Time and tide bring to mind the story of King Canute commanding the tide to be still. But tide is also an Old English word, meaning a period of time, such as Yuletide, (good) tidings and (woe) betide for example.

By now you know that my definition of wealth includes time and health as well as money. And we’ve had a lot of time lately.

Though I haven’t mastered sourdough, knitted anything substantial, or written the Great Australian novel.

I heard some wag describing a year in lockdown as the equivalent of seven ordinary years, and after a couple of hundred days in lockdown it certainly feels that way.

But now we’ve come to the end of it with a staged opening up. Which comes as somewhat of a relief!

Though I freely admit to feeling very daring to have eaten in a restaurant, despite having to show my vaccination certificate. Sitting in there, unmasked, watching all the masked people walking by.

It was a wonderful break from our recent reality, though it wasn’t very relaxing. Despite the beer.

And of course the mask had to go back on as soon as we left the restaurant.

But I can also admit to feeling torn about the end of lockdown, for all of us (except the unvaccinated) to move freely again.

As someone with a suppressed immune system, I’m still vulnerable. But as an immune suppressed person, I can get a third vaccination seeing as we don’t necessarily generate sufficient antibodies.

So from that point of view, I can’t say I feel safe. And I’m not sure how long it will take me to relax out there among strangers.

And I’m not sure how I feel about excluding unvaccinated people from social activities I can (theoretically) take for granted. Though I would’ve walked out of the restaurant if I didn’t see workers wearing masks. And I know they can only work if they’ve had at least one vaccination.

But I look forward to seeing my corsetier for a fitting and a new bra.

And going to my hairdresser for a hair cut (though I can’t get in until December).

Maybe I can get a facial or a massage.

Visit a makeup shop to get a new foundation and perhaps a demonstration of the latest techiniques.

To take that Korean vacation in a year or two when I feel like I can deal with 15 hours of flying time.

So I suppose in the end, we’ll all get used to the end of living under restrictions.

It will just take the right kind of prompt to lay aside our fears and get on with it.

In the meantime, I’m really looking forward to the weekend when I can walk Clever Girl without a mask.