I tried a new thing with walking Bunnykins to school. She walked the last part (past all the big roads and crowds of secondary school kids) on her own. I ran back from there so I could get home by 8:45am which should give me enough time to start work at 9am next week. I think for the first few weeks I will have to work 9am until 5:30pm. So I will cover off all the morning stuff and then Mark is going to have to sort picking up Bunnykins and getting the tea on. I wouldn't mind eventually having some earlier starts so that I can be finished early, but we'll see how we can adapt.
My run was fairly short (as my priority was just seeing what time I would be back by), so I did an hour long yoga session that was pretty intense, but it felt really good.
With Woo needing her laptop for school I didn't really have a laptop to hand I could use. There is one that Bunnykins uses which I could have gone for - it's a bit older but fine. It was actually really nice to just be free of the laptop the whole day. I felt like I got so much more time out of my day.
In the afternoon I sat and painted my nails and did some reading in preparation for next week.
We were back to a zoom call for UkuleleLand practice. It is better than nothing and nice to see everyone, but it is difficult on songs where we have multiple leads.
Tuesday
I had a few actions to sort out for the year 6 leavers stuff. Did some mopping. Sorted out a few UkuleleLand things. Then just before noon I went over to the park to meet Ben. I was there first so got in the queue for the hatch. I ordered us some hot drinks and toasties and we sat in the sensory garden to eat. It was really good to see him, and knowing that we had a decent few hours we were able to get stuck into some good subjects.
After eating we went for a stroll around the park. I was trying to tell Ben about the Ursula K. Le Guin books I have been reading, and I do think he was interested. Problem was that he is "local famous" as they say and so every 100 yards we were bumping into a dog walker who knew him or someone he used to teach or someone from his church. I wasn't particularly enjoying all the interruptions and being introduced to random people anyway, but given that we should only be meeting one person not stood around in a group of 4 plus dogs, I eventually suggested we go back to the sensory garden and find a bench. There was only one free and serendipitously it was right off in the corner. So we were able to have another good hour or so of chatting.
I had to go at 3pm to get Bunnykins, it was a lovely autumn day and the light was already low behind full clouds.
When I got back from picking up Bunnykins, we got a letter home to say that Woo has to self isolate until the 19th November. It is an odd thing as unless she has symptoms - the rest of the household doesn't need to self isolate. However, we should be more cautious.
Bunnykins still needed to go to school. The plan was that I would walk her to school in the morning, otherwise, we would probably try to self isolate also. I was supposed to be seeing Hannah for a walk at the weekend and Mark was going for a run with Jason. We canceled those things. They aren't essential. But I dislike this ambiguity. I would much prefer to be told "that's it, you all stay home until this point". I would find that much easier to cope with.
Woo was delighted about having to homeschool for the next week. Fortunately I am not started with work yet so I can help her figure it all out. That aspect doesn't worry me. Of course I am most worried that she might have covid-19. I am worried for her and for all of us. This isn't a comfortable time.
Bunnykins was unimpressed with the whole set-up and felt Woo should be shut into her room and fed through a hatch. If it was me who had to self isolate - I probably would spend most of my time in my room and it wouldn't be an issue (particularly with an en-suite). But I don't feel that you can isolate a child in that way. Woo loves being around people, she wants hugs, she wants company. She isn't symptomatic and that is the key. Who knows if we are doing right, but we said that Woo could carry on as normal in terms of eating with us etc. she just must be much more cautious about washing hands and just generally being sensible. Bunnykins set up her own separate eating area over by the Lego table and decreed which seats were out of bounds for the rest of us. If it makes her feel easier, then I don't mind.
Wednesday
Woo was glad to be up a bit later than normal. I walked Bunnykins to school and walked home. I checked that Woo was OK getting on with schoolwork. Her school now has a set-up where the majority of classes are running with a live link over Microsoft Teams so that she just had to join that - she could then see her teacher talking and presenting any slides. There was really very little help of mine that she needed.
I got on with a walking workout, then my normal 10 minute yoga, a quick bit of gardening with my pots and then a shower.
I had had some new cushions delivered, nothing major, just a few chunky seat pads with funky match box designs that I thought would be handy while we wait for custom made seat cushions. They are chunky enough to sit on and against on the bench outside. When we get the seat cushions they can be used with the plastic chairs (which I will paint bright pink and will stay stacked out of the way for when they are needed).
Anyway, I thought they would live on the little sofa by the back window when they weren't being used outdoors and I thought that sofa was looking a little tired. The crocheted blanket covering it was mainly holes! I took the covers off and then remembered that it wasn't just the blankets that had holes. The seat pad is old. It is a tubular frame design from the 70s. The seat is just stuffed with foam chunks and the fabric is degrading. I had put a couple of patches on it some years back, but a new lot of holes were spilling out its guts. I decided that I would just crack on with some mending. I realised I could darn them and given that it is a bit of a state and usually covered I decided to go with visible mending which I think is quite a nice thing - to be able to see the history of a thing and how it has been cared for (or not I suppose!).
