Spain in lockdown Phase 2 - Day 84

The day started with a trip to Lidl - this is no longer quite the thrill-inducing event that it was not so long ago 😂 but nevertheless is still very different to how shopping used to be before mid-March.  Lidl here has a very friendly security guy on the door who squirts hand sanitiser into your hands and then offers a box of gloves for you to take a couple, all with a very nice smile.  He also handles any queue, like there was this morning, with efficient and pleasant good-humour so a big 👍 to him, he really makes it all a very agreeable experience 👏

It was pretty hot today - around 30 degrees - so we didn't spend too long on the lunchtime dog toilet walk.  We always check the temperature of the pavement to make sure it's not too hot for the dogs to walk on and anyway walk in the shade as far as possible.  When it's July/August and completely scorchio we carry them over the bits that are unshaded, namely the seafront road that we have to cross to get to the grass in the car park; this provides a source of entertainment for those sitting on the terrace of Ca Les Monges on the corner where we cross, especially when I'm walking them on my own and have to pick them both up!  They both weight 9kg so whilst not large dogs, they're not chihuahuas either and once you have one under one arm it's incredibly difficult - and diverting for onlookers - to then stoop down and lift the other with the other arm.  In any event, I'm really glad they're not German Shepherds 😳😂

This afternoon I tended to some of our plants.  We have lots of cacti and succulents on the roof terrace and our bedroom balcony as well as a little lemon tree which we managed to grow two lemons on last year.  And on our kitchen/utility balcony we have a few more small ones but also two orchids.

I always avoided orchids in the past as being too faffy to look after but about two years ago a student's mother gave me the white one as a thank you present for getting her son through a high-level English exam.  It was a lovely gesture so I looked up online how to look after them and managed to keep it alive so bought the dark pink one for myself last year.  They both went a bit dormant over the winter but were definitely still alive and I kept them safe indoors.  And to my delight, during lockdown they looked like they were going to flower again; the pink one has quite a few more buds so I think I'm nailing orchid ownership now!  I even have a bottle and spray them with water and quite enjoy the faffing 💦 

In local news Plaza Uno in the square is opening on 19th June and a few more of the clothing and souvenir shops on the front have opened - nothing like as many as normal of course, but still there are a few more than there were.   And in wider terms the Balearics are moving from Phase 2 to Phase 3 of de-escalation on Monday which is good news.  Phase 3 is the last one before the new normality.  The state of alarm ends on 21st June but under Phase 3, regions can decide for themselves when to end Phase 3.

Tomorrow looks as if it will be a lot cooler, and stormy with rain so although we have a bike ride scheduled for the morning we'll have to hope the inclement weather is later in the day, as a bike ride in the rain just doesn't appeal!

Stay safe and hasta pronto!