Day 1 of Level 4 Lockdown. In a conversation with a friend and colleague today she said she was going keep a Diary of what to do and what she had done every day during the next four weeks or longer. It made me think back to when I was 11 years old and my grandfather died. I recall my mother went through a number of boxes of pocket sized Diaries that my grandfather had kept. Not the sort of story diaries but simple notes, for example tended to the beehive, chooks laid 4 eggs, spoke to Roy, visited Marie etc. (I was 11 and my grandfather was 83. So he was old and had a different life to the now)
I then had an idea I would do the same, but in my way. So here it is in BLOG Form. I am not here to boast or be vain but feel that this will help me mentally through the coming weeks as I am not working from home. I am not able to perform weddings under this restriction and my paid employment is essential but not my area of the country. I have 3 children and husband, so we have a house of five. It will be testing. Therefore this forum will allow me to express the good and the bad and maybe make others feel they are not alone or that there is gratitude for the next few weeks as well.
We began Day 1 with most of us sleeping in. A beautiful day so I hit the washing duties first.
Currently my eldest is at high school and is doing two hours of learning today and tomorrow. This started around 1oam. He locked himself in his room (not literally) and communicated with his teachers and other friends in his class, a virtual classroom. I was impressed. At that same time I received a phone call from the School asking if "I was OK". This was a huge comfort, a community that cares for its families. I was asked if I needed any assistance. So reassuring. I will be phoned every day (I think)
Also my middle boy, was at 1pm to do his regular after school guitar lesson online!. Zoom is a wonderful thing. He also connected with his classmates and teacher and did some wonderful learning which took up about an hour of his time. Keeping them occupied and still doing the normal things has been wonderful.
So there is one more child my youngest, one of her regular jobs is to feed the chooks so while I was hanging out the washing we checked on them and fed them
While the chickens ate and I hung out the washing she explained that when her and Dad cleaned out the chicken house the other day their was a HEDGEHOG hiding in the grass trees. "How exciting" I said. We then went onto say that not only the hedgehog and chickens but our kitten Deku (now 1 year old) also hides from our other cat Kiki in the bushes so there is lots going on in the chicken house. So my suggestion for her was to write a book (shes 9 years old) about the Hedgehog and do some illustrations which she is very good at. She loves the series of books "The Secret Diary of Pig" so I suggested she write about the Hedgehog now named "Bushie". She loved the idea
By the time all this had gone on it was afternoon and I had decided to do some gardening every day. It is my way to de-stress. I love gardening and growing flowers but with lots of weeds and my busy schedule I just haven't had time to have it, at its best.
Honestly I wasnt really in the mood today but got a start. I realised too while I was doing it that I should not fill the bin. It had just been emptied and I have a week to fill it so I took my time and soaked up the sunshine.
I laid for a rest and looked up and I saw the tree and sky, I felt quite at peace. Since the front garden is exposed to the road I thought "don't linger someone might think I'm dead". Once up a lady across the road yelled "hello" she crossed over and we stood considerably apart as we did not know each other at all and talked for more than half an hour. I learnt about her and how she was feeling and she listened to me. So nice. One nice thing out of this madness, connecting with people and new people in different circumstances.
It is part of my job to connect with people and it is such a good feeling. All in all I really had quite a fantastic day. I managed to put some of the stressful things like the virus, job and money to the side and just be and do.
That evening I also had a couple that had to cancel because of the Lockdown rebook their wedding for later in the year. I am Looking forward to Day 2 which will be dependent on weather both mentally and physically now after a reasonably good start