Monday
After a heavy downpour first thing, Monday morning was thankfully quite bright. Hannah walked up to the park with M and C. We got some hot chocolates and coffees and sat trying to chat while the kids went back and forth pestering us and then going back to the house to get different things. It was still really lovely to sit outside in the sun and talk while we could.
I also got her school photo ordered and downloaded. There is really something quite menacing about it! ...love her...but a bit frightened of her!! 😂💕
Tuesday
I had been thinking about how this half term was not going to be a normal one with outings and all that stuff. It is a covid half term and we should just have to hunker down and be glad at that. But then I thought that it is good to get out and do some exercise. I decided to book the three of us into a visit to Puzzle Wood in the Forest of Dean. They had a booking system and suggested that the numbers would be limited to make social distancing easier....It was throwing it down when we arrived. We couldn't take food in to the wood, which is fair enough so we had a quick hot chocolate in the car before getting kitted up in full waterproofs and wellies. We had had a panic back home when we realised that Bunnykins' wellies didn't fit. She ended up wearing Woo's and Woo wore my snow boots which are really a half size too big but are quite padded and easier to tighten up. Bunnykins's waterproof trousers were also too small but at the sight of the rain she squeezed herself in.
Anyway, I think Puzzle Wood were letting too many people in and also they have a massive time window. Our slot was arrival between 10am and 11:30 - most people would come early in that slot, so it just doesn't work. There was a one way system along narrow paths. For the first part we were just queuing in the woods - it was like being at the supermarket...except it was pouring with rain and you couldn't buy chocolate and wine. After a while there were a few places where the paths branched and you could pick one route or another and it got quieter. I tried not to have other people in the pictures I took at the start, but it was pretty hard work. It was good to have a walk, we made the most of it and puzzle wood is beautiful...but the trip felt like a mistake.
When we got home, Bunnykins and I played a few board games which was fun.
We arrived and had a quick chat with information who recommended the acer grove. We were very much against the flow of people coming out of the gates and walking to the car park. Once in the grounds it was really quiet.
When we got back to the car, the car park was really full and busy. We had packed a lunch (a pack up as I call it but no-one else seems to have heard that term). I decided we should drive to find a spot in the forest of Dean to park up. (Park up for a pack up). The drive through the area was so pretty with all the leaves turning. We tried to get to Mallard's Pike, but the road was closed so we ended up in a small layby off the road which was lovely and quiet. The girls were on good form chatting away. I was really glad we had got out. I think instead we should have just had a walk in the forest, but live and learn.
In the evening I had a good video chat with John. Bunnykins showed him round her Hogwart's jigsaw. And then like with any spare half hour I have...I sat by the window and read. I am currently working through the Earthsea books by Ursula K LeGuinn. I am enjoying having something absorbing to sit with.
Wednesday
I had a run first thing, but it was awful. I felt sick. My heart rate was ridiculous. I didn't know if the nausea was related to my period which was a bit late coming on but was giving me back pain and bloating like crazy. I had a shower but felt done-in. I got a few things done around the house.
I had booked tickets for Westonbirt for late in the afternoon. I was too late to get anything but tickets for arrival at 3:30pm. They close the gates at 5pm! However, you don't have to leave by 5pm - the gates raise as you leave. Thing is it is dark by then anyway. But I thought the autumn colour there is legendary and the money goes to Westonbirt which is no bad thing.
It turned out really lovely. I have been to Westonbirt a few times before. Funnily enough each time has been documented on the blog:
On the drive there the rain had been ridiculous...we were all just laughing so much about it. Then it stopped and a beautiful full double rainbow had appeared and we were all in good spirits by the time we arrived.
The acer grove was astounding. I think that the heavy rain and winds had knocked down alot of the leaves just that day - but they were all so fresh on the ground so the colour was still so vibrant.
I was playing with a few of the different settings on my new phone. It has a fish eye lens which also seems to capture the colour really well. I was quite pleased with this photo:
Bunnykins had decided to wear her trainers even though Woo was willing to wear my boots again. The paths were OK but the grass was sodden. In the end Bunnykins just gave up on dry feet and joined us on the grass.
As the sun was setting, the light was really pretty. I felt really glad that I had booked this one. Even if it was just and hour and a half it was worthwhile and it was so lovely and quiet.
