this and that...














The weather is glorious here in Glasgow! I really enjoy the view out of my home office window when I am working, the browns have been replaced by greens and the odd bright colour of early flowering perennials and a couple of tulips. There will me more tulips soon, I planted a gigantic half whiskey barrel with layers of bulbs in the back. It is going to be amazing. The pots on the front steps are looking good, too.

My ear infection is finally improving. I am on a second course of a different antibiotic. The pills are half the size of my pinky finger and I really struggle to swallow them and I have an altered sense of taste, which is a common side effect, but needs must.

The lockdown continues and which each day, my jeans feel a little tighter. I have not been able to run and didn't feel much like walking either, and I am not cycling to work. Lack of exercise and continuous snacking are not good for my waistline. Ear permitting, I'll be running this weekend.

My social conscience is waking me up at night. I am acutely aware of my privileged situation. It seems wrong that we are doing so well while others are really finding life difficult, maybe because they lost their jobs, or because they are unable to feed their families. It is s tricky one. To ease my middle class guilt, I want to donate money to local charities that support vulnerable individuals and families in the area. Our first donation went to a local youth group that is preparing and distributing meals for self-isolating vulnerable and elderly people. One of my (grown up) friends is involved and this personal connection makes our donation more special for me. I know it is used for a good thing. I also want to make a donation to the local food bank. I usually put a few items in the food bank donation crate when shopping but I haven't been shopping and I am not sure what food items are most needed just now. I considered volunteering for the big diagnostic testing facility set up here in Glasgow but it is difficult to commit to long lab shifts while working full-time and counting children. I don't have enough energy I don't think.

While out on a walk in your neighbourhood woods with the boys and Jack, I spent some time birdwatching. The boys were climbing trees and left me to it. Jack rolled in something dead or otherwise smelly and left me to it, too. I watched several treecreepers, one of them carrying soft stuff to a crack in a tree. I'll be watching this tree over the next few weeks! I also spotted a nuthatch, which surprised me because I thought they only venture as far North as the South of Scotland. When we continued our walk, we went down to the river and threw sticks for the dog and we picked some wild garlic. I slipped and slid down the muddy bank on my butt, which the boys thought was really funny. I guess it was. I made wild garlic pesto. I am bit underwhelmed by the flavour. The boys picked a little posy for me in the woods.

I am really glad it is the weekend. My ear was sore and I did plenty of overtime and I deserve a couple of days of nothingness. I have two new online courses starting on Monday, lasting until July. I am all ready to go. My classes are small and I get to know students well. There is less marking, too. It is business as usual for online courses like mine. I know, very lucky. I don't envy some of my colleagues who all of a sudden had their curriculums shaken up completely and had to adapt to digital in a very short time, or those colleagues who had to put their research on ice and furlough staff.

I know just what I'do with all that weekend time. I have treated myself to a kit put together by Guthrie & Ghani. It seemed easier than ordering bits and pieces here and there.... It contains all the materials, pattern and hardware to make a Kelly Anorak by Closet Case Patterns. I didn't feel like tracing the pattern pieces and cut them out from the original. There is always so much to prepare for more complex garments. Cutting more pattern pieces than seem possible, transferring all the marks carefully, interfacing and whatnot. Progress is slow but I am almost ready to start sewing.

I hope the good weather continues, I am loving it. Richard has made some great progress in the garden and all is ready for sewing and planting (except the seeds and plants of course).

We had a curry takeaway this evening. Everyone loved it except me. I don't really like takeaway curry, too much fatty sauce, too smooth and the food doesn't look appetising in the plastic containers either. I much prefer a home cooked South East Asian curry with a bit of crunch.

I am content. I am ok with having a simpler life, for one there are fewer daily decisions to make, fewer places to go and fewer things to remember. I am actually less anxious than normal. I don't mind being at home. My most adventurous outing this week was a trip to the pharmacy. What was your most adventurous outing?

Thanks for visiting x




Comments

  1. My most adventurous outing was to the doctor for my flu vax. Woohoo!

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  2. We are not doing outings as such, but we try for a walk every day. They have been miserable though — cold with fierce winds It has been a bit ridiculous really.

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  3. I'm glad you are ok, I like a simple day too so the lockdown is not really affecting me that much. I walk the dogs every day but my only additional trip has been a visit to the post office. x

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  4. I am sorry to hear that you have had an ear infection that sounds painful, I am glad to hear you are on the mend now. My adventurous outings are my walks these days, I am walking further and further each week and loving exploring the countryside around my village.

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  5. Hi, Christina. I'm sorry to hear you have an ear infection and I hope it's soon better. Sorry I haven't visited your blog in a while as I've had neither the time nor the inclination to go on my computer. Stay safe and well. Best, Jane x

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  6. I so relate to your feelings of privilege. This has been almost like a retreat for me. I do wonder when I will be able to see our son, who lives 9 hours away, but other than that, we are fine. Our daughter lives nearby, and just received her check from the government. She is employed, so she spent the morning deciding different organizations to whom she will donate the money. We aren't getting a check, but we need to decide where to donate as well! I hope you are able to run again soon. I have tentatively stepped into it again, hoping that my hips and knee can handle it!

