The Still of the Morning,

Waking earlier than planned today I wondered for a few minutes on the still of the morning. Silence. No cars outside. No TV. Not Radio. Just me and stillness. The night was not kind to me. I struggled to get to sleep and then was woken by two staggeringly vivid and unpleasant dreams. The content of each was lost on me within seconds. In truth this holiday has had a lot of interrupted sleep.

Krishna was due to visit today but text on Tuesday saying she doubted she would make it. Not answering her phone yesterday nor replying to my text today confirms what I feared.

As Europe shuts down some vestige of life still exists in the UK. I went out, got supplies, bought a book, chatted to my friend Stella and had a light lunch with Yan. She was worried about me as she hadn't seen me for a while.

I am fine. As is dad and Miriam. She has been sent home from work as Nigel is in an at risk group. In fact all of my family are at risk. That said I'm not sure mental illness has any bearing on this affliction. They are closing the schools from tomorrow. Cambridge University is shut as is the University of Bedfordshire. No doubt my work will follow suit in the next day or so.

So what to do? I have pretty much everything I need barring washing powder and paracetamol. No doubt I will survive. I'm still stunned at the hysteria this has brought about. We are entering the unknown. In fact probably more unknown than at any time since 1945. But we will ride out the storm. I will do what I can to help friends who are stuck indoors. Gary and Ali are home and Will and Russell who work in the pub are both off. Will it catch me out? Maybe, possibly, probably. Who knows? My greater fear of the recession this calamity may bring us. I have a pretty stable job. I will get paid and will get by. But how long I will be off I do not know.

Yet on this quiet Thursday afternoon I'm listening to Opera on 3, making chicken stock and reading my way through a mountain of books and magazines. I'm content but know the fear many will be feeling. So take care out there.

I Heard a Voice