Always a Wasp

Would have been Sharks at the Ricoh today.  That would have been a test of our new found form.

The boredom of social distancing is beginning to hit me.  No rugby to watch, no fantasy rugby to play, no motorcycling, no travel, no work (that I enjoy) ....  The monotony of home, hardly knowing or caring what day it is.  A corporation tax demand for twice the amount from the year before - yes, I should have known, as our profits doubled last year - adds to the "douleur". 

On the plus side, Rishi's £10k small business grant has arrived, the lovely Mrs. Chilham's eye is much, much improved after the second laser surgery last week, our daughter has been declared, 'Business-critical", so continues to work, and our son is now doing Tesco deliveries and seems to be enjoying it.  Managed to get in-laws sorted out with food deliveries too, and persuade them to stay indoors.  We've got a small fresh veg., milk and bread delivery coming tomorrow.

I'm still off the smokes - day twelve today - and no more big 'pangs'.  Next task is to get my activity level up.

What's new with you?

I meant to do this last weekend.  How are we all doing?  Thought it might be a good idea to check-in on what would have been match-day.  Share your news.  Let us know how you're coping with the new paradigm.

In anticipation of the 'lockdown', I did a shop on Monday.  Means we're good for food for a couple of weeks. 

Mrs. Chilham suffered a torn retina and had to have laser eye surgery last week.  Things seem improved and we're back to see the consultant on Tuesday morning.  Will pick-up some fresh veg then too.

We'd planned to depart on an overland round the world trip on 1st May.  I would have been semi-retired for the first two years as we travel Europe.  That's all on hold and we've extended our lease until 30 June.  We'll assess how things are looking then.  For now, we live in a pretty quiet corner of a very rural village (the first by-pass ever built meant it kept it's C.15th feel), so not exposed to many outsiders.  Although we have a small office, a few miles away, I often work from home, so it's not been too much of a challenge for us.  Much of my business has postponed, but there's been lot's of alternative work coming my way.  I don't enjoy it so much, but it'll pay the bills.

Biggest challenge is keeping my 84-year old father-in-law indoors.  They live in a town 25-miles away and he insists on going out to get his morning paper and food shopping on a daily basis, despite his son living next door.  We've just read the riot act to hm for the umpteenth time.

See if this flies, and whether it becomes a regular thing as we make our way through this unprecedented time.

How are you?

For what it's worth, assuming Gats takes 37 players, as he did in 2013, my Lions Touring Party:

Back three (7): Hogg, Zebo, Watson, Williams, Daly, Nowell, North,
Centres (4): Ringrose, Henshaw, Joseph, Farrell
Fly halves (2): Sexton, Biggar
Scrum halves (3): Murray, Webb, Laidlaw
Props (6): Marler, Vunipola M, McGrath, Furlong, Cole, Sinkler
Hookers (3): Best, Owens, Taylor
Locks (5): Launchbury, Wyn-Jones, Itoje, Gray J, Lawes
Back row (7): Stander, Warburton, Vunipola B, Faletau, O'Mahoney, Haskell, O'Brien

I suspect Gats will take Halfpenny for Zebo, Seymour for Nowell, Davies for Ringrose, Youngs for Laidlaw, Hartley for Taylor and Kruis for one of the back row, as Itoje can cover there. Except for maybe Kruis, I wouldn't have any of them anywhere near a Lions tour. Tough on Tiperic, Finn Russell and Jamie George.

Have at it!