to cautiously approach and peer around corners if there’s no clear line of sight. It’s also now normal to wait in long queues for supermarkets with few people in them. Normal to peer into corner shops before entering to check there’s noone else I might come within […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-57-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 55 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-55-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-55-of-lockdown/#respond Sun, 17 May 2020 15:54:52 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3855 Day 55, oh dear, will this ever bloody end? All in all for me it’s been a good day. I stayed up stupidly late messaging with someone, and yes, I drank wine, and gin. I’m feeling relaxed and a little groggy. I’ve managed 3 short walks, perhaps another one later. Little of what I meant to do has gotten done but the weather is glorious so that’s OK. A few moments of loneliness which is still an odd sensation for me, and unique to lockdown. I miss hugs. I miss being around people. It is what it is. I’ll be […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-55-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 54 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-54-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-54-of-lockdown/#comments Sat, 16 May 2020 17:21:08 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3852 This morning I was bouncing around like Tigger. I was off to meet I friend. I headed out to walk up to the Horniman Museum gardens. I walked along mainly back streets where there are fewer people out and it’s easier to jump onto the road to get an appropriate distance from them. I’ve learned to be patient when out walking. I arrived at the main gates where my friend joined me. She’s as serious on the social distancing stuff as I am. We went up to the small animal farm. The area you can walk through is closed off […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-54-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 53 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-53-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-53-of-lockdown/#comments Fri, 15 May 2020 16:47:57 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3849 I managed to go on four short walks near my home today lasting for all of 15 minutes each. Well, one was a little longer as I stopped and chatted to a neighbour. A friend was visiting at an appropriate social distance. And I learned a new word that I’ve not heard before, ‘jellyfishing’. It’s when someone gives a compliment with a sting, something along the lines of ‘I love your dress. I have the same one, only in Size 6.’ And then they swim away. You get the idea. With the new lockdown rule that we can go out […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-53-of-lockdown/feed/ 4 London – Day 52 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-52-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-52-of-lockdown/#respond Thu, 14 May 2020 17:18:39 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3844 I’m at the stage of lockdown that it feels normal. So it’s a very different normal, but normal all the same. Perhaps it’s because I can pop out a few times a day, go for a quick wander around the block. Grocery shopping was again a little like running the gauntlet with people still not understanding direction arrows, but somehow that’s now feeling normal too. I have a buff that I wear as a mask when shopping. I do need to buy some masks. I’m looking at some handmade ones. They’re not N95, can be washed and will at least […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-52-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 51 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-51-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-51-of-lockdown/#comments Wed, 13 May 2020 16:16:30 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3840 Here’s a surprise – some media outlets are reporting on the huge increase in public transport use today. Some are saying that people are using public transport despite government advice. Queue the moral outrage. Yes, we have been advised as part of the easing of lockdown to only use public transport if absolutely necessary. We’ve been told where possible, to drive, walk, or cycle to limit the risk of infection. People in some industries such as building and manufacturing will be going into work today for the first time since lockdown began, as per government advice. Many essential workers will […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-51-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 50 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-50-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-50-of-lockdown/#respond Tue, 12 May 2020 16:41:40 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3836 I’m at that stage of lockdown where the highlight of the day was managing to find tofu, and lentils, when out shopping. Perhaps it’s why I feel a little flat today. Perhaps because we’ve reached a milestone, 50 days, in lockdown. There still remains confusion, and some incredulity, of the guidance of what the easing of lockdown looks like in England. Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland are doing their own thing. Maybe it’s the social bubble I’m in but I’ve not spoken to anyone who thinks it makes sense. From tomorrow, yes, you can have your nanny in your house, […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-50-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 49 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-49-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-49-of-lockdown/#respond Mon, 11 May 2020 16:33:49 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3829 Chaotic. Farcical. Astonishing. Ill-timed. Disturbing. Confusing. Ridiculous. Incoherent. Dangerous. Insert expletives here…. And of course here I’m referring to the Prime Minister’s address to the nation last night. Even very mild mannered British morning TV hosts are reacting with incredulity. ‘Just tell us what we need to do’ said one. I feel like we’re living in a Monty Python sketch. Or an episode of Yes Minister. And yes, some of the points in this post may not make much sense but nor does the government’s advice to Stay Alert, Control the Virus, Save Lives. There’s a clear shift in language […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-49-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 48 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-48-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-48-of-lockdown/#respond Sun, 10 May 2020 14:32:46 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3824 Stay Alert – Control the Virus – Save Lives, the new government slogan. Or at least the new government slogan for England. It seems like Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are sticking to the original – Stay Home – Protect the NHS – Save Lives. Simple. Stay Alert to what? A virus I can’t see? Someone invading my social distancing bubble? Someone coughing or sneezing anywhere near me? Yep, that’s me. Bad hayfever. The existential weirdness we’re all currently living with? Control the virus? I carry hand sanitiser everywhere. My shoes now sit on my staircase so I’m not brining […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-48-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 47 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-47-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-47-of-lockdown/#comments Sat, 09 May 2020 16:42:22 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3818 It’s sunny. It’s warm. And judging from what I’ve seen over the last couple of days, in about two to three weeks we’re due another spike in those getting ill, hospitalisations, and deaths. I haven’t seen too many 60+ folks out and about. Perhaps they were more sensible than me and either stayed indoors or went for walks early morning or in the evening. Yes, I’m becoming on of those people. Muttering under my breath at a middle aged man walking with his partner and child. He remained in the middle of the footpath. I walked as far onto the […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-47-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 46 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-46-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-46-of-lockdown/#respond Fri, 08 May 2020 16:40:11 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3815 The chatter continues on what a loosening of current lockdown restrictions might look like. Many people including myself, don’t think we’re there yet, particularly when it comes to more people needing to be on public transport and in various workplaces where it’s not possible to work from home. There’s also a lot of concern about how this chatter might influence behaviour. And all of this is a challenge given today is VE Day, a Bank Holiday, and the weather is good. I headed up to the Horniman Museum gardens again today. I can get there while easily maintaining social distancing. […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-46-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 45 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-45-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-45-of-lockdown/#respond Thu, 07 May 2020 16:58:11 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3810 I remain confused about what day of the week it is. This is despite the fact I regularly look at my diary (electronic and paper) to make sure I’ve haven’t missed anything. Time continues to bend and stretch and mutate in strange ways. A good day all in all. A couple of good video work chats. A walk through Dulwich Park which was remarkably quiet given how sunny and warm it is. I went to M&S. It seems that many shoppers still do not understand the concept of direction arrows. A catch up with a friend. I did have a […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-45-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 44 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-44-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-44-of-lockdown/#comments Wed, 06 May 2020 16:28:26 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3805 Will this never end…though these days I’m used the quiet and my daily walks which involve much jumping onto roads to get social distancing right. Some walks are more anxiety inducing than others. It’s been a good day, though tiring. Working on a grant application, watching a couple of webinars, going for a walk*. My brain hurts! But this is a good thing. It doesn’t give me time to dwell. I did have a moment when I began to dwell. I didn’t want another day like yesterday so I refocused. If only I was able to do this every time. […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-44-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 43 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-43-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-43-of-lockdown/#respond Tue, 05 May 2020 16:56:18 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3799 The day started off well. I put together a proposal for a set of webinars, and it went downhill from there. Rather than dealing with today, or even this week, I’m thinking ahead. I’m finding this is not a sensible course of action in lockdown land. Perhaps some of it was triggered from last night’s googling of face masks, and not the fun kind of face masks. Perhaps it was today having a chat with to a woman with a toddler. I asked her how her daughter was dealing with social distancing. Her daughter doesn’t understand. She’s at that age […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-43-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 42 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-42-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-42-of-lockdown/#respond Mon, 04 May 2020 16:22:28 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3795 I’m at the stage of lockdown I could no longer deal with spending the day wearing gym kit. So I got up, had a shower, and put on a dress and a touch of make-up. This is certainly not a big deal, nor any sort of deal in the scheme of