WEEK 8 OF LONDON LOCKDOWN…or Day 58 to be precise.
Bit late with my post this week. Been so busy playing football with my children in the park now that we are allowed to up our exercise with members of our household. This has caused undue stress with my son who doesn’t want me to play with him and says I’m a shit goalkeeper.
Had a fun VE night socially distancing with neighbours and then drinking Rathfinny English Sparkling wine to toast all the veterans and remember to “never give up, never despair.”
Boris threw us very few crumbs last week and confused us all. It created a very depressing cloud over many households as we struggled to understand what else we could do. Which might possibly have been the plan. That way if it all goes wrong he can blame us for flouting the “stay in, go out, don’t use public transport, go to work” clear and concise messaging. Will schools go back? What about universities? When will normal hospital operations resume? Mental health issues now must be huge. Will we all stay working from home forever? Will we all be forced to eat strawberries? If I put my house on the market can I invite my friends over to view it? How long can they stay?
So another uneventful week – EXCEPT for my Mother’s birthday. As she’s self isolating like most of the over 70’s, we surprised her with a visit and sang to her from below.
She was over the moon, really boosted her mood with all but one of her grandchildren holding the banner and she even said “this is the best birthday ever,” which basically shows just how easy it is to be happy if you simply downgrade your expectations in life and be grateful for anything.
We have given up playing games on Friday Family Night. Now we spend the first hour arguing about what takeaway we’re going to have, the second hour waiting for it to turn up (it doesn’t), more time re-ordering something else that nobody really wants and then by the time the food has arrived we are all quite drunk and happy to go to bed.
All other routines have also gone out of the window. I no longer make my bed. Or pick the clothes up from the floor. I have even stopped spraying every surface with antibacterial spray. Standards are slipping as tensions are rising. My worst crime it seems is eating a banana anywhere near my daughter, who overdosed on mashed banana as a child I suspect. I then get the death stare and have to go in the garden.
But at least we’ve been able to get out for a walk with friends. That has been very uplifting so far and even the ice cream van is back – you can hear it for miles. I need to find out what time they plan to come up my street next week so that I can empty the bottles into the recycling bin at the same time. Noticed this morning, that the noise of my empty bottles crashing into the bin was so loud now that there are no planes and cars to drown out the noise.
I have reduced my Zoom calls and am much happier….kids are still doing weekly quizzes – how many questions are there left in the world to ask after 8 week? My daughter does two on a Saturday night. My idea of hell. If you’re old enough to remember what it reminds me of…..
Nothing else to report this week!
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