Corona Diaries

Lyla

“But I love it! I love the lockdown, the pace, the quiet. I have not really missed meeting up. With friends or anyone really! We can talk on the phone or on skype or zoom…”

Background Information

Female, aged 45-54, Principal Social Worker, Southwest England, White, Married, enjoying life in lockdown.

April 2020 1. I am feeling really happy during this lock down! My husband and I can have a little healthy lunch together – not a shrivelled lettuce leaf from a Tupperware box like it would be a work, but fresh lovely food. I can see my cats throughout the day. One in particular sleeps in the room where I work. I can see our lovely garden springing towards summer and there is not commute so it gives us more time for our hobbies including getting into the garden and walking. 2. I used to do a daily am walk before corona which last ¾ hour. Now my husband is also working from home, we do a daily walk after work which is usually at least one hour. It is fantastic for our health, well being and relationship. I did get back ache last week as I was working on a similar piece of work for several days. To help this, I do the exercises as recommended by our local council’s Covid site, I get up when the bell rings on my computer and do some stretches and we are ensuring a really healthy diet with little processed sugar except an ice cream of course in this amazing weather! 3. At the start, I thought this period would last some time so I am trying to pace myself!!! I adore Anne with an E (Anne of Green Gables) on Netflix however I felt it important to retain routines, so we watch it every Sunday night before Antiques Roadshow! I am also gardening a lot – I always do – but this lock down has helped me to experiment more! I have a ginger root growing in a pot as well as 4 orange pips!! I guess walking is the main feature of our lives at the moment. And because of the weather, TV is not a feature. We do however, have a project of playing every CD we own through the lock down which has been wonderful so far. 4. Professionally I am working on some of my aims including a project around supervision. This project is also my work based project towards the Chartered Management Institute Course I have almost completed. I have also been doing a little editing with a social worker who is completing a post graduate course. Her findings will inform our workforce strategy which I am thrilled about. In terms of Covid 19 I have been supporting with developing a reserve list of staff should we need them.

June 2020 I always classed myself as a classic extrovert, well perhaps not totally, as I do not need people around me

all the time and I like my own company, but I am gregarious and outgoing. However, something strange has happened or I have noticed about myself during covid. Am I becoming a recluse!? I have the same tank of petrol in my car since lockdown in March. I did delight in going to the local plant nursery the Saturday it was reopened – that really was a joy – and I bought lots of climbers for the garden and spent all weekend planting, but that’s all I have done… oh plus a trip to the next village Co-op every week. But I love it! I love the lockdown, the pace, the quiet. I have not really missed meeting up. With friends or anyone really! We can talk on the phone or on skype or zoom plus my work is very people- orientated, if on zoom and not in person!!! Maybe it’s easier because my close family live miles away from me so we are not in and out of each other’s pockets; perhaps it is easier to adjust to seeing them even less… I used to like going to the car boot sale for plants and oddities early on Sunday am and get Chris and I a croissant for breakfast. I do miss that the most, strangely…. I would garden at 8am and it was silent then at 8am; the only time it was quiet before covid. So, it’s felt like a Sunday morning before lockdown every day! Now we are slightly more relaxed, we can start meeting outside now. A friend suggested a walk and I felt, “Oh, meet up, now, oh can we!” But I didn’t want to!!! I couldn’t really make the excuse I am too busy, as we are all home, but I have just really enjoyed being at home, in the garden, cooking, walking, and sewing, being more introspective. This week I also took my guitar from under the bed and out of its case. I am now practicing every day my scales and arpeggios! And I have noticed I am listening to talking radio less: radio 4. I barely listen to talking, noise. Has this been like a strange meditation!? I feel sad – there are a few more cars on the road now, not quite so silent. It feels like the beginnings of normalcy returning. But I don’t want it to return. It feels like this massive, weird holiday from a fast- paced life and I don’t want it to stop!

July 2020 Extract from my diaries: (this is a total bit of a brainstorm so no punctuation) July 2nd I got the dreaded knock at the door, 8.15am. A lady with a vet standing next to her. She had hit one of our cats. What colour I said, is it black ? She said it was dark. I ran upstairs after shutting the front door, Strawberry, black was on his bed. I saw Zagazoo and Marble. So it was my baby giant Ezekiel, brother of Marble. My babies from kittens, now two. I called and called in the garden. He is injured, she said. I heard a meow, rain starts, I call and call til my throat is sore.

I make a cup of tea and wash quickly, and I hear foot steps up to our quiet room at the top where Ezekiel loves to go. He was up there, I saw big eyes in the corner of darkness. He runs around the corner of the room to another dark corner. thank god, his legs are ok I think. It takes me several hours to lure him with a dreamy trail. Got the box ready and called the vet to expect him. He comes out by midday and eats, again relief. but his tail is hanging off, literally hanging off. Now is the 3rd, he has been in the vets overnight on a drip to help reduce shock and trauma so he can have his surgery today to amputate his tail. there are no brakes or internal damage - it's a miracle I felt so angry at people, at cars. the wildlife does not understand that the world is waking up again and the roads are busier, I got my wake up call. Marble and Ezekiel are staying indoors overnight and I am going to watch them more now the roads are getting busier. that time is over, of quiet roads, scorching sunshine and cats hedgehogs and birds meandering across lanes. the world is awake again...sadly....

Stitched by Lyla 2020