Day 294

Day 294...

So another day at work and I think today was technically the first day of lockdown number three.

A fairly standard day at work with not much to report. We have lower than expected numbers of children attending as some parents have opted to not send their little ones which is understandable. I think it is a very confusing time for a lot of people; why are nurseries and pre-schools open but schools are shut?

We are being scared by big numbers and one-sided reporting yet this lockdown is still not as strict as it was back in March and April of last year. When we went into that lockdown almost everything stopped, I remember taking walks out or driving to collect my grocery shop and everywhere was eerily quiet. But today driving the short distance to and from work was not that different to normal. Yes passing the local secondary school this morning was much quieter but the main motorway that I drive over was as busy as it has been recently. On the way home I encountered a traffic queue where I wouldn't normally and although the local primary school was quieter there were definitely more people around than back in lockdown one. So numbers are worse than last time but the response is weaker? Like I said all very confusing.

But back to normality and once home I had a butchers delivery to organise. During the first lockdown I started using an online butchers to order our meat as it was easier, better quality and cheaper for buying in bulk. So today I received 5kg of chicken, 3kg of steak mince, 2.7kg of bacon, 100 sausages, some packs of burgers and a few sirloin steaks. All of which needed bagging into meal sized portions and then putting in the freezer; one of those jobs that always takes longer than you think it should. But now it means we have lots of lovely keto and low carb and carnivorous meals to look forward to.

But as I type this we have confirmation that the lockdown here has been retrospectively approved by parliament and meanwhile in the US Trump supporters are storming the capitol building in what some are reporting as an attempted coup. What has our world come to at the moment? In the UK our freedoms are being eroded and in the US they are trying to destroy their democracy - and we thought 2020 was a horrible year, 2021 hasn't started that great!

Whatever you are doing, wherever you are, please stay safe.
xx

Lockdown 3...

Day 293...

And we are back in lockdown...lockdown number 3...just wish I could come up with a catchy tag line for it, although don't sequels tend to get worse the more they do?!

Well technically the lockdown starts at 0:01 past midnight tonight...or rather tomorrow...despite the inference from the message delivered by our Prime Minister last night that it was immediate. And apparently it has to be voted on in parliament but that can't happen until tomorrow by which time we will already be in it - confused yet?

And then add into the mix that pre-school's and other early years settings can continue to open but schools must close (except for children of 'critical workers' or those who are vulnerable)...but if you are a school nursery looking after the same age groups as say a pre-school you can make your own determination as to whether to open or not. Okay so is that not one rule for one and one rule for another? See I'm still confused!

Well my work day was pretty much a standard work day; plenty of admin to catch up on being only the second day back after the Christmas break and the first day touching the admin side of things. We had a few parents who have decided not to send their children into pre-school because of the lockdown and that is completely understandable.

I do feel at the moment like I am living in a very strange world where the only word I'm 'allowed' to believe and follow is that of the government and the mainstream media...the media that is being controlled by an Ofcom edict that says they are only allowed to report the government's mantra and not present any opposing argument. Freedom of speech anyone? Is this not censorship? Therefore by inference if I dare suggest an alternative view point I am chastised or made to feel like a complete outsider. Why do I feel that it is wrong to question the narrative that we are being fed? Why should I be made to feel this way? Is it wrong to worry that the measures we are being put under feel more and more draconian as time goes by? Other more authoritarian countries don't seem to be going to the extremes that we are. 

I am not denying that we are in a particularly unusual time and that there is a horrid virus out there, that for some it is extremely horrible and for others, unfortunately, has been even worse. There is no denying that at all. But has it been...is it being...handled in the best way? Has the full cost of lockdown been taken into consideration; the effect on the economy, the effect on small businesses, on the arts, hospitality and travel industries, on the rates of domestic violence, on child abuse, on suicide rates, on mental health, on deaths by other illnesses such as heart attacks, strokes, missed treatments or reluctance to 'bother' our health service. There are so many unanswered questions for so many people and while there are people out there trying to ask those questions and are researching and delving into the science they are not getting the voice they deserve. 

I don't know who is right and who is wrong but surely we should be able to hear all sides of an argument before we decide blindly who to follow but all we seem to get at the moment is the one argument that those in power want us to hear.

I am sure there are those who read this will think I have lost the plot for not following blindly everything we are told. But all I am advocating is looking a bit further than the end of your nose, taking the time to read, and accept, more than the same old news source everyday, to expand your knowledge and horizons and not be so blinkered. To accept that opinions and knowledge can change, and should change as evidence is presented and that it's okay to admit that view points once held were maybe not quite right and that you have changed your mind when presented with other, more solid evidence.

