Looking for a carrot | BBC Radio Solent's Alun Newman

That’s about as good as it gets at the moment as we hold our nerve on the way towards chapter two of this virus, slow releases into the new normal.

I’m starting to get the jitters. All my house painting is done and just the woodwork remains.

When that’s finished, I’m potentially in trouble.

Other, ‘have to be busy types’ have had to create on a scale never previously imagined.

A good friend of my neighbour is just such a character.

He’s lifted all the patio slabs that flank both sides of his driveway.

He stacked them, jet washed them front and back and relaid them, just for something to do.

When asked how long that would keep him busy for, he said about three days with an additional day to let his back recover.

These are indeed challenging times.

My son has started appearing later and later from his room.

He looks like the Gruffalo in a dressing gown.

Or an unemployed Hugh Heffner who's pulled the ripcord.

My daughter has amused herself with the animated computer world of SIMs, where you create families and homes in a virtual world.

She explained that there were no proximity restrictions but it was kind of funny watching people greet with a handshake and a hug without a care in the world.

That’s a strange thing for a teenager to notice.

Probably the most dramatic moment of the week was a minor criticism that we were eating too much meat.

We didn’t panic buy now, it was simply an observation by a family member.

My wife responded with vigour.

For the first time in our family's history, we had 10 different varieties of dried bean soaking overnight (I did the 'has-bean, should have bean, where have you bean' joke and it failed).

Intuitively, we knew we were all in for a bumpy ride.

After more than three hours of simmering, using all the supplies of chopped tomatoes (panic!) and a variety of spices and stocks, we now seem to have enough 10 Bean Stew to feed Hampshire.

Do let me know if you want some mailed over.

My son has to have it served in a separate bowl as he claims that it spoils his meal when it spills across the plate.

My daughter said she liked it apart from the beans.

Similar to saying I like air travel but hate planes.

We’ve found our gentle rhythm.

Different families have Zoomed in at weekends for awkward chats.

We’ve had several online quiz gatherings.

We're learning how to finish the hangouts as well.

Normally when you're visiting someone's house you can say ‘got to go I’ve... got children, a dog to let out, work tomorrow’.

With these bulletproof excuses gone, more honest boundaries are needed.

Either that or you stay perfectly still so it looks like your screen has frozen and eventually someone says they’re going to log out and back in again.

It’s a great plan you just have to remember not to blink.

Help! Dirty Den’s back in town...

Great news for some and a worry for others.

At this rate the BBC and ITV could be out of pre-recorded soap operas around the end of June / early July.

There’s already an online group lobbying for EastEnders and Coronation Street to start again from the beginning. A retro reminder. A glance back to the golden age of TV when there were real characters. A jolt for those of us who remember the launch of these TV staples.

However, a nightmare for anyone being woken up from a coma.

Have you seen Captain America? Imagine coming round quietly in a hospital room, you're tired but slowly becoming awake, you reach for the remote and gently turn on the TV and see Den and Angie going hell for leather in The Queen Vic!

You’d panic, wouldn’t you? Have I gone back in time? How old was I when I hit my head? Dear Lord, how old am I now? What year is it?

It was 1987 when Angie Watts was on the square. I’m only 16, why have I got grey hair? Nurse, nurse, nurse!!

You see, it’s risky. I think for everyone's safety we need to come up with something more creative, positive, and fun.

Either that or we just show the test card. That’ll really surprise everyone and blow the minds of anyone under the age of 28.