Zing Lost. If Found Please Return: Lockdown Week Eight

“Ho de hum de ho” as Bertie Wooster would say. And that really summarises Week Eight. It has just ho de hummed along, more of the same in many ways.

I always knew that whatever happened on the Sunday Night Update, not much was likely to change for me. In fact that was ok in some ways, as I feel I am just getting the hang of this Shielding stuff. For example, I am now working really hard on remembering not to get into my jammas before 8pm on a Thursday. Because for weeks, the rest of my family has ventured to the end of the drive to clap and ring cow bells (thank you UCI event 👍🏻) whilst I have tentatively teetered under the door frame, because I am once again wearing my jammas and dressing gown! 🤦🏽‍♀️

I have also discovered this week upon communication with the Husband (occasionally we do indeed talk,) that my delivery instructions for food shops might be causing some entertainment. I thought I was being very succinct with my guidance “in protective shielding, please drop and knock”. I should be so lucky. I do like the fact I get a warning that Joseph or Sean will be with me shortly; enough time to freshen up before they drop and knock 😂 And this is why shielding needs to end soon! Because this might be the only highlight of my week!

I do hope you are enjoying the extra exercise allocation and for those who have returned to work it has / is going well. The Littlest is a very happy bunny now that walks are permitted much more frequently. I do admit there were a few times when I took her out with me, for the sake of sanity and easing of tantrums on the scale of nuclear reactor meltdowns. It is very hard to explain to a toddler that you can only have one walk a day, in line with government guidance. Though she is understanding more and more that we have to stay inside until people stop getting poorly. The question is how many it seems? I always slightly wonder and am aware that it still rather sucks for those who are already poorly or will become so. ☹️

It really hasn’t been an exciting week, but maybe that is a good thing? It has taken a least until today (Sunday 17th May) to feel better from the viral fatigue. I took a break from homeschooling as it seemed like more of a battle than much else. I always get the Eldest’s least favourite subject and it never competes in excitement levels with the Xbox. He is actually on a screen break, in the hope he can relearn to integrate into the real world and away from the virtual one. It is so hard for children figuring out the intricacies of online friendships. There have been a few tears and headaches (both his and mine) along the way. My Littlest is now mostly free range like a chicken these days! She seems most happy this way to be honest, so rolling with it.

There has been the usual gardening and planting going on. Stage One of the garden is complete and all flower beds are nearly filled or are full. I am waiting on the last of my peas and giant sunflowers to go in. Otherwise we will be eating mostly beans when they mature, the benefits of more exercise mean at least if this drags on, the family can pollute the external (non-house) air 😆. I am keen to try a few butternut squash seeds and hopefully pumpkins if I am not too late.

So onto Stage 2. I am not sure how many stages I have, maybe around 4? I guess I’ll just keep going until Lockdown finishes. That said, the garden has been a solace in the week and a way of keeping going and I think I will keep growing. Equally I do look forward to a time when I can still sit, enjoy the peace and tranquility of Childers in Nursery and School and just enjoy a pleasant tipple and book amongst my hard work. Though I might regret the wild flowers and all the bee plants possible 🤨 It’s nice sometimes to have a bit of peace and quiet and growing things is good for the spirit. I do admit to trying the trick of answering the Childers “Mummy, Mummy, Mummmmmmy” with the response, that I was not available, please redirect to Daddy! My Other Half totally ruined that by saying very loudly, “I can see Mummy’s bum”. I should add, I was at that moment engaged in an epic battle with a stubborn shrub root; I had informed it that I was equally stubborn and would win this. I did indeed up root it, and enjoyed my well earned victory soak in the bath tub that night. Practicing patience now as I await for things to bloom. I have lately began bemoaning the fact that patience takes so long to learn 🤯.

I am trying to figure out if when I finish Stage 2, whether we will have room for Chickens? The Childers are voting for a trampoline though. But equally a giant bunny facility might be possible to allow Binky Bliss 🐰. We have enjoyed some cuddles with the Babbits this week. Though Puddles did wee on the Eldest 🤦🏽‍♀️ It isn’t there reason for her name, though she lacks some toilet etiquette. They have a house attached to their run, which Puddles always uses as an en-suite! She was called Puddles because she is so super cuddly and melted into my lap the moment I held her and that was not long after I had had an ectopic pregnancy. At that moment, my heart melted, like frozen ice to water and we were destined to be family. My Other Half took a lot more convincing though, and I do believe the promise of no more Babbits ever, was uttered should our current two, ever hop over rainbow bridge 😱. The problem with having bonded pairs is that we potentially may never end up without a Babbit!

Like the mosaic work, most of the garden involves recycling and utilising whatever I can find around. That has been a good (though not always easy] challenge and I am pleased with the results. It was very exciting to find two fence panels by the side of our house 😃 My Littlest will happily sing to me whilst I garden or help plant. My Eldest tires quickly from labour and is a little work shy at best. Initially he did help with the digging until he happened upon a centipede and then declared that was enough of that! He does not work with critters. 🤦🏽‍♀️

We are a bit late but I have done some rock painting this week. The Childers have yet to paint there’s and hopefully we will add a few extra to the neighbourhood. Our street is well adorned by the hard work and effort of two young ladies who have been busy beavering away in Lockdown. It’s lovely to walk down the street and see all the colourful art and imagination. Childers art has a beautiful freedom to it. Though my son’s first portrait of yours truly was not so flattering, I resembled a rather large potato! My Littlest mostly draws lines, so I am now a very thin line 😆 Maybe gym time does have it’s benefits!

Friday was the highlight of my week, mostly because I had something to get up for, which is rare these days. Some local photographers had organised an On the Doorstep photo shoot to raise money for local Hospital. I managed to get a place and we had a photo shoot. Almost all the family featured, Fluffs and Humans, except Holly, who was busy hunting probably. I have noticed, our cats seem to be more outdoors now that Lockdown in in place. Dogs conversely I hear are enjoying the experience of more hoomans around. It was strange to feel dressed up in denim after so long in joggers. I’ve been in denim since 16 year old mostly, as jobs in scientific laboratory’s never required smart clothes. The most I got dressed up for work was in a school and working with younger years, clothes were required to be causal and paint friendly! I was only part time too. Denim has been my seemingly eternal companion until now, what will the future hold I wonder? I expect social etiquette (or is that peer pressure?) may determine the return to denim. But for now, loving the joggers. It was a fun photoshoot and served as a good prompt to tidy up the front garden. Alas I find, after the Childers, and other necessary Domestic Goddess duties, I am only able to choose either the house, the back garden or the front garden. To attempt all is foolish at best.

The other highlight of my week was driving my car on Saturday to pick up some rocks for a rock feature, that is part of Stage 2 of the Great Garden Grand Plan. How exciting to be out on the roads. My Littlest came along for the sheer fun of it too! We drove through town, traffic was bliss but it was sad to see all the shops and restaurants shuttered up and quiet. We even got to see the Nightingale Hospital on the way home. Thankfully not utilised, though may be it is waiting quietly for a potential second peak. With being in shielding, it feels a bit like I am watching the “guinea pigs” to see whether the second peak comes. If those venturing out and about remain well, then there is hope too that I can regain freedom of movement. To be honest, I am willing to join the guinea pigs in many ways. I think my sanity might be very much in need of it. I have found my zing more elusive this week and more fleeting, I hope your zing is holding out. As always, stay safe, take care and stay sane.