Today, I thought I'd write a post about how taking a step back from work and doing certain other things has had a positive effect on me mentally. For one thing, I feel much more rested and relaxed and in addition, I have felt less compelled to spend money. Life has definitely simplified in the last few weeks. Lots of dog walks, looking after what we have and appreciating it.
It's interesting how living though this kind of crisis can make you reassess your priorities. I've been spending way too much money in the last six of months, on inessential thrifted clothes and other such stuff and the current situation seems to have curbed this behaviour. I don't feel inclined to spend money on anything at the moment, other than real necessities. I think I needed the wake up call.
I've been reading a lot over the past few weeks, and one book was the very interesting Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. I've had it sat on my book shelf for a long time, but whilst I was eating meat, I couldn't bring myself to read it, for fear it would upset me. I didn't feel ready to change. Since we've stopped eating meat, I've been able to pick it up and read it. I was right, it is very upsetting and it makes me more determined to carry on not eating meat. I've got another book on the subject waiting to be read called the Omnivore's Dilemna, which is mentioned quite a lot in Foer's book. I'll probably be reading that soon too. Currently, however, we're not finding the change in our eating habits too challenging, but I do need to get more experimental in the kitchen. That's for sure.
I hope you are all coping with the current lockdown situation and having to curb some personal pleasures for the sake of individual and community safety. I'm sure it will be worth it to ease the load that our first responders are facing at the moment. It is in times like this that you really appreciate what they do for our country. They must already be exhausted.
In addition, those working in supermarkets and food distribution are also so very important at the moment and it makes you appreciate what we normally take for granted on a daily basis. They must see the very worst of human nature in some situations. I've heard stories of people being robbed of their shopping having just left the supermarket, old people being tricked out of money to buy groceries and people even raiding the food bank baskets at supermarkets.
In contrast, there are also very heart warming stories of people giving away free food and accommodation to first responders and vulnerable people, which is more reassuring. We are currently considering ways we might be able to help others, even if it just involves donating to local food banks who are desperately short of food. Our street What's app group is keeping us in touch with what help is needed and by whom, not just in our street, but also in our wider local community. There may be opportunities that we can take through that.
Any surplus food we grow at the allotment, I'm particularly thinking of the rhubarb, which we don't use at all, can be left outside the gate of the allotment for people to take. It's already growing like crazy. We were going to dig it up, but it is so productive that it might be best to keep it and donate it to others in need of fresh food. I may also have a declutter and see if there are items I can put outside the house for people to take, that might be useful to them over the next few months.
There are probably plenty of ways we can help others if we put our minds to it. There is a lot of poverty even on our own doorstep and lots of people probably haven't had the money to prepare for what is happening now. Are there any ways that you are helping those in your community to get by in this difficult time?
Wednesday, 25 March 2020
Sunday, 22 March 2020
Getting Used to a New Way of Life
It's been a strange old week and to be perfectly honest, I've been so concerned with the news that I haven't really done much that was productive. I've caught up on washing and ironing, but that's about it.
It was faintly reassuring to watch Monty Don on Gardener's World on Friday night. Some things do stay the same in a time of great change and flux. On the subject of gardening, OH has now dug over the allotment and will soon be sowing shallots, seed potatoes, and various other seeds. We figure that the quicker we get them in, the quicker we will be able to eat our home grown food and be less reliant on the supermarkets and the madness going on there at the moment.
I really feel for the emergency responders who are finding the shelves empty when they go to shop. It's heart breaking, as they work so hard and we are all so reliant on their skills and expertise at a time like this. I really hope things calm down in this direction soon. I'm completely avoiding the supermarkets at the moment and we're buying the fresh bits we need from local shops.
After watching Monty on Friday evening, I decided that it was time to get my act together and do more. I immediately went up into my sewing room and started to get a bit more organised, mainly so that I can get sewing some tote bags for the shop. I pulled out lots of fabrics that I'm happy to use for this purpose and some webbing for handles. I figure I can make about 20 to 40 bags while I'm off work, that we can probably charge a pound or two for in the shop when we reopen. It's not much, but at least I feel like I'm contributing something while the shop is closed.
A colleague and I may decide to drive into London to the shop in the next few weeks and do some online listing to try to earn money for our charity. This lock down is devastating for the organisation and anything we can do to bring in revenue will help. Obviously, we are not going to take any risks and we might be able to do it all from home, which would be better, but we would need to gather some stock from the shop in order for us to do it, if we get permission from the powers that be, that is. Of course, the lockdown may get stricter and this might not be possible, we'll just have to see how things progress.
On Saturday, we finally put the Xmas decorations back in the loft. They'd been hanging around on the bed in my sewing room for months, so it was good to finally get them out of the way. The space was quickly filled with other things, but at least the floor is now clear to access the room and I intend to start sewing in there very soon.
My gym closed on Friday night, so no more classes, even though I wasn't intending to attend anymore anyway. I really do need to start thinking about exercising though at some point, or I will put on weight spending all this time at home.
I finally got out into the garden on Sunday. It was such a lovely day, if a bit cold.I swept up the decking, which was a bit mossy, and we put up a new mini greenhouse that I bought from our Charity Shop a few months ago. It wasn't perfect and had some writing on the plastic cover at the back, but you can't see it too well, and it was very cheap so I can't really complain. It's so good to have outside space to potter about in. It must be so frustrating for people living in London who don't have such a luxury. We are very fortunate indeed.
Swing Patrol, the company who run the dance classes that I attended, have already got their act together and are creating online courses for people to do whilst at home. Unfortunately, I probably won't be subscribing, as work is quickly drying up for OH whilst people concentrate on just getting through the next few months. As a consequence, I have to be very careful with money and can't justify spending it on things that aren't absolute necessities. I admire their spirit of enterprise though and I'm sure they'll be a lifeline to lots of dancers out there.
Thank you for all of your lovely comments recently on my posts. I really appreciate them. We will get through this. We just have to stick together, listen to and abide by the government's advice and think about others and not just ourselves, whilst helping others where we can.
One of our neighbours did a very nice thing this week. A potter, she offered clay to everyone down the street to occupy them during our time at home. This offer was quickly taken up by many parents with children and was much appreciated. She also offered to fire the resulting work for everyone, which was very generous of her.
