Tuesday 31 March 2020

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:



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:

Monday 30 March 2020

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:

Sunday 29 March 2020

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:

Saturday 28 March 2020

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:

Friday 27 March 2020

Gardening and cooking - Day 8

We are now into the second week of isolation and still surviving! I once again kick started my day with a Joe Wicks live workout (how will we survive without him over the weekend...) which gets you feeling energised. Then I had another successful video tutoring session over zoom. I really think I will be using it when life gets back to "normal".

Today I chose to dress as Professor Sprout, can't think why a neighbour asked if the stress was getting to me:


The Herbology professor seemed a good choice as I decided to tackle the front garden to give it a much needed first mow and a little weeding/trimming session:

Thursday 26 March 2020

Fairy Stuff - Day 7

It almost feels like we are living in a bubble having not been out for a week. Things in the outside world have turned upside down but we are mostly shielded as we haven't been out. I can't do much to help except by trying to keep everyones's spirits up and give ideas for how to keep sane whilst staying home to stay safe.

I kick started my day with Joe Wicks to help keep fit. It turned out to be extra mood lifting as not only did he accidentally punch himself in the jaw but his daughter toddled in and helped him with the cool down:


All of these sunny days have meant that a rare phenomenon has occurred and the bottom of my laundry basket has made an appearance:


Today's outfit turned me into a fairy:

Reasons to be Cheerful: Return of linky #R2BC

R2BC at Mummy from the Heart 

I don't think we have ever needed to feel more positive than we do right now. However it can be hard with all that's going on. So I have decided to dig out the Reasons to be Cheerful linky and get it back up and running, on its original Thursday. The linky was started by the lovely Michelle many years ago and many of us have found it helped us through tough times. Therefore I am hoping people will join back 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

1) Feeling Loved

Being stuck at home can be lonely but so many of my friends and family are checking in on me and looking after me. It makes me realise that I am not alone even when I can't get out. It's the little extra things like chocolates included in my shopping too!


The online worldwide community is fabulous too with the rainbows spreading around the globe.

2) Making others smile

I've been dressing up in something from my dressing up box every day. It's helping to make other people smile so its a good thing all round:



3) Time

I've been short on time recently due to work commitments and all our activities. Now we don't have any where to go we have so much of it! My son has been baking:

Wednesday 25 March 2020

Medieval mayhem - Day 6

It was another glorious sunny day up here so my choice of medieval attire turned out to be a trifle warm today:


I had a pretty busy day of real work as I was tutoring 3 of my regular students. We are all getting the hang of this video conferencing stuff. It's a steep learning curve but its making such a difference to my ability to still earn a little money, despite being confined to the house.

My son decided I had worked hard enough and said I had to come out in the garden for some fresh air:


He had even gone off and made me some peanut butter cookies:

Tuesday 24 March 2020

Cooking up some magic - Day 5

The realities of the new rules haven't really hit our home as we can't leave any way. We are settling into our isolation routines and I started off with my Joe Wicks live workout:


Then it was time to don today's silly outfit before hanging out the washing:


I was interviewed by CFR Radio about the rainbow on my window. They used some of it on their news bulletin which I heard this evening. It's great to know that the rainbows are spreading around the world.

My son was more enthusiastic about doing his maths work than his other subjects! He did ask to do some cooking which counted towards his food tech. He rustled up some cheesy crackers:

Monday 23 March 2020

Into the unknown - Day4

I am writing this just after Boris Johnson announced that the UK is now in lockdown. We are heading even more into the unknown as we battle against this pandemic. I will keep on trying to post positive posts and doing my silly things to try and raise smiles whilst we are stuck indoors! 

So today I joined in with over 1 million people around the world with a Joe Wicks PE workout:


That set me up for the day! As the sun was shining I could also get another lot of washing on the line, today I hung it out whilst dressed as a pirate:


I had been worried about how I was going to top up my electricity meter as it needs to physically be taken to a shop! My lovely neighbour agreed to take it for me and we used sensible precautions to get the card exchanged. It was then time to check out the bread I had baked last night:

Sunday 22 March 2020

Mother's Day - Day 3

Like many people for whom today was Mother's Day it was incredibly surreal. With social isolation and distancing I wasn't able to give my mum her card even though she only lives 1 mile from our house:


To cheer me up I joined the global trend of putting a rainbow in your window as a symbol of hope. There is also a virtual Easter egg hunt. Just hope the paint comes off as easily as folks say: 


In order to raise a few smiles I spent the entire day dressed as an elf! It did make folks laugh on the video chats I had... Of course going out for a Mother's Day lunch was off the cards. I made myself a ploughman's and sat out on the lawn for a picnic. My son also tried to teach me how to play Magic the Gathering:

Saturday 21 March 2020

Running in circles - Day 2

So it was our second full day of being isolated at home. I am trying to make sure we don't get stuck in a rut - even if it is just 48 hours in! I obviously can't get out for a run and haven't got a treadmill so I decided to recreate a parkrun as gardenrun. Here is my first timers' briefing:



I have to say that 155 laps was mentally tough and I couldn't get up much speed either! It did make me feel better though (and entertained my neighbour!):


Yesterday my son seemed to be non-stop eating so after my run I cooked us both bacon and scrambled eggs which kept him going for longer. Then I had another virtual coffee morning with friends.

Friday 20 March 2020

Thoughts on isolation - Day 1


As of last night my son and I are in quarantine as his coughing is flagged as potential coronavirus. I am trying to make the best of a bad situation and fill my time by re-activating this neglected blog! We have at least 14 days at home so I will try to do more regular posts...

Yesterday when I realised that we have suspected corona I was scared and angry.

Scared that we may have shared a virus that is dangerous to those less healthy than ourselves whilst being told to keep going to school.

Angry because we hadn’t been able to get a normal food shop in because of people panicking.

Today I’m feeling loved and blessed. I was advised how to get hold of our missing fruit and veg by ordering a delivery from Parsons, so now we won't get scurvy. The man delivering it had even lived in our house years ago!:


Another friend was going out to the Lakeland Farm Visitors Centre farm shop and got us enough meat for a week: