Am starting to feel good as May comes to an end. I’ve got used to the lockdown restrictions just as they are coming to an end. At the same time I’m looking forward to the resumption of normal life as we head into June.
Despite the unprecedented challenges of the last few months I’ve maintained my fitness levels and remain just about on target with my 1,000k a year running challenge. Partly as a result have managed to keep my weight under control at just a shade under 12 stones.
Have also just started playing tennis again and am now suffering the twice-weekly humiliation of having my game taken apart by a coach who hadn’t been born when I first started to playing.
The variation of exercise does though seem to be doing my body good – or maybe it’s the turmeric – as I’m starting to feel less achy which is a relief as I was beginning to think that arthritic pain was going to be a permanent feature of my retirement life.
I’m also feeling better mentally and all of a sudden am getting a far better night’s sleep than I was, maybe I’m getting used to this new normal or perhaps it’s because I’m taking a super-drowsy cocktail of alcohol and anti-histamine tablets to deal with my hay fever.
I’m definitely drinking more since the start of these sunny days of lockdown. As well as my favoured tipple of red wine I’ve recently perfected an excellent home-made mojito, enjoy an occasional rum and coke and there’s also the early afternoon weekend gin and tonics. On top of that am getting into the light dry Provence Rose which we first started to sample in the region nearly two years ago.
My garden has never looked better though there’s still plenty to do and it feels like half of the house has been redecorated which feels like some sort of achievement.
Social life is resuming nicely with the return of our regular get-togethers with the kids and our elderly parents and as of yesterday starting to see friends.
Financially I feel in better shape with the rises this last week or so in the stock market and a real fall in my spending to just life’s basic essentials. Disappointingly though work has got very quiet this last month which is something I will need to address if it doesn’t pick up soon.
Another downside is that virtually everything I see or read in the news is annoying me sometimes to the point of outrage, really feel like I’m turning into a proper grumpy old man. Not sure whether it’s a sign of the coronavirus times or whether it’s my age but really need to try and ignore these things I can’t control.
Best news is that relations with Mrs Jones have been good even though, or is it because, we’re spending more time together. Am particularly enjoying our more regular chats in the garden hot-tub and we seem to be more tolerant of each other’s annoying quirks.
Next month I’ve got my usual set of goals including doing a bit of travelling to areas of outstanding natural beauty in England, cutting back on my alcohol consumption, planning what we’ll be doing if we get away in early July and seeing more of family and friends.