We got out of bed late after a Sunday lie in, Alex made a morning coffee and then Zoomed his family for Mother’s Day. Family were chill at home (mum’s still a little sick with no sense of smell or taste), with Mish at George’s with the dog. We chatted for an hour and everyone was well. Leila called Anish and Arabella cause it was Anish’s birthday. The coffee was super strong but we’re getting better: 4/10.
After morning calls, we had Salmon on toast for lunch and went for a walk along the canal. There were loads of people hanging out, not much of an isolation. Later in the day, the government banned parks…We walked all the way to Camden and improved Alex’s business pitch for dData. We found a grocery shop in an otherwise empty Camden Market, where they were playing Norah Jones and Amy Winehouse. They gave us a free aubergine and we bought decaf flat whites and Cavolo Nero.
We had to head home for 3.30pm so that Alex could try and coordinate renting his room out, still the greatest stress of his life at the moment. (It really is so stressful*). Alex did some coordinating and Leila talked to her family at 5pm on Zoom, there were 27 people from 6 months to 83. It sounded like chaos.
*More stressful than the the deteriorating pandemic
We then came back together for Yoga for 45 minutes Intermediate 1 level on Down Dog. We could do everything but side-crow, which was impossible but Leila is learning, she’s on a mission. We really enjoyed the Shavasna at the end because it was sunny outside and the birds (Leila’s nemesis) were singing.
After yoga Leila house-partied hard on her new app, jumping into conversations with Zuzu (saxophone), Arabella, Arabella’s friend, Vyoma, Khalid, Anish, Steph (from work), and more. Leila also called her grandma. Virtual contact overload. Alex stressed about trying organise renting out his room (still the biggest stress of his life right now). Alex also did some reading in the roof room, and chatted to Umar and Ali about business pitch. We had dinner upstairs for which Leila cooked some super tasty vegetables and buckwheat pasta, it was great. Alex played a board game online with Umar, Lux and Ben, Haunting at house on the Hill, Leila watched from over my shoulder but had never played a board game before** (isn’t that crazy?). Leila told me off for being loud.
**LE: Articulate, Linkee, Monopoly, Scrabble and playing cards combined with the lack of gaming headset = not hardcore enough
Meanwhile, McDonalds and Nando’s closed to Leila’s family’s distress. Italy suspended all activity after incurring 650 deaths on Sunday alone (worst hit country at the moment). Angela Merkel (in quarantine herself) banned all gatherings in Germany for >2 people.
22nd March 2020
Coffee, Wine and Isolation 