I have also noticed that there is a group of local residents offering to help people who are self isolating in our community. I think I saw one of them delivering some much needed items to a house down the road, whilst I was out walking the dog. The people receiving the help were very grateful for it. It was good to see people being so selfless and helping others in need, without wanting anything in return. That really is the kind of spirit we need to foster to get us through this difficult time.
I'm sure as we settle down into routines, it won't seem so bad and we'll start to get creative and find ways to tolerate the isolation. I've already signed up to a Facebook page set up to connect people facing lockdown. It's based in Australia, but it's interesting to see what gets posted on the site. Some of it is amusing, like the little boy who's decide to call the virus by the name Cod Fish and the Aussie slang that people have created to describe the virus (Rona), hand sanitiser (hanny), self isolation (iso) and panic buyers (magpies). It's interesting that the same themes occur even on the other side of the world.
Talking of which, I was very relieved for my friend this week whose daughter has been over in Indonesia for some months now and managed to get a flight back to Europe this week. With so many people stranded, it was a relief that she made it back before travel restrictions become more widespread.
I also received an email from my sister in Brisbane this weekend. It was good to hear from her. I think they are a few weeks behind us here, and from a picture I saw of a crowded Bondi Beach in Sydney, they must be. I warned her that it is fast getting worse here and to expect it where she is.
Anyway, that's enough talk of depressing events, I promised I would steer clear of the subject. I hope you are all keeping busy and finding things to occupy you. I know this Sunday has probably been difficult for many who can't be together for Mother's day. I hope you all still managed to spend time communicating in other ways instead.
Take care, stay safe and if you've got any good ideas for keeping occupied, let me know.
It was faintly reassuring to watch Monty Don on Gardener's World on Friday night. Some things do stay the same in a time of great change and flux. On the subject of gardening, OH has now dug over the allotment and will soon be sowing shallots, seed potatoes, and various other seeds. We figure that the quicker we get them in, the quicker we will be able to eat our home grown food and be less reliant on the supermarkets and the madness going on there at the moment.
I really feel for the emergency responders who are finding the shelves empty when they go to shop. It's heart breaking, as they work so hard and we are all so reliant on their skills and expertise at a time like this. I really hope things calm down in this direction soon. I'm completely avoiding the supermarkets at the moment and we're buying the fresh bits we need from local shops.
After watching Monty on Friday evening, I decided that it was time to get my act together and do more. I immediately went up into my sewing room and started to get a bit more organised, mainly so that I can get sewing some tote bags for the shop. I pulled out lots of fabrics that I'm happy to use for this purpose and some webbing for handles. I figure I can make about 20 to 40 bags while I'm off work, that we can probably charge a pound or two for in the shop when we reopen. It's not much, but at least I feel like I'm contributing something while the shop is closed.
A colleague and I may decide to drive into London to the shop in the next few weeks and do some online listing to try to earn money for our charity. This lock down is devastating for the organisation and anything we can do to bring in revenue will help. Obviously, we are not going to take any risks and we might be able to do it all from home, which would be better, but we would need to gather some stock from the shop in order for us to do it, if we get permission from the powers that be, that is. Of course, the lockdown may get stricter and this might not be possible, we'll just have to see how things progress.
On Saturday, we finally put the Xmas decorations back in the loft. They'd been hanging around on the bed in my sewing room for months, so it was good to finally get them out of the way. The space was quickly filled with other things, but at least the floor is now clear to access the room and I intend to start sewing in there very soon.
My gym closed on Friday night, so no more classes, even though I wasn't intending to attend anymore anyway. I really do need to start thinking about exercising though at some point, or I will put on weight spending all this time at home.
I finally got out into the garden on Sunday. It was such a lovely day, if a bit cold.I swept up the decking, which was a bit mossy, and we put up a new mini greenhouse that I bought from our Charity Shop a few months ago. It wasn't perfect and had some writing on the plastic cover at the back, but you can't see it too well, and it was very cheap so I can't really complain. It's so good to have outside space to potter about in. It must be so frustrating for people living in London who don't have such a luxury. We are very fortunate indeed.
Swing Patrol, the company who run the dance classes that I attended, have already got their act together and are creating online courses for people to do whilst at home. Unfortunately, I probably won't be subscribing, as work is quickly drying up for OH whilst people concentrate on just getting through the next few months. As a consequence, I have to be very careful with money and can't justify spending it on things that aren't absolute necessities. I admire their spirit of enterprise though and I'm sure they'll be a lifeline to lots of dancers out there.
Thank you for all of your lovely comments recently on my posts. I really appreciate them. We will get through this. We just have to stick together, listen to and abide by the government's advice and think about others and not just ourselves, whilst helping others where we can.
One of our neighbours did a very nice thing this week. A potter, she offered clay to everyone down the street to occupy them during our time at home. This offer was quickly taken up by many parents with children and was much appreciated. She also offered to fire the resulting work for everyone, which was very generous of her.
I have also noticed that there is a group of local residents offering to help people who are self isolating in our community. I think I saw one of them delivering some much needed items to a house down the road, whilst I was out walking the dog. The people receiving the help were very grateful for it. It was good to see people being so selfless and helping others in need, without wanting anything in return. That really is the kind of spirit we need to foster to get us through this difficult time.
I'm sure as we settle down into routines, it won't seem so bad and we'll start to get creative and find ways to tolerate the isolation. I've already signed up to a Facebook page set up to connect people facing lockdown. It's based in Australia, but it's interesting to see what gets posted on the site. Some of it is amusing, like the little boy who's decide to call the virus by the name Cod Fish and the Aussie slang that people have created to describe the virus (Rona), hand sanitiser (hanny), self isolation (iso) and panic buyers (magpies). It's interesting that the same themes occur even on the other side of the world.
Talking of which, I was very relieved for my friend this week whose daughter has been over in Indonesia for some months now and managed to get a flight back to Europe this week. With so many people stranded, it was a relief that she made it back before travel restrictions become more widespread.
I also received an email from my sister in Brisbane this weekend. It was good to hear from her. I think they are a few weeks behind us here, and from a picture I saw of a crowded Bondi Beach in Sydney, they must be. I warned her that it is fast getting worse here and to expect it where she is.
