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First day of lockdown

The situation with Coronavirus is moving so fast, but - at 8:30 last night - we finally reached lockdown. Now we're only allowed out for essential groceries, medical appointments and one piece of exercise a day.
    These are worrying times, but I'm so fortunate in having some work which has carried on. Sadly, one client decide to terminate our contract very early in the process. It seemed like a knee-jerk reaction, and it was a great shock, but I'll have to respect their decision and carry on with everything else.
    On a brighter note, the sun has been shining and it's actually quite nice weather. Dog-walking this morning was a pleasure and we met (at a safe distance) lots of people who were similarly occupied.
    Everything else has moved online, so I'm managing classes of boys and writing various articles for other clients. Who knows where we will be in a few days.
    The radio station has had to close the studio, so no more recording shows for a few weeks. I was so looking forward to doing more live interviews and then my trip to Vienna, which has obviously had to be cancelled.
    All in all, this is more annoying than anything else and I know how fortunate I am to be safe and well. Florence is here with me and we can at least stay in touch with Mum and Dad over the road and Freddie down in Guildford.

Comments

Kevin Pike said…
Great read Hilary. We went out for a walk earlier too. It's lovely outside. But you've inspired me to start blogging again! Just got to remember my login details ha!

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