New year, new blog post. I have so much I could write about that has happened over the last few months but I'm not sure this is the best place to put it all, especially as my boys will have access to it and I don't think they need to know everything but if they read this and want to know more, then they can ask me.
COVID still rages on worldwide and we are in a new tier system, currently tier 3, which means we can meet up outside with up to 6 people from different households and non essential shops are open. I think in a couple of weeks though that could potentially go to tier 4 after the Christmas/New year break where everyone got together like a chicken pox party! (Just found out about new announcement tonight)
As a family we are still being very cautious and really trying hard to stick by all the rules. I know a lot of friends don't quite understand or try and push the boundaries a bit, saying it will be alright etc but I need to get through this knowing that I did as I was asked and didn't put myself or others at any unnecessary risk, especially as I regularly go to Rob's parents house and they are very vulnerable. I also think if you haven't been directly affected by it that you can become a bit blasé.
I haven't really been taking too many photographs or videos and obviously haven't been doing any blog entires until now, so there isn't too much to share. I haven't even been doing my usual Snapchat filter pictures.
Christmas day was nice and relaxed this year. I cooked lunch for everyone and it took about half an hour and all came together at the right time and just seemed to work really well, not sure how I managed to pull it off to be honest.
The boys should be going back to school soon. Their return has already been delayed by a week as the government want to roll out testing of the pupils and teachers to try and stop things from escalating, so we will have 4 days of home learning for the older 2 currently and Oscar is due to return tomorrow. I've literally just realised that and I'm not ready for him to go back. Didn't even occur to me how our new lazy routine will change tomorrow and he needs a hair cut!
Rob is back to work today and is at home in his office, with his new desk. We really need to sort that room out but there is so much stuff in there I don't know where it would all go! Do kids need books these days? They don't ever seem to read anymore, even though I keep buying them books. I need to sort that out really as the Christmas holidays has all been about the screens. I don't think we are alone with that but it doesn't make it any easier.
I have thrown the boys out a few times and they've gone to the park, out on their bikes, scooters and played badminton which has been great. The back garden is currently blocked by Oscar's new basketball net which we need to sort so he can get back out there again as he was doing that a lot at one point.
The boys all seem okay. Ellis doesn't want to go back to school and would be happy to online learning in the comfort of his own room but I know he needs to get back and soon before he's even more institutionalised. Leo, I think is looking forward to getting back to school and I'm not looking forward to home schooling him as he really doesn't like being online, Teams chats etc, so that will be difficult, but hopefully it will only be for 4 days and I have Ellis here to help me with the technology and where to find everything he will need. Oscar is pretty happy on screens all day but does get very restless. We've been playing Cluedo a lot recently which has been great fun. Leo has even joined in but for Ellis he finds it torturous. His brain just can't process all the information and he really doesn't enjoy it, but it's fun to watch him implode!
This is how old I feel, the recycling was finally collected today and I'm so excited about that! What a ridiculous thing to be happy about but I was just fed up of seeing it all and there was so much and loads keep coming so I was feeling swamped by recycling. You're mental Mush, but we all know this already.
Went and bought some new dining chairs yesterday which was exciting too and everyone likes them which is great. We just need to get a few sofas now but we can't just decide. I've seen a couple of corner sofas I like but think they may be too big and I think Rob can't cope with looking for sofas for different rooms at the same time. Think we need to do it one at a time but he's back to work now so we will be limited on how often we can go and look. I think I'll look online first and then go and try them out.
The boys were supposed to start back at rugby yesterday but the club made the right decision at the last minute to cancel it all. Numbers in this area are shooting up and we could really do without going into Tier 4. I suppose it wouldn't change too much for me to be honest other than sofa shopping as we do everything else online and I don't meet up with loads of people.
Last night I finally sat down and read a book. I hadn't intended to but I opened my bedside table and I just looked at a couple that I had and made a start on one. I got into it pretty quickly and sat uncomfortably on the bed reading it. I just assumed I'd put it down like I have been doing for months now but I didn't. Quite pleased with that and I'm actually looking forward to getting back to it later on.
I haven't been exercising as much lately. I recently had a short stay in hospital as they were concerned about my pulse rate but found it to be that I was just uber fit! Maybe. Anyway, with the colder weather it's come at a good time to ease off a bit as I was doing too much. I did run this morning though and was pleased with my distance and pace which was a relief as thought with all the time off my fitness would be greatly reduced. I think with the kids going back to school and old routines coming back I will probably up my exercise a little again, but will probably do more longer walks than running. Lot's of probably Mush, you sure?
I've actually enjoyed the slower pace over the last 2 weeks and haven't wished any of it away. I'm not rushing back to anything in particular anyway, nothing is happening, nothing to look forward to in regards to events etc, just more staying in, staying away, staying safe. Think it won't be until the end of this year before things start to really change and that's if everyone can stay sensible.
Still no netball for me although there was chat of it starting tonight but I haven't read anything recently so assume it isn't but I will check.
Met Mum for a walk today. We popped into Sainsbury's for a couple of bits and I realised the shelves looked a bit empty. I joked to Mum about if there was a lockdown coming up that I wasn't aware of and she said yeh possibly as Boris doing an announcement tonight. I have no idea of these things, every time I've found out at the last minute. Not sure it would make much difference to me anyway as I don't go shopping or see lots of people and netball hasn't been on since before the last lockdown so I won't be missing out on anything new. It's all just really, really shit, but totally out of my control. I just follow the rules and hope that others do too so it will go away.
Going to leave it there as I'm sure I could waffle on about tons of stuff. Might try and do another entry soon and I'll look back through my pictures to see if anything interesting happened.
BBFN x