things. And while I’m back in gym kit having just been for a speedy walk around Peckham Rye, there will be more days of dress wearing. Day 42 of lockdown, 6 weeks. I stopped going to the gym 3 weeks before that. And I’m noticing a difference in my […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-42-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 41 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-41-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-41-of-lockdown/#respond Sun, 03 May 2020 16:35:22 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3791 I’m at the stage of lockdown that I’m cleaning out my spice drawer and rearranging my bookshelves. I could be reading. I could be writing. I could be watching something on my laptop. I could be sorting my emails. There are a thousand things I could be doing. This is displacement activity. Mundane activities that require little thought but do require at least some degree of concentration. I’m trying to find the delicate balance between thinking too much and thinking too little. Either raises my stress level. It’s not boredom as such. Perhaps some minor existential crisis about the meaning […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-41-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 40 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-40-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-40-of-lockdown/#comments Sat, 02 May 2020 17:23:05 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3786 It’s been a reasonable day today. For a change of scenery I decided to head up to the gardens at the Horniman Museum. I mapped the route in my head before setting off – thinking about quiet roads, wider footpaths. Some hills on the way there. There were lots of parents with young kids, but not too many. And it was a big sky. It was the sort of sky I got used to in Australia. But in London, it’s rare, a real treat. In these strange times there are more and more big sky moments. The sky is not […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-40-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 39 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-39-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-39-of-lockdown/#respond Fri, 01 May 2020 15:51:00 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3783 I’m at that stage of lockdown where everything is irritating me. And it’s not just that low level rumbling irritation. It’s the screaming at everyone and everything kind of irritation. Yesterday was a good day. But last night was one of vivid dreams. And not the good sort. It was the sort where various people in my past who have annoyed me in one way or another came to visit. Their eyes were the same. But their faces had become hideous. I knew who they were from their eyes. Gratefully I don’t have that many folks who fit into that […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-39-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 38 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-38-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-38-of-lockdown/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2020 17:08:02 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3780 It’s strange how the days bounce around. One day good. Another day, not so good. No real reason for these strange shifts of my moods in these strange times. I’ve given up trying to make sense of it as there’s a lot that doesn’t make much sense anymore. Today has been a good day. Woke up early, not too early. Got some cleaning done. Sat down to do some work – commenting on a comms plan and a website; lined up some meetings; got some good stuff done. I can also get a decent amount done when I’m in a […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-38-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 37 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-37-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-37-of-lockdown/#respond Wed, 29 Apr 2020 17:13:07 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3776 The daily grind of lockdown. Get up. Drink coffee. Have a shower. Drink more coffee while looking at the latest news on Covid-19 on the BBC and the Guardian websites. Check my various social media feeds covering both personal and work life. Look the weather to determine the optimum time to go out for my daily walk. Get some work stuff done (mainly project proposals at this point). Today I ran the gauntlet at my local M&S. I only had to wait for a couple of minutes to go in. The woman at the door managing how many people were […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-37-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 36 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-36-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-36-of-lockdown/#respond Tue, 28 Apr 2020 16:50:17 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3772 We’re not all in this together, that much is clear. Resources to the NHS, absolutely necessary. Resources in care homes, absolutely necessary. But the stark divide continues and it is to our shame. We are allowing, enabling, this virus to impact most heavily on those who are most vulnerable. We are failing to protect. I worked in the Department of Health for 15 years. Each successive government would talk about, plan for, publish Green and White papers on, the integration of health and social care. And on this task, every government has failed. Social care remains the poor relation to […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-36-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 35 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-35-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-35-of-lockdown/#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2020 17:26:02 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3768 The messaging remains confused. We don’t know what’s happening when. But there are hints of relaxing of lockdown which would be good if any of us had any idea what this means. Well it might be good unless folks relax just a little too much which would mean another spike