Life During Covid-19 Coronavirus
Well, I don’t think any of us saw this coming. Only two months ago I was on holiday in Florida celebrating my husband’s 40th birthday, blissfully unaware of the impact the Coronavirus: Covid-19 was starting to have in the world! We spent two glorious weeks at Disney World and Kennedy Space Centre and we saw an actual rocket launch too. SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 rocket on the 29th January at 9.06am so we went onto Cocoa Beach and joined thousands of others to watch it go up. It was quite a site!
Fast forward two months and Covid-19 has spread around the world and we are in the grip of a pandemic, with the death toll ramping up day by day. Who ever thought at the beginning of the year that ‘social distancing’ and ‘self isolation’ would become the trending hashtags of 2020? The world is struggling! Governments are imposing measures to stem the flow of the virus and the UK, like many other countries is now in “lock down”.
Life During Covid-19 Lock Down
All restaurants, cafes, theatres and leisure facilities have shut down; schools have closed, as have all non-essential retail shops and service providers. We are only able to leave our houses to buy essentials, seek medical attention, go to work (if you cannot work from home and it is deemed essential) and to exercise once a day, all the while keeping a minimum 2 metre distance from anyone you don’t live with. Our lives are being curtailed big time, with huge penalties if you don’t comply. A situation of this magnitude has not been seen since World War II, so for most of us this really is unbelievable!
Even more surreal is the picture at every supermarket going! Why is everyone stockpiling toilet roll to the extent that they have enough for a whole year? It’s totally crazy! The same goes for pasta and various other products. In the first week following initial measures, the supermarket aisles looked like something from an apocalyptic movie. Practically bare, it was so eerie! I’m just glad that the supermarkets have now introduced limits to the number of people allowed in store as well as amending their opening hours to allow time to re-stock the shelves. Even though rationing has been introduced, we actually stand a cat in hells chance of getting the majority of our shopping now (not loo roll though I hasten to add), while observing the rules of social distancing. My latest trip to Asda was practically a delight in comparison to previous weeks.
I don’t know about you guys, but I’m struggling to get my head around it all. I regularly question how our lives have come to this in such a short space of time? And if we’re struggling now, what will we be like months from now? As this is just the beginning… We’ve got a long road ahead before our lives resemble anything like what we’re used to. And I have a feeling some of measures to beat Covid-19 may even become the norm in the future…
So, how are we coping?
Well, I’m not ashamed to admit that over the last week I’ve been floundering and worrying like crazy. I have felt like a fish out of water, not knowing what to do with myself. Not being able to see my family and friends, especially my Mum and Dad who I see pretty much every week is a huge blow as I’m sure it is to everyone else too.
I’m also really peeved as back in February I had gynaecological surgery which kept me housebound for many weeks. I was just nicely starting to get out and about and planning trips for when I was fully recovered when all this erupted and wings were clipped again! It sucks doesn’t it?!! Now, like millions I find myself cancelling and rearranging trips, but who knows when to re-book for. We don’t know how long this Covid-19 situation will last. I’d love to think that we’d be through and out the other side in 12 weeks, but the pessimist/realist in me thinks it’ll be a hell of a lot longer.
Anyone who knows me or reads this blog will know I’m a huge fan of sculpture trails and unfortunately the first one I was looking forward to attending – ‘Cows about Cambridge’, which was due to start at the end of March has had to be postponed. And the rate we’re going, the same will happen to all the other fabulous sculpture trails scheduled for this summer. I’m gutted! It’s going to be a strange summer with all the things we’ve been used to such as sporting fixtures being cancelled. With no Olympics happening, it really is a sad state of affairs. I’m gutted that Corrie has stopped filming too (as have the other soaps) and there will soon be a halt in the TV schedule. Weekdays just won’t be the same without them.
Yet despite all this, I must point out that I’m incredibly lucky!
1. – I have my hubby back at home with me full time which is great. For the last year he’s been working in Reading from Monday to Friday, so he’s been a weekend hubby (we live in the North West, so a 4+ hour drive away.) And while lots of jokes have circulated about loving this scenario – getting the hubby out from under your feet and having the house to yourself, it has actually been really difficult for both of us. Having him working from home has been ace (I have to find some silver linings to Covid-19) We get to reconnect and spend some quality time together. It’s just a shame we’re not able to go out and do things.
2. – We got to have a tremendous trip to Florida before all this kicked off and we can’t help but repeat over and over how thankful we are that we got to do this, while so many others have had to cancel their trips!
3. – The doctors got my operation in before all non-emergency surgeries were cancelled. I am so incredibly thankful that this was the case as it has hopefully solved some of my health problems. Time will tell, but we are hopeful!
4. – We may have had to postpone our plans to move house this summer, but we are in the lucky position that our house layout has enabled us to set up an office for my husband in a spare bedroom, while I keep my studio and neither of us has to work in our lounge. This is being kept purely for recreation and the table in there is set up permanently as a gaming space. We are both huge board game geeks, so we are finally able to spend some time playing the many games we have.
Which moves me nicely on to what I’m doing to get through Covid-19 both personally and with the blog.
I won’t lie – the last thing I’ve felt like doing over the last few weeks is writing. This is such a shame as I was just nicely getting back into it again after health problems derailed my writing the last couple of years. But I’m not going to beat myself up over it. Oh believe me, I started doing so, but what would it achieve?!
