TikTok time for reasons to be Cheerful #R2BC

 
Welcome back to reasons to be cheerful. I am loving reading about all the things you have been doing to keep smiling in these testing times. Maybe someone else's ideas have inspired you? So please do join in!
What do you have to do? Simple:

1. Link up a post about something that is making you happy or grateful. It can be a list, photos or any way you fancy

2. Add the #R2BC badge (at the end of this post) onto your post or blog so that people can easily find the linky and join in too if they want to

3. Share the love. This is the really important bit. Please don't just link and run, comment on at least a couple of posts and why not share with #R2BC too?

I'll stop by all linked up posts to comment and I'll share on social media too. Meanwhile here are my reasons to be cheerful for this week:

1) TikTok

Regular followers will have spotted I am now on TikTok! I am having so much fun trying to workout how to create a variety of videos. My daily doses of silliness seem to be making lots of other people smile too:

So many plans for more ways of making a fool of myself on the Internet!

2) Out, out


After 2 weeks of quarantine I was allowed out again on Friday. This means that I can now look after all my self isolating relatives by doing their shopping and having the excitement of the new queuing systems (and yes I am going out dressed up!):

3) Feeling loved

I have had some lovely compliments on social media this week. It's quite daunting to post pictures and videos when you don't look like a cat walk model! However, I apparently have a lovely smile:

Feeding the ducks - Day 14

The daily Joe Wicks' session had an added dose of cuteness when his little girl once again joined in the cool down:

My outfit of the day made use of my ex husband's old re-enactment padded jack and helmet:

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I decided to join in with the duck feeding by taking care of our own flock of ducks:

Keep on Smiling #R2BC

 
Thank you so much to everyone who joined in with the relaunched linky last week. It was great to read posts from old friends and new. I hope folks managed to visit everyone else that linked up? Let's keep it up and help to raise some more smiles this week.
What do you have to do? Simple:

1. Link up a post about something that is making you happy or grateful. It can be a list, photos or any way you fancy

2. Add the #R2BC badge (at the end of this post) onto your post or blog so that people can easily find the linky and join in too if they want to

3. Share the love. This is the really important bit. Please don't just link and run, comment on at least a couple of posts and why not share with #R2BC too?

I'll stop by all linked up posts to comment and I'll share on social media too

1) Dressing up

I have been carrying on with the dressing up. Some outfits are definitely more practical than others! Here is a selection from the week:

Any ideas for things I can do with what I have at home are welcome!

2) Uplifting online community

We are so lucky to be on lockdown in a digital world. So many people putting things online to help others. I have been taking part in the Joe Wicks PE workout on each week day. Having a boost of endorphins to start my day really helps:

There are so many other groups and free classes that its possible to be busy all day!

3) Cooking

I am really enjoying all the home cooking and making the best of all the fresh ingredients I have been able to get delivered. 

Cooking with mother - Day 13

It was once again a Joe Wicks start to the day and I live streamed my workout - one way of encouraging myself to get back in to better shape! Then I had decided to go for something simple in the fancy dress and chose Rosie the Riveter from the US WW2 posters:

If anyone has any sensible suggestions for costumes then please comment! I have no idea how long I can keep this up....

After a maths tutoring session I had a lovely virtual tea break chatting to a friend in Lancashire. I am finding that I am speaking to so many different people whilst alone at home!

This afternoon I decided to use up some of the slightly stale bread to make another bread pudding. As my son won't eat dried fruit I decided to make a chocolate one instead. I modified the Delia Smith recipe to make up my own:

• 110 g (4 oz) bread with crusts cut off
• 135 ml (5 fl oz) of milk
• 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• 25 g (1 oz) of melted butter
• 35 g (1.5 oz) soft brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons nutmeg/cinnamon or mixed spice
• 1 medium egg beaten
• 100 g (3.5 oz) chocolate chips

1. Break the bread into suitable size pieces and put in a bowl.
2. Put the cocoa powder in a bowl and add a bit of the milk and mix to a paste.
3. Slowly add the rest of the milk and stir until mixed.
4. Pour over the bread, mix and leave it to soak in for about 30 minutes. [rest of recipe further down!]

I didn't want to waste the crusts I googled how to make croutons in the air fryer whilst waiting for the mixture to absorb. At this point my daughter FaceTimed me and decided she wanted to make some too. So I talked her through it whilst I was cooking:

Home cooking - Day 12

Well this morning I once again joined in with Joe Wicks and he had permission from George Ezra and Dua Lipa to use their music. It meant that not only did we have silly moves but a chance to boogie as well:

View this post on Instagram

Today’s @thebodycoach workout I’m a rabbit/kangaroo #isolation #quarantine #stayhome #pewithjoe

A post shared by Becky Willoughby (@lakessinglemum) on Mar 31, 2020 at 1:49am PDT

For my costume today I decided to try and do something a bit different. So here I am as Frida Kahlo complete with a monobrow:

It turns out that I was very lucky to get an order in with Parsons for a home delivery of essentials as today was the last time they were doing it. Lots of fresh produce for the week ahead:

We're going on a bear hunt - Day 11

After yesterday's exertions I surprised myself by mostly managing the Joe Wick's live workout:

It then took me quite a while to decide what I should dress up as today... Decided on something comfy and practical so went for a Mallory Towers inspired school girl look:

After I'd done some chores and my son had done some school work I turned our last (rather ripe) banana into pancakes for a lunchtime pudding:

Climbing Scafell Pike - Day 10

Today's fun and games started in the early hours as I had been in a zoom party that included looking at the Pylon of the month. Did you know there is a pylon appreciation society?

Not surprisingly I had a lovely, long lie in this morning and then chilled watching Mary Poppins Returns!

This afternoon I took up the challenge of ascending the equivalent of Scafell Pike on my stairs. It was a major workout! I was glad of a soup break at the half way point:

I am also trying to grow carrots from the tops of the ones we have eaten. No idea how successful this will be:

Gardenrun and air frying - Day 9

It's hard to maintain normality when the world isn't normal but it's Saturday which means parkrun - though obviously we can't do one of those. So instead I did another gardenrun this time assisted by Jason Momoa:

Here is my full run report:

Today's outfit was lady in need of a hairdresser after 12 weeks of isolation:

It did turn out that I had it on back to front: