Sunny days

As we stare down the barrel of a second national lockdown I'm not ashamed to report that I'm feeling pretty angry about the whole thing. So much for 'world beating test and trace' systems and the ability to get super granular with the way in which we respond to coronavirus. I get the fact that nationally we are seeing rates of infection and (apparently) hospital numbers rising, but the data says that in our neck of the woods we have 3(3!) cases per 100,000 people and so I cannot see why we should have to lockdown in the same way that Bolton needs to when their rates are at 190! The average for England is 16 so surely we aren't at a point where we need to take the same approach everywhere?

Part of the reason I'm ranting so much is that after 2 weeks back at school I'm finally getting my Izzy back again. She has thrived with the social interactions school gives her and (although she complains about it) has loved being back. Instead of the morose, withdrawn girl she had become at home, she is now back to being full of chat and laughter, with something to say on everything. This is of course somewhat to Glenn's disadvantage as we can't shut her up at the dinner table, but I think that's a positive even if he thinks she's ruining his peace!

The weather has returned to being warm and sunny, although the
mornings feel somewhat autumnal and the nights draw in so much earlier. I have definitely been feeling the fact that the last 9 months have been completely relentless and so I've been trying to actively slow down a bit and not beat myself up for not doing anywhere near the amount of running that I managed last year - what a difference a year and circumstances can make! Of course I'm walking so much more than I used to and I'm still doing all my yoga, but there's neither the time or the energy in many days to also get some running miles under my belt. I keep reminding myself that what matters is that I'm moving, rather than I'm moving fast. Both this weekend and last I have made a conscious decision on Sunday to just enjoy the sunshine and space and not try and cram so much in. 

On that note, today has been a real treat. Yesterday Abi had a bit of a moment and said that I never take her anywhere (?!) and so I said that she could choose something to do today given Izzy and Glenn were going to the bike track so that Izzy could get some practice in. I'm very proud to say that initially she wanted to go a NT property, but that was a non-starter because of course in these Covid times all spontaneity has left the building and we would have had to book that last week to get a place. Instead we decided to go to Chilbolton Cow Common which she had been due to go to with Mia a while ago but for various reasons they didn't make it. CCC is a nature reserve near Stockbridge, in the Test Valley and it turned out to be absolutely gorgeous. We had the most beautiful walk along the river and around the lakes, sat on the banks and chatted and then headed off to Stockbridge for tea and cake. We then did a bit of a magical mystery tour home (at least I set off in the right direction!), arriving home in good time to still have the afternoon pottering in the garden. It's been a lovely day and just what I needed before another busy week at work. Abi and I had a lovely walk, Izzy had a blast at the track with proud Dad watching - everyone is happy.

So here's hoping that the government don't decide to do anything too stupid, and that whatever they do they don't mess with the kids being at school. They have suffered enough and as Abi said "this isn't their disease and so why can't they just get on with their life in as normal a fashion as possible?" I agree.