in positive cases and deaths. Then we’d go into lockdown again. There is a slight improvement in the hospital figures though its hard to say what this really means. We’re up to 82 deaths of NHS workers and 16 in social care. The figure on hospital deaths today is up […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-35-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 34 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-34-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-34-of-lockdown/#comments Sun, 26 Apr 2020 17:03:50 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3763 It was to be London Marathon day today. It would have been a glorious day for marshaling. Perhaps a little warm for running it. I remember before we moved from ‘normal’ times to these strange times, for many, their biggest concern was whether or not the London Marathon, and other big city marathons, were going ahead. Some thought that a few cancellations before London was being overly cautious. I had been seeing the numbers infected with this bloody virus expand, as well as the countries affected. I could see what was coming. Certainly not the detail but clear trends were […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-34-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 33 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-33-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-33-of-lockdown/#respond Sat, 25 Apr 2020 17:16:40 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3760 Most of today has been a day of getting through it. I slept badly, walking up from 4.30am. I’m not an early morning person by nature. Around 7am is generally the best I can do to have a reasonable day. 4.30am is not a good way to start the day. I managed to doze little to finally get up in a pretty filthy mood. My musings from yesterday sit there, already a distant memory. I feel trapped. I feel bored. I feel frustrated. That’s where the afternoon nap came in after a walk through a few Dulwich parks. I find […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-33-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 32 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-32-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-32-of-lockdown/#respond Fri, 24 Apr 2020 18:22:57 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3756 Today has been a day of strange reflection. Time continues to pass in bendy stretchy ways. Days are flying by. It’s Friday though that has little meaning in these strange times. The markers of the days no longer exist in the same way. There’s no Saturday morning parkrun. In ‘normal’ times, I’d get up early, get to the gym, and then walk to Dulwich Park to have coffee with some of the parkrunners I know. I’d go to at least one event during the week in central London – hearing about all manner of things I find interesting and can […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-32-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 31 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-31-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-31-of-lockdown/#comments Thu, 23 Apr 2020 17:53:20 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3752 If anything today was to go by, we’ve got many more months of lockdown to go. I didn’t manage to leave my flat until 5pm. I’d been caught up with work and a couple of video conferences. All the ways to potentially videoconference and I’m still never quite sure if I need to look professional i.e. show my face, or do it via phone. I prepare anyway. At least the top half. The bottom half is generally my gym kit. I walked down the street. Caught up with a neighbour who was on her front stairs with her daughters and […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-31-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 30 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-30-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-30-of-lockdown/#respond Wed, 22 Apr 2020 17:03:19 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3736 It’s in these strange times that my emotions keep catching me out. The trigger can be a thought, something I read or watch. It’s been a good day. There’s been dancing, bad singing, work, coffee, a few phone calls, lunch, a chat to neighbours, a walk in Dulwich Park, more coffee, more work. An article I wrote on housing policy post Covid-19 got published. I am bouncing off walls a little and I can’t blame coffee for that. That explains the dancing and singing. Like half the world, I’m feeling cooped up with energy to burn. The trigger today was […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-30-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 29 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-29-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-29-of-lockdown/#comments Tue, 21 Apr 2020 18:44:29 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3733 Today was a good day. The best day I’ve had in lockdown. I got up. Drank coffee. Did some detailed prep for a meeting this afternoon as my head has been out of the game for a while when it comes to all things data and artificial intelligence. Did some work on a proposal. Had a great video chat with someone I run into every now and again at conferences but won’t now meet again in person for who knows how long. Had a toasted cheese sandwich for lunch, something I’ve not had for a few years but I had […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-29-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 28 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-28-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-28-of-lockdown/#respond Mon, 20 Apr 2020 16:45:19 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3728 Day 28 of lockdown. The relief 28 days ago when the lockdown was finally announced. Today I read some of the first few days of this journal of sorts. Social distancing is now in full swing. While I still feel some degree of dread at stepping outside, I’ve settled into a routine that works. I drink coffee. I do some work albeit mainly putting together stuff that might