Week 82 - a positive test

Well as I type this on Sunday 17th October, it has finally happened...we have had a positive test result. I think we have done well to get this far without one, but given how much more relaxed things have been recently - it was inevitable. We are going to have to live with Covid-19 for a long time; and it will be a balance between freedom and risk. 

It has been a fairly typical week with Bunnykins off to Netball on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday after school(!). Her friend's mum popped over (on Monday), to drop off a great birthday gift, which was a Harry Potter baking book and then a handmade wand.

She was busy after school also on her biology cell homework. 

Mark was out at the office on Monday, but home on Tuesday, so we went across for lunch at the hatch.

And then we had M and Hannah pop over to drop off another birthday present, which was a bowling alley construction kit and a super cute bunny plant pot with succulent.

I was working quite late on Tuesday and then faffing around for ages figuring out what I would wear the following day. 

On Wednesday I went up to Manchester on the train. In hindsight this now seems a bad idea. But this is how it is now, things are opening up, people are moving about and there is pressure to go back to ways of working. We were having a strategy day with the senior members of our work "community". Mark dropped me at the station and was back home in time for the girls waking up. My train was at 6:43am. 

I changed at Birmingham New Street and got breakfast (1hr wait). I had stupidly requested a table seat when booking my ticket as I wanted to get some work done. I was squeezed in next to a right spreader (in the spatial sense) with another guy diagonally opposite, while there were still other seats free around. I got my work done, but was glad when Manchester came into view. 

It was great to meet people for real, and it was easier to do the meeting in person. But it was also a long day. I went out for a drink when we had finished then went to the station and grabbed some food while I waited for my train. 

I got a bit more work done at the station and then packed that all away ready for my 3+hr journey home. I read and finished my book. I had taken a break from Ursula, realising I was being a bit obsessive and had picked up a copy of "My Brilliant Friend" from the library. Anyway, I had got through that quickly, so have ordered the rest of the series from the library. I joined Ben's live stream as much as I could given the signal.

I was back in Bristol for 10:30pm and  took a train home. 

On Thursday I was back on public transport, this time going into Bristol as it was the community quarterly meeting and we were, as much as possible, meeting in offices and then linking up from meeting rooms. 

It was a good day, the meeting went well and then the Bristol contingent went out together for a drink and some food. We ended up sat outside at the Harbourside, I was surprised how busy it was for a Thursday night. But there you go, it's all "back to normal" really.

On Friday, Mark and I got the girls off to school, I had a run and then came home to see him off. He was off running in Snowdonia for the weekend for the 50th birthday of one of the trail runners. 

When he was gone, I got started in the front garden. I had another boxful of bulbs to plant, plus a couple of plants. I also planted some bulbs in the grass verge infront of our house, I'm quite excited about the bulbs for spring. 

I had a walk down the high street to sort out a few errands and pick up some treats for tea. I got the shopping home and then met Ben at the café for lunch. Leaving him to his class, I then went off to finally give a present to the lady who helped us with the yr 6 leavers books and had a good long chat on her doorstep. Back home, I got a bit of cleaning done and a bit more gardening (planting up some more sedum cuttings), before the girls were home. 

The plan had been that I was going to a yoga, spa, and pizza evening with Claire after work, but that had been cancelled because she had tested positive. Tbh, as much as it would have been amazing and I love spending time with Claire, it was all a bit full on for the past few days, and the opportunity to just simplify was welcomed.

We had a nice Friday tea (tasty pasties from the bakery, with chips and veg) and some cakes from the bakery. We then snuggled up to watch X-Men together. Woo was interested in it really, this was just after the film was finished and I had been messing about with the telly a while.

On Saturday, the girls got on with homework, we had a walk out to the park to see the craft fair. Then had some lunch back home. 

Woo and I had a go at some watercolour painting outside. She is really enjoying her art lessons, and wanted to do a bit more practice with it. 

Meanwhile, Bunnykins was baking. She had a go at meringues. But when they didn't get to stiff peak, she improvised to make a tray bake thing.

The tray bake (with added muesli, chocolate and nuts)

We had some nachos for tea and then settled in for another film. We tried X-Men 2 but the download wouldn't work, so instead we watched Top Gun. Woo thought it was great and very funny. Bunnykins was not impressed. 

While we were watching, Woo had a text from a friend to say that a couple of the girls they took the bus with were positive. Woo took a test, which was negative, but Bunnykins who had just been eating, said she would take one in the morning.

On Sunday morning, we were planning to go out to the Mall to meet Hannah and M, and have a mooch about the shops. Bunnykins came down and took her test, and straight away, I could see it turning positive...

It is a funny thing, just that little extra red line. 

She is feeling fine. She is always a bit sniffley due to her allergies, but she has no symptoms - perhaps her taste is a bit off as she didn't like my marvelous smoothie yesterday - anyway.

She went up to camp in her room. I brought up a cup of tea and some breakfast and then started to clean the house - door handles, banisters, light switches, the whole of the kitchen, bathrooms, anything she has touched. There was a certain air of - what is the point! I was still waiting for my test result (negative) and thinking that there was not much point if the person doing the cleaning was also positive.

It looks like Woo will be advised to stay at home anyway as there was an e-mail I then saw when i checked after all the cleaning, to say there is an outbreak in a couple of year groups so they are asking for extra care with self isolation - i.e. if someone in your family tests positive, or if you have a positive lateral flow but negative PCR. 

We have got plans for half term, but fortunately booked it from the Monday as Woo was due to do her DofE expedition this coming weekend... I wonder if she will still be allowed to go?. I think that is the other thing about getting a positive test result when we are back in this new normal of busy weekends and things booked and arranged - so many things need checking, changing, re-arranging. There's a much greater degree of potential disappointment.

This week ahead is going to be one of self isolation for us all I think. If Woo is off school also, I shan't go into the office (I was booked in for Monday and Tuesday), even if I technically could. The 3 of us are popping out for PCR tests this afternoon anyway, so who knows - we might be compelled to do so. But even without the test, I feel OK to have the excuse to simplify my week to a degree. 

Mark arrived back about 4.30pm. He'd had a brilliant weekend,  enjoying some beautiful scenery and good times around the campfire. 

I made tea for us; I took Bunnykins' food up to her and asked us if she'd like to video call during tea. She can sometimes be taciturn at meals, but she was keen to chat...I guess a day on your own does that. 

It was a funny tea time with us sitting around the table and Bunnykins and her guys chatting away to us on the screen. 10 days is a long time. It's a long time for me,  and it's a long time when you're 12.

I want to be able to hug her already.