"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it."

Karmacat

Glad you got some time with your mum, it sounds nice.  And I hope the trips all go smoothly

redofromstart

The spa day sounds good.  I wish I had been there!
oh, wait...

All this talk of pensions has been really inspirational, much appreciated.

greenbee

So I went away for work... Landed in California the say that San Francisco announced a state of emergency due to coronavirus (which I wasn't aware of until afterwards). Hotel wasn't very nice (dark, slightly damp, slightly smelly, no natural ventilation) but the conference was amazing! Flew to New York on the Friday a flight with lots of people from the huge RSA conference. Went to stay with friends... who were getting over colds. Started a cold on the Sunday, but managed a run then and on Monday (as I had no meetings, so worked from the friends' house). Workshop in NYC with approx 20 people, then on to Chicago - flight was cancelled after we got on it - apparently due to technical issues, but coincidentally they managed to fit us all on the next flight. We were all a bit suspicious, but no one seemed bothered by my coughing. No meetings on the first day in Chicago, so a lie in, short walks and then dinner with a client in the evening. Workshop the following day with another 20 people and then home on a very empty flight where they seemed to be trying to keep us separate. So 5 cities, 6 airports, 4 flights... and not a single check or question. 

Arrived home on Friday morning and cancelled Saturday's hair appointment before washing and disinfecting everything I'd taken with me! I then went food shopping on Saturday, managed a run and the physio on Monday (I did warn the physio), cancelled an appointment with the nurse for Tuesday. On Tuesday I finally found my thermometer and took my temperature. Oops... So despite NHS 111 online saying no risk (no known contact with a confirmed case, no travel to a high-risk area) I was advised to self-isolate. Luckily work travel was being cancelled at the time, so this wasn't an issue - I've cancelled 5 flights and 3 hotels. Thankfully nothing was booked beyond the end of next week. 

Food is being supplied by the milkman and a veg box scheme (both if which supply far more than their descriptions suggest). Loo paper is fine as I order giant boxes online occasionally. Advice is changing all the time. 111 online has no advice yet for if your raised temperature has lasted for more than a week, but I've been told to take paracetamol and rest. As I work from home, it shouldn't really matter - I don't have many meetings although I do have a presentation tomorrow for a conference that is now online. 

As it looks as if I'll be grounded for a while, I'm going to see about growing a few more bits of food this year. It'll also be good for getting me out into the garden which I should be doing more of, but it keeps being cold and wet! I have made a list, and from tomorrow I need to spend an hour a day in the garden, start doing physio again, and spend an hour doing housework as my cleaner has a full-time job now (which will save me some money until I find a replacement). I also have a DIY list and a more general to-do list that I can work through

Good news on pensions (for me at least) in the budget, which means I don't need to rush to use up my carryover allowance. I will top up this year, but not quite so much. I'll top up the S&S ISA too, as it looks like it's a good time to buy. 

As I have a bone graft due (more dental work) in 5 weeks I'm going to continue to isolate as much as possible to ensure I'm able to go ahead with it. Apparently the timing is important, so hopefully the dentist will still be able to do it. However, it'll be good to get back to running, and hopefully to pilates too. I also need to try to get to see my mum at some point - she's been pretty good so far, and she and her friends have come up with a plan as to how to survive the govt. locking them in. They've decided that as exercise is still important they'll still go for walks - and stay 2m apart. The younger ones are doing the shopping for the older ones. And they're not going into each other's homes, but will (when the weather improves) sit outside, just keeping far enough apart not to risk transferring germs. It sounds like a good compromise - they understand the risks and are minimising them, but also ensuring they don't get lonely and depressed - most of them are widows and live alone, so it's important that they have some kind of social interaction. 

redofromstart

The home deliveries sound v sensible, as does growing stuff.  Do you still have seeds for sprouting?

greenbee

No sprouting seeds anymore. Not sure where the sprouting jars are either. I stopped doing that and the yogurt when travel got silly... clearly I need to rethink. 

greenbee

I've washed all the hoover filters (robots and normal ones), put the WM drawer through the DW, and descaled the kettle and coffee maker. Just need to do the kettle. I put the dyson filters in the WM too. Ironing is all done, so it's time to strip my bed and start the pile off again... 

greenbee

Lots of changes in the last week, for all of us. And I still haven't descaled the iron... 
I'm still in isolation as I still have a temperature (at least, I did yesterday). It did go down briefly on Thursday, so I nipped out to the little Tesco which was chaos. I didn't buy much - just some salad stuff, biscuits and chocolate. However, given that the milkman struggled to provide veg last week and now has none available (nor eggs), Abel & Cole are restricting their veg boxes and I can't get a supermarket delivery slot at all, I'm regretting not using the breaking isolation to do the rounds of all the local shops and stock up properly! I may be eating some interesting meals if things don't resolve soon.

In the light of the current situation - the need for long term social distancing, the likelihood of significantly reduced work travel, stock market chaos, even lower interest rates (and I have 4 years left on my fix - that was a mistake!) etc, and the recent changes to pension rules, I've had a rethink. My employment is (relatively) secure, and I can work from home. So while I plan to leave my emergency fund alone just in case I need it, I'm going to try to use the next few months to get a lot of things done. So I've agreed the kitchen plan and had the quote through - I'll pay 1/3 on Monday and then they can do the drawings and we can start tweaking. Once we have the drawings I can work with the builder to get the fitting booked in and check what else needs doing before he starts. 

I also plan to put some more effort into getting the garden sorted out - I have a hard standing that I'd planned to put a greenhouse on, but it did't happen (partly because the 2nd hand greenhouse was really too ancient to put back together - I still have the glass though!). I need to do some sorting out of compost bins and the inspection cover for the sewage outflow (which one of the tree surgeons stood on and seems to have damaged), and then I can order a greenhouse - it'll need to be one that includes installation. In the meantime, I have masses of seed trays, a small amount of compost and a few packets of seeds, so can get things going.

Once my temperature is gone, I plan to isolate for a bit longer (having made the mistake of going out on Thursday) and then go to see my mum. Once I've visited her, I'll take the risk of going shopping (assuming shops are still open and they have any food!) and hopefully also pick up the rest of what I need for the garden. I really don't want to use the big chains, but from what I can tell, people are still not getting the distance message, so going out doesn't appeal much. Given how precarious things are going to be for so many people, I'm trying hard to find local businesses for the things I need to buy or get done - I have the savings, i'm going to be home, so now seems a good time to do it. 

Jessy103

Good luck with the house and garden, greenbee! I hope your temperature goes down and you are well again soon x

greenbee

Thanks @Jessy103
I've just got zoom working for my mum, so we can do family video calls. 

juliejim

Hope you're sorted soon x