On Friday, as the kids finished up their school work, I was surprised to still have “that Friday feeling” despite not having any weekend plans or being able to go anywhere. I want to keep distinguishing weekends from weekdays both so we’re prepared to return to the real world and it helps to count the weeks go by, rather than letting all days run into one. So what did we get up to during our second weekend in self-isolation (to shield Danny)?
Friday Night Quiz Night
On Friday night, I made lasagne as it’s one of Danny’s favourite meals. Thankfully we had lasagne sheets already in the cupboard as they’re hard to get hold of at the moment. Dave dropped some supplies off and had popped in a bottle of wine, which was a lovely weekend treat. Ceri told us about a “Friends Virtual Quiz” so we tried to take part in that for fun. There were a few hiccups, the quiz was taken off Youtube a few times for copyright reasons (due to the Friends logo), but it was fun. We didn’t do very well, I used to watch Friends and enjoy it but have never been an avid fan collecting Friends trivia and that certainly reflected in our scores! But it passed the time for a few hours and has raised nearly £100,000 for the NHS.
Once the kids were settled in bed, I sat on the settee to do some light work (responding to emails and sending invoices etc I can’t do “proper” work unless I’m at the desk) with Sid keeping me company. In the day, he’s one of the kids, running around with them and taking part in all their adventures, but come the evening he’s my grown-up companion, bless him.
Dave had also bought weekend treats for the kids- Kinder Easter Eggs (and a vegan Easter Egg for Bex, with some LEGO). Caitlyn then put some dog treats in the empty egg and watched with glee as Sid chased it around and opened it with his paw (I was impressed by this as I notoriously find plastic eggs hard to open- I know who to ask next time!). He was supervised the whole time, I wouldn’t give him something like that to play with if we were out (but we’re not going anyway for a while, so…).
Saturday Campfires and Camping
On Saturday, I told Danny that we would have a fire and camp in the garden (more of his favourite things). After a week of school work, it was lovely to sit outside with the kids with no distractions bar the fire.
That evening, we remembered it was Earth Hour. We take part every year (and even won some unexpected prizes one year!) so decided to again especially as we had the fire pit lit. House lights were off as we were outdoors, so we switched off the torch and enjoyed the light of the fire, moon and stars. The stars looked so beautiful and it was very peaceful.
We watched the embers die down, they also looked beautiful and we spotted a heart shape within. Izzy said the stars, the embers and my eyes are all beautiful to look at, bless her. That reminds me, my eyes are better! In the weeks leading up to isolation, I was worn down and kept getting eye infections. My eyes were so sore and I could barely open them. Since I’ve had no choice but to “rest”, my body has had time to recover. It’s so lovely having pain free eyes, being able to open them and see everything properly again!
The kids were snug as a bug in the tent. As I mentioned in previous posts, they’ve been finding it hard to sleep recently, but they managed to get to sleep a lot earlier in the tent due to the natural darkness, the cold (they were warm in the sleeping bags and covers) and the sounds of nature.
Once the kids were settled I ran a bath and reread a few chapters of my neglected book to get back into it again. Then I read a couple of new chapters. I may not be reading as much as I did “before Corona” but if I can just read a chapter a day, that will be five minutes of peace each day. When I used to drop the kids off here, there and everywhere, there was always time to sneak in a chapter to two while I waited to pick them up.
Lazing on a Sunny Sunday Afternoon
On Sunday, Dave bought us supplies and had a cuppa while he was there (from a distance, of course). It was nice just to sit together (apart!) in the sun, drinking coffee, chatting and sharing silence. So near, yet so far away.
I had told the kids that they could only stay in the tent on Friday and Saturday evenings, but the girls begged me to let them stay again Sunday night and I gave in, so they did. As I said earlier, I have to keep them calm and happy and shielded from the unhappiness in the world as best as I can. I made them promise to get up early to get dressed and have breakfast for (home) school. Well, they failed and overslept but it just means they’ll start work later, we can deal with that.
Aww, my handsome boy. He’s missing Holly and his friends and family so much, so the moments when he’s truly happy are to be treasured.
I’m still going to bed late, but instead of crying, worrying or feeling lost during this time I’m watching old movies to take my mind off everything. I’ve watched so many old movies recently, I dread to count up how much time I’ve “wasted” but they do keep me calmer, which in turn helps me to keep the kids’ calmer, so if that’s my vice I’m not too worried!
Here’s a list of some films I’ve rewatched recently, both old and new:
Easter Parade, 1948, Judy Garland and Fred Astaire (also featuring Peter Lawford who starred as Laurie in Little Women, 1949)
Judy, 2019, Renée Zellweger
The Harvey Girls, 1946, Judy Garland and Angela Lansbury
Georgy Girl, 1966, Lynn Redgrave, Charlotte Rampling, James Mason and Alan Bates
The Glenn Miller Story, 1954, James Stewart and June Allyson (my beloved Jo from Little Women, 1949, I want to watch “Good News” with June Allyson and Peter Lawson both in it! I would say reunited but Goof News was released before Little Women)
Bye, Bye Birdie, 1963, Dick Van Dyke, Janet Leigh (also from Little Women, 1949 and of course Psycho) and Ann-Margret
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, 1991, Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Christian Slater, Alan Rickman
Interview with the Vampire, 1995, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Christian Slater, Kirsten Dunst
The Hustle, 2019, Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson
Rain Man, 1988, Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise
That’s all I can think of for now, but I feel like I’ve watched more! I have a long list to get through too. I definitely want to watch as many Judy Garland, Doris Day, Fred Astaire, Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn films as I can. We will eventually rewatch all the old musicals, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers etc but I already watch them quite frequently so trying to share new (to them) films with the kids. Ceri also shared a list of all the Marvel films in order to rewatch too so that will be fun.
I did consider going out for a walk with the kids this weekend. Then this morning the letter arrived about shielding Danny and I’m glad we didn’t. He has to stay in the house and garden at all times. If the girls and I were to go out for a daily walk then we’d have to stay in a different room to him and always keep a distance away. I’d prefer to sacrifice our walks and be able to stay closer to Danny, which keeps life a bit more normal for him too.
I’ve actually felt happy quite a few times this weekend. I really switched myself off from life outside the house. I even missed the update on Saturday! But then, of course, the guilt comes and I feel bad that NHS Staff and other key workers are out there fighting this while I’m indoors happily watching an old film. I think it’s just the human spirit and it continues even during hard times. So many lives have been lost already and many more to come. I said to Dave a few weeks ago, it’s gradually going to get closer and closer to us. So far no one we know well has succumbed to COVID 19 but friends of friends and family of friends have. Sending love to all those who have lost loved one already.
The first frontline NHS doctor, Dr El-Hawrani, sadly died of Coronavirus at the weekend. Sending love to his family, friends and colleagues. Extra measures are now being taken to keep our NHS staff safe.
I hope you all managed to have a nice as a weekend can be too, especially those of you on your own. We are missing Dave and our family lots.
Stay safe and well everyone! Stay home if you can! xxx