Anyway, that's enough talk of depressing events, I promised I would steer clear of the subject. I hope you are all keeping busy and finding things to occupy you. I know this Sunday has probably been difficult for many who can't be together for Mother's day. I hope you all still managed to spend time communicating in other ways instead.
Take care, stay safe and if you've got any good ideas for keeping occupied, let me know.
Thursday, 19 March 2020
All Locked Down
Apologies for not posting lately, but with everything that's been happening in London with regard to you know what, it's been a little stressful and I haven't really wanted to post and cause any anxiety to anyone.
As of yesterday, our charity shop finally closed, which was a really big relief. I was due back to work today and would have had to commute into Central London at a time when the virus is rife here. I was so relieved when my Manager told me, as you can imagine.
Everyone else in the household is staying home. LB is doing lessons over the internet, OH works from home, of course, it was just me that might have to head out of the house.
The last two weeks have been incredibly strange. Dancing classes closed quite early and refunds were issued, which I have to say was a good move on behalf of the company who run them. They are now producing short videos on Facebook to keep us dancing at home, which is good. OH's cycling activities have also ended, so we have little reason to go out, save for topping up on fresh food weekly, walking the dog or going around the corner to the allotment plot to get some fresh air. I consider us lucky to have that option, as most people don't and must feel like caged animals.
Now I know that I'm not going to work, I can start to get into some sort of routine. Already my routine has changed, as OH seems to do the morning dog walk and I do the afternoon one, so mornings are more relaxed and I can fully catch up with news, blogs, etc. before getting dressed and ready for the day. Also I dress much more casually, knowing that I'm staying home. Tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt most days, which is appropriate for exercising at home too.
I'm intending to get into the routine of doing some exercise very soon, possible stretching, sit ups, planks, hand weight work on a daily basis, combined with occasional cycle rides around the marshes where we live, which is a wide open space. I've noticed a lot of people without dogs getting out for a walk on there in recent days, probably to blow away the cobwebs I imagine.
I think that London will start to empty more now with the announcement that schools are closing tomorrow. I think some families will head out to stay with relatives outside of London, or go to second homes, as they do during the Easter holidays and Christmas. I might be wrong, many may stay put because of the virus and risk to vulnerable parents.
Our street has started a What's App group to help out those who might be self isolating, by dropping off much needed groceries. There was already one family who were self isolating due to someone in the household being quite unwell and the others having to self isolate, so much needed help was given to them. It's nice to live on a street where there is a sense of community like that.
With regard to shopping, the supermarkets are a bit mad and have been for the last few weeks. It doesn't surprise me, hence why I made sure to get ahead of the curve and do some shopping very early almost a month ago now. It's worked though, as although I've been going to get fresh groceries on a weekly basis, it hasn't bothered me that some items just can't be found on the shelves, as I have some at home already.
I was watching a video this morning of the push and shove to get into a supermarket in North West London this morning at 6am, where people were screaming with the fear of being trampled in the crush to get in. A stark contrast to another video of people queueing one or two meters apart in another similar video from another part of the world.
Even our local small supermarket has been extremely busy lately. I had to go in to get a few items I couldn't find in the big supermarkets, i.e. toilet rolls and managed to get a pack from them which was good. I may just shop locally from now on for fruit and veg, bread and milk etc. as going into busy supermarkets doesn't really appeal too much.
I'm hoping that we can use the time at home productively. OH has talked about doing some decorating (if the DIY stores stay open), which would be great as our house desperately needs some work. I did a big clean whilst on annual leave, so I'm just keeping surfaces and floors clean at the moment and changing towels and bedding more frequently.
We might get out and get the garden up to scratch too, which is also overdue. A bit more pruning is needed and I've got some bulbs to plant if I can get hold of some compost. I've also got lots of books to read, a host of movies to watch, a jigsaw to do and then there's always sewing to get on with if I feel like it.
I actually did sew myself a face mask the other day, but haven't actually worn it outside of the house. I used a similar video to this for reference.
and put bits of LB's old brushed cotton baby blankets inside as a kind of filter. I don't know if this would work by the way, I'm no expert, but I figure that any layers over your mouth and nose might be more protective than nothing. I haven't worn it yet, but would consider using it for supermarket trips from now on and of course, it's completely washable and reusable. Here's a picture:
I'd recommend using thinner elastic at the sides though, as this wide stuff makes your ears stick out, which although a bit vain to say, can make you feel self conscious wearing it.
I've also made some hand sanitiser from rubbing alcohol that I managed to buy from our local chemist combined with aloe vera gel. It's not particularly thick and gel like, but it does the job if we are or have been out and about. I also managed to buy a motion sensor dispenser from Lidl for £5.99, so you don't even have to touch it to dispense the gel which is great.
The rubbing alcohol was pretty cheap - £3.50 for 500mls, which is reassuring that local pharmacies aren't ripping everyone off with inflated prices. There might not be any left now though, as I bought it last week. I just mixed a cup of alcohol (200mls?)with maybe 50-100 mls of gel. You can add essential oils too, but I didn't. I've heard it recommended that you use as pure aloe vera gel as possible. Mine was from Holland and Barrett.
For normal daily hand washing, I'm using plain old bar soap or hand wash. I read that the lipids in it is what breaks down the virus's ability to attach to your hands, which makes absolute sense.
We are not planning on going anywhere in the next 3-4 months. OH's parents are in the vulnerable category, so we are staying well away to avoid any risk to them. We'll keep in touch by telephone though. I'm not sure the enormity of the situation has reached some areas of the country in quite the same way, but just be prepared for when it does.
I'll try blogging a bit more over the next few weeks, but I'm going to try to stay away from the subject of the virus, as we get bombarded enough in the news and elsewhere. I'll stick to vintage fashion, gardening and other subjects if I do. This was just by way of a catch up to where I'm at at the moment. I hope I haven't caused anyone any alarm by posting it.
Stay safe and keep blogging, especially now as we get more isolated in our homes, it will help to pass the time and give a feeling of connectedness.
As of yesterday, our charity shop finally closed, which was a really big relief. I was due back to work today and would have had to commute into Central London at a time when the virus is rife here. I was so relieved when my Manager told me, as you can imagine.
Everyone else in the household is staying home. LB is doing lessons over the internet, OH works from home, of course, it was just me that might have to head out of the house.
