Week 5

Monday 20th April

A slight extension to my new route, this time just over 11K

Tuesday 21st April

News from my mum and dad's carers in Tenerife to say he'd gone walkabout. Apparently left the house at about 8am. A couple of the carers had set out in their cars to go look for him and by chance one of them had found him sat at the Bus Stop in San Isidro some 3 miles away. The bus stop is located on the roundabout with access to the motorway. There is no direct bus link to where he was found (would involve 2 separate buses) so agree with carers that he must have walked all the way.

It's a route that he would have driven in the car. Relieved that found safe and well.

Set out on run today and vary the far end part of the loop.

Return home to the news that my best friends mum had passed away. Her mum had been living in a care home and had a couple of falls, she'd had a brief stay in hospital and was diagnosed with an undisplaced fracture to pelvis. She'd returned to the care home, but deteriorated (not Covid19 related). I think the most distressing thing for my friend was not being able to be with her at the end. Adding to the distress was that the fracture was not mentioned as a contributing factor on the death certificate.

Wednesday 22nd April

The swab team at the Etihad have had a slow start, but the staff sent to form the team over there are determined to make the best of it.

Thursday 23rd April

We've trained up a few more staff, again from services that do 'face to face' contacts whose appointments have been stood down.

Friday 24th April

Moment of truth for the rats. Pest Control Man returns to inspect the traps. I'd left well alone as he'd said it can take up to 2-3 days for the rats to perish. He opens the first one, no rat but promising signs that something has had a nibble from the pink block. Nothing in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th one. As part of the plan, the traps will be left in situ for a further week. He suspects that they have moved on and found other sources of food and my fears of being over-run are now receeding.

Getting a little more adventurous with the run through Cutacre and extend the far loop and manage 13k today

It does make a difference being out in the sunshine, one or two people out in the park but able to keep my distance.

Saturday 25th April

A bit of a giggle. Someone arrives to be swabbed and parks themselves up whilst the security guard was inside getting a brew. We go outside to find this situation.

The timber shelter has been constructed over 2 disabled bays, with the intention that vehicles drive into the spaces as would normally occur, with the front of the vehicle near to the blue bars. Driver is asked if they can do this. Go back outside, to find that driver has managed to manoeuvre into near enough exactly same position, but this time with drivers side closest and parallel with the blue bars.We all take a moment to compose ourselves from the fits of laughter. Clearly the driver has decide we're operating a bit like a Macdonalds Drivethru. Driver departs after swab, thankfully without demolishing the shelter.

Sunday 26th April

Check my bank balance and consider myself one of the lucky ones still being paid. 

Another fall in the number of people being swabbed over the weekend. I do wonder if it's going to be worth having 2 sites operating at the same time. 

Check in with the parents. All appears well, mum under strict instructions to call the carers as soon as she realises dad has gone for a wander. Do worry in case he gets found by the police again. Spain seems to be a lot stricter about this than us.

TF