Its as if something has changed but it hasn’t. I guess that now is when we start to learn to live with the virus in the background and if we don’t learn very well then it will come back into the foreground and perhaps it will be worse .Apparently that is what happened with the spanish flu.

The first thing I need to learn is how to protect myself politely in situations where I am taken by surprise and not wishing to be rude I compromise my safety and therefore others. Going into shops is fine because they are all set up but random meetings are different. I don’t want to sound like an uptight law abider but I am ok with doing stuff safely. Its still possible to speak to people and smile with my eyes and its more than I could do last week.

Maybe I have spent too much time reading about the virus and what it could do. I read how if it got a hold in my region it would be a massacre. I see doctors who know how to look after themselves get ill. But also that there has been only 1 case in Pisticci. I haven’t disinfected my shopping and I get confused about wearing gloves and touching things and whether I should clean my door handles. I am safer just staying at home.

So going out when nothing has changed is a challenge. When I am out for a walk do I wear a mask or do I only put it on if I am passing someone…and does that look offensive if they are not wearing one? If I am speaking to someone and they are not wearing a mask should I take mine off to be polite? And the situations are endless…..what will I do if someone comes round to see paintings who is not wearing a mask and doesnt seem bothered about keeping a distance…. mamma mia… I think I will hide under the bed now.

The language difficulty doesnt help. I probably couldnt say I am being careful incase I give you the virus. ( though I may look that up and learn it) but what I am probably thinking is have you been respecting the distance with your family and friends and am I in danger from you. ?

I am mostly quite a casual friendly person, I think. Handwashing is not a problem. But I am over 60 with high blood pressure so I might have a problem if I got ill but it may be too late if I don’t find a cure for my terminal politeness . I don’t expect I am the only one feeling like this.

However I did have a lovely walk in the sunshine this morning and got another week’s shopping .

And then washed all the rugs that cover the unpainted part of the floor. It was still only 11am and I had already had coffee at my bar and chatted to my neighbour 2 floors up. She was hanging out her washing on her balcony.

So I made another mask. This time I used some gingham material that used to hang in front of the sink. I cut a bit off that was already hemmed on 2 sides so there was less sewing. Who would have thought that this summer I would be preparing my summer masks. I think I have got the hang of it now. My plan is to make one every day this week.

And then I wondered what to do next. My house , if not immaculate, is relatively tidy and all the floors are painted ……now that I think about it I could expand the wood effect in the living room ….

But it is wine time again…..so enough for today. Tomorrow who knows what will happen …..