Lockdown lifelines
After five months of furlough leave, I’m gearing up to get back to the brave new world of work next week.
It got me thinking about my 20 or so weeks hidden away at home - what I’ve learned and how I’ve changed.
And, as I mulled it over, I realised there have been some seriously pivotal people who have made a massive difference over that time.
So here’s my BIG thank you to my lockdown lifeliners who have made things feel more like an adventure of discovery and less like pandemic endurance.
Thanks to you lovely lot I can amazingly and honestly say I’ve not had a single day of boredom!
Ex English National Ballet dancer Sarah Du-Feu’s cheery smile, encouraging online teaching and fantastic classes have been amazing.
As a former ballet lover, my childhood classes from four years old up until 18, got left behind as I launched into the busy world of university and work.
I’m SO GLAD lockdown gave me time to find Sarah’s classes and to spin, jump and stretch myself into a happier, fitter, more flexible version of myself. I now regularly leap around the house, scaring neighbours walking past the windows, and always feel uplifted after her classes.
She’s brought back my love of dance from the dusty shelves of my past and my shiny new ballet shoes will definitely be in the spotlight of my future.
A true inspiration. Thank you so much Sarah - you’re wonderful!
Kick-ass Pandora Paloma’s 21 day positivity challenge was just what I needed in the early days of lockdown when my mind was filled with worry.
Her daily suggestions transformed my day and my outlook.
It inspired me to read her book, Intuitive Living, which is currently reshaping the way I see my body and helping me to become a lot happier in my own skin.
Her straight talking, no nonsense yet kind and fun posts are thought provoking and mood boosting. An absolute star. Thank you Pandora!
3) The Fabulous Baker Brothers
A magazine article cut out at the beginning of lockdown, by Tom and Henry Herbert, showed me how to make a sourdough mother and get baking.
I’ve since discovered that making sourdough loaves is HARD. It’s an art. But their online encouragement and invite to join online group Sourdough Nation has opened my eyes to so much expertise from hundreds of enthusiastic bakers. I love being part of a jolly group that shares top tips and demo videos to make it that bit more accessible.
I’m still honing my skills. Some loaves are good, others get a serious raised eyebrow from the fella.
But it is so therapeutic kneading dough and the aroma of freshly baked bread filling the house is hard to beat.
I’ll still mostly be buying their Hobbs House Bakery loaves but it feels really good to have a new skill under my belt. Thanks boys!
4) Glorious gardening
With months lined up at home, the long term planning part of me (that I could control) raised its head and started gazing outside. Online orders of compost, pots, seedlings and tubers quickly became my central focus.
Potted sunflower seeds suddenly filled sunny windowsills, dahlia tubers arrived from Sarah Raven (amazing quality) and were supplemented by a spur of the moment Waitrose tuber box, picked up to cheer up a miserable trip to the supermarket.
Tomato seeds were planted and, once reopened, garden centre lavender plants perked up borders.
Stunning ‘Love in the Mist’ sprung from the soil without any help from me, creating a shimmering sky blue swathe of colour that swayed like sunlit stars in the breeze. Nature’s got to be one of the best and most beautiful mood boosters out there.
Organic herb seeds from Jekka’s near Bristol, are now flourishing in their pots. My lemon balm is positively glowing.
Rambling roses unfurled, climbing our cottage walls and filling my garden with the most gorgeous scent, along with fragrant honeysuckle.
In short, my garden became my sanctuary. I have never loved it more and will never ever take it for granted again. So thank you to nature for soothing my spirit and Sarah Raven and Jekka for my wonderful plants which lift my spirits every day.
5) Everybody needs good neighbours
One of the best things about the crisis was the sense of community spirit that sprung up during lockdown.
Neighbours I’d previously waved to at a distance on my way to and from work have become friends.
A lockdown tradition of gathering in the garden on a Sunday night for a socially distanced glass of wine and a chat around a handful of fire pits will be kept burning until winter’s chill drives us back inside.
Home is where my heart is and never more so now we’re surrounded by such kind and hilarious friends from all walks of life. Thank you neighbours for the the fizz and friendship - you’re a cracking bunch.
6) Zoom, zoom
Before online videos lost their shine, it was a sheer delight to see the faces of loved ones on screen.
To gather together six of my oldest school friends from Australia, Vienna, Germany and across the UK was magical.
Seeing their smiling faces all on one screen, waving and laughing as we wished each other happy 40th birthdays is one of my top highlights of lockdown.
There’s a lot of negative press about too much tech damaging young people’s perspective and response to the world, but in those moments I couldn’t have been gladder of it.
Thank you Zoom, FaceTime, WhatsApp video and Alexa!
7) My Dad
In fairness, he should be further up the list. If we needed anything at all, my Dad, who incidentally is 70-years-old, was there. Delivering whatever it was to the end of the garden for us to grab after he left.
Yes, it was hard to wave at a distance and not get swept up in the usual bear hug, but even his appearance was reassuring in the Covid craziness descending on us.
I’ll forever be thankful of his generosity, helpfulness and great humour. Cracking ridiculous jokes at the worst of times is one of his greatest skills. No one does it better.
8) Creative Queen Julia Cameron
A newspaper feature on Julia at the beginning of lockdown inspired me to order her book; The Artist’s Way.
It’s not a new one, it’s been around since 1992, but working through her weekly challenges has opened my mind in a way I could never have imagined.
Ideas came spilling out onto notebooks, scribbled poetry and, frankly, a fresh perspective on life.
It’s a really powerful book and one that pushed me to my limit during her ‘no reading’ week. I love reading so much - it was torture to give it up during lockdown!
I’ve not quite reached the last chapter, but each time I tick off a task I feel a fresh burst of energy and excitement. Her wise words have been my treasured lockdown companion. Thank you Julia!
9) A sense of sanity from Matt Haig
When the world is being turned upside down, you need a guiding light. Someone who calls out the bulls*** and offers a bit of hope and reassurance.
This is the man, who’s battled his own (significant) demons and yet with his new book, The Midnight Library, is reminding people of the millions of possibilities and potential that’s out there for the taking.
His mix of hard-earned reality and humility is refreshing. A really sound bloke - thanks for the sassy tweets Matt!
Oh, and read The Midnight Library - you’ll see life with fresh eyes.
10) A cut above the rest
And lastly, my beloved cousin Lucinda.
For her fabulous hairdressing skills in making my mane look its crazy, wild best but also her forthright chat.
She’s the reason this new blog has sprung to life. After gently encouraging me for years, two months ago she finally (fairly forcefully) urged me to get on and do it. And thanks to furlough leave, I actually had time to crack on.
So thank you Lucinda, for making ‘one day’ TODAY!
