If things had gone to plan, we would’ve been spending a few days exploring Lisbon while celebrating my beloved husband’s birthday. This is the second time in six months, we’ve not gone to Portugal. In the past few years, we’ve tended to make a habit of going away for his birthday and have twice visited Paris, while last year we were in Palma de Mallorca.
I decided that I would try to make the preceeding weekend special by cooking some of his favourite dishes. Accordingly, I was up with the lark on Saturday morning and ventured outside of my shopping limit to visit the fishmonger. He had plenty of glistening fresh fish just none of that which my beloved’s heart really desired. Nonetheless, I purchased some and returned home. Fresh fish would make a welcome change for us both. Although our local supermarket does sell fish, it’s not of the same quality as our fishmonger.
You might be wondering why I didn’t rustle up some Portugese dishes and, I’ll be honest, it didn’t occur to me. In addition to which I’d asked my beloved what he’d wanted to eat and while I couldn’t deliver the requested dishes which’ll have to wait, he did enjoy what I produced.
I did suggest that he didn’t do any work over the weekend but my entreaties fell on deaf ears as during the lockdown my beloved has been Zooming here, there and everywhere. He’s been giving presentations on all manner of matters dental. Of course, there’s never been a better time to take good care of one’s oral hygiene, goodness knows when it’ll be safe to visit the dentist and hygienist again!
Fortunately the weather was fine over the weekend and we were able to enjoy our daily perambulations around the Domaine and appreciate an apero on the terrace. Sunday morning my beloved rode with his cycle-club buddies from the terrace on Zoom. This could become a regular feature until we’re able to get properly out and about on our bikes.
We did vow that we wouldn’t watch more television during lockdown than we do normally and, by and large, we’ve stuck to this. Of course, with no live sport to watch, there’s been a big gaping hole in our lives. Typically, we’d now be looking forward to the Giro d’Italia and the French MotoGP and praying that my beloved boys in claret and blue had gained enough points to stay in the Premiership. Consequently, we’ve dived into some box sets. But we’ve not been binging, three episodes an evening has been our limit.
Of course, we’ve been much entertained with the ingenious virtual ways people have managed to get together while being apart with pub quizzes, gaming, karaoke nights, racing on Zwift and various athletic challenges. We’ve had no need of these, our own company has (fortunately) sufficed.
This morning my beloved declared that, given the circumstances, he’d had an enjoyable pre-birthday weekend which is probably the best I could’ve hoped for!
