Dear reader, what a week.
It’s almost been normal. I mean aside from masks, oodles of hand sanitiser and avoiding people. A busy working week, interspersed with going to the gym, and eating out. The little things we’ve taken for granted.
As I say, the week began on a busy note. More people on campus, means more work for us – even if we’re still at home on our sofas for the most part. It still meant busier inboxes, and busier days.
On Friday we had been given a day off. The entire University. So, after four months of being in each others pockets, in the same four walls, we went out. Out out. We packed masks, and sanitiser, and hopped on a nice empty tram to Piccadilly, before a train to Buxton.
We picked Buxton for a few reasons. One, it’s a pretty places, good to walk around, charity shops to nosey in, and a couple of good places to eat and drink in. It was a Friday, so we hoped it would be relatively quiet during the day. We timed it well. The tram out was pretty quiet, the same with the train out too, with only one or two people in the carriage for the whole journey.
Shops were reassuring. Most had limits on the number of people inside at a time, oodles of hand sanitiser available for use, and often one way systems to keep people apart. My shopping was fruitful – I picked up a couple of pairs of shoes, including a gorgeous pair of bright pink suede slingbacks for £6. Bargain.
We had our first post lockdown pints in the Buxton Tap House and Cellar. Quenching our thirsts and resting our feet for a few. Again, everything was reassuring. From the details taken for tracing on entry, down to the toilet light system (three press on lights – when you went in, you pressed one on, so people knew how many of the three bathrooms were in use), pressing it off again when you were finished.
We lunched at Brasserie de la Cour – with some fascinating fellow diners. A little wooden and one of them kept staring, but they seemed harmless enough.
Before our train home, we visited Red Willow for a drink before home. A schooner of Pilot’s Peach Melba Sour as my final sipper.
Saturday saw me hit the gym. I wasn’t intending to. Not really. I spent most of the day umming and ahhhing, watching the updates on Instagram to see what the capacity was like. Until I finally threw on some gym kit and went. Much to my husband’s relief I suspect.
Like most, I was nervous about what I’d find. Worried – would I have to queue, how busy would it be, was it clean enough?
What I found was very reassuring. The place was cleaner than I’ve ever seen it. Staff wander around cleaning and re-stacking weights regularly (gym-bros still can’t put stuff away), and you’re encouraged to clean down equipment after use.
As ever, you’re at the mercy of the other people there – but it’s easy to take extra precautions. Wiping down a bench before you use it, as well as afterwards. And again, the hand sanitiser is plentiful, so you can top up before and after.
For all that, it felt fantastic to be in the gym. Training at home is great, and the kit I’ve been putting together is great, but it’s not the same. The atmosphere, the friendly faces. I’ll still be cautious, limiting my training in the gym to three times a week, but even so, I’m excited to be back and get some proper training in.
Finally, Sunday saw us head to Herd NQ. Their two for £20 Sunday roast called to us. Though it felt a little indulgent to go out twice in a week under the current situation, it was still just the two of us dining, and again, we were reassured. Staff in masks, even things like the toilet door handles being visibly sanitised made us feel more comfortable. I’ll pop up a more detailed review later this week.
By comparison, this week is much more sedate. Tonight I’ll be talking to Jon from Cake and Decorate Patisserie over on Instagram for my Monday Night Live. On Thursday there’s the launch of a new Vermouth on Zoom, and a tasting with Elixir Distillery on Zoom with Manchester Whisky Club.
I hope to see you online tonight, but if not, hope you have a great Monday!