Lockdown Day 6 – It’s Good to Talk

Waking up in my caravan is bliss. We had a ‘Drivecation’, up and down the country people are caravanning on their drives. Cup of tea, Ant and Dec and The Voice all in the comfort of my happy place. Both programmes were shown with a difference, compilations of their best bits hosted from the comforts of their homes. It really is a very surreal world at the moment.

The clocks have gone forward, we’ve lost an hour of sitting around. Milk grabbed out of the caravan fridge, dirty tea cups in the other hand, I head back to our accommodation for a shower. In the last couple of days, despite being able to get out and about to enjoy the fresh air on site, my daily exercise has consisted of, getting out of bed, bathroom, kitchen, settee. I really need to give myself a talking to and get my bum into gear, she says as she snuggles up with Radio 2 and a brew as The Boss heads out on his bike again, maybe tomorrow…

A video call with our eldest Jellybean’s godfather, makes it hit home. If I’m getting a bit fed up then I’m sure that George, who will be celebrating his 90th birthday alone on Thursday is feeling fed up and lonely too. After half an hour of chatting I decide to call my parents, who moved house on Friday. My mum is up to her armpits in boxes and is finding potato mashers in boxes in the bedroom and underwear in the living room. Her huffing, puffing and chunering make me smile.

Into the kitchen, I need to sort myself out. Pan of homemade soup on the hob, curried beans and eggs on toast for lunch. What’s for tea? In the absence of a roast I decide on a stir fry. That’s my exercise for the day, time to put the kettle on.

It’s good to keep up with the Jellybeans. They have always had a regular walk, No.1 (in order of arrival) recently moved house so they are now randomly meeting at a mid point then talking from a distance. No.2 (in order of arrival) brings the cat, not deliberately, he always follows them and climbs trees along the route to keep watch. Just hope he follows the right one home.

It has been interesting to see how their lives are impacted too. Both Teachers, Jellybean #1 teaching College teenagers, who it’s very easy to forget the impact this must be having on them. She has remarked how high the compliance to online tutoring has been and that these kids are working as hard as they would if they were in. Conscious of the impact on their mental health and anxiety she has today turned a planned class display into an Instagram page promoting positivity and kindness, with messages from the teenagers themselves to feature daily.

https://instagram.com/educatingwithkindness?igshid=18us3i0ptbzjr

While Jellybean #2 teaches little people starting out on their education life. How must this seem to them. She is working on a rota to ensure the education and wellbeing of the children of ‘key’ workers, somehow trying to explain the concept of social distancing to children that only know being social. Of all of us, she probably is most at risk, teaching the little ones about how germs spread is probably as important as adding and subtracting at the moment. All about us, people adjusting work and life to react to this situation.