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Things to be grateful for

Week 6 and while the week days fly by, it's fair to say that the weekends are a bit slow and getting to be more frustrating as the lure of closed garden centres across the land remind us of what we'd like to be doing.

Work has reached a bit of a plateau - our stores are open again and while it's by no means perfect, we are currently the poster child of coronavirus non-food retail, with other organisations and the government looking to us as to how it can be done safely. What this means in reality is long queues of patient people standing 2m apart, marshals controlling the number of people entering the stores (no trolley, no entry), staff in gloves and masks and signs everywhere reminding you to keep your ditsance. It's not a particularly relaxing experience.

Yesterday Abi and I went out (as out as anyone goes these days) to do our bi-monthly trip to Pets at Home - the furthest I've been from the house in 6 weeks. For the first time Abi actually came into the shop with me (we had to carry industrial size bags of bird food as we can't just pop round to our garden centre to get normal sized bags). When we got back into the car I asked her how she felt and she said 'dirty and a bit anxious'. It's a worry that for the kids of her age this is how they now feel about the outside world. I worry even more for those that were of an anxious disposition before this started - they'll never want to come out again. It's noticeable that apart form a dog walk the kids don't really yearn to go anywhere - they feel safe with the gate shut, happy in the knowledge that no-one is allowed in and if they stay put, it can't get them. The strange thing is when Abi and I talked about how she feels, she said it's not catching the virus that worries her. She's not sure what makes her anxious, just that the constant message of 'stay home, save lives' makes her feel like the outside world isn't a safe place to be. Not surprising really. Izzy hasn't mentioned any of this, but is very reluctant to go anywhere and would prefer to stay home, cocooned in a world of Netflix and her PJs. I'm amazed at her ability to move so little unless poked. Something else to worry about.

We've had a mixed week of schooling this week. Neither are enjoying the online schooling experience. they find it very uninspiring and the lack of interaction with their friends makes the lessons very long and very tedious. There are some that are better than others, but it's generally where the teacher has realised that they need to break things up a bit. I ended the week writing a long letter to the school to say that subjecting them to the equivalent of 5 days of back to back conference calls would break the spirit of even the most engaged student - I know as I have to endure the same thing Monday - Friday and the saving grace for me is that we do most of it by video now. I checked with some of the other parents and of course there were the ones that said "Oh no, my daughter is really enjoying it and I'm learning so much as well..." so much for that - I can't watch over them all day and Glenn has no appetite to do so. It would interfere with his cycling for a start! It's fair to say that his bike rides have got longer and longer I think any possible upside of us being in his space day in day out has defiantly worn thin. There were at least a few parents that said "me too" so we will see. Shortening the lessons and ditching the homework would be two positive changes - the last thing they need is more time at their computers after a day of it - they need to get outside. I'm hoping that as neither of them are in pivotal years this won't have too much of an impact - they are learning other things anyway through this strange forced experiment.

So this week we should hear more about what the plans are for emerging from the lockdown, but it's clear we shouldn't hold out much hope for much in the way of easing before then end of May. Boris has admitted that they were on the edge of drawing up plans as to how to announce his death while he was in ICU so he's hardly likely to be rushing to let everyone out. So in the meantime we shall count our blessings. Spring is bursting out all around us, the birdsong is gloriously audible with the reduction in background noise and we have the space and time to enjoy it all. Bertie and I are loving our longer walks. Oh, and there is bread flour in the shops again so we have had freshly baked bread all weekend - things to be grateful for indeed!

Sunshine after rain - glorious springtime



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