secure me future work. I have lunch at some point, going for my daily bit of exercise either before or after. I have regular calls with friends and friends I do projects […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-28-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 27 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-27-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-27-of-lockdown/#respond Sun, 19 Apr 2020 16:51:29 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3724 I started off today feeling a little tired but otherwise pretty chill. Following a very long phone call last night, I put on Alien, a film I’ve not watched for perhaps a year or so. I stayed up way too late and had a late start to the day. I had coffee, much coffee, and then went for my daily bit of exercise. I had felt relaxed until hitting Dulwich Park. There were too many people about to feel comfortable – walkers, runners, cyclists, lots of kids. I walked up past Dulwich College and went into Sydenham Woods. For the […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-27-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 26 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-26-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-26-of-lockdown/#comments Sat, 18 Apr 2020 16:07:57 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3720 I’m having a day of becoming trapped in thought loops. And not the good kind. I’m doing what I can to distract myself – listening to music and dancing about. I went out for my daily allotted exercise. In Dulwich Park they’ve now taped all the park benches to prevent people sitting. Clearly my local council is getting serious on the ‘no sitting’ in the park rule. And I’m torn. On the one hand, I know why the park benches have been taped up. On the other, in the part of my brain that keeps repeating lines from Queen’s ‘I […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-26-of-lockdown/feed/ 4 London – Day 25 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-25-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-25-of-lockdown/#respond Fri, 17 Apr 2020 16:31:42 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3714 There’s been a lot of blather about all those things you can achieve during lockdown. A quick google search on ‘how to stay motivated during lockdown’ brought up 15,000,0000 + results.  I couldn’t bear to read a single piece but I know how it goes – Write a book Learn a language Become a guru Start a business Build your client base by 3000% Lose weight Be the best you   My response is simple. Sod Off. Getting through this is not a competition. If there’s one time that really highlights just how bollocksy the ‘self-help’ ‘motivation’ industry is, it’s […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-25-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 Songs for social distancing or dancing like nobody’s watching https://runningonfullblog.com/songs-for-social-distancing-or-dancing-like-nobodys-watching/ https://runningonfullblog.com/songs-for-social-distancing-or-dancing-like-nobodys-watching/#comments Thu, 16 Apr 2020 19:04:48 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3611 Songs for social distancing or dancing like nobody’s watching. In these strange times, here are some songs that may bring you joy, may have you dancing around your home like nobody’s watching, or just if you have the need for a little wallowing (and that is more than fair enough under current circumstances). With thanks to the good folks of social media for numerous suggestions. Let me know if you’ve got other suggestions. The disclaimer is that I need to like the song! Full playlist now on Youtube   List here Songs for social distancing Beatles – Get Back The […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/songs-for-social-distancing-or-dancing-like-nobodys-watching/feed/ 2 London – Day 24 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-24-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-24-of-lockdown/#respond Thu, 16 Apr 2020 16:12:09 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3704 I’m at the stage of lockdown where everything is mildly irritating. And mildly irritating things become incredibly irritating. Perhaps it’s the talk of there being some form of lockdown until a vaccine is found and being used widely. Estimated timeframe is 12 to 18 months at best. Perhaps it’s the talk of immunity passports, the idea that if you’re tested and it shows you’ve got antibodies i.e. you’ve had Coronavirus, then you can go about your daily life. Difficult to unpack how troubling this one is. We know that some people who have tested positive, then negative, have tested positive […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-24-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 23 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-23-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-23-of-lockdown/#respond Wed, 15 Apr 2020 17:17:00 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3699 At times it’s so quiet, it must be what it’s like to live in the country. Clear blue skies, few planes overhead, the sound of birds, little traffic. And the birds are very polite here. None of the shouty birds you get in Australia, albeit there are quite a few rowdy parrots in Dulwich Park. Even magpies are polite. There is no magpie season in the UK. I heard on the grapevine that Dulwich College has opened many of its playing fields to the public. So I walked through Dulwich Park, up to the College fields and wandered through. A […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-23-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 22 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-22-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-22-of-lockdown/#respond Tue, 14 Apr 2020 17:04:18 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3695 It’s weird how small the world becomes in lockdown. And the joy of the mundane. I went food shopping today. I scored half a dozen eggs, and a tin of baked beans. There was even toilet paper on the shelves. I didn’t buy any as I already