Lockdown from Bridport -Part 3 - Day 40

I awake to the aroma of toast, very pleasant too, I think to myself and stay put. Only just in case you thought I was in line for tea and toast in bed you would be mistaken. 'The Undertaker' has already left for a Saturday funeral and judging by the time I had better get moving too. Life must go on, so to speak.

First of all I had succumbed to a rather pleasing chest of drawers from the local house clearance emporium. Very handsome if I may say so, possibly Victorian. It doesn't fit into the back of the car but the electric flame effect log burner which was a 'snip' went in nicely. It's going to look very welcoming in the inglenook at the back of the shop. I admit I never thought I would own such a thing, being a bit of a purist for open fires but open fires aren't allowed in the shop so I figure its the next best thing. The bakery opposite enticed me in for the most scrumptious artisan bread but they had run out of iced buns. The house clearance people offer to deliver the drawers but as to whether they will go up the stairs, that's another matter. 

I've had the 'jab' today at the local health centre. 'Office Darling' offers to drive lest I take a 'queer turn'. It's all exceptionally well run. A friend expresses surprise that I am being offered it so soon, 'didn't think you were that old' he says. 'I'm not' I reply. 'They must think you have an underlying health condition then' he says. Always look on the bright side of life...

It's far too cold for a walk. This is where the current lockdown is so frustrating compared to the one in March last year when you could at least stride out to while away the time or, as we did before, heave our bikes out of the shed and get pedalling. Unless of course you are a fanatic, such as the chap I have seen the past two Saturdays hellbent on taking his exercise along one of the most lethal roads in Dorset. Who in their right mind cycles along a road with a 60mph speed limit with blind bends?

'The Undertaker' comes back and announces he is 'frozen' but has had a very interesting funeral, so interesting in fact that I was regaled with a list of all the regimental ties that he had spotted. We test that the newly acquired fire actually works and surprisingly it blasts out some terrific heat. 'Expensive to run though' I observe because I actually only intend to use the flame effect seeing as the electricity bill for the shop is such a sore point. We pile some logs onto a real fire and settle back to read the papers. In my head I start calculating the cost of real logs as opposed to running the imposter. My calculations are either way out, or depressingly accurate yet I conclude that there is still nothing that beats a real fire.

The wind is howling down the chimneys but I am warm, comfortable and have a nice supper to look forward to, followed by yet another evening of Netflix. I reflect on how fortunate I am that I live in a country that can provide and successfully deliver a vaccine that will hopefully combat this vile plague. Maybe, just maybe, before long we can begin to glimpse light at the end of this very long tunnel. Until then I have absolutely, surprisingly, no cause for complaint.