(Tuesday, 28 April 2020)
Today was my Mum’s actual birthday, so the day started with posting yesterday’s update which, along with some messages and a bit of facetime, served as a birthday card. I had been concerned that for the first time ever… along with loads of others in the same boat… this lockdown would mean spending that day alone. I’ve seen posts from others with birthdays, anniversaries and the like, all having to spend the day in a way which is so far removed from the norm. Some are really struggling with it and others are embracing the change, after all it will be one to remember won’t it?! 😉
My mum, thankfully, was one to embrace it – not that she had a lot of choice! I called her again in the evening to check that she had managed to treat herself in some way during the day (as instructed in the earlier call) and she happily reported that she had managed to have a rather nice treat for lunch, but otherwise hadn’t had time as she’d been busy trying to answer the deluge of messages and joked that she was close to losing her voice as she’d had so many calls! 😂 But she had had a fantastic day! Isn’t that wonderful? 💕
I just love the way the current situation has forced us all to adapt from the norm and in certain situations has brought some really positive changes as unexpected side effects. I wonder how many other changes that we’ve made during this time will stay with us? For us, I really hope that at least some of the changes will become a new way of life.
Take my updates for example. When I started this, it was only really intended to be a sort of diary, a record of an unprecedented time and a way of keeping in touch with everyone at home in the UK, at least partly so they wouldn’t worry about us. We’ve tried to use Facebook for this purpose since our epic life change, as a great way of keeping in touch with everyone and to effectively, lessen the effects of the physical distance between us.
I had begun to really dislike the way my FB feed had changed over the years, more emphasis on photos and less on words. There are some exceptions but largely it had become more about the photos and the sharing of jokes, political views etc than about keeping in touch on a more basic level. Whilst some of these are lovely to see, fun or provocative to read, I cannot tell you how much I love the changes this lockdown has brought about in the ways in which we communicate.
These days, my feed is filled with updates… REAL updates… whether they be thoughts, diaries, photos and descriptions of ‘allowable exercise’, work in gardens, photos of plants, anything at all really, but the big difference seems to be the lovely words written with them. I feel more in touch with friends and family than ever before and it is fantastic! 😁
My own updates appear to have taken on a life of their own, having been started in a very casual and largely thoughtless manner. Many of you have commented on how you look forward to reading them, have enjoyed them and most touching of all, said that they have kept you sane or inspired you to try something that you’d read about, as a result.
This, in turn, has brought me so much pleasure and made me smile so much. It turns out that whilst my inane ramblings have helped you, the feedback and comments have helped me enormously and has also give me a purpose and focus every day, not just to write them but to actually do something, so I have something to write about! 😂
Sometimes, it has just simply made me look closer at everything and appreciate it more and may well be the reason for the changes in everyone else’s update… simply that we are appreciating the smallest things so much more in these times. Whatever the reason, I just love the changes it has brought about. 😍
I’ve had many comments and messages about continuing my updates and requests to collate them into a blog so they can be read together and shared to others outside of our immediate ‘friend circle’ on facebook. I’m not 100% convinced they will appeal to anyone who doesn’t know us personally – I do write in a particular style, which is pretty much how I speak and goodness knows how that would translate to strangers. 😂
But equally, It’s been suggested many times that we should document our times here in some way… the early days, the strange experiences, the process of learning to live in a different country, jumping headlong into a new job without the faintest clue how to do it etc.
So maybe when all this C**** is over, I will try to continue in some way, along those lines. What do you think? Good idea/bad idea? Would you REALLY be interested if I carried on? Or is this really only of interest during a somewhat unusual situation? 🤔
Today, the weather was changeable, showers with bursts of sunshine and so I spent most of it in front of the PC catching up on admin (again 🙄)… the lovely weather we have had over the last few weeks has a lot to answer for in the procrastination stakes… 😳
I’ve also taken the existing advice/requests on board and started the painfully slow process of copying each of the existing posts over to an actual blog. I’ll let you know when it’s fit for public consumption but in the meantime, I’m learning a new skill on setting up a blog. 😜
With any luck the crappy weather we’re expecting for the rest of the week will a) allow me to get this done and b) fill the pool. You may expect to receive high octane updates on pool depths in the coming days… try to contain your excitement people! 😂😂
Other than this, the day was spent very inactively, with just the occasional burst of movement – shopping day for Mark and a short wander round the garden to admire the various flowers which continue to come out more and more every day. Unfortunately, this also means the somewhat faster emergence of weeds…. another one for the ‘to-do’ list then… 🙄
The boys were still exhausted from their exciting trip to Rettenbach the day before and pretty much only moved from one prone sleeping position to another… bless’em 😍
A very peaceful and quiet day all round. 💤 😉
Stay safe everyone xx
