A giant pumpkin has arrived across the Bay in Wanchai. Halloween is upon us, it seems.

I begin the day overwhelmed by kindness of someone I only know from Twitter, who did this quarantine herself a few months ago. She’s offered to bring me necessities like a corkscrew and a wine glass. Drinking wine from a toothbrush cup is just not on.

Today’s tasks:

Update and publish quarantine diary

Workouts

Washing

Bach. And Handel.

Emails

Crochet?

Realising that my Foodpanda delivery has probably arrived I don my mask and open my door only to catch the hotel staff as he’s about to take a photograph of my breakfast delivery. He hasn’t knocked yet and I’ve surprised him in the act. It’s a game, you see because, apparently, hotel staff are instructed to play food bag knock down ginger: to leave the bag on the chair, knock and run away. I have opened the door in the middle of this process and surprised him mid-delivery and I’m wearing only a sports bra and power shorts so I get double points for that.

Breakfast is a pot of macaroni in stock with some strips of ham, which I devour, oddly enough. Deciding that I should really try to eat some greens, I plough through yesterday’s lettuce pot, gagging a bit on the sweet mayonnaise at the end.

HIIT and then Core. I’m thankful that I downloaded Apple Fitness+, especially given the sorry state of my bloated reflection in all of the huge mirrors in this room. (The hotel’s terms and conditions ask me to agree that the hotel room “shall not be used for any illegal or immoral purpose.” Hm. Sure, Jan.)

I cannot face the mess that is my lunch. I feel that I should actually eat the two pieces of carrot and green pepper but leave the anaemic, vaguely cheesy dish with rice. I admonish myself that some poor pigs or some such animal raised in horrendous conditions died just so that that I could throw them in the bin. I turn to my rather soggy Pret cheese half sandwich with relish, and then peruse delivery menus to sort out tomorrow’s fare, realising that I am starting to become obsessed with food. Later, my supper is unappetising but I eat the chickeny bit anyway before ordering a salad from Speghetti House. I have never devoured greens in that way before.

Gabriella’s parcel of essentials is brought up: a HUGE and unexpected bag of goodies including a large wine goblet. For wine. I pour wine. I’m ecstatic and humbled by her kindness. What a brilliant end to my day.