Surviving C19 Lockdown

I thought my last post would be my final one because I was writing this blog during lockdown. And now I am officially out of it, I thought I would stop. But I miss writing! So I’m gonna carry on, as and when I feel the need, and as and if people enjoy reading it. It’s been weird. Going back to work. I know many people have worked through this whole thing, and that must have been shit. Or not, if you love your job and can carry on in some kind of normal way at home. But my heart goes out to all the key workers who have been so strong and completely inspirational throughout.  For me it felt so sudden going back! One day I was in the lockdown bubble, and then one night it was announced “the property market is back. Tomorrow!” Bit of a shock... And for me, just a “normal self employed worker” I’ve gone from stressing about having no work and no income, to worrying about not enough work to go back to when I can, to thinking about safety, to not wanting to wear PPE, then being to...

This is a shit storm and we are all in it but sailing different boats... Some are great big armoured submarines battling through regardless, a few are luxury yachts enjoying relaxing times in the sun with no financial worries at all, some are hardworking fishing boats desperately hoping for a good catch to get them through, and there are those more like flimsy rafts, through no fault of their own, finding it difficult to stay afloat.  I have been on Zoom calls talking to business owners who feel guilty about working. They say that they feel bad about securing work in these horrible times. But the outcome of these calls (thanks to others more knowledgable than me!) is don’t! Do not feel guilty if you are working. This county and other businesses need you to keep us all going. Key workers are obviously needed, but there are many others, “almost key workers” whom are needed to help those unable to work. Keep going you people! Keep motivating your furloughed staff, keep the busine...

I don’t normally write a blog so late at night, (10pm!), but Russ has gone to bed and I thought that would allow some lovely mother / daughter time together as it’s still officially school holidays as tomorrow should have been a teacher training day. So, when I excitedly asked Mia the question  “would you like to stay up a bit later tonight and snuggle up with me and watch TV together?”, the answer was a quick and blunt “no”, I realised I should learn from this experience.... Never interrupt Sims play. Do not think for one minute that “snuggles with mum” at 11 years old will ever come before FaceTime with her bestie. Plan for such a senario in the future. Random time to myself is so unheard of there should be a back up plan. For example something suitable for my own viewing on the hard drive. But there is nothing, and I’m so tired of the news, I have found myself writing another random blog. We have acquired a baby blackbird today. It’s a very sad story but our “cute” kitten stal...

Been feeling a bit down these last couple of days. No particular reason (except there is a world wide pandemic, I’m worried, I have no income, I miss family and friends, and no one knows if life will ever get back to how it was) I need to pull myself together.... No actually I don’t. I realise there are so many people out there who are worse off then me. NHS and all key workers, ill people (CV or any illness), people who have lost their job, people who can’t claim anything, those who can’t see loved ones even for a few minutes with shopping, those in abusive relationships, and I think worst of all, those who have lost someone close to them in these times. And I’ve just had a couple of days where the enormity of it all has kind of hit me. Watching the whole world suffer is unbearable. When all this started I was in survival mode for my business. Keeping busy trying to sort out financial issues and do all I could to make sure my business can come back from this. The initial fear of losin...

“To be grey or not to be grey, that is the question.” I know this is a shallow and unimportant question in the scheme of the global pandemic, and I do feel guilty for asking the question. My thoughts are always with the NHS and all key workers and I am in total admiration for all they do. I cannot comprehend how difficult life is for these wonderful people and right now, and every day, I count my blessings that “all I have to do is stay at home”. While it’s not easy when all my beloved work has been cancelled or rearranged, I do know I am one of the lucky ones who just has to do our bit by staying at home. However, writing this blog is, for me, a way of voicing my thoughts and trying to stay positive, and if at all possible, trying to bring some kind of lightheartedness to this madness. So please don’t judge me for writing about my hair. I actually don’t care about it to be honest. Anyone who knows me will admit my hair always looks shit at the best of times. And anyone who doesn’t...

The last few days have been spent doing what most people seem to have been doing.... Zoom calls,  gardening, painting, tidying the house, cooking new meals, a colder than planned bbq on Sunday, daily walks, more Zoom calls.... And I’ve been busy! Hence no blog for a few days. Then I felt guilty! I had it on my list of stuff to do that I would write a new blog every 1 - 2 days during lockdown! How could I fail so early on in the process? Then I realised my list also stipulates that I will write “a letter a day to people I love to keep in touch with” and I haven’t written one today because we have been painting Mia's room for most of the day. But I wrote 2 letters yesterday.... And I realised it doesn't actually matter if things are not done exactly as planned. And my lists, as much as I love them, can be amended day to day. During a normal working day I have tight deadlines and jobs I must attend at certain times and images that have to be sent off by the end of each day. When I...

I was determined to use this time we have found ourselves with as the opportunity to have lots of lovely extra family time. When lockdown was first announced I had visions of a daily walk together, all 3 of us linking arms and chatting and laughing together as the wind rippled through our hair and the fresh air made our cheeks (already aching from laughter) red and tingly. My mind pictured me helping Mia with her school work, sitting down together from 9am until 3pm, and working through it happily, learning together and enjoying each other's company. I assumed this could be fitted in around my own work, telephone calls and Zoom meetings, with an hour's break for a home cooked healthy lunch eaten in the garden together, perhaps followed by a ball game, before returning to our desks. The house and garden would naturally be spotless, as with all this extra time, how could they be anything else? Once the day's work had been completed, the 3 of us would sit down for a tasty meal...