Monday
Monday felt quite a manic day. I had sat down to create a timetable for myself:
6:30am up, washing on
7:15am drop off Woo
8am walk Bunnykins to school, run or walk home
9am PC - emails, blogging, general stuff that needs organising
10am yoga, shower, washing out
11am reading and research for career
12 noon lunch
1pm to 3pm other tasks
3pm pick up Bunnykins
And somehow achieving this small amount still seems hurried. There is only an hour in there for reading and research. I started to think that the blogging might have to go, but we will see. The "other tasks" for Monday was cleaning.
I walked Bunnykins to school and walked home. It was already a warm morning. I got the stuff done online that I wanted to do including assembling some reading for later. With my reading I had started with scratching out some thoughts on paper about what was the work that I did and wanted to do: Industrial Energy Management, Industrial Process Optimisation, Systems, moving organisations forward regarding sustainability goals, being a sustainability consultant generally, Industrial Decarbonisation.
It was this last term "Industrial Decarbonisation" that I decided to focus on for my reading. I had done some work on this back with Verco and I wanted to refresh my mind on the policy structures and funding; I wanted to find out who was working locally in this area and what were the key initiatives. This felt like a decent start, but there is still a big hill to climb to figure out where I could fit.
When Bunnykins got home she wanted to make a tote bag. I got the tea on while helping her, but she was quite happy to get on with stuff. Meanwhile Woo was missing in action...well not quite, but she had left school an hour late (turns out E's little sister got lost and they were struggling to meet up), but then I spotted (on the life 360 tracker) that they were up in Cabbot Circus. Apparently just using the loos after getting a slushie to cool down. In the morning they had been really early into town and I had spotted them outside Primark...(I guess not realising that it wouldn't be open at 7:45am). Thing is that Woo doesn't answer her phone. I don't mind her having some freedom with her friends. She is super sensible and I don't want to also make her the only one who isn't allowed to deviate from the program. And after all this time of being cooped up at home I can imagine they are busting to feel that freedom again.
I just ended up have a firm word with her when she got home that if she was going to deviate from what I might expect then either drop me a text or make sure that she was checking her phone.
It had been a hot day, so we decided that one more outdoor session was possible for UkuleleLand. Kevan put a light up for us, but by 7:50pm we had to break out the head torches which was funny.
Tuesday
The mummies had arranged to meet at Mush's house, but as the weather was so lovely we moved it to Page Park. I walked Bunnykins to school, then across to meet Mush near where she was doing school drop off. We walked up to the park together, just stopping at mine to grab some chairs.
Turns out it was also a year since we were together in Marbs...
I got some research done in the afternoon. Then went to pick up Bunnykins. It was a beautiful evening and I read by the door a while.
Mark went out to get the groceries. Just as he got back I heard from the pergola people that they could install it tomorrow as they had had a cancellation. Mark and I moved all the pots and things out of the way. I just love how my begonias are looking at the moment. I could sit for hours on an evening like this and just take in the colours and the quiet.
I called John at 7pm and we had a good chat. Mum's nursing home is in partial lockdown again, she herself is the same as before. There isn't much else to say about that.
Wednesday
Excuse the language, but I saw this and it was entirely appropriate. Both girls have had a cold for a few days - sniffly nose, sore throat that is it. But they have both on occasion had a fairly solitary cough...i.e. one cough in 24 hrs. Walking to school this morning Bunnykins was sniffling away, then there it was - a cough. Now I know it is a cold, but it set me thinking. The responsibility now to get this diagnosis right is huge. If I am wrong and she has covid-19 - that is really bad. But if I am too cautious now and have her stay home - the whole year group is then told to stay home until we can get a test. But I have heard of kids not being able to get a test for various reasons including symptoms not being severe enough. But if by this time the whole class is off on alert - then they are all staying home for 14 days. This cold is probably doing the rounds of the class - is one of the parents going to press the emergency button at some point?
It was so odd to have people in my house, well they were in the garden, but I sat myself in the kitchen with the laptop so I could immediately respond to all the perceived yet unnamed threats that were pecking at my head.
The back lawn was completely filled with boxes and stuff. They got to work.
By 5pm they had got the main structure up. They cleared up for the night. I really like the structure - but my overwhelming feeling was fear that the neighbours would hate it - that it was so much bigger or obtrusive for them than they would have imagined from our talking with them. I didn't really even want to go outside because I was afraid. My state of mind was just not calm.
After tea Mark went for a run. I sat and read my love letters book which was calming. Then I watched Ben's ukulele live stream for a while at 8pm.
I picked up Bunnykins, she was coughing quite a bit. I checked her temperature and checked she could taste and smell - all that was normal. I tried out the NHS online covid-19 diagnosis and it said that she most likely didn't have it so basically "go away - we're busy". She wasn't keen to miss any school so I just thought - I need to take her in again tomorrow.
Thursday
Mark was off to the office fairly early. I got the kids off to school; Bunnykins I had to drive down, but dropped her about 5 minutes from the school so she could "park and stride", only there wasn't much parking as I needed to get back for the workmen so left her to the striding on her own. They arrived just before 9am and set back to work installing the blind and doing all the finishing.
This time I was camped out in the office in the workroom. I was following up some potential work with University of Bath and Leeds University on Industrial Decarbonisation. The morning went by quickly and about 1pm they were all finished. Mark arrived home just as I was disinfecting door handles and the like and moving the car back onto the drive.
