Even More Progress

from facebook

23 March at 22:27 ·

Ferretfingers has had his first bath since Thursday 6th February.

With both parents hovering as he got in and, more worryingly, out again.
All went well.
I am weak with relief and actually have butterflies as another source of anxiety is released.
Why is it I can deal with things when they're happening but fall apart when it's all over?
So tomorrow will be the last time Wayne and Shannon the washers visit. They have been lovely and I shall miss two people coming into our home. But I suppose it reduces our, and their, risk of infection.

Dear Lord what an awful way to have to think.

Kentish Lady I fall apart after the crisis is over too.

Paganess And me! We power on through suppressing emotions because we have to.  When we don't need to anymore the dam breaks.  This is what makes us such able, capable people, if you don't let the emotions out and rest when you can you don't cope with the world

Cousin Daisy Same here.  I need the chocolate after that to recover xxx

Mrs PH I suppose it's how we are wired - to cope in a crisis and when all that adrenaline and cortisol stops racing around we come down with a bump.
Hope the weather keeps good so you can enjoy the garden at least.xx

***

That was the night Fester announced "I have a treat for us in bed"  

“What?” I asked warily  

"Quiz!" geefully..  

Yes, dear reader, he'd saved all the Saturday Guardian quizzes I'd missed what with being exhausted, ill or not here.  

I bet the bastard wanted me to read the questions out to him too (I demurred).

It was then I realised it was getting on for seven weeks since we’d done the Guardian crossword in bed together (not a euphemism).

More Progress

We are fortunate in these times to have a home large enough that we can get away from each other and do our own things.

Thunderthighs’ laughter at some YouTube or similar clip can often be heard echoing down from the penthouse.

Ferretfingers favours the living room where he, sometimes, has full control of the tivo box, his laptop and other devices, and access to his many road atlases (he has a passion for maps).

Fester occupies the office compiling his mining and coal-trade data in stygian gloom; he closes the curtain because the sunshine gets on the screens.  He has one offline pc on which he types out his data, his laptop accessing online historic newspaper records (he is currently trawling local 19^th century advertisements for references to the coal-trade) and ‘my’ pc on which he listens to radio, podcasts and highbrow tv programmes on iplayer.  Because he is obsessive (his word) he spends far too much time doing this, exhausts himself and then has to go and lie down on our bed; where he watches live lowbrow tv, usually people buying and selling tat on Quest.

I can be found in the garden, or the kitchen, or the living room annoying Ferretfingers by demanding control of the tv, or silence so I can read, or here in the office on ‘my’ pc on social media.

Last Monday afternoon I came up to do some media socialising and, finding the office empty, went into our bedroom to converse with my husband.

After a while we heard a very loud “I’m walking”.

Looking out of the bedroom door I saw Ferretfingers mounting the stairs and go into his bedroom for one of his road atlases.

We leapt out of/off the bed and, before he could descend, got him to step into and out of the bath.

This prompted the following facebook post.

23 March at 13:29 ·

Ferretfingers has just climbed the stairs.  And we got him to climb in and out of the bath.

Ms Exlibris Does this mean you lose your bed? 🙄

Bentonbag Yes, damn it, I have to go back to the martial bed.

Mr Earth Bentonbag the martial bed? Military manoeuvres?:)
 

Keeping Occupied

from facebook on Monday

23 March at 12:46 ·

Thunderthighs got a phonecall this morning to say his work experience is cancelled until further notice.

This on top of his college being closed last Friday.

No surprise, but very frustrating for him. 

Especially as he finds changes in routine difficult to handle.

We’ve got a fun few weeks ahead of us!

His heart’s desire is to go on long rides on public transport, which definitely come under the banner of ‘unnecessary travel.’

Fortunately his paper round gets him out of the house getting some exercise once a day.

And he's a good shopper so we send him out if there's anything we need from the local shops.

Anyway, I gave him a duster and the kitchen spray and got him to clean the bannisters, and then wash the dishes so he knows I can find ways of keeping him occupied.

Actually he now asks if there's anything needs putting in the washer.

If only I could entice him to the ironing board ...

Drummerman  Ironing? Cruel and unnatural punishment!

Mothering Sunday

And here we are just about a week behind ourselves on Facebook ...

22 March at 14:50 ·

My Mothering Sunday treat was a trip to Druridge Bay with Thunderthighs.   

It's 7 miles long and so wide it's very easy to keep more than 2 metres away from other people.   

Also it was very windy: wonderful waves and foam skimming over the wet sand.   

We took a flask of hot chocolate and a picnic, which we ate up on a dune.   

A lot of people had the same idea, lots of dog walkers and four people on horseback.
I know it may seem risky but I have been longing to get out into the wild for over a month; 

and it did my spirits the world of good.

Strawangel It’s only risky when it’s crowded. Folk like us don’t take the risk. Glad you’ve had a lovely day xx

Mr Melodeon Very nice. I went for a walk around our urban area. It was almost impossible to be 2mtrs from people, particularly if they are leaning on their garden walls or even working in them. Youths congregating on corners and dog walkers with extension leads blocking the way past. 

All understandable activities but not conducive to avoidance. 2mtrs is 2mtrs regardless of the situation. Worrying!

Miss GH I love Druridge Bay. I've been walking in my local woods. X

Mrs Quilt Got a streaming cold so was self isolating anyway. Son has just delivered our Mother’s Day meal of his delicious smelling curry plus Indian snacks.  We’d put a tray on the dining table. He put our meal on it, we had an at a distance couple of minutes chat and now we’re at the kitchen table about to eat. You won’t have heard me say this often but he’s a star

Mrs PH Hello Mrs Quilt. Sorry to hear about your cold but pleased it's nothing worse.  

It can't do any harm to get out in the fresh air somewhere really quiet like Druridge Bay. Probably a life saver for many and glad you enjoyed it. It's been a fabulous day - actually did some work in the garden 1st time this year.xx

 ***

This was the day before "lockdown".

In my defence since Ferretfingers broke his ankle on 7th February:-

I spent the best part of a fortnight in hospital with him 

Sleeping on the floor or a foldy bed.

Had the trauma of watching him being anaesthetised

And other unpleasant things.

Only seeing the sky on my brief trips home for clean clothes and chores.

I spent the next fortnight sleeping on the floor at home.

Until I got ill and was sent to bed.

Most of the month he'd been at home I'd been confined to the house, 

with the odd trip to the end of the garden, if it was sunny enough.

And we won't discuss dealing with the commode ...

Wellies on I finally walked down into the sea 

and the stress of the six weeks began to wash away with the waves 

I almost wept.

I tried to tell my son how hard it had all been for me and why.

He's a good listener.