Skip to main content

A Week in the Life of Lockdown: The Highs and Lows


Hi everyone!

Sorry I haven't posted for so long!  This week, I took part in a writing exercise where the prompt for writing was "juxtaposition."  My mind immediately went to the highs and lows of lockdown, particularly in family life.  A few people were amused by what I wrote and said it resonated, so I thought I would share!  Do share it with others, if you enjoy it and let me know!

A Week in the Life of Lockdown: The Highs and Lows

Monday
Feeling optimistic about the week ahead. Gave myself a pep-talk. Ancestors faced worse. No more over dramatising. Big girl pants on. Home-schooling planned and resourced. Confident children will comply. Diet starts again today. Let’s do this!

Tuesday
I hate my life! How can anyone simultaneously be a Maths tutor, French vocab specialist, sibling-squabble negotiator, IT consultant and meal provider, whilst retaining any shred of sanity? Working from home is near-impossible. Taking refuge in wine and Dairy Milk.

Wednesday
Sleep is a great healer. Feel like I’m winning at life today. Children baked scones without World War Three. I did maths with youngest – without World War Three. Beautiful walk this evening. So grateful to live where we do – especially now.

Thursday
Husband has taken children out for a walk. I am refusing to go: can’t face seeing the same, boring scenery day after day after day. Feel like an extra in the film ‘Groundhog Day.’ Can’t move legs anyway. Joe Wicks P.E. was a big mistake.

Friday
Have forgiven Joe Wicks. Scales weighing favourably, despite wine and Dairy Milk. May persevere. A few squats never hurt anyone. Rewarded self with junk-food Friday. Children planned movie night. All snuggled happily. Lockdown is not so bad, really.

Saturday
Another tedious weekend to fill with nowhere to go. Dragged the family out for a walk but no-one feeling inspired. There’s only so many angles you can appreciate a pea-field from. Board games afternoon. Big mistake. Some family members not gracious losers. Rest of day under a thundercloud. Beam me up!

Sunday
Everyone more chilled today. Slept in. Relaxed standards on screen time considerably - peace for all. Online Church uplifting. Beautiful sunshine so barbecued in the garden. Ate three times as much as is humanly reasonable and sat in a contented stupor around the fire to finish. Diet starts again tomorrow. Feeling optimistic for the week ahead!

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Happy Birthday, Dearest Bec

Dearest Bec I can’t believe it’s your birthday and you are not here.  Every year, I rush into town, straight after Christmas, to hit the sales and buy you something you don’t really need – not your fault you were born straight after Christmas and, after all, every girl always needs more earrings, notepads, belts, recipe books.  I can’t even remember what I bought you last year, as it was such an ‘ordinary’ thing – It didn’t feel momentous or unusual, just a sister, giving her little sister her annual birthday gift. How would I have ever guessed it would be the last one I would buy for you? I’m not sure how to cope this week as, instead of eating cake together, we scatter your ashes.  I’m not sure how you continue with normal life, go to work, talk with friends, in a week like this.  I am trying to distract myself with memories filled with you, to remind myself that I will always have these, even if I no longer have you.  So here are my favourite pictures, sifted from the many
4 comments
Read more

Facing Hard Things

All of us, at some point in life, will face hard things.   And by hard, I mean life-sapping, crushing, painful-beyond-imagining, hard things.   At times like these, we can look around at others, feeling bitter and angry that life’s cruel lottery has dealt us this hand and others, one that makes much better reading on Facebook.   I faced a hard thing, when my daughter, Grace, was still born at 25 weeks of pregnancy.   The road I’ve walked since has been one of doubt, hesitancy, small steps, more questions, moving forward, moving backwards, moving forward again and getting to a place of fragile healing. I was not naïve enough to think this would be my lifetime supply of ‘hard things’ and sure enough, more have come knocking – pounding down the door, in fact – in recent weeks.   None of the ‘hard things’ are yet my story to tell; they are bound up and interwoven with the lives of others, whose confidence I will not break.   It will suffice to say they are hard, life-stripping, a
11 comments
Read more

Remembering Grace Again

Remembering Grace Again Grace's 'birthday' comes around so quickly. Although it's now seven years ago, the unfolding narrative of that week still plays through my mind when the anniversary comes around. Each year is different and this year I feel further forward, more healed and whole than before. Rather than being on a roller coaster of emotion as it plays out, it feels more like watching an old cine film - a bit more distanced, with the volume turned down. Still there, still sad to watch but less painful, less debilitating. Professional support in moving forward (EMDR - a recognised and highly successful approach to dealing with trauma) has played a huge part in that and I would recommend it for anyone struggling with difficult, traumatic memories. The journey and ups and downs of this year are too much and too personal to write about in detail here, but I am always happy to talk further with anyone who wants to know more. Facing and dealing with traum
5 comments
Read more