 |
| Michal Klajban / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), on Wikimedia Commons |
Do you enjoy your daily exercise allowance? I sure do. Yesterday Alistair and I went for a dog walk, equipped with binoculars for a bit of birdwatching. He produced the tiniest ever notebook (5 x 5 cm) to take notes on magpies and robins. It was very sweet. I pointed out a female Goosander with her brown backwards mohawk but he told me he was not into ducks at the moment. That's me told then. I think it is a beautiful duck.
James and Alistair are reluctantly engaging with their school work, supervised by Annie. I am not entirely sure what they are doing and each time I approach the learning hub (aka kitchen table), I am greeted with a sigh, or eye-rolling. Interest is interpreted as interference. Home economics is part of the school day. On Thursday I got a text saying that lunch was ready, which was really good news because gave me the excuse to bring a long virtual meeting to a close. So many virtual meetings... Annie is good with the boys and I am glad she does the school routine, it keeps her busy and gives her purpose.
When the boys are not studying, they spend an awful lot of time watching Minecraft YouTube videos. They sometimes also play real life Minecraft. This involves creating the essential Minecraft tools and weapons using Knex and then use these to exterminate one another.
Meanwhile, Richard and I are working normal hours. I am used to working at home but usually, the garden birds are my only distraction. Did I tell you that my next course is on integrated infectious disease control? It is a weird coincidence. From a scientific point of view, this pandemic is really interesting.
Our standards are slipping. Please tell me it is not just us. I have been wearing the same t-shirt for three days, the boys have baked bean stains on their hoodies and the sofa cushions haven't been plumped up since last weekend. Come to think of it, maybe it is just my standards. Richard is still clean shaven and Annie is always immaculate. James and Alistair don't care one way or the other.
Did you notice the yummy mummy brigade is out in full force, telling us how to keep the children intellectually stimulated and busy, so so busy? There are also the usual well-meaning social media busybodies. How about helping each other out as much as we can without telling all and sundry on Facebook? In less charitable moments I imagine that the very same people take stock of their private loo roll supplies while the rest of us is contemplating cutting up precious children's drawings to wipe our bottoms.
Ouch, grumpy. I am not actually in a bad mood, just desperately craving a Cadbury cream egg.
I just watched a house sparrow having a little bath in the rain gutter below our bedroom window. How cute is that? There should be no water in the gutter of course, I wonder where it is blocked...
Sam is visiting for a while. I missed him and I am glad he is here. He lost his job. Dishwashers are not in big demand with restaurants closed. I hope one of his many job applications is successful because he has rent to pay (he has not moved back here, he is just staying for the time being).
In other news, I finally took photos of a simple top I made a month ago. I will show you it soon, it is very pretty. I have started stitching little hearts to squares of fabric. It is most enjoyable and it makes me happy. I can probably stitch one for every day that we are stuck at home. While keeping my fingers busy, I am also listening to (mostly old) podcasts from before the pandemic because I want to escape for a bit. I can highly recommend Sean Carroll's Mindscape podcast, episode 89, in which he discusses with Lera Boroditsky (a neuroscientist) how language shapes the way we think. Fascinating. I am also listening to a new book - The other half of Augusta Hope by Joanna Glen.
My big thanks go out to everyone keeping the world ticking. The Hermes driver who delivered a parcel to us yesterday, the pharmacist who fills my prescription and the tireless workers keeping the food chain going and of course teachers, social workers and healthcare workers and everyone else who is out there, helping to keep us safe.
Today I hope for another nice walk and if I remember I'll take my camera so I can show you what nature is up to here in Glasgow. Until then, thank you for visiting. Take care xx
