Delta blues

 Oh man. I miss when covid numbers were going down. I've had a weird week of appointments and brainfarts. Yesterday night I was supposed to be at the (streamed) theatre but the performance was postponed because someone in the small cast had to isolate. Luckily, it must have come back negative today as they have rescheduled for next week. But still, precarious opening is precarious.

On Wednesday, I took the afternoon off to go to 2 Temple Place, which is a fairly fabulous 1895 Astor mansion, bless it. It's often open for exhibitions, but also does a load of corporate events, except now, not so much. It was lovely. Apparently it's been open for Open House before, but I've never seen it before - and thus, a tiny side benefit of the pandemic for me to enjoy. And almost no one else, as it was boiling on Wednesday. I hope they got more people today (they're open tomorrow if you're tempted/near enough). I have been to see things and people occasionally since restrictions lifted but this felt the closest to something impulsive and frivolous. Freedom! Hurrah!

I missed you, skanky District Line with faint hint of wifi

 

This morning I was at the dentist, joyfully discovering lockdown hasn't wrecked my fillings, but also gently having to be told it was okay to take my mask off when they were actually going to look at my teeth. Tonight, I thought I was at yoga as usual but got a reminder that I'm at the (another) (streamed) theatre instead, oops. 

So it's all very, very active, sort of.  But in the background, there's the hum of cases. 3000, 4000, 6000... Well, we've been here before. And my second jab isn't till July. Who knows what exactly will come of this, but I can't see myself saying goodbye to masks for a bit, or heading to the office more than fortnightly (current plan, not sure I can say that's what I'm doing on the basis of only one actual visit).

Anyway. My mind's not really been on food (or anything else much), apart from the melon I bought at the weekend, didn't refrigerate because it didn't feel very ripe and which turned itself into a fluff monster overnight on Wednesday, pleuk. Remember how to do summer, self?

I made the pork burgers with pea puree from last May. I didn't have some snazzy wild garlic additions this time, or indeed any sides at all basically, but I did remember it wanted a full day's marinading this time. And it was much more thrilling so calling that a win overall. I have learned a lesson from last year. Let's hope we all have.