At the end of the day all we need is transparency; information to back up the narrative on all sides. Surely the more we know, the better we can understand and the greater we can trust those in power. 

I want to believe that those in charge know what they are doing and know why they are doing what they are doing but as their plan changes from day to day, and hour to hour it becomes increasingly difficult to trust what we are being told. Treat us like the intelligent (or semi-intelligent) adults that we are and tell us it warts and all; the more we know the greater the chance that we will follow the rules or whatever it may be that we need to do to get out of this hole and get our lives back.

At the end of the day all we want is what we had this time last year; the freedom to live the way we want to live, to go where we want, when we want and how we want...is that really too much to ask, or hope, for...to get our lives back?

Whatever you are doing, wherever you maybe, take care and hopefully we can all get through this together and let's hope we can all come out the other side stronger, and perhaps changed for the better.
xx

Here we go again!!

Day 292...

And it was back to work today, and we had an Inset Day which meant that while the staff were in and working we had no children in attendance.

The work day was spent sorting out storage. We had two new container units erected before we broke for Christmas and so today was all about fitting all of our equipment, resources and furniture inside them. I then had a number of emails to send, a few to follow up on as well as a little banking to catch up with.

We collected our grocery shopping a little later than normal today to allow for me being at work today when normally Monday would be one of my two non-working days.

The rest of the day has been filled with chatter and speculation regarding the Covid crisis; are we going into a new tier system? Will all of England be in Tier 4? Or will we be in a national (England) lockdown? Scotland this afternoon announced that they would be heading into a legally enforceable national lockdown as from midnight with all schools being closed - is it me or does this sound a little like martial law? Since when have we, here in the UK, had our civil liberties so drastically infringed? I'm all for doing my bit for the greater good but at times it is now feeling a tad heavy handed.

So we await further information from our Prime Minister this evening...and then we await the fallout. How will this affect us all? Will we still be able to go to work? What will be happening with schools? Will they make any reference to my sector, the early years, or will we be expected to make it up as we go along? How much notice will we be given until this all takes affect? So many questions and I'm not convinced that we will be any the wiser after the announcement.

So I am off to hear what has to be said and I will check in again tomorrow with my thoughts.

Take care out there,
xx

Christmas Lights Away

Day 291...

Well another quiet day and the last day of my Christmas break.

After updating my online grocery order the main focus of the day was to take down our outdoor Christmas decorations and lights. So we had candy cane lights, Christmas tree shaped lights, door wreath, small trees, baubles in trees, a swag, multiple strings of lights and three blow molds all to disconnect and store for the next 11 months.

I did decide to leave some of the string lights up in our back garden as these are just plain lights that go down each side of the garden and into a couple of bushes. I think these will brighten up in the garden but by leaving them on static rather than twinkly mode they won't look like Christmas lights.

Back in the warmth it was time for a little Disney research prior to recording this weeks show with my co-host Michelle for the Disney Dream Girls podcast. We chatted about some news and history as well as looking forward into 2021 and what maybe coming new to Walt Disney World. Hopefully the Disney parks will be able to carry on with their plans for new attractions and begin to open up more as we move forward and, fingers crossed, we begin to get a control of this virus situation.

Not long after recording it was time for this weeks Disney Quiz via Zoom. I was tasked with writing the questions this week and they were supposed to be all about the new live action version of Mulan, however as I haven't yet seen the film I had to come up with something different. I'd hoped to get the movie watched at some point last week but the time seemed to have escaped me. But having played so many board games the last few days I decided to use some of the questions from the Disney Trivia game as this weeks questions which worked really well. But next week it will be questions on Mulan so I really need to find the time to watch the movie.

And that is where my Sunday draws to a close, as well as my break from work. We are back to work tomorrow and while there are calls for schools to close and further, tougher lockdowns, we will be back until the powers that be tell us otherwise.

Take care out there.
xx

Tidy Up

Day 290...

Well yesterday's post was so late I think it was technically posted today...just after midnight in fact.

Our day yesterday had been very chilled and relaxed, we had been out for a muddy and squelchy walk (very pleased with my new welly boots), Simon had tinkered with the electronics in his R2D2 and after a lovely roast beef dinner we had settled down for an evening of board games.

Molly won the first game of Disney Trivia, we had a few mini games of 'Heads Up' and then we got stuck into the Game of Life - Disney's Haunted Mansion version which took us a lot longer than I think we had anticipated but I did manage to win it!

