This week I have started to settle into the new routine of social distancing linked to the Covid 19 pandemic. Many hours per day to be filled.

There are only so many cupboards and rooms to tidy, so many meals to cook and this is in the context of a personal dislike for housework and ironing! Self-indulgent activity, immersion in my newfound pointillism art form, has been a life saver.

I have felt a bit like David Attenborough, as I am working my way through a series of wildlife studies. It is hard to describe the pleasure this has given me. Fortunately the Animal Kingdom is very large , so I have lots of potential subjects to keep me busy for as long as this lock down continues.

I await the application forms from NHS Forth Valley regarding a potential return to work , to support the country’s efforts to beat the virus .

Have you been encouraged in to creativity during the crisis ? One of my friends has crocheted friendly covid viruses 1-18 and another has taken up cross stitch of llamas!

I have been doing some cooking. Tonight, I will be tucking into apple and rhubarb crumble, using up some apples that were past their best and some lovely fresh rhubarb spotted on my weekly visit to the supermarket.

The British are renowned as people who like to queue... how fortunate in these trying times when we are queuing 2 m apart, snaked around the car park, with a one in one out system operating.

There are always positives ... I have taken more walks than ever before, like many of my neighbours, and we are all pulling together to support the more vulnerable members of the community.

As a technophobe I have had to continue my steep learning curve to tackle zoom and other platforms, but as we emerge from the pandemic a few months from now the world will be very different.

Hopefully our enhanced support and communication systems will continue. I have certainly noticed that meetings online have to be much more orderly and less time is wasted with inappropriate asides.

The added benefit of no travel time, no venue costs and being able to stay in bed for an extra half hour for the early breakfast meeting all help.

Stay safe and keep creative.

Rhona