Something happened here - In the name of Thiago - Day 96

After an extraordinary week of inactivity that a sloth would have been proud of, Elisa battled against her inner demons and surfaced well before midday. Grouchily yes granted, but she was up.

And I felt pleased because I’d managed to source two things for her to do today: a cello lesson at 12.30 and a dance class at 2.30. So at 12.27 I sat in Elisa’s study room with her and her cello waiting to be invited to the lesson on zoom with her teacher.

12.30 came and went but still no sign of Mr Edwards. Give him five minutes I thought. So I did. Nada. I texted, I mailed and called but nothing. Then at 12.40 he called asking who I was. Bless him, he’s a wonderful music teacher but he certainly could do with someone to provide the occasional piece of encouragement on the organisation side of things. We have rescheduled for 10.30 tomorrow which I confirmed with him, was Good Friday. I shall report back tomorrow..

An hour earlier Angelica had been tuning Elisa’s cello. Angelica is such a practical and driven person and frankly I should have done this before today but as work started to get busy, I couldn’t really get away to do it this morning. So there she is with the cello between her legs and pliers in hand listening to what an ‘A’ should sound like on YouTube. The only problem is that Angelica appears to be tone deaf.

We sat there listening to the audio on her mobile and then Angelica played the note asking if I could confirm if it sounded better now. Eventually we got there as I dashed between the cello tuning and the work phone ringing. I confess I found it hilarious being asked if it was about right when it was a couple of tones out but that’s mean of me I know and I am ready for the opprobrium that will likely come my way.

So with the music lesson cancelled, it was all on the freestyle dance class. But blow me down and fuck a duck if I didn’t just completely forget that too, remembering only at 2.51 when there was just 9 minutes left. We got in on Zoom but then the audio was knackered and as Elisa had little hesitation in telling me, ‘I only knew the lesson was over when Miss Louise started waving frantically at the screen.”

This is Primrose, one of Elisa’s really good friends. In fact Elisa has just explained that Primrose is next in line to the throne of Elsie who is her FEEEEEEEEEEEF. That’s a forever, ever ever continuing forever friend. Elsie lives in France and used to go to Westlands Primary School.

Primrose lives in Herstmonceux, a beautiful village back in my native East Sussex and did something today I’d not managed to do all week: get Elisa into the garden. You can just about make out Elisa on Primrose’s phone screen.

Ok folks it’s almost time to get outside and clap and generally make some noise for the NHS. So get out there and get noisy and then after you’ve done that don’t forget to support my fundraiser for Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Royal Stoke University Hospital.

Happy Easter and stay the fuck at home!