A New Leaf: Day One

So, no more of this cocooning in my cottage all winter – Thursday I decided it was time to get back out exploring Orkney and enjoying the beautiful countryside. Yesterday was my first day of ‘doing’ – so, how did I do?

The plan for Friday was: morning walk to the polytunnels at the hospital (it’s a wonderful community gardening project for hospital staff, patients, and local neighbours), then instead of our usual Friday afternoon hike, my walking group was meeting at the cathedral museum café for coffee (on really bad weather days, we don’t usually venture out, and it was teeming down yesterday). I was looking forward to the museum, as I haven’t been yet. Oh, and even though we weren’t walking as a group, I intended to walk there and back, rain notwithstanding.

Well, that was the plan. The reality? I woke up with a cold. I know, I know, no biggie, right? Except I couldn’t find my box of COVID self-tests, so I couldn’t go out. I know it was just a cold, but still, my group is elderly, and it would be irresponsible to meet up with them without knowing for sure.

The only problem is, how do you get a self-test, if you can’t go out to a shop for a self-test? Fortunately, this being a small town meant that the Click & Collect had pick-up slots available first thing the next morning . So, I masked from brow to chin, stayed in my car with the trunk (boot) popped open, and had them drop my groceries in, waving from a distance. Came home and just did the test.

I have COVID.