Good morning, day two of government imposed lockdown and we are both alive. Jun manages to disappear within our tiny house so we are going hours without seeing her. No doubt there is a bag somewhere with my loud shirts and flared trousers waiting for the binmen.
First I hope this mail finds you all in good heart and health. I have found not looking at news/social media to be extremely beneficial, as to the disease itself I have started the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine free course on FutureLearn. I all but completed the first week in an evening. It is FREE, well presented, although a bit techie, but understandable.
As all my activities have stopped, no weddings, no Cathedral and no Radio, I suddenly have all that free time I promised myself when I retired, rather scary in a way. As always your well being is at the forefront of my mind so I attach some links you might find useful.
Lonely Planet have put together ten, six track playlists of music from cities around the world. It may be all I can offer to replace my monthly world music programme. Although we (the radio stations) are looking at fixes so we can either record or broadcast from home.
Marquee TV is free for a month and you can watch opera from ROH, the RSC, which I think is renaming as the David Tennant Company, but I must say he is very good. If you have Amazon Prime watch Terry Prachett and Neil Gaimans Good Omens.
On Twitter follow Sir Patrick Stewart, he is reading a sonnet a day.
On Facebook, take a look at Holy Trinity Church, Frome. Each day, the vicar, Graham Owen does a live broadcast. He is a lovely man, we served together in the RN before he received his calling.
Likewise on Twitter Wells Cathedral, the Vicars Choral are recording regularly and some of the most beautiful religious music is there for free too.
Soundcloud has a number of organ recitals too.
Sadly, I am unable to just have to pop out when Jun presents me with a job, well actually now it is a docking list. So I am out in the garage finding tools and paints and all sorts of things to occupy my day and avoid bleeding ears.
The old blitz spirit, well this morning for breakfast we shared the last banana, I hope that it is not like the Second World War, when they disappeared in 1940 and did not come back until the first banana boat docked in Avonmouth on 30 December 1945.
I am going to do my best to write to everyone individually, having redesigned the living room I need to use my writing desk before the enormous tv arrives.
As always
Geoffrey and Jun
Geoffrey Mackett 