What to do in a rainy lockdown

The weather has continued to be dreich and we are in Tier 4 lockdown for the next three weeks, but we are not downhearted at Casa Anderson. I have been doing the kind of tasks that I usually put off because I have more exciting things to do. I have found and filed my Dad’s short stories and poetry; of course I re-read them all and they are absolutely excellent. I also collated a bundle of letters sent to my Mum by her Art School friend Heather, who emigrated to Australia, which are very interesting. The boys’ schoolwork and stories were already filed but there were a few stray items which are now in the correct places. It’s very satisfying.

There have been entertaining things to watch on television; we enjoyed watching The Queen’s Gambit with Ally and Cat, a miniseries about a chess champion that was really good. James and I are in the middle of watching Series 4 of The Crown. As usual it is fascinating, but we have now arrived in the 1980s, which I remember well, so I’m finding its inaccuracies rather irritating. To be fair, it is meant to be a drama rather than a history programme, but it still jars somewhat. And Cat and I are watching the latest series of The Bold Type, which is great fun. We have a great time discussing the plots. 

I have been doing quite a bit of reading, both on my Kindle and listening to audiobooks. The trouble with an audiobook book is that (for me anyway!) it’s very easy to lose concentration. I have just finished Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith (J. K. Rowling) and it was excellent but the audiobook was thirty hours long - a narrator speaks much slower than I read. This is fine if I’m driving or out for a long walk, but if I’m in the house I tend to start pottering about, and then I get engrossed in my pottering and end up having to rewind a bit of the book. 

I’m keeping in touch with people by Zoom and phone calls and messaging, and have a few walks with friends planned over the next couple of weeks. Meeting outdoors is still allowed as long as you stay within 5 miles of home. The cats don’t like the rain much, especially Flora, who stares mournfully out of the window. Tom keeps coming inside absolutely soaking wet and leaves a trail of muddy paw prints across the floor. 

I’m being more careful with my sore wrist. I kept using it too much and too carelessly, which made it hurt. For the last few days I have made more effort to use my other hand to do things, or to ask for help in carrying stuff, and I think it’s definitely less painful.