have enough for now, but it was good to see. But finding the eggs and the baked beans brought me a strange sense of satisfaction. I hadn’t been able to find any on my two essential shopping trips last week. And they aren’t so important that I would go into a shop only […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-22-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 21 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-21-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-21-of-lockdown/#respond Mon, 13 Apr 2020 17:23:03 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3689 I’m in an unreasonably grumpy mood today. Or perhaps it’s perfectly reasonable. I’ve had a few of these days during lockdown. I think it comes from wanting my ‘old normal’, not this ‘new normal’. I want to be able to get on a bus, get off at London Bridge and then wander down to Westminster. I might stop and have a coffee along the way. Perhaps a little window shopping at the Oxo Tower. I might wander into Tate Modern to have a look, to wonder at whatever is on display in the Turbine Hall, perhaps meeting a friend there.  […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-21-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 20 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-20-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-20-of-lockdown/#comments Sun, 12 Apr 2020 15:40:58 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3683 I slept well last night. I’m not sure what the difference was between last night and the night before. I’m also getting a bit of reading done. Not nearly as much as I would in normal times, but it’s a start. I’m currently flicking between a Stephen King short story collection and Daniel Defoe’s A Journal of the Plague Year. And on occasion I pick up The Oatmeal’s How to tell if your cat is plotting to kill you. I have eclectic tastes when it comes to reading. These are from my local library, now of course closed. I’ve read […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-20-of-lockdown/feed/ 4 London – Day 19 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-19-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-19-of-lockdown/#comments Sat, 11 Apr 2020 16:32:01 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3679 I slept badly last night. I started waking up from 4.30am. Sleep was sparse for the next few hours. I crawled out of bed at about 7am. I flicked between various newsfeeds, Twitter and the like. Decided to then not. I went back to bed for a morning nap. A lazy start to the day. I managed to get out for a walk. I ran into the my neighbour just up the road who’d been out for a run with his two boys, the boys on bikes. Somehow we got onto the topic of haircuts. I think we’re all missing […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-19-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 18 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-18-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-18-of-lockdown/#comments Fri, 10 Apr 2020 17:34:22 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3671 How the hell is it Day 18 already? Time is moving both so very slowly and so very quickly. Perhaps Groundhog Day on slow-mo and then on speed? I’m feeling pretty good right now. First thing this morning I heard a mum across the road explaining to her toddler daughter repeatedly, ‘No, shoes are not for eating.’  I then got quite a bit of work done, polished off an article for a company I do some work with, and worked on a grant proposal. Yes, I know it’s Good Friday. Working today is more a function of being self-employed than […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-18-of-lockdown/feed/ 3 London – Day 17 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-17-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-17-of-lockdown/#respond Thu, 09 Apr 2020 17:09:22 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3667 Grocery shopping, or how I like to think of it, running the gauntlet. In these times, rather than heading straight to my high street, I take the back streets. It’s calmer, fewer people, less time having to jump onto roads or jump into bushes. Yep, I’m taking my social distancing seriously. Standing in the queue, it was a longish queue on a not very wide footpath, a couple walked past. The man was looking at the queue ‘This is how the government wants to control people’. Her response, ‘Don’t worry about it’. OK, not everyone gets it. But it is […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-17-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 16 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-16-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-16-of-lockdown/#respond Wed, 08 Apr 2020 16:37:00 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3661 What is it about baked beans and a pandemic? Sadly I went into lockdown without a tin of baked beans. I’ve not managed to find any since. And I have looked. Baked beans are not something I eat often, perhaps 4 or 5 times a year. However, they are one of those foods that on very rare occasions, I have a real hankering for. It’s that mushy sugary salty combo, one that I just can’t replicate with home cooking. I’ve not contacted my street’s WhatsApp group, that would be weird. I’ll keep looking. However, I did contact my WhatsApp group […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-16-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 15 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-15-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-15-of-lockdown/#respond Tue, 07 Apr 2020 17:14:50 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3653 I’ve managed to get a bit of a suntan over the last few days. Walking in the park or on footpaths/roads, while keeping an appropriate distance from others, my daily one trip out for exercise; a chat with a neighbour outside who passed on a bag of onions spare, in a candy bag; sitting by my windows in my living room, I don’t have a garden. This tan of mine is starting to include sock tan. Sun and warmth make a huge difference. I remember