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  7. My most adventurous outing was to the hospital for an MRI. They need to get a closer look at my pituitary tumor (that has taken my mind off COVID??!!!) so we can plan what to do next. I may have to wait a bit before I can have surgery but... probably benign, no pain, could be worse!?! Like the lock down, better to make the best of it and be thankful for what I can do instead of complaining about what I cannot!

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  8. Good luck with the Kelly Anorak! A kit sounds like such a good idea.

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  9. SO glad you are feeling better, that ear infection lasted way too long. I am feeling angst about how well we are doing and others are struggling so much. I complain that I injured my dog but have the funds to pay for his sutures. Still it is a crazy time we live in, we give, we try not to horde anything and we send loving thoughts out to the world, what else can you do? Stay safe.

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  10. I can relate to the guilt of knowing we have a warm home and plenty of food and are retired so our income is not threatened, at least not yet. Survivor guilt? I worry that if I donate to a big organization all I'm paying for is an overpaid CEOs salary. I'm glad your ear is better! Take care and stay safe. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  11. I can definitely relate to many of the things you posted about here, Christina. We are not terribly inconvenienced either emotionally or financially, but perhaps most socially and not in the sense of going out a lot. But we miss the interaction between neighbors whether at the mailbox, in hallways or lobby areas. Being retired for many years has given us a certain peace of mind as far as self-isolation and we each "do our own thing" even when we are in the same location, but not actually next to one another. We have been contributing to the community pantry here in our apt complex and buying extra items on our shopping excursions. However, this week I noticed that this project started off with a lot of donations, but now there is much less. As with anything, things start off with a big bang and then seem to dwindle and that is unfortunate. Hope your ear infection will be cleared up soon as those pills do sound very large.

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  12. I understand how you feel about doing well, while many have lost jobs. I too donated to an organization that deliver meals to homebound people.

    I had only one outing to the health food store. Not very adventurous, but I wore a mask. 😊

    Stay safe.

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  13. So pleased your ear is clearing up. My toe is fine too. Your final paragraph completely sums up how I feel about lock down too. Andy says he has never seen me so relaxed but I echo your sentiments about others - we are lucky and we have to appreciate that.

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  14. I find that a weekly trip to the supermarket has suddenly felt like a major and stressful outing, so much so that I relish the rest of the week when I don’t have to go out! I’m glad your ear is improving. It must be very exhausting x

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  15. I'm enjoying living a bit of a simpler life although my waistband seems to be increasing as well since I'm not able to go for my big walk with Patch each day. We do have a treadmill but I feel like a hamster or a mouse running on a wheel when I use it so I keep avoiding looking at it so I won't feel guilty. Glad to hear your ear infection is improving. xx Susan

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  16. Love that jacket. You should apply to go on Sewing Bee. Outings? Well, the weekly food shop has turned into some kind of dystopian experience I've come to dread. Then I spend the next seven days worrying whether I've brought into the house something that definitely wasn't on the shopping list. Me and insomnia are best friends. Take care.

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  17. I've been feeling a bit guilty at times too. Like you, I'm privileged at the moment as I'v been furloughed on 90% pay whilst Dave is on full pay and working from home so life is actually pretty good for us! I'm loving the time at home - we've ticked a few jobs off the list that have been on there for a very long time and made a very small start of doing something with the garden at last! I confess, as an introvert, social distancing is basically how I've lived my whole life - but to a lesser extent - so there's nothing I find difficult about this lockdown business and I've gained many more positives out of it, but then I keep remembering that whilst I'm living a dream, so many others are really suffering. I don't feel I can financially contribute to anything to help as despite working and being fine right now, my job is temporary and I'm actually finishing half way through the contract because I'm pregnant (not many people know yet, despite being quite far along, and I've not yet mentioned this news on my blog!!) so I need to hang on to money and save right now as I'll be jobless from August (without maternity pay) and with no prospect for a return to work for some time. Being pregnant also means I can't volunteer / do anything useful to help either as I don't want to take risks.

    Lovely to hear about your bird watching - it'd be nice if you could see the tree creeper breeding now you know where it's building a nest. I hope your ear is much improved by the weekend so you can enjoy it properly. We've not walked for two weeks now, I just got lazy and have been happy at home doing other jobs and a bit of baking. My most adventurous outing was an 8 mile walk a few weeks ago which was a huge achievement at the moment as I've not walked that far for a long time, haha! I know I need to get myself moving again soon though as I'm really not getting enough exercise!

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Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, I love to hear from you, I really do. I sometimes reply by email but I am not all that reliable... Christina xx

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