views from lockdown – week 13 – 22 June 2020

June has been a strange month in these strangest of times – the pandemic still rages around the world; we still have an inept government here in England, people are still dying from Covid-19 (more than 40,000), people get sick (and some stay sick for months #longcovid), nor do we have a proper track, trace and isolate system in the UK.

Coronavirus is going to be here for a long time – but its effects are disproportionate across society – it has a much bigger impact on people who are poor, have existing health conditions, overcrowded, don’t have access to gardens, parks or much outside space – and the high death rates and serious complications for from people from Black, Asian and other minority groups.  Then the death of George Floyd in the USA, police brutality, racism and murder – #BlackLivesMatter.   It still makes me angry that systematic and individual racism is still so rife, not much has changed in the 30 years since I studied the slave trade, colonialism and its insidious tendrils across British History and the racism people still face.

June in Manchester

So how has it been for me and My Chap?- in some ways not much has changed – It threw down with rain, we did exactly what we’ve done for months pottering around the house, our daily walks or run (him) locally, food deliveries and v occasional visits to Lidl.   In other ways, I have been quietly amplifying Black voices and creators.

Work called me back from furlough on 1 June working from home still – at my dining room table but I have a new office chair :-). Luckily I can see the garden from where I work too – which definitely helps my well being.  It has been very, very busy back at work as I have many projects to catch up on from before furlough, many extra activities to plan and action, with the usual website writing and editing.  So I’ve tired and the last thing I’ve wanted to is write on my blog.

I’ll try to catch up with the key things that happened in June during the lockdown, but it may take a while.  My Chap and I also had our 10th anniversary – so I definitely need to write about that 🙂  He’s my rock, especially now.  He’s been doing most of the cooking while we’ve been in lockdown mainly because he’s a better cook than me and loves it more.  He’s perfected his sourdough bread, scone making, lemon drizzle cake and many cakes.  He’s not too shabby at the savoury cooking either.  Since he’s been on furlough since mid March, I’ve probably cooked dinner once a week – I’ve done alot of washing up though.

Again this week, I am joining Sarah from Life in a Breakdown and Bex from Futures and other contributors too.  We are sharing how we have got in the past 7 days in lockdown in the UK.

Here are the questions:

1. How are you feeling/coping?

I’m tired, my arthritis aches, it feels like groundhog day but I know I’m very fortunate as we can live in a little bubble, get food deliveries and have fields and woods on our doorsteps despite living in the city.

Mindfulness and Yoga

I’m in a good routine with mindfulness – doing some mindfulness practise every day.  I’ve also found a new online Hatha yoga teacher near me.  At the weekend I joining in with a session on yoga for menopause too.

2. What are you doing to keep yourself occupied?

Working days

We work a set amount of hours each day WFH, it’s tiring being in many zoom meetings a day.  But because I’d stuck to a normal get up and eat breakfast ready to start work about 8.45, it wasn’t really that weird working again.  It was nice to see my colleagues on zoom after furlough too.  There is such alot to catch up with though.   I’m still working at our dining room table but I sit at a different place so I know I’m in work mode.  I’ve got a new office chair which is helping my hip pain.  We eat lunch in the garden if it’s dry – and when I finish work, I pack my notebooks and paraphernalia away.

Gardening

The weather has been pretty garbage – it threw down with rain every day for over a week.  This meant I couldn’t get out for a walk – I hate walking in the rain at the best of times.  Now rain and damp weather really make my arthritis ache.   The garden is looking lush through the patio windows 🙂

Harvesting

Many raspberries from our early bushes, a few strawberries, lettuce from Incredible Education Salford,  rocket and mixed salad from seed packs I had lurking around.

The apples and redcurrants are coming along well – and we have flowers on our tomato plants too.

Evening  routine

In the evenings, we’ve been watching films, TV and listening to music – especially sets from Glastonbury  I miss live music – We’ve had more gigs postponed to next year too.

