Happy Friday :)

I'm still pleased it's Friday, even though it doesn't change much. It's nice not to work for a few days I suppose. I've been busy this week - we are preparing logistical summaries and proposals both for shutting buildings down and for re-purposing them for NHS and other uses. It's a bit chaotic, but I think it will calm down as decisions are made. One of the main sites is my baby - after the refurb last year I probably know the building better than most, and certainly the teams working from it. Because the council encompasses so many varied work streams there are no blanket procedures for anything, and what affects one team impacts others as well. It's a giant puzzle, and trying to match this with objectives that conflict and change every day is - challenging. But I'm glad to be busy and it feels good to be helpful even just a little bit.

I went to Macknades this afternoon as well - our local farm shop is amazing and they are doing a great job in keeping us all fed and safe. I queued up in our two metre distances outside the door, sharing sheepish grins with the others in the line, and when I got in, was delighted to find eggs AND flour! Happy Friday indeed! Sadly no kalamata olives, which I have been craving or ricotta, which I wanted for the next pasta grannies recipe. These are good problems to have though aren't they? There were still a few people shopping in pairs which was a bit annoying, 2 sets of couples where the woman did the shopping and the men mooned around the shop getting in everyone's way.  Some prices have really gone up but I guess that's to be expected. It felt almost normal, seeing the people we have seen every week for years, the casual exchanges that all have a slight edge to them now - "are you all well?" (seriously - are you? Please? Please be well. Please let it not be that your friend's mom just died and no one can go to see the family or that your husbands business will probably collapse. Please lets pretend our biggest problem is that all of the tinned tomatoes have mysteriously vanished from this sceptred isle). "Yes, yes - we're well," I say, smiling back and really meaning it.

The weather looks beautiful this weekend - sunny and up to 17 on Sunday, and we have spent literally hours this week discussing and salivating over what we will bbq first. I think we've settled on paella, but there's still another day so that may change. One of my favourite moments these days is the morning discussion of what we want to eat for lunch and supper. I mean, even before this, I would often dreamily contemplate the coming day's eating before I even bothered opening my eyes in the morning, so frankly, I've been training and I'm in good shape for this event.

Happy Friday peoples - and Happy Eating! Stay well x