those moments in previous years, in normal times, the first warm day of the year, […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-15-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 14 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-14-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-14-of-lockdown/#respond Mon, 06 Apr 2020 17:50:13 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3646 At 8pm last night, Her Majesty The Queen addressed the UK and Commonwealth on coronavirus. This is only the fourth special address in her 70 year reign. It was a good speech. In it, she reflected on the challenge that the virus is bringing to all of us. She thanked those working on the NHS ‘frontline’, carers, and all of those involved in delivering essential services. She also acknowledged those of us staying at home to protect the vulnerable. This is very much a global common endeavour. ‘We will succeed…we will meet again.’ OK, so watching it again today, I […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-14-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 13 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-13-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-13-of-lockdown/#respond Sun, 05 Apr 2020 17:08:37 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3641 I’m at the stage of lockdown where I’ve reorganised under the kitchen sink, and my freezer. I’ve left some of the other cupboards for another day. All I want to do is go outside, go for another walk, wander randomly in Dulwich Park and perhaps run into a few people I know. I left it a little late this morning, not leaving until 11. It’s a bright sunny day and the sun finally has some warmth. The hottest day of the year thus far. I got as far as the park and walked around side streets rather than walking through. […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-13-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 12 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-12-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-12-of-lockdown/#respond Sat, 04 Apr 2020 16:39:10 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3638 A glorious day, in terms of weather that is. The weather is getting warmer and the sky is blue. I headed out early this morning. There was traffic equivalent to what you’d see in ‘normal’ times on a Saturday morning. There were a lot of police around Peckham and Nunhead. This is unusual for a Saturday morning. Perhaps they had a day ahead of largely enforcing social distancing. I don’t envy them that task. I did a little volunteer queue monitoring in Nunhead, only they didn’t need anyone, I didn’t know that. Ooops. Got to have some good chats with […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-12-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 11 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-11-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-11-of-lockdown/#respond Fri, 03 Apr 2020 16:42:22 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3635 Yesterday, in addition to writing my letter to Dear runners and cyclists, I managed to get some work done. And last night, at 8pm on the dot, I opened a front window to cheer the NHS, and everyone working to keep up safe and enabling us to survive. And today? It’s not be a great one. I slept well. But I woke up tired and I’ve been feeling tired all day. I got out for my daily bit of exercise, a walk where at various points I throw in some knee lifts and lunges. I ran into a few people […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-11-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 10 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-10-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-10-of-lockdown/#comments Thu, 02 Apr 2020 17:20:16 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3632 Dear runners and cyclists, As a now pedestrian (former runner), thank you to all of you who are maintaining an appropriate distance to people you come across. Thank you to those of you who are going out when things are quieter in parks, or around side streets. Thank you to those who might be out for a run or a bike ride in the park when things can get a little busy, who will slow down, speed up, take a slight detour, all to get the appropriate distance from others. Thank you to those who are constantly reminding your kids […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-10-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 9 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-9-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-9-of-lockdown/#respond Wed, 01 Apr 2020 17:29:21 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3628 My ability to concentrate has gone out the window. A low level anxiety humming in the background. At least today I’m not furious, sad, or angry. It’s a malaise, a flatness. I feel unsettled, unable to keep my mind clearly on one thing for a period of time. I woke up late this morning, having gone back to bed after an early morning call to my landline. I listened to the message. I thought it was spam but later found out it was someone texting me from Australia. The message sounded like someone saying the alphabet. Odd. I also walked. […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-9-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 8 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-8-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-8-of-lockdown/#comments Tue, 31 Mar 2020 17:37:52 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3621 [Warning: Grumpy rant] I woke up in a frigging grumpy shitty mood. I was about to say an unreasonably shitty mood, but I don’t think there’s anything unreasonable about it. It’s lasted all day. It’s not about anyone. It’s not about any one thing. It’s about this new frigging reality, this new ‘normal’ that I despise. I hate the fact that I have friends of friends dying and I can’t give my friend a hug. I hate the fact that I can’t get back to Australia to see family and friends. I hate the fact I can’t go for random […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-8-of-lockdown/feed/ 