The last two weeks have been incredibly strange. Dancing classes closed quite early and refunds were issued, which I have to say was a good move on behalf of the company who run them. They are now producing short videos on Facebook to keep us dancing at home, which is good. OH's cycling activities have also ended, so we have little reason to go out, save for topping up on fresh food weekly, walking the dog or going around the corner to the allotment plot to get some fresh air. I consider us lucky to have that option, as most people don't and must feel like caged animals.
Now I know that I'm not going to work, I can start to get into some sort of routine. Already my routine has changed, as OH seems to do the morning dog walk and I do the afternoon one, so mornings are more relaxed and I can fully catch up with news, blogs, etc. before getting dressed and ready for the day. Also I dress much more casually, knowing that I'm staying home. Tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt most days, which is appropriate for exercising at home too.
I'm intending to get into the routine of doing some exercise very soon, possible stretching, sit ups, planks, hand weight work on a daily basis, combined with occasional cycle rides around the marshes where we live, which is a wide open space. I've noticed a lot of people without dogs getting out for a walk on there in recent days, probably to blow away the cobwebs I imagine.
I think that London will start to empty more now with the announcement that schools are closing tomorrow. I think some families will head out to stay with relatives outside of London, or go to second homes, as they do during the Easter holidays and Christmas. I might be wrong, many may stay put because of the virus and risk to vulnerable parents.
Our street has started a What's App group to help out those who might be self isolating, by dropping off much needed groceries. There was already one family who were self isolating due to someone in the household being quite unwell and the others having to self isolate, so much needed help was given to them. It's nice to live on a street where there is a sense of community like that.
With regard to shopping, the supermarkets are a bit mad and have been for the last few weeks. It doesn't surprise me, hence why I made sure to get ahead of the curve and do some shopping very early almost a month ago now. It's worked though, as although I've been going to get fresh groceries on a weekly basis, it hasn't bothered me that some items just can't be found on the shelves, as I have some at home already.
I was watching a video this morning of the push and shove to get into a supermarket in North West London this morning at 6am, where people were screaming with the fear of being trampled in the crush to get in. A stark contrast to another video of people queueing one or two meters apart in another similar video from another part of the world.
Even our local small supermarket has been extremely busy lately. I had to go in to get a few items I couldn't find in the big supermarkets, i.e. toilet rolls and managed to get a pack from them which was good. I may just shop locally from now on for fruit and veg, bread and milk etc. as going into busy supermarkets doesn't really appeal too much.
I'm hoping that we can use the time at home productively. OH has talked about doing some decorating (if the DIY stores stay open), which would be great as our house desperately needs some work. I did a big clean whilst on annual leave, so I'm just keeping surfaces and floors clean at the moment and changing towels and bedding more frequently.
We might get out and get the garden up to scratch too, which is also overdue. A bit more pruning is needed and I've got some bulbs to plant if I can get hold of some compost. I've also got lots of books to read, a host of movies to watch, a jigsaw to do and then there's always sewing to get on with if I feel like it.
I actually did sew myself a face mask the other day, but haven't actually worn it outside of the house. I used a similar video to this for reference.
and put bits of LB's old brushed cotton baby blankets inside as a kind of filter. I don't know if this would work by the way, I'm no expert, but I figure that any layers over your mouth and nose might be more protective than nothing. I haven't worn it yet, but would consider using it for supermarket trips from now on and of course, it's completely washable and reusable. Here's a picture:
I'd recommend using thinner elastic at the sides though, as this wide stuff makes your ears stick out, which although a bit vain to say, can make you feel self conscious wearing it.
I've also made some hand sanitiser from rubbing alcohol that I managed to buy from our local chemist combined with aloe vera gel. It's not particularly thick and gel like, but it does the job if we are or have been out and about. I also managed to buy a motion sensor dispenser from Lidl for £5.99, so you don't even have to touch it to dispense the gel which is great.
The rubbing alcohol was pretty cheap - £3.50 for 500mls, which is reassuring that local pharmacies aren't ripping everyone off with inflated prices. There might not be any left now though, as I bought it last week. I just mixed a cup of alcohol (200mls?)with maybe 50-100 mls of gel. You can add essential oils too, but I didn't. I've heard it recommended that you use as pure aloe vera gel as possible. Mine was from Holland and Barrett.
For normal daily hand washing, I'm using plain old bar soap or hand wash. I read that the lipids in it is what breaks down the virus's ability to attach to your hands, which makes absolute sense.
We are not planning on going anywhere in the next 3-4 months. OH's parents are in the vulnerable category, so we are staying well away to avoid any risk to them. We'll keep in touch by telephone though. I'm not sure the enormity of the situation has reached some areas of the country in quite the same way, but just be prepared for when it does.
I'll try blogging a bit more over the next few weeks, but I'm going to try to stay away from the subject of the virus, as we get bombarded enough in the news and elsewhere. I'll stick to vintage fashion, gardening and other subjects if I do. This was just by way of a catch up to where I'm at at the moment. I hope I haven't caused anyone any alarm by posting it.
Stay safe and keep blogging, especially now as we get more isolated in our homes, it will help to pass the time and give a feeling of connectedness.
Thursday, 27 February 2020
Catch Up and Stock Up
My week off passed without incident. I felt a little lost if I'm honest and probably didn't make the most of it, but to just do nothing in particular was very relaxing and when I went back to work on Tuesday, I felt considerably detached from the place, which hasn't really happened in a long while, so I must have benefitted from being away.
Our few nights away in Rye were a lovely break. The weather was pretty awful, rain when we got there and pretty ferocious wind most of the time, but we managed visits to Hastings (picture above), Dungeness and Rye town itself (we were staying a few miles out of Rye), which I loved.
There were some lovely donkeys (one of them above) and ponies in the field outside our cottage, which the dog made friends with and we enjoyed feeding apples to. The cottage was lovely and very well equipped too.
LB and I did some obligatory thrift shopping whilst away and I bought a few good value bits, including a new handbag for £5;
which I'd been looking for on eBay for a while. I also managed to win an eBay auction whilst away, for some new ankle boots, tan this time, which I paid £16 for. I am very happy with these two items. I wore the boots last night for the first time to go to my Solo dance class and they were very comfortable and ok for dancing, although not as slippy as my black boots, which were in the shoe repairers for new heels again, after just 6 weeks. I'm hoping for better quality heels this time, as I've gone somewhere else for them.
