Wow it’s Wednesday

Today was not to bad, we’ve done school work, learnt facts about Menorca, we travel there a lot, it’s such a beautiful peaceful country, it’s the one place on Earth I feel the safest, I get up when we are there on holiday and run at 6.30am, earphones in and have no fear, I’ve fallen asleep on my own with the patio door open, happily used the taxi with a young male taxi driver, yet in the U.K. I change my running route, day’s and times constantly incase a weirdo is watching. I love the people there, we’ve made friends and feel welcome, this year in July we were going to spend 11 nights there, that’s all gone out the window now. I long for the day life in the UK returns to normal, I can just pop to the shop, the cafe, go about my business, this is so frightening, my allergies are playing up and it’s terrifying me I keep checking dates of when I was last out, counting how many days it would take the virus to show, I don’t think I caught it, I have a headache from lack of sleep, my mother keeps going shopping, she has high blood pressure and do knows what else, she lives with my dad who has a stroke, high blood pressure and my brother lives there she’s going to kill them all. What can I do to help or stop her? Nothing. Kids have enjoyed playing outside? We’ve given Nan an old iPad to try and get used to, so she can read news and play some games, should be interesting.

We’ve learnt about the solar system

Spanish rainbow

Visit Menorca poster

Our cafe, hot drinks free for NHS 💙

It’s Tuesday…I didn’t know

It appears I’ve reached the point today of not knowing the day I had to check my garmin just now. So here we are, schooling is still going well, printed lots of stuff out, we’ve done PE today, had sit up and plank challenge, done go noodle, just dance and we cycled on the turbo trainer, had chicken curry for dinner, pretty much a successful day a couple of spats along the way but in general they weren’t too bad, they are probably getting fed up of not seeing their friends and not having their usual routine as well as a little bit of fear.

The news today has pissed me off, once again the met police (I worked for the met for 8 years) and other police forces are getting slammed for enforcing the lockdown and dealing with idiots, again make up your mind do you want them to deal with these dickheads or not? I mean they are out there dealing with people breaking the rules and having people cough and spit at them, are you serious, I absolutely 100% support those officers that tasered the bloke the other day for covering them in spit, absolutely vile behaviour I hate spitting it’s disgusting, I always said when I worked in the police I’d rather be punched in the face than spat at, everyone moaning because police are enforcing, they’ll soon be moaning when they don’t enforce it and everyone is getting infected, make up your damn minds!!! Also the prick that left a note on the nurses car, what the hell is wrong with you? Let’s hope you don’t need any help with Coronavirus, are people just plain idiotic sometimes?

So my mind has a new game to play with me at night time, it’s called you absolutely have a sore throat, I get all worried, it’s hayfever season, I’ve been out to exercise in the garden, windows are open, I’m sneezing, also I sleep with my mouth open and before all this I was waking with dry mouth and sore/dry throat, we have a bunch of flowers indoors with lillies in which are awful for pollen and pollen is one of my main triggers, I’m not sleeping well and that brings on my headaches I know all this but obviously I think I have Coronavirus. Our minds are horrible things I wish I could switch off.

Monday…

Here we are!!! Week 2 🥳🥳🥳 it’s arrived, youngest said she’s not finding it easy to concentrate? We had a chat about everything and spoke about Coronavirus, it’s good to talk, we done lots of art stuff today, lots of colouring, calm work, eldest has her usual amount of work and we helped her with environmental science, I fear by the time they return to school I will have raised 2 activists, we learnt about child labour and Fairtrade, they were shocked and then we made save the ocean posters. I think it’s great to make them aware that these things happen in the world, hey actually felt sad and said they’d make different choices when shopping and obviously now only buying bath products from #lush and #bodyshop.

We had our usual coffee break and in true coffee shop style kids had babychinos. They played in the playhouse with play-doh, had a bath bomb bath and enchiladas for tea.

Still doing the sit up challenge I have never kept up this long guess I have bugger all else to do. I am still feeling absolute panic, the lack of sleep is probably making it worse, also stupid hayfever getting me all up in a tizzy.