4 London – Day 7 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-7-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-7-of-lockdown/#respond Mon, 30 Mar 2020 17:24:49 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3615 I was thinking it was Thursday. I have no idea why. My dad called from north Queensland. We had a good chat. Another hour of walking in Dulwich Park. It’s been pretty grim today but that’s English weather. And I have never seen the park so empty. Good social distancing being practiced. On the way there, a woman was approaching me on the footpath. We both veered at the same time to walk on the road. I stepped back on the footpath. We both laughed. Between us there were a good 3 metres. In London we’re pretty good as navigating […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-7-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 6 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-6-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-6-of-lockdown/#respond Sun, 29 Mar 2020 17:51:16 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3606 The start of British Summer Time when clocks go forward an hour. There’s been sun, rain, sleet, light hail. I made the mistake this morning of spending too much time looking at the news and my Twitter feeds. I have two Twitter accounts and switch between them. A much needed nap took a couple of hours. I did get out for a walk. I left my flat. My recycling to go into the recycling bin I left on my internal stairs so I wouldn’t have to put on my shoes, take the recycling out, come back in, take my shoes […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-6-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 5 of lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-5-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-5-of-lockdown/#respond Sat, 28 Mar 2020 18:15:16 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3603 It’s the quiet and emptiness I can’t get used to. On weekends, my area is under a flight path. I’d be woken up by those planes overhead, annoyed. On my street there’d be traffic. If I was heading off to Dulwich Park to say hello to runners I know, there would be kids lining up outside the library soon to open – somewhere quiet to study. The park on a morning like today’s would have had kids playing football, hundreds of runners doing Parkrun, British Military Fitness teams being shouted at, kids learning to ride bikes and scooters, the café […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-5-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 4 of Lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/day-4-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/day-4-of-lockdown/#respond Fri, 27 Mar 2020 18:49:53 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3597 Following yesterday’s post, at 7.59pm, I opened my window and started hearing claps and cheers from a few streets away. The sound swelled. At 8pm, folks on my street joined in, some stepped outside, others clapped and cheered from their windows.  All I could hear were people clapping. I clapped ferociously for a couple of minutes. My hands were numb for half an hour. The great #NHSapplause, to show appreciation for all those working in the NHS, putting themselves at very real risk to help the UK population. So yes, yesterday was a deeply peculiar day – mourning the loss […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/day-4-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 3 of Lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-3-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-3-of-lockdown/#comments Thu, 26 Mar 2020 19:21:58 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3592 It’s been a strange day. My daily outing for exercise consisted of an hour’s walk through my local park. For London in Spring it has been a glorious day with bright sunshine. On days like this, even if kids were at school and most others were at work, in normal times the park would be rammed with people – dog walkers, a lot of us self-employed types, cyclists, runners, groups of mums with babies and toddlers, school groups. I’ve never seen so few people. There are no longer the groups of mums with babies meeting up for a coffee, nor […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-3-of-lockdown/feed/ 2 London – Day 2 of Lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-2-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-2-of-lockdown/#respond Wed, 25 Mar 2020 18:08:59 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3590 I’ve been avoiding buying groceries for a number of days now. First, I know that a few days living off tinned food and stuff out of the freezer isn’t going to hurt me. Second, last week is was just too bloody distressing. It wasn’t just the empty shelves. It was other people – everyone stressed and anxious – people working in shops, customers. Last week in one supermarket I came close to sobbing as I watched an elderly woman who was also very frail with a shopping list with two items on it standing in front of empty shelves. She […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-2-of-lockdown/feed/ 0 London – Day 1 of Lockdown https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-1-of-lockdown/ https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-1-of-lockdown/#respond Tue, 24 Mar 2020 20:03:04 +0000 http://runningonfullblog.com/?p=3579 London feels weird. It’s quiet. It’s way too frigging quiet. It’s so quiet I hear the bees in the flowers in the tree outside my window. There’s rarely the sound of a plane and I’ve already become a curtain twitcher, peering out at anything and everything happening on my street, only without the curtains, I have blinds. Sorry dear neighbours…. And physical distancing? Still getting used to that one when out and about. It does require a lot of jumping off the footpath into the road. In my local area, the footpaths are not narrow, but certainly not 2 metres […]

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]]> https://runningonfullblog.com/london-day-1-of-lockdown/feed/ 0