Hello and welcome dear Reader. Thanks for tuning in to my Photo Blog.

It’s been a wee while since I last wrote anything on here. That’s not accidental, I haven’t felt like writing. This entry will be a short one, an assurance to you, dear Reader, that I am still here and working on my next photoblog instalment as well as putting together an Underpass themed zine. I’ll put some pix in here, taken during fitness walks around where I live, but they’re not themed on the Underpass.

The world has changed with the Coronavirus crisis. I’ve not worked since the University Campus was locked up near the end of March. I’ve kept busy with training and such but it’s not the same. My family has been here most of the time, although two of my family are classed as ‘Keyworkers’; so we’ve had that unconscious nervous tension running through the days, reminders to my wife and daughter to wash hands, to be careful, to take care. My Dad was taken into hospital for heart surgery, I haven’t seen him seen the start of Lockdown, he’s still shielding despite BlowJo’s recent relaxation of the rules.

I’ve found it hard. My work is customer focused, I love working with people, they colour my days, I am a simple soul. Away from work I’m always out, walking the city, investigating and exploring. The Outdoors is my happy place. I miss seeing my friends, I hadn’t realised how much I would. Lockdown has been hard, but we never ran out of toilet paper. I also managed to put my back out, oh lordy, don’t get old folks, it effin hurts. If dear Reader, you’re younger than thirty, look after your back! Otherwise it will get you back.

My family have been fantastic, we’ve all supported each other, our house isn’t large, five people with big egos in small spaces could be a recipe for the arguments that inevitably ignite. And, whilst there has been heat, we’ve managed to diffuse that through rigorous routine and an unspoken understanding that we all need headspace.

For me that has meant making the most of fitness walks and embracing my garden. I built a pond and re-landscaped my back garden. The weather has been annoyingly fabulous, days upon days upon days of sunshine and blue skies. Sadly the loud hails of birds have been largely drowned out by the hell that is other people’s music. However, a frog did come to stay in my new pond. It made me ridiculously happy.

I hope you, dear Reader, are well and that Lockdown has been kind to you and yours. Rest assured another photoblog is in the pipeline, as I dive back in to my Archive. Thank you for reading and supporting my work, you have my deepest gratitude. Be well and stay safe, Jay