How’s it going at your end? Are you staying home, do you have to work? Everything is so strange these days isn’t it? Even the television is rather strange, I can’t get used to watching everyone recording in their own homes. It seems weird watching television programs made before the lockdown where people are actually gathering together and there is no social distancing. We have just completed our fifth week of staying home.
It’s the Weekend
How’s it possible to feel excited about the weekend? Well, at least I don’t have to motivate the kids into doing any school work! They have driven me kind of crazy this week. It’s helped having a routine of getting up, having breakfast and getting dressed rather than lounging in our pjs way too long. But it’s been a struggle getting them to actually start working.
The teachers are good. I’ve had regular calls from the girl’s school and they even offered to deliver us some food the other day if we were struggling. I declined. We are getting our shopping deliveries so we have no food issues. How lovely that they can do this though.
The Little Man’s school sent a video made by all the teachers. They’d tried to do a zoom together which had failed, so they sent a load of photos and messages along with the school song, which the Little Man sang along to. He also had a p.e. lesson sent by some of the school teachers in fancy dress. This was so funny and we put it on the tv and all had a go at it. (well, I did what I could.)
But now we can chill out and I can give up nagging for a couple of days. I do want the Little Man to continue reading though. We are reading ‘To Be A Cat’ by Matt Haig and I’m loving it. (Probably more than the Little Man but we won’t say anything about that.)
Tension
It’s so hard to not feel tense with all that’s going on. It’s also hard not to take it out on each other when you live in a large family like ours. We’ve had to have several conversations with the kids about their attitudes. Thankfully, one of them was backed up by a BBC bitesize program, we had been berating Boo on her tone of voice when she spoke. Then the program talked about tone and how different things sound when you say them in certain ways. I think she got the message a lot clearer than our moaning at her.
We are also having sleep problems. The kids are fine but the adults seem to have lost sense of their body clocks. (well apart from me, but then I have to deal with the Little Man waking up early.) The two eldest have been going to bed when I get up and then staying their until nearly dinner time. Graham has been sleeping on the settee because he says I keep him awake. It works both ways, he keeps me awake! We are both snorers, but we didn’t have problems when we went to bed at similar times. Now, he stays up until 3 am. By which time I’m well away and snoring. So he’ll wake me and I’ll stay awake listening to him snore. It’s making us both grumpy and for a few nights this week he’s taken to sleeping on the settee instead. The older kids are in their bedrooms, but they can still be noisy. I think they forget sometimes that it’s 4 am. Just because they are wide awake.
So, with us all being confined and our sleep patterns being disrupted there have been the odd few arguments when we are together. Mostly the older two, although Graham can be grumpy when he first wakes up. And the kids wind him up. As always, I try to be the peace maker, but even my patience runs thin sometimes.
I am lucky though. We may argue but we do care about each other. I can’t imagine how awful it would be to be stuck home in an abusive relationship.
BBQ in the Fifth Week
The weather was so nice we got the BBQ out. It was funny, I ordered a whole load of BBQ stuff in the online shop and nearly everything was substituted for sausages and burgers. We ended up with 60 sausages and 48 burgers! Thankfully, Graham was able to pick up some other things from the local shop for variety. I ate too much and ended up with a tummy ache!
I also discovered that my new wheelchair works on grass and went for a trip up to the top of the garden. I did get stuck a couple of times but eldest son was there to help out. I’ve not had the chance to use my new chair much, I went out four times before lockdown and three of those were medical appointments. So it was nice to have a ‘spin’ in the garden. Another nice feature is the handle bar on the back so I can be pushed when needed. In my old chair the only way to push it was to push the seat which hurt my back.
So that was my week, the highs and lows. And now I’m into my 6th week of staying home!
I haven’t done this for a while but here are the places you can find me online. Please join me if you wish.
See you soon, don’t forget to join in with your posts. We could make a COVID Time capsule between us!
Sounds like your family is doing well. We’ve found it helpful to stick to our regular routine as far as mealtimes, bedtime and rising time, dressing, workouts, housekeeping.
Jean | Delightful Repast recently posted…Pan Bread – Super Easy No-Knead Yeast Bread
I still get those days when I’m thinking I’m failing, but at least I know I’m not alone. A routine has made a big difference, and at the weekend they don’t need to get dressed until lunch time if they wish, just to break it up a little 🙂
Anne Sweet recently posted…Isolation Diaries Day 42 -fifth Week
Sorry the kids have driven you a little crazy. My two have done the same to me. Some days I think if I hear “mam” one more time I could throttle them. lol
It sounds like the teachers are being great. Well done to them for making the video.
That is rubbish about the sleep problems. I think they’ll be in for a shock when things are back to normal and they have to get up early.
That’s great that you found out that your wheelchair works on grass. x
Kim Carberry recently posted…Week 17 of #Project366 – A photo every day for a year!
I have decided enough is enough. I got up this morning to my kitchen looking like a bomb had hit it. Apparently if you sleep all day then you have to cook and snack all night. Well, the noise and the mess has got to me this morning and I’m going to enforce a curfew. Wish me luck, the kids I may have issues with, but the adults are a different story.
Anne Sweet recently posted…Isolation Diaries Day 42 -fifth Week
It’s a difficult time, to be sure. I hope you and yours stay safe.
J Lenni Dorner~ Co-host of the #AtoZchallenge, Debut Author Interviewer, Reference& Speculative Fiction Author
It certainly is a difficult time. Stay safe and thanks for stopping by.
Anne Sweet recently posted…Isolation Diaries Day 42 -fifth Week