Next week I play again but this week I stayed home as a friend was coming round to cut my hair.  The curry turned out good and so did the haircut, but still it was upsetting.  I had hair below my waist, yes it needed a trim but 9-10 inches?  I was not expecting that.  It's like losing a little animal, thank goodness for social distancing so I can stay home for a year.

the funny thing about playing bridge online is that it's like everyone is unmasked.  

I mean in the normal run of things you know that when you sit down to play bridge at some point your partner is going to think you're a complete idiot, you're going to think it about them, and you know what - you're not going to say it.  that wall between what you think and what you say is well in action but online - sitting on the sofa in your own home and nothing but a screen.  Well for some of us, no problem, it doesn't really make much difference, but for a surprisingly large number of people they are acting in ways they just would not do on the ground.  I have never, for instance, seen someone get up and walk out in the middle of a hand no matter how upset they feel.  But online?  I had someone feel the need to tell me what a f**ing idiot I was, we'd just met, it was after the play of my first card - actually it turned out quite well not that he stuck around to see, so he wasn't even right, but even if he was it's no good is it ... it's the Wild West at bridge base online and it's an education into what people are really like.

I like playing with a partner, there's even this tournament being put on by my brother's club that we play in but honestly unless it's one of those ones that's being shown on video it's hopeless in terms of the endless opportunities for cheating.  There we are chatting on the phone, and there's a little intake of breath as I look at the hand Ive been dealt...

the little animal I lost found a place in the garden as a Donald Trump style hairdo.