We might be stuck at home but we can still dream ahead

Agood friend of mine texted me from a dentist waiting room the other day as she waited for an emergency appointment. I texted back my commiserations (no one likes the dentist, right?) but she batted back that it was actually a welcome break from being cooped up in the house with her two kids. Yes, people, we’ve reached the stage where root canal treatment is viewed as a nice wee day out.

It’s hard to believe almost a year has passed since the P.S. team packed up our laptops and stationery to work from home. I don’t think any of us expected we’d still be in lockdown all this time later.

Still, tomorrow marks the start of a new month and I tell myself every day that passes brings us a step closer to returning to our old lives.

For actress Joanna Lumley, who is used to travelling the world, lockdown must feel like a prison sentence. The actress tells us (on page 18) she was due to film in the Far East when the pandemic hit. Not one to wallow, Joanna decided to explore the UK instead, resulting in her new show Travels In My Homeland. She tells us: “The things we saw and the people we met were dazzling and fascinating.” That’s the spirit, Jo!

We have considered dropping our travel pages but we always come to the conclusion that we all need something to look forward to. This week we visit the dazzling desert oasis Dubai (pages 26&27) and on pages 22&23 our writer immerses herself in the rugged beauty of Argyll.

Of course, even staycations are off limits at the moment but while we wait for our freedoms to be restored, we can always dream ahead...