Slightly gloomy drizzly start to the day, but it then brightened by the afternoon. The kids are on holiday for 2 weeks, so we’re alternating days off.

The usual morning standup was less plucky today, you could see on colleagues faces how fed up they were getting. Last two weeks of working on our project with The National Archives.

Continue reading “Week 4 Monday”

It was my birthday today.

We have spent the past 3 weekends celebrating birthdays with our neighbours, two from our side and one from theirs. During the week we agree a time for meeting up in our back gardens for a glass of Champagne. Usually a Saturday, 5 or 6 O’clock. We pop the cork, and chat over the fence but keep a safe distance. It’s somehow a wonderful new ritual, but awful how fast this has become a reality.

This morning I woke up to my birthday breakfast and opened a few cards and presents with my wife and the kids. The night had been foggy but it was already clearing and the sun was coming out. We ate Karelian pies, pancakes and watermelon. I had some coffee. My main present was a robot vacuum cleaner. I spent some time getting it to connect to my phone and our WiFi network.

It began to get so warm and sunny (15 degrees by noon) that we ate lunch outside. I had taken all the garden furniture out of storage the previous weekend in anticipation of spring weather.

I decided to pop out to post some letters that needed going out, and went to our local newsagent to pay for my New York Times delivery. There were a few people around, and in the shop the owner was wearing a mask, and people queued at 2m intervals along the aisle. I paid, asked the owner how he was, and headed back home.

The afternoon was spent mowing the lawn, edging the garden pathway and borders, picking weeds from the patio. The weather was wonderful, and I was careful to apply sunblock on my neck. I spent some time working together with my son, which I always enjoy and I am always proud of how he gets into the task at hand.

Champagne was popped at 5 O’Clock sharp. We had a lovely time. We tried not to discuss Coronavirus too much. The late afternoon sun stayed with us into early evening as we talked and drank.

If I stop to take it all in, it’s all totally terrifying.

But if I focus on the quality of my day spent at home, with my family and neighbours, then I can truly say that I had a marvellous day.

Spent Friday morning cleaning the house (I work a 4 day week currently). Then in the afternoon I cleared the garage out a little bit, expecting that we must make use of all of our spaces around our property as much as possible in the weeks to come. Ordered a huge Indian take away in the evening.

Continue reading “Weekend 2”

This week we’ve been blessed with gorgeous sunny skies, as Spring begins to blossom and things start to grow, transforming the immediate landscape around our home. It’s harder to feel gloomy when it’s like this.

Continue reading “At least it’s sunny”

So it begins.

Yesterday I was folding up the laundry, and there was quite a few of the kids’ school clothes in the mix – jumpers, cardigans, grey trousers…as I was folding I realised that this set might well now not be worn again by the kids. Somehow a little sad.

Continue reading “1st Monday with home schooling”

Woke up at 5.30, then half fell asleep before getting up at 7.30 to get things ready for a nice Mother’s Day breakfast. Went to pick up some beautiful flowers from our local florist. The shop was full of different orders waiting to be picked up, with slightly furtive staff.

Continue reading “Mothering Sunday”

So that’s the first working week at home done. So far, being in the software industry, it seems totally manageable to work remotely. People do it all the time! Just requires a little mindset shift and the necessary equipment and broadband. I worry for people that cannot do this, and salute our key workers.

Continue reading “First Saturday of lockdown”

Well that escalated quickly.

I am writing this post in the first week of national lockdown in the United Kingdom, due to the emergence of a global coronavirus pandemic called Covid-19 which is spreading throughout the world with devastating consequences.

Continue reading “Covid-19 UK”