We moved my pots and the furniture back onto the deck and spent a little while admiring it.
Ben came over about 4pm. I was feeling in the grips of a cold (after Bunnykins had sneezed in my face from 20cm away on Wednesday night...). We tried out our new spot in the garden - which seemed to work well.
We all had tea outside - well Bunnykins didn't join us, she isn't such a fan of alfresco dining.
Ben came over about 4pm. I was feeling in the grips of a cold (after Bunnykins had sneezed in my face from 20cm away on Wednesday night...). We tried out our new spot in the garden - which seemed to work well.
Friday
Normal morning stuff - except I was feeling urg and full of cold. I hadn't slept well at all either. So I walked home from school - no running for me.
I had seen a research job advertised at the University of Bath that was right up my street, but had missed the deadline. They however put me in touch with their partners in Leeds university who were recruiting a similar role as they are working together on a joint project in industrial decarbonisation. I had an informal chat scheduled for 12am. I got myself showered and tried to look perky and normal - not like death warmed up. I spent the morning reading and thinking about what I needed to ask. The call was good and the discussion was interesting. I will apply. It is a funny upside of covid-19 - without all the home working I wouldn't have applied to a post in Leeds. But the professor I will be working with is based in the Cotswolds and hardly ever visits the university at the moment. With them being partnered with Bath - when we do need to meet in the flesh - Bath University may be the best location.
Anyway, after that, Mark and I went across to the cafe for pizza Friday.
Saturday
She had a good night but was surprised how dark it was. I slept well and woke up feeling much better but still full of cold. The gig was at a care home; they don't like you going with a cold at the best of times, never mind now, so I had to confirm I wasn't joining them.
I still just felt like doing very little, but I decided a little sewing job was OK. I had been meaning to repair Gentle Rabbit. I had made her years ago for Bunnykins and the felt was getting a bit worn through.
I stuffed new felt under the holes and then sewed them up.
Bunnykins made her a little scarf to help protect and support her neck - she was very pleased with the choice of button and had been very brave throughout.
We had lunch outside, which was really nice. I am appreciating our pergola very much. At first it was a bit of a shock to keep seeing it there, but it does feel lovely and sheltered - lowering the blind makes quite a difference to the wind.
Ben messaged me just before they were starting. I always stand at the back next to Ben, and I could see the space left for me. I do feel a much more integral part of the band now, as vocally we do more with all of us. Ben picked up all my kazoo sections and I am sure he did a great job. I just do love doing these performances. Hopefully we will get more booked in.
Sunday
Mark was off early for a run. I woke quite late, my runny nose had gone, but I could still feel quite chesty, with an annoying tickly cough.
Mush sent me a picture. It was from 3 years ago when we went to Centre Parcs for my 40th. We were due to go next weekend for Naomi's but it had to be cancelled. Last time we went, Mush and I were the only two who could get away early on the Friday.
We dropped off kids and then we were gone. We arrived and parked up, we played some pool and got a coffee, then suddenly realised that we could be in the pool. We raced across to the car get our costumes and went to the pool. It was the first time we had seen the new slides. The pool was really quiet with it being changeover day. We raced up the steps to the slides every time; there were hardly any queues. I was terrified, especially on the four person ride which was usually just me and Mush on. The first time we went - I was backwards and all I could see was her face 😲😳😵😲😲😲 and it getting darker and we were dropping off a ledge! This is someone else's POV vid of it...
Each time I screamed and laughed and screamed some more. She is a great person to just have fun and be a big kid with. We ran back each time with enthusiasm, until we were exhausted. We went to get a shower and pick up the keys so we could get to the lodge for the others arriving. It was a great weekend - messing about in the pool, dancing in our pyjamas, eating so much junk. I loved it.
Back to the present day....I was busy with various chores in the morning, even though I still felt very low on energy and at times a bit dizzy. We ate lunch outside and after lunch I sat for a while with my book outside. Woo came to join me and finished off her art homework.
I am wondering if I will be able to keep up with blogging. I think I could still manage a weekly blog at the moment, but it would need to be less detailed. I need to think what the point is. It has kind of been both about recording this strange period in time, and also something quite therapeutic for me, I think it is also just a snapshot of what life is like now the kids are a bit older. I feel that the first and third points have been achieved, the main point of keeping it going would be the therapeutic side - but then is a blog really the place for that? It was nice to record something like our holiday too, I think I would definitely like to do that for other holidays.
Mark went out to frisbee practice in the late afternoon, I think he was very enthusiastic to get back to it. Who knows if it will last long as there is alot of talk of going back to more stringent lockdown and a second wave starting to happen. So he should take his opportunity while he can. The girls and I had tea together - well Woo and I did after Bunnykins stormed off. Storming off at meal times is getting to be a regular thing for Bunnykins. I will need to try and talk to her about it in calmer times. Later she came down and ate, I sat with her and tried to strike up conversation. Eventually a discussion about birthday cakes finally got her engaged.
The evening was so still that after tea I went back out with a beer and my book. I could smell nearby there was a wood fire in someone's garden. It was very quiet, very little sound of people - there was a baby crying far off, Lee shouting at his dogs a moment and then the clock tower. I felt very pleased to have the pergola and to have such a lovely place to sit out.
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