Monday

Matt arrived back about 8:30 so I got up to let him in and then went back to bed for half an hour. At 11:00 he got a message to say that his PCR test at Heathrow was positive. I had some King’s PCR tests to hand we were planning to use for the Fit to Fly return to France on Wednesday so we immediately both took one. Since government advice had changed last week to recommend home working etc most of my meetings had already transferred to online and so I just had to find some time to walk down to King’s and drop off the tests taking all precautions possible. We had been planning to meet up with Lee and Vicky for dinner but obviously that was now out of the question so just had to wait and see what would come back. Not quite the happy return and reuniting that I was hoping for, instead we were making plans for every eventuality, including my possibly returning to France and leaving Matt in London.

[13 December 2021]

Tuesday

Test results were back from King’s and we were both positive. There is a lot of paperwork when you do catch it – track and trace, work policies, notifications to people you’ve spent time with etc. I’d had a clear PCR on Friday and clear lateral flows at the weekend. Brandon who he’d been travelling with was also positive. That meant that in the 2.5 hours that Matt had been home he had already passed on enough viral load for it to be picked up. Honestly, I felt absolutely fine and under other circumstances could easily have infected a whole heap of people. With Simon and Jolanda at home we were going to be stuck in the spare room for 10 days, after a couple of hours I was already going potty. A quick check with the lovely Peter and we made the short walk round the corner to his pied-a-terre to hole up for our quarantine, with mine due to end at midnight on Christmas Eve.

[14 December 2021]

Wednesday – Wednesday

We had been expecting to catch Covid back in France where we had plenty of things to keep us busy and entertained, unfortunately things rarely go to plan, so although we’d scheduled time off work we honestly had nothing better to do with our time so we worked and ordered lots of takeouts.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Around the 7th of 8th day there was a change to government guidance allowing us to end our quarantine on day 7 with two negative LFTs. Unfortunately we were still testing positive, although the line was becoming weaker.

[15-22 December 2021]

Thursday

Our first negative LFT – whoop! Mum will be pleased that we’ll be back to cook the Christmas dinner with her when many others aren’t going to be so lucky.

Before we go anywhere, we’re right next to Hatton Garden (London’s diamond quarter and the best place in London to buy engagement rings). Of course however I had little to no idea of what I wanted. The jewellers were all very helpful and we learnt quite a bit more about stones and clarity and size and ratios. I also had a chance to try a few on and get a feel for what I wanted.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Of course it was a bit premature to be buying one on the spot but it is definitely progress and a step in the right direction. Eventually Tonia arrived to come and collect us and take us back to hers before we head down to mums tomorrow, London traffic is rarely fun.

[23 December 2021]

Friday

Before we go there was a lot of faffing about and needed to take the dog for a walk and Anya was rather insistent that we stopped briefly at the pub at the end of it.

• 

• 

It was a long journey back. Matt was just grateful that the Christmas songs were only put on for the last few minutes, if I’d been sitting in the front it would have been a very different matter. Time to settle in for a Chaney family Christmas.

[24 December 2021]

Saturday

It’s Christmas day and Matt and I are on cooking duty due to mum’s recent surgery. You’d have hardly known it however with the amount of prep she’d clearly done for us already. We quickly got stuck in but since we aren’t the early birds that all mums are on Christmas day, we wouldn’t be having lunch until 2pm.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Stockings and some drinks before lunch. Joelle, Chris and the boys came over later so we could do their presents. I think Tonia liked the boots I (via mum) got her if the pose is anything to go by.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

[25 December 2021]

Sunday

Boxing day and at the top of our to do list was getting a new fit to fly certificate. Thankfully they’d arrived on time, we were both negative and the certificate from the company was very prompt. We will finally be able to return to France. Although we had planned a second trip to the UK for Christmas, we’d planned to drive back and thus be able to pack all our new goodies into the car. Since the unexpected Covid interruption this was not to be and there wasn’t much chance that we could take the new radiator back on Easy Jet. We booked an additional bag for the new flights and mum gladly loaned us one of hers so time to go and pick through and prioritise – the posters were the first things I put in, thanks Jim and Nicole.

Just as we finished up the Smiths arrived for a brief evening visit so we got to see the lovely Finley and the rest of the clan of course.

• 

• 

• 

[26 December 2021]