#babychino #starwars #cream

Stockholm syndrome Sunday

That’s it, everyone’s peaked, we are all done with each others company. Today has been freezing cold, kids played in the playhouse making stuff out of play-doh for a while and I braved the outside for a bike ride I needed some brain space and I need to exercise for my own well being because I cannot afford to be ill with putting weight on. I felt it was safer than a run because I’m on the road away from narrow paths, not many cars and I’m moving a lot quicker, I wore my running mask, sunglasses and my bash hat, I cycled just under 5 miles in 28 minutes, I’m going to lie it was a struggle, my legs hurt from lack of doing anything, the wind was absolutely dreadful I nearly got blown off my bike, I picked the coldest worst day possible to go out we even had a snow shower today. Everyone is just meh, grumpy and probably sick of each other’s faces, the weather hasn’t helped. I now have the thing I can turn my bike into a stationary bike so won’t have to venture out again and the kids can do cycling PE lessons. This whole pandemic thing is so horrid, I keep worrying about dying, I cry, the stress is just awful I can’t ever imagine life being normal again, they said on the news this cold last 6 months.

Muse wrote a song called a song called Stockholm syndrome but I like the opening line from the small print “Take, take all you need And I’ll compensate your greed With broken hearts” kind of fits this pandemic and people panic buying.

I’m not going to end on a negative because you never should, one the houses I left some toys outside left stuff on our doorstep today which wasn’t needed but after this I think these will be people we talk to now, also Lindt mint balls are nice. Let’s hope tomorrow is better.

#playdoh

Saturday, first one indoors

So we had a sleep in, I was awoken by Nan banging the drawer shut, elderly folk bang and slam everything don’t they? Husband says it’s because they can’t hear as well as they used to do like to make sure it’s shut. 0845 we got up, had some breakfast, we done a lot of stuff today which kept us busy, changed all the beds, sorted out lots of board games, hoovered, put all the bedding in the wash. Sorted out the pile of washing I kept meaning to put away. Made lunch I really like crumpets dipped in eggs, I’ve only just re-introduced eggs again. Then we decided we were going to sort the play shed, you know something starts off as a good idea, it took so long and was disgusting, chucked out loads of stuff and now they have a lovely place to play again. I also got anti-bacterial wipes and cleaned up some dolls of Anna and Elsa, crowns and buggies, bagged them up and left them on them on 2 different door steps of neighbours with notes for kids, one lady been looking after her granddaughter (she’s not over 70 BTW) and one has a little girl and thought they’d like them, we had double of everything and it light just keep the kid quiet for a while and Mum/Nan can have a rest and a cuppa, I hope they can bring some joy to a couple kids at this crappy time and my girls were really happy to give them away and asked was there anything else they could give away. I gave a laptop away to my youngest ones friends the day the broke up from school to help with online learning. In this uncertain time anything you can do to help anyone you should, I would do so much more but we live with my Nan she’s 87 and that makes her vulnerable because of her other health conditions, I wasn’t even allowed back to the school I work in to help out to make sure she stays safe and my eldest is asthmatic, if I was a millionaire I’d be probably be broke by the end of this because I couldn’t bare to see people suffer, the worry in people that I know that have financial worries it’s such a shame to see. Everyone is worrying about different things and knowing you can’t always help is hard, not even a friendly hug now either.

Girls made potato cakes with Nan today, I don’t she will ever ask them to cook again! Cooking with kids starts off as a good idea and then it’s just mayhem!

We ended the day with bubble baths, face masks and played a game together. Let’s hope the next 11 weeks are better, I know he’s put a lockdown for 3, schools out forever it would seem, life would be much more happier if we could go out more, I’m just reluctant so we protect Nan, we are fortunate we have a garden. I looked at getting one of those stands for my bike so I can cycle on the spot, have you seen the price of them!!!! My god, cheaper to by an exercise bike. Also clocks go forward tonight so YAY an extra hour indoors! Stay safe everyone x

Kids #potatocakes #irish

Nans #potatocakes #irish

This is what most conservations are like in our house

This pandemic got us all feeling like this, self care is so important, exercise is really good for the mind too, we need to check out for a moment especially if we are now juggling home school with work, and looking after others