Bunnykins style selfies!....😂
We made our way back to the car about 5pm
The coffee van was still serving, so I grabbed the girls a hot chocolate each and got my decaff Mocha. The moon was really beautiful too, it seems so small when you take a picture, but it was really quite special on the horizon.
Thursday
I had booked us in to go to a National Trust place on Thursday. But quite frankly we were all fed up of getting wet. It was over Malmsbury way about 40minutes drive and there was no café service open. At breakfast we all decided to cancel it and stay at home and craft.Bunnykins and I made a couple of satchels for her Sullvanians.
And then Bunnykins and I made tiny binoculars.
We had a wander to the hatch to get hot drinks after lunch.
Then Bunnykins did some knitting, Woo did more embroidery and I started making tiny weeny scarfs. It was lovely to just sit quietly and productively together in the warmth.
At 4pm Ben arrived. We sat outside, it was quite still and dry under the pergola so it was really pleasant.
Woo got on with an embroidery project.
With the clocks having gone back last weekend it was quite dark early on, I do need to sort more lighting out, but we had a good evening.
Friday
We all carried on with our various crafts.
In the afternoon I dropped the girls at Hannah's for a couple of hours and they watched Pitch Perfect 3 with M.
Saturday
Halloween today. But not a normal Halloween; a covid Halloween. The rule normally is that if you welcome trick or treaters then you put out a pumpkin. If you are trick or treating you only visit houses with a pumpkin or decorations.Trick or treating is not a great idea this year so we didn't put out any decorations which felt a bit miserable. So we made some pumpkins from polymer clay for the dolls houses. Bunnykins also wanted to make a cauldron and they both made some sweets - which were more difficult than they looked!
They came back and did a hunt around - happy to still get a chance to get sweets.
We had tea and then watched the 2016 Ghostbusters which the girls enjoyed. It wasn't a normal Halloween but it was still fun and there was still chocolate!
As the light started to fade Mark took the girls to the park for half an hour.
Mark thought the photo above reminded him of something...
Meanwhile, I went round all the houses in our house and left treats for the girls: dolls houses, lego houses, a bird house I had made, Hogwarts jigsaw, pictures of houses, the pergola, the shed, an insect house, the tree house and the green house!
We had tea and then watched the 2016 Ghostbusters which the girls enjoyed. It wasn't a normal Halloween but it was still fun and there was still chocolate!
At about 7pm there was a press conference from Downing Street. We get alot of those these days and I never bother to tune in. I would rather pick up what I need to know from either the Guardian or the BBC. Anyway, it quickly became clear that another lockdown had been announced. It will start from midnight of Thursday in the week coming.
The government was advised back in September that they should have a two week "circuit breaker" over half term where we all had a full lock-down so to reduce the R number and get things back under control. But this advice was ignored and infections and deaths have continued to rocket. Now we have a month long lockdown with the hope that it can be lifted by December 2nd in time for people to have a more relaxed Christmas. Up to now I have been pessimistic. I really want to be hopeful about this. I really want people to have a nice Christmas and feel that they can see loved ones. I wont suffer much one way or the other, but I understand what this means for so many people and I feel that pain and hurt.
I chatted a while on WhatsApp with the Mummies and with Ben. The mood was definitely low. It just feels so interminable. Schools will still be open. We will be able to see one other person when exercising, so I should still be able to have a walk with people and I know it will be a lifeline for some of my friends...not them being able to see me (!) but them being able to see and talk to someone in the flesh who is not one of their immediate family. But otherwise we are back to restaurants and pubs shut, no yoga or exercise classes - nothing non-essential. Go out to shop for essentials or for exercise or front line work. Otherwise stay home.
Sunday
Ben and I had been booked in for yoga with Pippa today. We hadn't known it would be her last class in a while. We were really glad to get to see her. He came over for breakfast in the pergola before we strolled over.
Otherwise a fairly quiet day. Did some work on trying to get photobooks organised and printed for old photos. I'm working on one that is photos from 2015 into 2016. Fortunately the software these days is really good for loading a heap of photos in and then spending a little while with a few tweaks to get a really nice outcome. I like having things catalogued and organised, so this is a task that gives me an extra feeling of ease and satisfaction at the moment. I can't control much in this world but I can organise my old photos!
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