Life almost 5 months on in lockdown ..

Coffee time

It's been three months since my last post and I would hate for my blog to just fizzle out so I thought I'd tell you what I've been doing for the past few months. Being unable to do my day job and also not willing to travel abroad at the moment, it's been a time of resetting and rethinking life as we know it. 

In life before the pandemic I had been happily plodding along going to work and planning breaks away whenever I could, always needing to have something in the future to look forward to. All that has changed and a new way of being has emerged. At the beginning of lockdown who could have predicted how long this could last? I was even optimistic that my June holiday to Corfu was happening but as the time got closer the realisation loomed that it was not going to be possible. Thankfully, clever (or lucky) planning and booking meant that there was no stress in the cancellation process and any money already paid out was refunded in full.

Paint by numbers

I have other strings to my bow and out came my trusty sewing machine. My first project was to make a mask. Taking baby steps as I hadn't made anything other than my neoprene beach bags in a long time. Then I did a paint by numbers painting, which took me 4 full days to complete. A very satisfying project.

kimono back view

Now that I have my creative confidence back again I am happily churning out a new holiday wardrobe in readiness for a winter sun break if that's going to be possible. Lovely linen dresses, a kimono and a jumpsuit all at a fraction of the cost I would pay retail price for them. 

I've preened my garden in a way it has never been preened before. I've painted the garden walls, I've sanded and painted an old chair to give it a new lease of life, and even found a tapestry I did years ago whilst clearing out my cellar. It is now a cushion cover on said chair in the garden. 

In a moment of madness, I customised a pair of Nike trainers, painting a Mexican inspired day of the dead scull with flowers on the side - all good fun. Amazingly too, the weather for the last few months has been exceptional and made the lockdown all the more bearable. I have recently ventured out to have coffee with a friend and will be meeting friends for dinner too. 

For those of us who have been in isolation during the pandemic without much human contact, these things would never have been achieved as I never seemed to have the time. It goes to show that good things can come from bad situations.

Enjoying my garden

I do of course realise that this has not been a good time for a lot of people and my heart goes out to those who have suffered illness and loss. It is tragic to see how many people have been affected. We can only hope that this will be over soon and life can continue with a semblance of what we want normal to be. 

I hope to be back here soon sharing my next trip and hearing about yours. Until then, stay safe and well.

"What really matters is how we handle the bad moments. Don't let it define you, keep reaching for your happiness." Russell Simmons

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