My brother needs to watch I got bills…

TGIF…

Hello Friday, Saturday or is it Sunday it’s like that weird Christmas new year period where you don’t know what the hell day it is! So this morning husband was caveman he sourced food, my car wouldn’t start, not a good start to the day absolutely crappy start and I’d told him to keep starting my car to make sure it didn’t happen as it hadn’t been started for over a week he didn’t apparently so this turn into a disagreement, I mean today started so shit it could have been a Monday! Anyway he came back baring food I have never ever been so happy in my life to see a whole raw chicken, my gawd it’s disgusting egg dropping butt staring at me from the packet brought me so much joy, I have very funny eating habits from being ill, I was diagnosed just under 2 years ago with idiopathic intercranial hypertension, I was getting lots of headaches which actually turned out to be migraines, I’d end up in bed for 6 days in a row for 3 weeks of a month, I ended up having a lumbar puncture (which was bloody awful incase you’d ever wondered what one was like the person managed the bend one of those massive needles in my back and then panic and say I need help then say don’t move, hardly likely love I’m in a shitty Position and one wrong move I’ll be paralysed, also in a hospital gown with knickers that look like something from a beef joint because someone told me to be naked under the gown which apparently isn’t common practice much to everyone’s amusement) and was told to loose weight or go blind, I lost 6 stone and now am paranoid about eating and trying to be as active as possible, i want to run but there is too many shops near me as parks are shut, the fear of bumping into someone worries me massively.

So back to today, eldest got on with it, youngest has checked out of homeschooling, she’s like yeah jog on, she didn’t seem interested at all, she seemed tired and just uninterested, I guess kids don’t really understand, one minute they are with their friends playing in the playground, inviting each other to parties and next minute all home not knowing when they’ll see each other again and now Mum is the teacher. Art was out last lesson today and we took it outside, created canvases and had lots of fresh air. The weekend is most looked forward to, we are going to tidy up the playhouse, watch films, sort washing, pair odd socks.

Art lesson #Art #outdoors
We also have like a school uniform, black leggings and a bright yellow t.shirt from #cyberdoglondon this changes midweek to patterned leggings with 2 more cyber dog t shirts

Youngest’s art work, (I’ve blocked their names out )

Eldest’s ones #art work #outdoor

Day 4 has arrived and it’s taught me things…

I’m going to say I didn’t sleep well at all, I go form moments of calm to moments of absolute hysteria where I think that’s it I’m absolutely going to die, I must have breathed or touched something or been near something or someone else who was infected with or something they touched, that’s OCD speaking, even that sentence doesn’t make sense because that’s how my brain feels at night, it’s bloody awful, I have to be rational with myself, allergy season is approaching and met office reminds me of the pollen count which is helpful, I’m allergic to pollen, trees, grass, dust, cats and dogs and also hazelnuts, my nose is stuffy – Coronavirus obvs. I put on my Dyson fan to clear the nasties out. I done the sit up challenge early today because I knew I wouldn’t be bothered later on. So homeschool went well me and chrome are starting to get on a bit more. I am becoming quite a good lesson planner, I always thought about doing more work in a school but thought I’d be crap but actually I’m rather good, well I think so. We have written facts about the Australian animals, learnt about vaccines and viruses, 2D shapes, I have prepared other lessons for the week and drawn out the periodic table. School work was finished early today so we had extra PE lesson outdoors I’ve managed to bugger up the lawn running round in a circle for 20 minutes we have a small lawn at the front of the house I managed to get a blister because I didn’t wear my normal running trainers, I have learnt that all those times I said I was going to go for a run and decided to be a lazy shit I deeply regret it I would love nothing more than to run l, do a park run, still the blood pumping and the feeling after made me feel so much better, it really is good for your mind and soul and gives you such a lovely feeling even though during the run you think why the hell do I do this to myself, running is the devil, after you’re like hell yes, get me marathon! Kids set up their own assault courses and youngest added in some savage burpees!! They came in and youngest asked to help with dinner and grated the cheese which ended up on the floor, 5 second rule was in play, believe me that was scooped up and on the plate, we cannot waste anything partly because there’s bugger all to replace it with and we have lactose free cheese.