• Films – not really watched many films – I’m so tired from work I can’t concentrate on a film plot.
• Amazon Prime – a Forever a comedy-drama about a couple called June and Oscar who live a predictable live – then things change ;-).
• TV A House Through Time from a house built in 1718 in Bristol – written and presented by David Olusoga, Professor of Public History at Manchester University – deeply complex and thought provoking.  The house was built by a seafaring captain who ran at least 20 slave trade voyages from Africa to the US – slave trade income was mentioned again in the house’s history as was the labour of poor people in the factories of Bristol.  We’ve watched the first series from about a house in Liverpool, but somehow missed the 2nd series in Newcastle.   I think this series and ‘Who do you think you are?’ show the grim reality of our history through the lives of working people.
  I’ve David’s book Black and British: A Forgotten History on order– He is well worth following on twitter too.
• Zoom chats – mostly with pals who live alone, with some ex work colleagues who’ve I’ve known more than 20 years, my family in Australia and my WI posse.    Zooming in the evenings is tiring after zoom meetings during the working week.

3. How are you dealing with everything at the moment – are you self-isolated, going out for essentials etc? Has this changed?

We haven’t changed what we do – doing food shopping as rarely as possible, keeping away from people. #StayatHomeSaveLives – and won’t be for the foreseeable future.  We won’t be going out to pubs, restaurants or non-essential shops soon.   We’ve been doing our best to support local businesses.

4. What advice do you have for others?

Follow a sensible government’s advice (try the New Zealand Government, or Health Victoria – or NHS Scotland).  Wear a mask when you are indoors in shops or close to other people.

Sign up for the Kings College London COVID Symptom Study – report how you feel physically, even if you’re well.

• www.covid.joinzoe.com

5. What have you bought this week that others might like? Especially if from a small business.

I haven’t bought anything this week – we’ve got some dine in meals booked on order for a couple of weeks.

6. How has your routine been this week? (Question by Don’t Cramp My Style)

It’s mostly working from home, as I said there’s a great deal to do to catch up on.

7. Have you planned anything for once lockdown is over in the past 7 days?? (Question by Don’t Cramp My Style)

I’m dreaming of holidays abroad and in Cornwall, in Scotland, in the Lake District.  It would be excellent to visit my mum down south but I can’t see that happening for a while yet.

8. Anything else

Creativity

I’ve been making a rag wreath from some material left over from our wedding bunting – I want something to put on our front door to brighten up our porch.

Flower in my header photo

It’s a bright pink mini dianthus plant which lives in one of my hanging baskets.  The colours really pop especially when it’s grey and raining.

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How has your week been? Let me know in the comments. 

Stay at home, stay safe and protect your community and the NHS.

Carpe Diem,

Love Bec xx

p.s. I finished this on Sunday eve (oops).  Everything ran away with me again this week

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Follow my view from life in lockdown

• views from lockdown – early March, working from home
• views from lockdown – week 1 – 7 April 2020
• views from lockdown – week 2 – 14-April
• views from lockdown – week 3 – 21 April 2020
• views from lockdown – week 4 – 28 April 2020
• views from lockdown – week 5 – 5 May 2020
• views from lockdown – week 6 – 12 May 2020
• views from lockdown – week 7 – 19 May 2020

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If you’d like to join in with Sarah from ‘Life in a Breakdown’, Bex ‘from ‘Futures’ and the other contributors. Answer these questions and join in:

1. How are you feeling/coping?
2. What are you doing to keep yourself occupied?
3. How are you dealing with everything at the moment – are you self-isolated, going out for essentials etc? Has this changed?
4. What advice do you have for others?
5. What have you bought this week that others might like? Especially if from a small business.
6. How has your routine been this week? (Question by Don’t Cramp My Style)
7. Have you planned anything for once lockdown is over in the past 7 days?? (Don’t Cramp My Style)
8. Anything else?

Click the picture below for the link-up info or look under their posts:

Not got a blog? just email yourself your answers to these questions 🙂