A first outing

A visit to the chemist to pick up a prescription was the occasion for a first outing - aside from a bit of walking round the block, previously noticed - since the beginning of the lockdown. Long enough ago that I can see how if one is stuck indoors for too long, for one reason or another, one might get twitchy about going out at all. So probably not a bad thing to have headed that off for a while.

Plenty of action from Kelly Communications, BT Openreach and Rotorod (reference 1) in the immediate vicinity of the house. Talk of the road being fibred. Maybe there is hope for our special sign (reference 2) yet. But how many restart requiring times will the Internet service trip out while they are at it?

One choke point on the way into town, in the form of the tunnel under the railway at the bottom of West Hill. Not everybody has got the hang of giving way to oncoming traffic.

Basic queueing arrangements at Lloyd's but no queue. Plenty of fresh young staff available and I was out in less than five minutes.

Rather more serious queueing arrangements at Waitrose where I had to wait between five and ten minutes to get in. Bread flour nearly non-existent but I managed a couple of bags of Waitrose basic wholemeal bread flour by bending right down and reaching to the back of an otherwise empty bottom shelf. A little more than half the price of the stuff I usually buy from them. Oddly, they did have the yeast I usually use, so I got a tub of that just in case the catering yeast, 'Mauripan', from Italy misbehaves. Plus a spot of Calvados, plus a Guardian, which might be in whine mode, but I do miss the print newspaper, FT subscription notwithstanding.

Both meat and fish counters were open, which I had not been expecting, but no kippers to be seen.

Grape Tree seemed to open as I was going into Waitrose, but was shut again by the time I came out. Perhaps they were letting people in in small batches. But I did not hang around to top up brick date supplies as we still have four blocks left and are probably several weeks off critical. And there is always mail order if I miscalculate.

Basic queueing arrangements at the Post Office and a short queue. Probably in and out in less than ten minutes. I can also report that the cash machine outside Santander next door was being given a very thorough wipe over and looked very smart by the time the cheerful young lady had finished with it.

Some people in the High Street were being a bit careless about social distancing, especially in the vicinity of bus stops.

The waste water tanker from Thames Water, long resident at the start of East Street, was missing, although it had left its fence behind as a souvenir. See, for example, reference 3.

A small number of children in the playground at the school at Pound Lane. Both cafés open (seemingly for indoor trade), one on each side of the road.

Costcutter in Manor Green Road open, with the short queue being a bit careless about social distancing.

The butcher was open, fully staffed up, and a reasonable supply of meat. I was the only customer, with another turning up as I left. Piece of beef - topside for a change - for Sunday, plus white pudding, plus black pudding.

I passed a total of three trolleys, including the one above snapped in Hook Road. But I thought, all things considered, attempting to return them would be more hindrance than help. Trolleys will have to wait until we are allowed out a bit more.

All in all, a successful outing. Just as well, as there won't be another excuse now for some time.

Reference 1: https://www.rotarod.co.uk/.

Reference 2: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2020/04/economic-activity.html.

Reference 3: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2020/01/waterworks.html.