Today has been another steady day and reluctantly we took down the Christmas decorations which I hate. Now I don't mind the physical activity of taking them down and putting them away but it's the emotional aspect.  

A rather appropriate Mickey drawn by Simon, on this day 10 years ago, as part of his
365 Mickeys project

I do love Christmas and all that goes with it and always look forward to getting everywhere decorated at the end of November each year and seeing it all disappear feels very melancholic to me. It signifies that the festivities are over and that work is just around the corner along with the cold and relatively boring month of January. I suppose this year with things being as they are it grates even more so when no end to what we are going through can be seen.

But we have been able to get everything taken down, packed away and put back in the loft in just a few hours this afternoon. We have yet to put away our outside lights and that will be a job for tomorrow I think. And as we had snow this afternoon it seemed quite appropriate to leave out the lights in the snow.

Tiki in the snow with tinsel of course!

Love these blow molds, will be sad to see them put away

Well it's been a productive day if a little emotional for soppy old me. I think we may have another board game to play tonight. This time it's one we've not played before and one that I bought just as we went into the first lockdown back in March...Disney's Villainous...I will report back tomorrow as to how it went.

Take care wherever you may be and whatever you may be doing.

xx

And a Brand New Year

Day 289...and a brand new year.

And this is going to be a very late post today...in fact it's so late it may have to wait until tomorrow!

Suffice to say it's been a chilled out day...there's been food, a walk, more R2D2 building and more board games...and I even won!

So take care and I'll check back in tomorrow.

xx

End of 2020

Day 288...New Years Eve...

Well here we are at the end of 2020 and I don't think any of us could have predicted how this year would turn out this time last year.

Today has been another quiet day, especially as we are now in Tier 4! The morning was spent updating my online grocery shops...I like to have two booked in advance...and then getting on top of the laundry and ironing!

Just around lunchtime we took a short walk out over the fields which gave me the opportunity to try out my new wellington boots that had arrived today.

I must admit that I was a bit dubious about getting welly boots as my experience in the past had always been of ill fitting boots that felt like buckets on my feet. But with walking as often as we now do it seemed the sensible approach to take. Simon had bought himself a pair of Hunter boots a few weeks back and was really happy with them so I had tried to get myself a pair but after weeks of trying and never being able to find my size in stock I decided to look elsewhere. 

So these are Lakeland Active Helston boots and they fit me lovely and were cheaper than Hunters! They adjust around the calf of my leg and are made of neoprene so are soft and warm. So our walk out today saw us going over the fields for the first time in a few weeks and so far I am very impressed...feet were warm and dry, boots were comfy and easy to walk in and kept me upright!

This afternoon has seen me catch up on a little TV, make a start on my next jigsaw and Simon has taken over the kitchen table with electronics for his R2D2 build.

As I type this I am about to get ready for this evenings New Year celebrations...there will be no hosting of a party, or going out to celebrate instead it will be a table of food and an evening of board games!

Molly and I have made a trifle of sorts as we have made it with chocolate sponge soaked in a combination of Disarono and Cointreau rather than the usual vanilla sponge and sherry...should be interesting to try! Although we still have cream to add on top...so I'll share photos and a verdict tomorrow!

So as I stop typing to enjoy (not sure that's the right word!) the last few hours of 2020 I notice a lot of people online sharing their 2020 stories and trying to find the positives over the last 12 months. I admire those that can find the positive and don't get me wrong I have my own positives but there was also a lot not to like about 2020...obviously!

We have over the past 12 months embraced the time that we have had together; we have adapted and resolved to 'carry on'; we have dealt with sorting our 'other house'; we have re-discovered the countryside on our doorstep; we had a couple of lovely weekends away at the beginning of the year; we have learnt to appreciate the 'normal' things in life that until now we had taken for granted; Molly and her fella have survived despite everything and are going from strength to strength; small gestures from friends have meant the world, opportunities to see friends have been taken (safely of course) and enjoyed; we have educated ourselves and kept a breadth of all the information out there, from all sources and are becoming more sceptical as the days go on...and on!

But amongst the positivity that we can find we have to also admit that this has been the strangest of years, probably the most worrying for a lot of us, at times depressing, confusing, making us angry and frustrated, plans spoiled, life halted, liberty and freedom stomped on, anxiety levels rising and concern for those around us.

So let's hope that 2021 can bring about some change for the positive, that the powers that be can get their act together and get us out of this mess one way or another and we can all get our lives back to normal so that we can live them to the fullest. We take hope with us into 2021 because what else can we do except hope for things to get better.

I wish you all the happiest and healthiest of New Years, take care whatever you maybe doing.

xx