When I returned to work on Tuesday, there was a lot to do. I did my best, but it didn't look like I'd done a lot by the time I left. I'm back in again all this weekend as the Manager is away and the other Deputy is on leave now. From Monday, I'm off again for two more weeks, to use up the last of my annual leave. I've decided that I'm going to use the time to blitz the house as it needs desperately needs it.
This afternoon, I'm going grocery shopping. With all the talk of coronavirus becoming a pandemic and self imposed quarantines, I'm making sure we have enough food should the need arise. We have virtually used up the Brexit stash I accumulated, as nothing seemed to change post Brexit. I now realise that it will take a year before existing trade agreements end, so there's plenty of time to prepare for that and I'm now concentrating on replenishing for more pressing reasons.
I know it probably sounds crazy to most people, but after the outbreak in Italy, who knows where it will strike next. The news is changing on a daily basis, with more cases coming to light. I just don't want to be caught out and unprepared. We've even bought some face masks this week and looking at recent sales on eBay, I know I'm not the only one doing so.
Needing to travel on public transport in London, where you do come in close contact with lots of people on a daily basis means the need to wear them may be a distinct possibility sooner than we all think. The price of some of them on eBay is quite ridiculous, so I haven't gone mad. If necessary, I may decide to make some from all the fabric in my stash and then just wash them as required and maybe insert disposable filters in them. I'm going to look for a YouTube video on the subject when I'm next on leave.
At work, I've started wearing vinyl gloves to sort donations, to get myself into the habit more than anything. It's quite shocking how dirty the gloves are after just a few hours of handling donations. I might even make it a regular practice.
I'm not trying to scare monger in writing this post and I apologise if anyone finds what I've written disturbing, but I do feel it's better to be prepared for any eventuality than not be. We have a responsibility to ourselves and others to take appropriate precautions, exercise regular hand washing and demonstrate appropriate etiquette should any symptoms become apparent.
Are you trying to or intending to take any precautions in the current climate of concern about the virus?
Our few nights away in Rye were a lovely break. The weather was pretty awful, rain when we got there and pretty ferocious wind most of the time, but we managed visits to Hastings (picture above), Dungeness and Rye town itself (we were staying a few miles out of Rye), which I loved.
LB and I did some obligatory thrift shopping whilst away and I bought a few good value bits, including a new handbag for £5;
which I'd been looking for on eBay for a while. I also managed to win an eBay auction whilst away, for some new ankle boots, tan this time, which I paid £16 for. I am very happy with these two items. I wore the boots last night for the first time to go to my Solo dance class and they were very comfortable and ok for dancing, although not as slippy as my black boots, which were in the shoe repairers for new heels again, after just 6 weeks. I'm hoping for better quality heels this time, as I've gone somewhere else for them.
When I returned to work on Tuesday, there was a lot to do. I did my best, but it didn't look like I'd done a lot by the time I left. I'm back in again all this weekend as the Manager is away and the other Deputy is on leave now. From Monday, I'm off again for two more weeks, to use up the last of my annual leave. I've decided that I'm going to use the time to blitz the house as it needs desperately needs it.
This afternoon, I'm going grocery shopping. With all the talk of coronavirus becoming a pandemic and self imposed quarantines, I'm making sure we have enough food should the need arise. We have virtually used up the Brexit stash I accumulated, as nothing seemed to change post Brexit. I now realise that it will take a year before existing trade agreements end, so there's plenty of time to prepare for that and I'm now concentrating on replenishing for more pressing reasons.
I know it probably sounds crazy to most people, but after the outbreak in Italy, who knows where it will strike next. The news is changing on a daily basis, with more cases coming to light. I just don't want to be caught out and unprepared. We've even bought some face masks this week and looking at recent sales on eBay, I know I'm not the only one doing so.
Needing to travel on public transport in London, where you do come in close contact with lots of people on a daily basis means the need to wear them may be a distinct possibility sooner than we all think. The price of some of them on eBay is quite ridiculous, so I haven't gone mad. If necessary, I may decide to make some from all the fabric in my stash and then just wash them as required and maybe insert disposable filters in them. I'm going to look for a YouTube video on the subject when I'm next on leave.
At work, I've started wearing vinyl gloves to sort donations, to get myself into the habit more than anything. It's quite shocking how dirty the gloves are after just a few hours of handling donations. I might even make it a regular practice.
I'm not trying to scare monger in writing this post and I apologise if anyone finds what I've written disturbing, but I do feel it's better to be prepared for any eventuality than not be. We have a responsibility to ourselves and others to take appropriate precautions, exercise regular hand washing and demonstrate appropriate etiquette should any symptoms become apparent.
Are you trying to or intending to take any precautions in the current climate of concern about the virus?
Tuesday, 18 February 2020
Another Week Off
I am currently a few days in to another week of annual leave from work. I'm not due back at work for another 7 days yet and it feels wonderful to be free for such a length of time. We are going away for a few days to Rye in Sussex, so I'm looking forward to that, as it will be good to get out of London for a few days and just chill. The rest of the time though, we are staying put and I'll be pottering around at home and out and about.
The last couple of weeks have been interesting. There was another social dance the other Friday night that I went to. Once again, I took myself there on my own, but luckily there was a girl there that I knew from solo classes and we spent quite a bit of the night chatting, which was nice. She's very sweet and like me, makes herself go to the social dances to build her dancing confidence.
This time around the lesson went much better, as I was no longer confused about my role as a follower, which made it much easier. One guy played a little game of getting me to do moves that we weren't actually supposed to be practising. He admitted that he was just playing with me, which I found quite funny. I guess not everyone would find it funny though. He said I did OK. Thanks for that!
Anyway, I danced with a few more people this time, some of whom were very good dancers. I'd watched them from the side lines and when they asked me to dance I was quite taken aback, quite useless and in awe of their confidence, so I doubt they'll ever ask me a second time. It was so much fun though and so interesting to experience and watch the different styles that each dancer exhibits when dancing.