Today I had a bath, I usually shower (I’m not a minger) I’m always rushing, I usually take youngest to school, run, shower, local coffee shop, meet husband for coffee, work, home for lunch, collect youngest, afternoon evening chores, I washed my hair, hair mask, facemask, lush bath bomb, proper face routine, I’m drinking more water too, also in the bathroom more, I made the effort to do more steps today, self care is actually really important and I realised that I don’t make enough time for me, i so lots for everyone, my other Nan needs me a lot as do my parents, we all need to take those moments for us especially those working hard on the frontline NHS, emergency services, care staff, shop workers, delivery services of food and post and all the other key workers, give yourselves sometime even if you just sit on the toilet for an extra 5 and play a game on your phone or instagram, Paint your toenails, spray your favourite scent before work or partners one on you, I’ve learnt today we all need that bit of headspace.

At 8pm tonight we all went out to clap the NHS, in true west London style someone banged a saucepan to get us all out, got to love it. At a very very safe distance our small road came together, some of us talk, some of us don’t, we’ve fallen out, but we all stood united and cheered and clapped. If nothing else we all shared the same emotion, the same appreciation, it makes me feel very emotional. We have a paramedic that lives down our road and my daughter filmed it so I sent it to her thanking her for working hard so she can share with her colleagues, I didn’t see her car, going to feel a twat if she was at home.

Day 3…Hump day, real humpy

So today has been an odd day, I still can’t believe we are living this, this is actually happening, it’s absolutely terrifying. I wake up thinking this is life now, I love a run and although we are allowed out I just can’t bring myself to because I’m so worried because we live with my Nan and my eldest is asthmatic, I’d never forgive myself if I went for a run and brought the virus back it just something that’s highly unlikely but you can’t help have that feeling deep inside, worry that if we met with people before hand as we went about our business, it’s just consuming, things are getting better on the home education front after a little stumble this morning and a little sibling spat during first break just like actual school. Also on Monday youngest left her jumper out all night, they are really going for the genuine school feel for me. Luckily eldest gets work sent daily it’s just me trying to figure out chrome *waves fist* my god I grew up on windows, all this google classroom, google docs hurts my brain. All school was completed today and kids done Nintendo switch ring fit and we’ve all started sit up and plank challenge…oh yeah it’s on. Youngest hasn’t had much work from school and she’s bright as a button so is working through it quickly so have been giving her extra work, she has written an epic story about animals loosing their home which includes Mr Fox calling up Greta Thunberg, I will include her picture that she done with her story. She’s been learning about the body and she’s also designed her own money.

Bloody pollen count giving me the stress, every sneeze and sniffle got me with a thermometer, youngest one said I feel sick, head check, thermometer so think I can add triage nurse to my list of new jobs now.

Oh yeah
#extinctionrebellion #gretathunberg #animals #woodlands #climate #homelearning #mrfox

This made me chuckle

This how I’m feeling, I normally do between 10,000-18,000 a day #fitness #garmin #stepchallenge

All in all we are doing good, think I’d make a pretty good teacher, I am teaching my year 4 maths, English, science, Spanish and history and even I’ve learnt something today. I’ll ask myself this again at the end of August. Stay safe people x

Tuesday…Day 2, Bojo locks us down!

So on the last 48 hours I have become a barista, teacher, IT support and had a run, the alleyway between mine and my neighbours house that leads to our back garden seemed ideal so I ran for 20 minutes I’m going to be awesome at bleep test as it gives you a turn at the end, I was inspired by the guy who ran a marathon on his balcony https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/amp/52002192

So today we all got put on lockdown and it’s about time to be honest, people of Britain absolute tools, I mean for god sake, do as your bloody told you’ll be the first ones wanting a bed you ignorant shits.

Eldest has caught up on all her school work, youngest has done more than she needed I fear she will go back more educated than she left at this rate. Husband off for 3 weeks so he’s now my TA, we also take playground duties seriously with our coffee, today has been much smoother and I think we will find the flow and this will become the new normal.

Ready for Am “playground duty”

#lockdown #homeschool #coffee #london

Monday…Day 1

So we started home schooling, not going to lie we’ve had some teething problems also fuck chrome book why you make my brain work so hard. Eldest wanted what’s app on laptop I said no you’re doing school work because clearly last week when I was still working she done very little and she was very behind, I was doing something on her phone and guess what she only went and bloody put it on her laptop, new sign in on chrome OS comes up, shake my head, I deleted tiktok oh that brought on the tears, we’ve had an excellent routine set, It’s mostly gone to plan and I have to say first day wasn’t too bad and I also taught myself the art of making iced lattes