I listened to some Brene Brown podcasts while I sewed away.
It was quite difficult as I had to get into various stress positions. The cushions do come off the frame...but not without the use of Allen keys and I am pretty sure that last time we found that several of the fixings had rusted tight. I broke up the afternoon with a spot of yoga just to get me straightened out.
I had a shower, did a bit more mending and then went to pick up Bunnykins.
At 4:30pm there was a virtual goodbye scheduled. It isn't what they normally do with people who are made redundant and I get that, but I had felt sad that I wouldn't get to say goodbye. I understand why they made the decision, it was a generous offer, I felt it was best for the business and me. There was no animosity in me regarding the decision and I have been there 17 years. To just go as if I was being cast out under a cloud was really upsetting. Fortunately Helen had decided to ask if I would like a goodbye - and I did. So we gathered on Microsoft Teams at Mark's desk. There were a decent number of people and it was nice. There was chat about the good old days, way back when we were esd. And about the raucous parties and all sorts of crazy things. It did remind me of that Bruce Springsteen song...glory days 😁. I clearly am leaving with quite a present in terms of the redundancy payout, so I didn't expect any gifts. But there was a lovely card and some flowers and fizz to say congratulations on my new job.
I sat down to read. I just wanted to chill out then. Bunnykins challenged me to a Lego-off but Mark stepped in.
They had to build a desk. Mark's was quite a multifunctional space themed one.
Bunnykins felt that simplicity was what was needed. It was quite a tough one for Woo to adjudicate.
Thursday
Woo was still feeling healthy and un-symptomatic. Not having to take her to the bus stop gives me a little more time in the morning, so Bunnykins asked for another Lego-off. This time it was to create an extra storey for a bathroom. Bunnykins didn't feel that mine fit the brief as well.
She was especially unimpressed when I installed it in the garden of my flat. Suddenly the rest of my building were up in arms about me having a shower that could reach up to the next floor and having a loo with no walls. Fearing that I might be evicted I agreed that it could be used in the body factory.
BTW the body factory is a large building plate that lives on a chair. Here Bunnykins has boxes of heads, legs, bodies, hair, accessories and so on. You place an order at the body factory and a person gets made. There is a special door that can only be crossed by the workers (so body parts can't escape...). The assembled body goes into the breathing machine where it is brought to life and then there is another door that lets the assembled body out into Lego world. The mind of the Bunnykins.
I walked her to school and then home. I did my yoga and worked on finishing the chair while listening to podcasts. The two biggest holes were left and they were quite hard going.
I went to pick up Bunnykins. She was walking along wearing a blow up crown that she had taken into school to use as a prop for a role play they were doing. I love that about her, she really, honestly just doesn't care what you think.
Friday
I don't know what I did on Friday, I can't remember. I went for a run I think. I sorted a few things out online using Bunnykin's laptop. At 2pm I joined Ben's Skype group. It will be the last time for me as I wont have that free time on a Friday. That made me feel a little sad to think of it.
Mark went off for a run on his own up to Kelston Round Hill. He came back wrecked!
I sat practicing some of the Christmas songs for UkuleleLand.
We had a nice Friday tea then sat down to watch a film. We went for Twister but Bunnykins decided it wasn't for her and went off to play with the Lego.
Saturday
It was a miserable rainy day. The walk with Hannah would have been a wash-out if we had been able to go. I read a fair bit then Woo asked if we could watch a film. We chose the Grand Budapest Hotel. Mark and I love a Wes Anderson film. We knew Bunnykins wouldn't want to join and it is a 15.
Woo enjoyed it. I sorted out the magasine rack while we watched. I was aware of my need to tidy and organise - a coping mechanism when there is a lot of uncertainty ahead. I am not a big one for having things tidy, but when my head gets messy then tidying externally helps. I was also aware as well that I was obsessing in my head about decorating the front room. This one is less helpful. It is like me saying to myself - when I get this done - all will be well with the world. It is a focus on what can be controlled. I don't mind indulging it a bit and I think by spring next year I will put the pressure on to get that job done (we have to have good weather for the first job which is to insulate the roof of the bay window). I wrote down a few notes and enjoyed reflecting on how I wanted it decorated. But I have to be mindful and recognise that I don't need to get this thing done for life to make sense and so I can't let it take over in my mind.
After tea there was a knock at the door. It was Karen. She had opened a bottle of Rose Fizz but it was disagreeing with her as it had melon in. She does have various allergies and intolerances. She felt it would be terrible to pour it out so brought it around to us. It was really yummy! 😋
Sunday
After breakfast I decided that I wanted to get the study tidied ready for Monday. It was reasonably tidy, but the desk was full of old bits of paper and post its - just the general accumulated detritus of living. I had also already taken down some bags of charity shop stuff before I took this picture.
It doesn't look much different in the picture here, but it is cleaner, far less dustier and alot of stuff got rid of so that the desk is now clear to work at.
I wouldn't say I am ready for Monday, but I have done what I can.
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