Covid Chronicles (16): A Red Letter Day

 It started Tuesday morning. The running "Asda shopping list" of non-urgent supplies had been growing for a few days. And I'd promised myself I'd take some flowers up to the care home for Mum soon. Then, during our Tuesday morning Skype, Mum asked for some lip salve. 

That clinched it! I WAS GOING OUT IN THE CAR ON THURSDAY! 

AND was going to call into Asda on the way home! A year ago such a trip would have been a chore - now, four weeks into Lockdown 3, it's a treat to anticipate ...with relish! Those beautiful trollies to push around the store! The money I'm going to save by not just going to the local shop! The shelves and shelves of purchasable items! The bright lights! The musak! The slot machines! The dancing girls! (no, that's Vegas.)

 On Wednesday I confessed to C that I was getting excited about going to Asda. She was unimpressed but my enthusiasm was undented.

But when Thursday came round Asda was trumped by something even better! A walk along the river in the sun with my son B and grandson Dexter!!!

Dexter was happy enough in the buggy, but when we got to the playground, B said 'Shall we see if he wants a run about?'

Everything was a bit soggy and muddy (the slide was too wet to be used), but you could tell he really enjoyed just having the freedom to trot about in an open space. There were a few other families and mums with little ones, which interested him. A dog came up to say hello and he wanted to stroke it. The boys stood on a spinner thing while I pushed and then B pushed us so fast I felt dizzy. D loved the swing - for about 2 minutes, giggling away, and then changed to 'I'm not happy now' noises to get off. We went up the slope to explore the other part of the playground but he decided to go back to the swing. 

He wasn't too pleased when we packed him back in the buggy to go home.

So Asda was a bit of an anticlimax, but successful enough. It was pouring with rain when I exited the shop.

...which was helpful because the previous day I'd made a second attempt to repair a leaking downpipe at the front of the house. And it was no longer leaking! Result!!!