I find people watching at these events fascinating. Some lead dancers are quite strong and swing you around quite fast and expertly (I quite like this actually, but I just wish I knew what I was supposed to be doing!), others are more subtle in their leading technique, which I actually find more difficult to deal with at the moment, but may appreciate later on. Some dancers you watch are very playful with the music, which is lovely to watch. It is great experience for a newbie dancer. I stayed the longest time yet this visit and left around 10.15pm.
On the Saturday following the dance, I discovered that Mile End Vintage were having a £1 sale that day, so I decided to head over and just managed to have a quick look around before they closed for the day. I spent just £5, buying two blouses, a cute Laura Ashley alpaca mix cardigan, another vintage black dress (50's this time - I haven't posted a picture, because with it being black it doesn't really photograph well, but once again it fits like a glove) and a lovely ladies grey waistcoat. They were all in very good condition, save for one of the blouses, which had a few marks on it that I didn't see when trying it, as it was almost dark by then. I still need to wash it, to see if the marks come out.
Talking of clothing, I had another little splurge last week. I had to pick up a parcel from the Post Office Depot whilst walking the dog, so we took a slightly different route, during which I passed a new to me charity shop and saw a dress hanging up in the door way that I really liked. I asked the lady what size it was and it was my size. She was very obliging about letting the dog come into the shop for me to look around inside, which was lethal, as I had my handbag with me and was carrying cash. I ended up buying the dress I'd seen for £7, plus another one for £4 and an A-line skirt for £2.50. I've been looking for one I like and that fits for ages, but I had to shorten this one as it was way too long. I'm wearing it today for the first time. All of these items will be great for dancing though, so I have no regrets.
On Sunday just gone, I decided to try out a new dance class, Lindy Hop this time. The same teacher who took the workshop I did a few weeks ago was teaching it. I was a bit nervous going, as is always the case the first time you go anywhere new, but I really enjoyed it. I stayed on and did a second slightly more difficult class, which was pretty challenging, but she was a great teacher, so I will definitely be going back when I can. When I got there I was surprised to recognise half a dozen people from previous classes or workshops, which was good. It's always nice to see a familiar face.
Yesterday, I met the new teacher who will be taking our Zumba class from March onwards. He seems very nice. My membership at the gym changes from 1st March and I won't be able to book as early, so my attendance will depend on whether I can get a place booking later.
I spent the afternoon compiling a Favourite Swing Track playlist on YouTube. It's quite time consuming, but once done, means I can listen to my favourite tracks and practice my moves whenever I want, so it's worth it.
Today, I have nothing planned. I'm taking the dog for a walk as soon as I publish this post. I hope to post again during my leave week.
.
The last couple of weeks have been interesting. There was another social dance the other Friday night that I went to. Once again, I took myself there on my own, but luckily there was a girl there that I knew from solo classes and we spent quite a bit of the night chatting, which was nice. She's very sweet and like me, makes herself go to the social dances to build her dancing confidence.
This time around the lesson went much better, as I was no longer confused about my role as a follower, which made it much easier. One guy played a little game of getting me to do moves that we weren't actually supposed to be practising. He admitted that he was just playing with me, which I found quite funny. I guess not everyone would find it funny though. He said I did OK. Thanks for that!
Anyway, I danced with a few more people this time, some of whom were very good dancers. I'd watched them from the side lines and when they asked me to dance I was quite taken aback, quite useless and in awe of their confidence, so I doubt they'll ever ask me a second time. It was so much fun though and so interesting to experience and watch the different styles that each dancer exhibits when dancing.
I find people watching at these events fascinating. Some lead dancers are quite strong and swing you around quite fast and expertly (I quite like this actually, but I just wish I knew what I was supposed to be doing!), others are more subtle in their leading technique, which I actually find more difficult to deal with at the moment, but may appreciate later on. Some dancers you watch are very playful with the music, which is lovely to watch. It is great experience for a newbie dancer. I stayed the longest time yet this visit and left around 10.15pm.
On the Saturday following the dance, I discovered that Mile End Vintage were having a £1 sale that day, so I decided to head over and just managed to have a quick look around before they closed for the day. I spent just £5, buying two blouses, a cute Laura Ashley alpaca mix cardigan, another vintage black dress (50's this time - I haven't posted a picture, because with it being black it doesn't really photograph well, but once again it fits like a glove) and a lovely ladies grey waistcoat. They were all in very good condition, save for one of the blouses, which had a few marks on it that I didn't see when trying it, as it was almost dark by then. I still need to wash it, to see if the marks come out.
Talking of clothing, I had another little splurge last week. I had to pick up a parcel from the Post Office Depot whilst walking the dog, so we took a slightly different route, during which I passed a new to me charity shop and saw a dress hanging up in the door way that I really liked. I asked the lady what size it was and it was my size. She was very obliging about letting the dog come into the shop for me to look around inside, which was lethal, as I had my handbag with me and was carrying cash. I ended up buying the dress I'd seen for £7, plus another one for £4 and an A-line skirt for £2.50. I've been looking for one I like and that fits for ages, but I had to shorten this one as it was way too long. I'm wearing it today for the first time. All of these items will be great for dancing though, so I have no regrets.
On Sunday just gone, I decided to try out a new dance class, Lindy Hop this time. The same teacher who took the workshop I did a few weeks ago was teaching it. I was a bit nervous going, as is always the case the first time you go anywhere new, but I really enjoyed it. I stayed on and did a second slightly more difficult class, which was pretty challenging, but she was a great teacher, so I will definitely be going back when I can. When I got there I was surprised to recognise half a dozen people from previous classes or workshops, which was good. It's always nice to see a familiar face.
Yesterday, I met the new teacher who will be taking our Zumba class from March onwards. He seems very nice. My membership at the gym changes from 1st March and I won't be able to book as early, so my attendance will depend on whether I can get a place booking later.
I spent the afternoon compiling a Favourite Swing Track playlist on YouTube. It's quite time consuming, but once done, means I can listen to my favourite tracks and practice my moves whenever I want, so it's worth it.
Today, I have nothing planned. I'm taking the dog for a walk as soon as I publish this post. I hope to post again during my leave week.
.
Friday, 7 February 2020
Normality Evades Me
So much for all my good intentions of getting back to normality this week. More or less as soon as I wrote that, I came down with a head cold, which has prevented business as usual, because I haven't felt up to doing too much.
