Friday, August 7, 2020

Phone the Family Day

Level Four Lockdown: Day 5
Self-Isolation: Day Two
Curfew. 8 p.m.
Mood: Middling


The risotto is in the microwave in the pressure cooker. Yes, you can get pressure cooker that goes in the microwave. Chicken, porcini mushroom and thyme. The cat is demanding I play with him and I'm hoping he'll take himself off to bed soon, which is his habit.

It's been a strange 24 hours. It feels like I've spent half of it on the phone.

Last night, I did something I very rarely do. I sat on the phone and talked to a friend. It was a rare treat. I might have also found myself acquiring a serve of fish and chips for my birthday in a few days time. My friend, who runs a small business, can get around the 5 km radius rule. It might be something to look forward to - even if the fish and chips were left at the front door.

Getting ready for work, I received a message from my Aunt in America. I haven't heard from her in ages. Regardless, she got in contact looking for some family medical history. Of course I called her back. It was lovely to chat to her for ten minutes. But this set of a spate of other calls. I called my Mum on the off chance she could remember anything about my dad's side of the family (the side I have very little to do with).  I called my sister, to get my cousin's number. Caught up with her.

Then I had the obligatory work calls over the day. To my colleague, numerous chats about all sorts of things. A couple of calls to some old colleagues about jobs going at the company where I'm working to let them know. A longer call to somebody to give them some help with the authoring software.

Then a call to my uncle in Adelaide. It was the first time I'd spoken to him since my niece's funeral five years ago. Nothing new there. I checked the medical history stuff so that I could go back to my aunt. We had a good chat.

Then another chat with an old colleague finding out that he's got an interview for one of the jobs.

And that was my day on the phone - talking all day.

It didn't feel that productive,but it was nice to connect with people - especially as I'm not allowed to go anywhere past the letterbox until my test results come back. Talking made the self-isolating feel okay.

I don't have days like that very often. I can't remember the last time I laid around talking to somebody on the phone.

Today's song:




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