Workshy

I've been waiting all week for a phone-call to let me know when I'll be going back to work. Non-essential shops in England are due to open on Monday and I was expecting to start either then or maybe even a couple of days before, when people were called in to set everything up for the new trading conditions.

We were all asked to answer a few questions including whether we had any concerns about returning to work. I said I was fine with coming back but that if they didn't need everyone right away, I was also fine with staying on furlough. I don't meet any of the criteria for vulnerable individuals but I am at the upper end of the working age-range so I'm probably demographically more at risk than some.

Since no-one really knows how keen the general population is likely to be on going shopping again, particularly if they have to go alone, wait in a queue outside, follow a marked path around the store and not touch anything they don't intend to buy, all of which and more are being suggested, there's some doubt over how many people will be needed to run the place. Even so, I was pretty convinced they'd need just about everyone. We tend to run quite lean at the best of times.

There's a points system based on various factors to decide who gets called in first and one of those factors is attendance. I was off work for almost half of last year so my usually near-flawless record is heavily besmirched. What with that and a few other things, Mrs Bhagpuss was convinced I'd be left on the shelf for later.

And she was right. When I eventually got the call it turned out I was down as having declined to return to work. I didn't even know that was an option. I made it clear I was willing to turn up but it seems I'm not expected, which suits me fine. Sometimes it's nice not to be needed.

The reason I mention all this is that I was anticipating my return to work would put an end to my unbroken run of daily posts, which stretches all the way back to the 27th of March. I have kind of had enough of posting every day. I was looking forward to having the odd day off.

Since there's no date for when I might be called back, something which depends on numerous factors yet to be evaluated, I think I'm going to start skipping the odd day, here and there. If I can persuade myself to do it, that is. I'm kind of hoping putting it in writing will make it easier.

Sort of like the first step, admitting you have a problem.

We'll see soon enough, I guess...