I still went to work on Tuesday and Wednesday, it was in fact Wednesday that the cold started. As a consequence, taking two dance classes after work was hard. I think that even my balance was affected by the cold, as when I tried to do a couple of moves, I felt very dizzy which I've never experienced before.
Wednesday night I didn't sleep well, on account of the cold and the churning over of the day's events, so on Thursday I was a bit of a zombie. I still managed to get out of the house and go to the local mall to get my hair cut though. It was long overdue. I won't say how long. It felt better to get the ends tidied up and another item was ticked off the to do list.
I also bought myself a new sports bra whilst I was out, from M&S. I was down to my last one and I wanted one that I could wear to go dancing in, that wasn't too high impact, but was still supportive. I'd seen a design I liked online, but wanted to try it on and when I did I decided to buy it.
The only other thing I bought was a new watch strap, which cost £10 to buy and get fitted. Mine was looking very tatty after just 6 weeks of wear, which was a bit disappointing. I'm hoping the new one will last a little longer. I did a very small top up shop too, just bread and milk really.
Then I came home and had a snooze on the sofa for an hour before walking the dog later.
Today, after a much better night's sleep I woke up feeling a bit more energetic. I hung out some washing I'd done the night before, took the dog out and caught up on a bit of blog reading, which I haven't done for a while.
LB had a day off college, due to her teacher being sick, so OH treated us all to lunch out at a local café, which was nice. We don't do it very often, so when we do it's a nice treat.
The rest of the afternoon I spent pottering and getting LB to put my hair in rollers. Tonight is another social dancing night. I booked it before the cold came on, so I may just do the class at the beginning of the night and then come home, or I may stay for an hour and watch everyone dancing. It is good to see it in the flesh so to speak and who knows, I may even get the chance to strut my stuff. I don't go with any expectations. Even just doing the class keeps me practising. I'd like to take more classes, but I can't justify it financially at the moment
Despite spending money yesterday, I'm trying to curb spending as much as possible this month. I've been very spendy over the last 8 weeks or so and I need to get back to a good place in relation to my finances, as I'm continually broke.
Next month, my gym membership ceases, as I have cancelled it and signed up Pay As You Go. That will save me at least £30 per month. I only attend one class per week now and the teacher of that class is leaving to have a baby very soon, so I may not even keep going to that one in future. I am going to try to, as it is a good way to keep in touch with friends at the gym. I've been meaning to change my membership for years now and thankfully I've finally got around to it. Currently I'm paying £60 per month, so that will no longer be coming out of my account from 1st March, which will help.
Not eating meat as a family, has also had an effect on the food budget. I don't seem to spend as much money on food, which is a good thing. We have also been eating down the Brexit stash though, which probably isn't a good idea, as it is in the next few months, now we have left the EU, that we will start to feel a difference if there is going to be one. I'm going to keep an eye on stock levels in the supermarkets and watch out for any shortages of things over the next few weeks, which might indicate possible problems going forward. It will be an interesting exercise.
I'll keep you posted on any observations.
I still went to work on Tuesday and Wednesday, it was in fact Wednesday that the cold started. As a consequence, taking two dance classes after work was hard. I think that even my balance was affected by the cold, as when I tried to do a couple of moves, I felt very dizzy which I've never experienced before.
Wednesday night I didn't sleep well, on account of the cold and the churning over of the day's events, so on Thursday I was a bit of a zombie. I still managed to get out of the house and go to the local mall to get my hair cut though. It was long overdue. I won't say how long. It felt better to get the ends tidied up and another item was ticked off the to do list.
I also bought myself a new sports bra whilst I was out, from M&S. I was down to my last one and I wanted one that I could wear to go dancing in, that wasn't too high impact, but was still supportive. I'd seen a design I liked online, but wanted to try it on and when I did I decided to buy it.
The only other thing I bought was a new watch strap, which cost £10 to buy and get fitted. Mine was looking very tatty after just 6 weeks of wear, which was a bit disappointing. I'm hoping the new one will last a little longer. I did a very small top up shop too, just bread and milk really.
Then I came home and had a snooze on the sofa for an hour before walking the dog later.
Today, after a much better night's sleep I woke up feeling a bit more energetic. I hung out some washing I'd done the night before, took the dog out and caught up on a bit of blog reading, which I haven't done for a while.
LB had a day off college, due to her teacher being sick, so OH treated us all to lunch out at a local café, which was nice. We don't do it very often, so when we do it's a nice treat.
The rest of the afternoon I spent pottering and getting LB to put my hair in rollers. Tonight is another social dancing night. I booked it before the cold came on, so I may just do the class at the beginning of the night and then come home, or I may stay for an hour and watch everyone dancing. It is good to see it in the flesh so to speak and who knows, I may even get the chance to strut my stuff. I don't go with any expectations. Even just doing the class keeps me practising. I'd like to take more classes, but I can't justify it financially at the moment
Despite spending money yesterday, I'm trying to curb spending as much as possible this month. I've been very spendy over the last 8 weeks or so and I need to get back to a good place in relation to my finances, as I'm continually broke.
Next month, my gym membership ceases, as I have cancelled it and signed up Pay As You Go. That will save me at least £30 per month. I only attend one class per week now and the teacher of that class is leaving to have a baby very soon, so I may not even keep going to that one in future. I am going to try to, as it is a good way to keep in touch with friends at the gym. I've been meaning to change my membership for years now and thankfully I've finally got around to it. Currently I'm paying £60 per month, so that will no longer be coming out of my account from 1st March, which will help.
Not eating meat as a family, has also had an effect on the food budget. I don't seem to spend as much money on food, which is a good thing. We have also been eating down the Brexit stash though, which probably isn't a good idea, as it is in the next few months, now we have left the EU, that we will start to feel a difference if there is going to be one. I'm going to keep an eye on stock levels in the supermarkets and watch out for any shortages of things over the next few weeks, which might indicate possible problems going forward. It will be an interesting exercise.
I'll keep you posted on any observations.
Tuesday, 4 February 2020
A Crazy Week
It's been a crazy week here. Lots of stuff going on, some good, some bad. After finishing work last Wednesday for the week, I spent Thursday at home. I was really tired. Taking two Jazz Solo classes on a Wednesday night after a full day at work is tough. I love it though and am going to continue indefinitely, I just need to build up my stamina.
