Yes I am going to be super creative and totally unique and keep an isolation diary so you can all see inside my tediously mundane life. One day we can all look back and observe the gradual unravelling of my consciousness into raving madness as it is ravaged by the relentless demands of bored hungry kids. You’re welcome, and see you on the other side.
Day 1 – yesterday 21 March 2020
It’s the weekend so we are doing nothing at all as per the usual. What bliss, let’s do it again tomorrow, and the day after, and the day af… Dear god what hell have we plunged into.
Let me start with a disclaimer: I myself can do nothing without a routine. Without routine, I will just plunge into an endless cycle of reading and tv bingeing occasionally interspersed by guilt. Without routine, I am aimless and utterly without self-discipline. I know this; I’m not proud of it, but it is what it is. The only thing that makes me actually bloody good at my job is the prospect of money (and also that I like helping people but let’s face it, money and the fear of getting sacked are really strong incentives). We are starting strong and I am going to RULE at this social distancing working from home with kids stuff.
I decided to switch off social media after lunch because it was driving me crazy and I settled on the sofa to read. Badgerman revelled in the fact that he might also get some reading done, unprecedented scenes people, this is unknown territory. He is shitting it though, I can tell. Uncertainty does not sit well with him at all, although of course I am guessing this because he is keeping it all very close to his chest. Being a maths’ teacher in secondary, he’s got to go in on Monday to support children of key workers, but it might be his only day in, and he will do remote teaching for all of his classes, with so far zero clue as to how it’s all going to work.
I sent the girls out to the garden to clean the trampoline and pick up broken twigs and branches leftover by the various storms we’ve had since before Christmas. It’s a bright sunny day, but freezing cold and windy and they are over the novelty of it in 10 minutes but would also like to do some planting. I defer for when it’s warmer and we don’t risk all our seeds getting blown away – soon please god let it be soon amen.
I’m working out a loose plan of action for Monday when I am supposed to do 7.5 hrs of work remotely with the girls roaming in the house far away from the office. Maybe something like this:
7.30 am – 8.30 am: get up / breakfast / brush teeth / hair / get dressed
8.30 am – 9 am: chores – make bed / tidy bedroom / laundry
9 am – 10 am: PE / yoga / trampoline – make this last as long as possible
9.30 – 10.30 am: reading / writing / maths – no electronics (I’m hoping the school will give me some clue so I can just assign them some exercises)
10.30 – 11.30 am: something creative: drawing, painting, building, baking, lego challenge / YouTube tutorials
By the way, E has made a 42-day drawing challenge – suitable for ages 4 + and all abilities. It’s fabulous and you can get it for free on my Facebook Page.
11.30 – 1 pm: TV / Lunch / do whatever you want
1 pm – 2 pm: stuff with electronics – research / project / Hit the Button / Times Tables Rock Stars / BBC Bitesize / Horrible Histories / Blue Planet type documentary
3 pm – 5 pm: gardening / walk to the countryside if we are still allowed / Zoom and emails with friends / daily journal / 1 family board game
5 pm – 6 pm: free time so probably Roblox and YouTube videos
6 – 8 pm: dinner and movie
8 – 9 pm: kids wind down/get ready for bedtime
9 pm: gin and tonic / wine / icecream
We can laugh together when it all crumbles to nothing in the next 48 hours.
Day 2 – Mother’s Day
My anxiety has been all over the place this last week. It’s fear pure and simple, and it crops up here and there and there isn’t really anything for it, for one thing it’s not irrational fear so what’re you gonna do? Tiredness has been particularly high so I stocked up on Floradix tablets (vitamins and iron) but I still found that by 6 pm my entire body was starting to seize up from sheer exhaustion. Don’t underestimate the power of stress to affect your body at every level. My main advice here is: don’t ignore your body. Listen to what it’s telling you and look after it.
I’ve booked myself into a free online social media marketing course, and I’m joining into a yoga class, a singing warm up group and an exercise class to musical theatre routines. If I don’t fit in some fun things to do for me, I am going to turn into Ms Trunchbull and things are going to get ugly, and let’s just say there are so very random things on offer online at the moment.
It’s a bright and sunny day again today, Spring is finally here. I was treated to loads of beautiful cards and bacon and egg muffins. The girls are out playing limbo hop. We are going to get through this.
afrogatlarge.wordpress.com 
We’re on lockdown too for two weeks but more for a month, I reckon. I’m lucky the kids are grown, so no entertainment programme for me. We spend our time gardening, although we’re having a cold spell at the moment, reading and following YouTube conferences on various topics. And sorting old photos. Needs to be done this lifetime! 🙂
I feel for the Mums and Dads who have small children who are easily bored and need to run around with their friends. I doff my hat to those who, on top of minding their kids need to work from home. Netflix is your new friend.
I think the Corona is not to be trifled with. Italy is in a bad shape and we all must do our bit so we don’t end up having the same situation. Unfortunately some people are flippant and nonchalant, not taking the threat and new rules seriously, thus endangering others and, ultimately, swamping the medical system. Nurses and doctors, my new heroes!
Tous mes vœux de France.
You are definitely lucky with grown kids! We’re definitely going to take it one day at a time, as relaxed as we can. There will inevitably be a lot of screen time but I am ok with that to a degree. Good luck to you all in France