Right, first off, I’ve got a confession to make…
I feel kind of bad about it, it’s not like I intentionally misled you from the start, and in all honesty I was never going to ever reveal it, but…and I know this is going to come as a shock, and this IS going to become more apparent over the next coming weeks.....but...ready? …I’m not a natural blonde.
Things are going to get pretty skanky, pretty quickly. Welcome to Rootsville, care to join me? Hahahahaha
I’m making light of a horrendous situation, (the pandemic, not my rootage) I don’t really think there’s much choice but to do so, humour is a vital link in the chain.
It’s horrible out there, 2 friends have had cancer operations postponed already (like they have time for that!). That’s on top of people fighting for their lives from the dreadful virus itself, plus all the poor souls who have been taken by it.
It feels like a disaster movie right now.
When I first wake up in the morning I forget it for a second and then it comes blaring back on full volume.
Last week I had a hair raising time trying to get my mum and dad home from Tenerife.
They were on holiday when all hell broke loose. Spain went into lock down.
Then the airlines started to go tits up.
They were meant to come home Saturday 21st March, but the airline, Easy Jet, cancelled the flight.
Mum tried to get on the Wednesday flight as suggested by Easy Jet but couldn’t get booked on it.
So with the help of a very special friend and travel agent of mine, Jane we bought them more flights with another airline, Ryanair, for Sunday.
Then Ryanair cancelled that flight.
So my friend Jane managed to get them on the flight for Friday with Ryanair, how she did it I don’t know. And only for £190.00.
Getting to the airport was a bit of a palaver in itself as you’re only allowed one person in the car at a time, cabs are allowed one passenger at a time, so in two separate cabs they made their way to the airport.
Once they were checked in I breathed a sigh of relief, believing (foolishly) that they were definitely coming home.
Unfortunately just after that panic ensued.
After they got to the gate they realised they didn’t have a designated seat number on the flight and had to wait 50 minutes to find out if they were going to be able to get on it.
It was a very traumatic wait.
So close they can see and touch the plane but possibly going to be bumped due to over selling of seats.
Thankfully they got on, by some good luck, but 12 other people didn’t manage to get on and had their luggage taken back off the flight. Some of those people had paid £600-£800 for a flight they couldn’t even get on.
Airlines over book every flight, I think it’s a horrible way to run a business. Especially in the middle of a nigh on evacuation situation.
What the people left behind will do I have no idea but they are in my thoughts. xx
Jane Sheffield, of Travel Counsellors is a super star. I would never book a holiday without her doing it for me.
Mum and dad are safely home and locked away now. I dropped them a food parcel and some flowers off on their doorstep for their arrival, and they have enough food in the freezer to live off for a while.
They are now in Self Isolation, which I think sounds so desperately sad and desolate.
I’ve rebranded it to Self Protection or Self Preservation.
Just reframe everything to a more positive feeling and all will be well.
Anyway, when real life was still happening Chris and I were booked to go to this beautiful restaurant in London called Sketch. It’s a stunning looking place, I’ve wanted to go for ages, but it’s hard to get a table.
We booked it a while ago and I was really looking forward to it.
Then everything changed last week when Restaurants, cafes and bars were closed down.
Well I’m resourceful, which is coming in very handy for these trying times.
I got up, got ready and dressed for the day I wanted not the day I got. :)
Top from Ralph Lauren, Trousers from Quiz, Shoes from Jimmy Choo
And why not! There’s enough fear, anxiety and gloom rushing through my veins right now, why not break that up with a bit of joy.
So I set the table with the best china, and served the croissants I was able to get hold of.
There has been some selfish behaviour in the supermarkets, which wasn’t clamped down on in time.
There isn’t a food shortage but at the same time there isn’t much food to be had.
Once brunch was over I changed my trousers for jogging bottoms and went to play in the garden.
I am not a natural gardener, until this point I found it a pain and almost resented having to tend to it, but actually it’s a huge blessing at the moment.
Out there, picking weeds and sowing seeds I feel lighter and free.
I leave my phone indoors and walk away from the world outside and go and cut the grass or dig or chop something.
I appreciate I’m very lucky to have such a big garden, but if you don’t have a garden maybe you could get a pot indoors and grow something in it.
Even if it’s just some cress seeds on damp cotton wool, just to tend to and take your mind off the world.
Speaking of the food shortages, I went to the supermarket the other day to get some food for the weekend. I wanted to make a shepherd’s pie (mine isn’t traditional to start with, I make it with turkey mince as I don’t eat red meat).
Anyway turns out there was no meat at all let alone turkey mince.
So I had to improvise…we had a delicious shepherd’s pie…made with my store cupboard lentils as the mince. Same method as usual, just meat swapped for lentils, it was nice enough, although I thank goodness Bisto gravy is vegetarian, it really did make the meal.
Fry the lentils with onion, a bit of garlic and finely chopped carrots, a stock cube and some Worcestershire sauce. Top with creamy mashed potato and you’re good to go.
I will not let the bare supermarket shelves drag me down. I will find a way round what ever is coming our way.
I think my experience with cancer has taught me some valuable life lessons, resilience for one, and although I could have done without it it has made me a very different, more capable person now.
I roll with life’s punches, it makes for a more peaceful journey.
Then Sunday was Mother’s Day in the UK, it wasn’t the Mother’s Day any of us were expecting or planned.
But I’m very lucky as I have a very kind husband who wanted to make the best of it.
He made what could have been a very grim day a very nice one.
Staring off with pancakes! What can’t be made better with pancakes!? :)
Again, I dressed the table with the “hardly ever use china” this time (I have slight issues, I have about 4 dinner services, it’s a bit of an addiction really, it’s come in handy through this apocalypse though). :)
Then Ben came round and we chatted in the garden 2 metres apart.
I don’t want to get the bug, and I certainly don’t want to pass it on if I’m a carrier.
So I’m following all the social distancing rules to the letter! For my own good and for the greater good, I didn’t think it was too much to ask of us.
That’s how being a decent human being works. We try to avoid harm ourselves of course, but mainly we avoid harming others.
So stay home!
I’ve heard quite a few people saying “I’m going to carry on as normal”. I’ve got to break it to you, that’s not ‘normal’, that’s being a selfish prick.
I heard one actress say her right to freedom comes above risk to health, What the ****!?
It’s simply not about us, the individual, it’s about us as a whole.
I’m not sure how it’s difficult to understand?
Like I said, this is not the Mother’s Day I had expected. But it was perfectly lovely.
Thank God for the sunshine and a garden to go in.
Sam, Milly and little Zak FaceTimed me, which was lovely.
Heartbreaking that we won’t see him in the flesh for a very long time.
I’m scared he will forget us. That bit is making my heart very heavy.
He’s so little, and changing by the minute. It’s breaking me to not hold him. We will meet again…just don’t know when.
But the sooner we all do what we need to do the sooner this will be over.
Mother’s Day lunch was different to others I’ve had in the past.
Again we couldn’t get any meat for a Sunday roast (in fact if it wasn’t for our 3 Gousto home delivery meals a week I’m not sure what food we’d be eating right now, and even Gousto seem to be having trouble supplying people at the moment, the site crashed 4 times this today) so we bought a hodge podge of a meal, cobbled together with what we could find left on M&S shelves.
Chris made it with love…
This smiling face certainly cheered me up! Hahahahaha
So we’ve had 18 cancelled functions and events till June so far.
As you know my mindset is why should this thing that we’re living through stop me dressing for the occasion, even if I’m not on the occasion. Hahahahaha
Last night we were meant to be having dinner at The Savoy followed by Pretty Woman the musical.
So this is my missed opportunity outfit for the evening…
Dress from Ralph Lauren, Shoes from Jimmy Choo
It feels nice on, and looks nice on, and it’s totally not the dress’s fault that it never got to live out it’s destiny - at this time. ;)
For now it’s back in the wardrobe waiting for it’s day to shine it will come. xx
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There are very different ways to get through difficult times…
I took the practical route and hired a skip to fill with the crap that’s been needing clearing for a very long time from the garden and garage.
We’ve been given the gift of time at home. Which means I have the enthusiasm to do it…there’s no Fomo if there’s no where to go go!
Chris on the hand, took a very different direction to me and ordered a collection of jigsaw puzzles. Hahahahaha
We all choose to deal with things in different ways but at least my way shit gets done…puzzles? What’s that about?!?
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I don’t have any of the answers to what we can do to prevent getting sick. but I can say that I am washing my hands like a maniac, taking vitamin C and D tablets, getting plenty of fruit and veg in my system, plenty of sun on my bones and D mix.
Will it help? God knows.
I can only hope and pray.
Thank you to all the health workers who are in an impossible situation. You are incredible. You didn’t sign up to fight for your country but that is exactly what you are doing every day you go to work.
Thank you to all the key workers that are at risk.
My daughter in law’s uni was cancelled so she signed up to work in a supermarket. Her slogan Corona works hard but Kaitlyn works harder! Hahahahaha
Thank you to all the people restocking the shelves and serving still, the people delivering goods to us and everyone that can’t sit this out working from home. Xx
It’s sunny but not warm so I roll up my sleeves, and leggings to get as much exposure without dying of exposure.
20 minutes a day is my maximum without sun cream on.
x