LOCKDOWN WEEK 12!!

It feels like lockdown is coming to an end! I may no longer note it in my diary. 

Life is no where near back to 'normal' but the 'new normal' we find ourselves in, I fear, will be with us for a long time. Sam has started to meet friends, outside for walks etc I trust him to be sensible but at the end of the day I pose the biggest risk to the family of getting the virus and bringing it home. From day one I've continued to work and my interaction with 100's of people on a daily basis, whose self isolation and social distancing measures I know nothing about, poses a continual worry and threat to our family. Here in Somerset we have escaped the virus it seems, with Mendip reporting just 65 confirmed cases but we have to act as if we could potentially come into contact with the virus as much as anyone else.

This week Sam would have had another burst of exams, Sophie would have been enjoying the final week of Year Two and her Summer Ball. Jeff and I were due to see The Killers in Bristol, which has been thankfully rescheduled for next year and my Grandfather (Papa) would have celebrated his 101th birthday, had he still been alive and with us x

Next week at work some of those colleagues who have been self isolating, on full pay for the past 12 weeks return to work. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out. We have become quite a tight, supportive unit during the past 12 weeks. We have had to deal with a huge range of stressful, anxious, confrontational, physically and mentally draining situations, constantly adapting and changing the way we work to fit in with new guidelines and have as a result, constantly had each others back, stepped up to do jobs we wouldn't normally do, cover gaps in the schedule, swap shifts etc. They have no idea how hard it's been but I'm hoping they will quickly slot back into place and there won't be a 'them and us' feeling.

I was gifted this orchid from work. They were throwing them out as the date had gone over. It's been the little things that have kept us going, free food in the staffroom has been very received and being given this, at the end of an 8hr shift, was really lovely.

The weather this week has been a bit rubbish, a mixed bag. Not nice enough to sit out and enjoy, but a few welcome bursts of sunshine have ripened my raspberries. We've certainly not ventured that far from home on our 'Boris Walks' this week and with a brolly at the ready.

Jeff is still teaching, it's quite full on for him to be fair but he does now get the Wednesday afternoon off, when he would normally have been doing his sport commitment. So this week I cut both his and Sam's hair and he tackled mine again, braved actual scissors this time round and another undershave to keep the bulk down.

It's not looking too bad, all things considered and it's 16 weeks since it was last cut and coloured professionally. As a result it's the longest it's ever been......

.....and I'm debating whether or not to keep it a little longer!?! 

I might try it longer initially and see how I get on. I certainly wouldn't have the patience to grow it under normal circumstances, so this might be the only time it gets like this. It will be easier to colour if nothing else and Jeff could always do the undershave for me every couple of weeks.

Jeff and I went out this morning, for the first time together to a public place, the local garden centre. We've just come home armed with beans, squash, pumpkins and chard. Alas no Sweet Peas, as both seeds, then the seedlings I managed to buy have done nothing this year. Other than the one self seeded plant that survived from last summer, we will be without Sweet Peas this year. Not one bean seed planted, made an appearance above ground level either. so we're cheating and hoping these might take hold and grow.

I'll leave you with this image, taken on Thursday, typical British summer time weather!

The forecast looks to be a little better towards the end of next week, although still plenty of showers ahead. The garden needs the rain but I'm never a fan, warm sunshiny days are more my happy place and without a summer holiday to look forward to now this year, we need a lovely summer here please xx