On Friday I was feeling much better and decided to get out of the house and visit one of my new favourite charity shops in another part of the borough. I hadn't been for a couple of weeks and they have an interesting range of things at very reasonable prices. I headed off and was enjoying myself looking around the shop, when all of a sudden a woman cried out that her purse had been stolen from the bag hung on her pram.
When I heard this I wasn't completely surprised, as the first time I'd visited this particular shop, I'd had the feeling that someone had been trying to get into my bag. Several times I felt people knock into me and get a little too close for comfort. I had a rucksack at the time and I noticed at one point whilst I was shopping that it was open and I'm usually very careful about closing my bag at all times. Anyway, nothing was missing from my bag, but the incident did inspire me to make a mental note and always be careful in that particular shop.
Anyway, the poor woman concerned was very distraught, as you can imagine. She had a young child in the pram and the thief had got away with quite a bit of cash and several cards. While the shop staff called the police to report the theft, the lady was trying to cancel her cards over the phone. I had to step in at one point, as the person on the other end of the phone was asking her lots of questions she didn't know the answer to, so I had to explain the situation so that they could ask her security questions she could answer without her card and bank details.
Eventually, she got some of the cards cancelled and I went with her to try to cancel another card at a nearby Building society. I know how it feels to have to do this and she was so shocked and unable to think rationally, that I think she just needed a guiding hand. I felt so bad for her, because she really never thought it could happen to her. These thieves are ruthless and know the easiest targets.
So, Friday got a bit crazy, but I eventually came home. OH had had to go off up North that morning to help his mum and dad, as his brother needed a break, so it was just me and LB this weekend.
On Saturday, I was booked into a Learn Lindy Hop in a Day workshop, which was part of my Xmas present from OH and I was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, however, the dog became ill overnight and was vomiting and really weak. I was in two minds whether to cancel, but as the dog settled down and went to sleep I decided to go, as it would be £40 lost if I didn't. LB was out at work and with OH away, it was a difficult decision.
I arrived a bit late and I was a bit distracted about the dog during the classes and worried about her, but the workshop was great. I really enjoyed it and learnt so much. There was one other person there that I knew from my solo class, so it was good to see a familiar face, but it went pretty well and I feel much more enthusiastic about partnering now. I just need to keep practicing.
When I got home, the dog was still very unwell, so I had a quiet night in watching TV. By bedtime, she'd started drinking water and not regurgitating it, which was progress, although she was still very weak. Needless to say, she slept on my bed that night, so that I could keep a close eye on her.
On Sunday, I was back at work, but I had to go in a bit later so that I didn't leave the dog alone for too long. Thankfully, by Sunday night, when OH returned, she was virtually back to normal and is now almost fully recovered. We think it was a virus that has been doing the rounds. Poor mite, it hit her very hard.
Today, I was back at work and arrived to an overflowing stock room once again. It took all day, but by the time I left, it was looking decidedly better. Just one more day to work this week (tomorrow) and then I'm done for the week. I want to get my hair cut this week, so I am looking forward to my days off. I'm hoping things will now calm down a little and get back to some sort of normality, if there is such a thing.
I hope you've had a better week.
On Friday I was feeling much better and decided to get out of the house and visit one of my new favourite charity shops in another part of the borough. I hadn't been for a couple of weeks and they have an interesting range of things at very reasonable prices. I headed off and was enjoying myself looking around the shop, when all of a sudden a woman cried out that her purse had been stolen from the bag hung on her pram.
When I heard this I wasn't completely surprised, as the first time I'd visited this particular shop, I'd had the feeling that someone had been trying to get into my bag. Several times I felt people knock into me and get a little too close for comfort. I had a rucksack at the time and I noticed at one point whilst I was shopping that it was open and I'm usually very careful about closing my bag at all times. Anyway, nothing was missing from my bag, but the incident did inspire me to make a mental note and always be careful in that particular shop.
Anyway, the poor woman concerned was very distraught, as you can imagine. She had a young child in the pram and the thief had got away with quite a bit of cash and several cards. While the shop staff called the police to report the theft, the lady was trying to cancel her cards over the phone. I had to step in at one point, as the person on the other end of the phone was asking her lots of questions she didn't know the answer to, so I had to explain the situation so that they could ask her security questions she could answer without her card and bank details.
Eventually, she got some of the cards cancelled and I went with her to try to cancel another card at a nearby Building society. I know how it feels to have to do this and she was so shocked and unable to think rationally, that I think she just needed a guiding hand. I felt so bad for her, because she really never thought it could happen to her. These thieves are ruthless and know the easiest targets.
So, Friday got a bit crazy, but I eventually came home. OH had had to go off up North that morning to help his mum and dad, as his brother needed a break, so it was just me and LB this weekend.
On Saturday, I was booked into a Learn Lindy Hop in a Day workshop, which was part of my Xmas present from OH and I was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, however, the dog became ill overnight and was vomiting and really weak. I was in two minds whether to cancel, but as the dog settled down and went to sleep I decided to go, as it would be £40 lost if I didn't. LB was out at work and with OH away, it was a difficult decision.
I arrived a bit late and I was a bit distracted about the dog during the classes and worried about her, but the workshop was great. I really enjoyed it and learnt so much. There was one other person there that I knew from my solo class, so it was good to see a familiar face, but it went pretty well and I feel much more enthusiastic about partnering now. I just need to keep practicing.
When I got home, the dog was still very unwell, so I had a quiet night in watching TV. By bedtime, she'd started drinking water and not regurgitating it, which was progress, although she was still very weak. Needless to say, she slept on my bed that night, so that I could keep a close eye on her.
On Sunday, I was back at work, but I had to go in a bit later so that I didn't leave the dog alone for too long. Thankfully, by Sunday night, when OH returned, she was virtually back to normal and is now almost fully recovered. We think it was a virus that has been doing the rounds. Poor mite, it hit her very hard.
Today, I was back at work and arrived to an overflowing stock room once again. It took all day, but by the time I left, it was looking decidedly better. Just one more day to work this week (tomorrow) and then I'm done for the week. I want to get my hair cut this week, so I am looking forward to my days off. I'm hoping things will now calm down a little and get back to some sort of normality, if there is such a thing.
I hope you've had a better week.
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