So I think my learning is that you can – apparently, who knew? – live life a little more slowly and still get as much as possible out of it. Though you have to apply your mind to it a bit.
Can't believe its a month now and we are still nowhere near the peak of the CV curve, and if you watch the news too many times a day it vacillates between being terribly sad and downright terrifying. So best to go for the daily distractions route I am finding..
Obviously I have small things to report – but still bits to bring a smile to my face and hopefully yours. Assuming you too are now avidly consuming any bit of vaguely cheery news or update or snapshot of entertainment, as I now am.
Obviously, Houseparty, Zoom, WhatsApp and FaceTime continue to provide uplift into each and every day. Already I can hardly remember having 'just a phone call' without being able to see the hapless person at the other end, all now sporting longer than usual hair styles and increasingly dodgy partings, where the grey continues to run amok. Me included.
Food has increased its importance within the day to High, with menu planning now being done well in advance such that the weekly Hawkes Helpers (thank you Sarah Taylor this week – marvellous delivery including Easter eggs!) can drop off hugely appreciated succour for the whole week ahead. We are delving into long forgotten cookbooks and ringing the changes daily, to add some potential spark for lunch & dinner. Here, a red thai curry noodle broth with bok choi – coriander haters look away now…
Our exercise quotient continues to increase – who knew I would EVER again do 5 bits of bendy-stretchy in a mere week? But am giving it a bash – not entirely helped by Scrumpy who thinks that when we are on the floor hefting book weights up and down, that we need an emergency face wash to get us up on our feet again. Rescue Spaniel in the making.
And I finally restored pilates again, a hell of a long time since I last graced the dusty wooden floors of St Dionis church in Parson's Green. Now, obviously just polishing the living room parquet. Took a while for the first class to get going – here the Italian lady teacher struggling to get everyone who had signed up, onto the Zoom session. Amusing that one was knee deep in a Sainsbury's shop which had taken precedence!
Less amusing was the undignified squeal and rapid bum shuffle off the floor and out of the living room door for me, as part way through I glanced right to spot a HUGE spider making a beeline for my face at speed from under the coffee table. First spider ever in there in 2 years of living here and it had to pick that moment??! Cue Hawksey having to come in with the dustpan and brush and me having zero pilates cred ever again.
And of course we are now making the most of – thank god! – the fab weather and incoming spring & summer. If you're going to be stuck home then at least it's nice to be out in the garden. H is loving getting his chiminea thingy going, me enjoying a cheesy cocktail while he was at it. And H also leading the (very happily lead) neighbour Thor astray with wine on any occasion. Hey ho – it's all about making the most as I don't want this to feel like an entirely wasted year – so, appreciating small pleasures and trying to be inventive, here we come x x