So many of us travel related bloggers have been discussing whether to write and post travel content under the current circumstances. Promoting travel at this time could be seen as insensitive, and there’s lots of discussion as to whether anyone would read it as no-one is researching or booking travel right now. Web stats have massively plummeted and everyone is justifiably down about it all. Many just don’t know what to do for the best, and I guess I kinda fall into that category.
However, putting myself in my reader’s shoes I thought – well I’m still reading travel blogs during Covid-19, so why not continue publishing. After all, we all need some escapism right now, and what better way than dreaming about the trip you’ll take when this is all over! So, I do plan to keep writing and posting. I’m not sure which subjects I’ll go with as I have a long list of about 400 places I could write about! What better time to tick some of those off my ever-increasing list hey?!
I’m also going to update all my previous posts as many of them need it. And as I was late to the SEO game (they really should make it clear when you start a blog that you need to install Yoast to do your SEO) I’ve still got a few posts that I need to web optimise too.
Well that’s the blog side of things, but what about me?
Well I’m going to use this home time (with no distractions) as an opportunity to concentrate on my art work and building my portfolio. I also have so many cross stitch projects that I’ve started but never completed so I’m gonna love doing that, while bingeing on Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+. I am so excited to watch all the older Disney films that I’ve not seen since I was a child. As lots of memes have been floating around social media saying: ‘Your country needs you to stay home, sit on your bum and watch Netflix: you can do it!’ I feel I should oblige at least some of the time!
I am going to practise self care on a regular basis! This for me involves long baths, reading A LOT, baking, doing jigsaws, experimenting with crafts, playing games as I mentioned above and taking that daily walk with my pooch Roger. It’s gutting to know I can’t just set off for a day out on the fells or to a country park or beach with him; but those hills, parks and beaches will still be there when all this is over, and rest assured, I’ll be one of the first to pack up and head to the hills!
There’s also that famous list of random jobs; you know the one which never seems to get any shorter no matter how much you do, the one with jobs that go back 5 years and you’ve still never done. Well I tell ya what – I’m on a mission to get rid of that blinking list and all those tasks that I’ve put off again and again because they are just things you’d like to do some day. Well, that some day is now! With so few other distractions, I can’t think of a better time to tackle that list. Watch this space….
Anyway, that’s enough about me – How are you guys coping during the Covid-19 lock down? Who else has some creative ways to fill your free time? And like me, do you have a huge ‘to do’ list of random jobs? What’s the worst item on that list? I think mine is to clean the oven!!! Urghhhh…. Drop me a line in the comments below and let me know how you’re getting on. I’d love to hear from you.
In the meantime, stay safe, keep up the social distancing and remember to wash your hands regularly. Is anyone else going through hand cream at a rate of knots?
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11 COMMENTS
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Lois Cordelia | 29th Apr 20
Go for it!! x x x 🙂
Lois Cordelia | 29th Apr 20
Excellent idea to post photos of previous trails… A sort of mini retrospective lockdown trail of your picks from across all the trails you’ve visited. Why not? 🙂 x x x
Tilly Horseman | 29th Apr 20
Ooo, now that’s an idea! A lock-down retrospective of my faves across the trails and maybe fave memories along the way too! Hmmmm… I like that idea! Thanks Lois xx
Lois Cordelia | 3rd Apr 20
Cows about Cambridge is definitely being postponed. I think pretty much every sculpture trail and public event will be postponed at least until the Autumn, and maybe until 2021. Patience is a virtue.
We will get through these uncertain times. Phew. Just wondering what the Queen’s speech verdict will be on Sunday…
Big hug x x
Tilly Horseman | 29th Apr 20
Yes, at this point I think it’ll all be postponed till next year! I’ve had several people ask me to post my images on other sculpture trails I’ve been to in the past but never got round to writing about. Think I may just do that… Keep staying well Lois xx
Lois Cordelia | 1st Apr 20
Thanks Tilly! We all need to keep cheering each other up in these times. I’m doing fine, thanks. Keeping well, creative and busy 🙂 Hehe yes, definitely a safe distance lol x x
Tilly Horseman | 3rd Apr 20
Brill, I’m glad you’re keeping creative and busy. I’m guessing some of the jobs that do regularly like your speed painting and paper cut demos are affected for the time being. Just wondering how long it’ll all go on for… xx
Jenn | 31st Mar 20
I love the sculpture trails too and was looking forward to Cows in Cambridge over Easter… and also seeing the Dinky Doors there. I just started a new job in February, and was hoping to go on holiday in early May after probation pass (fingers crossed!). I also think we will be in a weird state for at least six months. The first Chinese case was in mid-November (though this isn’t reported widely) and they’re only starting to lift the barriers. I expected mod or end June.
Tilly Horseman | 3rd Apr 20
I think you’re right – this is just the beginning that’s for sure. Aw, I hope you do get your holiday, but I think early May might be a bit optimistic! I wonder what the plan is for Cows About Cambridge now – wondering if they’ll hit the streets as and when we get out and about again, or whether they’ll be postponed for this time next year instead? I’ve not heard of the Dinky Doors so will have to look into that. Thanks for commenting Jenn and stay safe! x
Lois Cordelia | 31st Mar 20
Thought of you a lot lately, wondering how these crazy times might be affecting you. Glad they aren’t stopping you writing. This is a heartening read. Huge hug from a safe distance!!! xxx
Tilly Horseman | 31st Mar 20
Aw, thanks for that Lois, your comment has cheered me up! Hope you are doing OK through all this hun. Big hugs back to you! I think Warrington to Ipswich is a suitable enough distance, lol…. xx