Missing Lunch

"M" and I went into town today as we invariably do late on a Saturday morning.

Our routine is pleasant and predictable. A quick visit to several shops for basic supplies like toothpaste, moisturiser and antiperspirant. Lunch at a very nice little cafe with a fantastic selection of  cakes afterwards if we have room. And... a meander through some nicer shops. "M" likes clothes, I like window shopping for watches and browsing books.

This Saturday was a bad imitation. We set off at the usual time and found the traffic moderate, but the roads weren't deserted. The car park was a surprise though - acres of empty spaces. Once in town it felt like late on a Sunday - some shops looked empty and sure enough the cafes and restaurants were empty, by government decree.

The supermarket had lots of empty shelves. This was unexpected, but still disconcerting. I read in today's Guardian that food retailers were experiencing pre-Christmas levels of demand. At the Sainsbury's we visited, many shelves were empty or close to empty, despite there being a two-item limit on everything you could buy. 

And worst of all. No lunch. Yesterday was the last day you could visit a restaurant or cafe in Britain. We speculated that the day the pubs, restaurants and cafes reopen will be a great day, possibly a public holiday, people may call it "Corona Day" or "Virus Day."

Back home M and I worked on the garden and things felt normal.  I cut the grass for the first time this year, and next weekend the clocks go forward. Lets hope we have a good summer, although just typing that seems delusional. At least the experts agree that sunlight, specifically ultra violet light, kills the virus.