Lockdown Times: staying at home

At this time last year, I had resolved (or at least I had an ambition) to try and stay at home one day a week, because our life had been so focused on activities and socialising and being out and about, I felt a quiet and slow day a week would be beneficial. I had no idea how to do it though - from my own baby days really, I had never spent a full day at home except when sick. Days at home felt like wasting life, missing out.

And then came 2020 - a lesson in staying at home. The Great Pause. And I'm only just learning to truly be at home... a year on! Last year's lockdown started just as the weather began to improve, so we enjoyed walks, exploring our local area - and didn't stay home that much really. It still was a huge adjustment for us all, but it's only now, in the mid-winter of early 2021, that I am truly at peace with being in the house all day long. It's cold and even when the sun is shining, the kids and me just don't feel like being outside all that much. Yes, we could wrap up warm, but then... it feels like a lot of bother. We are finally, finally getting used to being at home.

We have a good routine, as I've written about here, which helps.

The days are slowly lengthening, and we are really looking forward to warmer times! But I do think that, after a year, we are finally truly changed. If the Coronavirus had gone any earlier, we would most likely have returned to our old ways within weeks; but now, I feel truly settled into home time and I can see value in it, and will definitely maintain a practice of home time even when we can socialise again.

Here are a few pictures and videos from the past couple of weeks...

When the sun finally came out with some warmth for the first time, we celebrated with bubbles...

N(6) continues to write books (as comic strips) and loves to read them to us.

My hairstylist

N(6) enjoying some odd food combinations

Walks... not many of those recently! The face says it all: "I'm too cold!"

Attempting a video call with friends

Yes, they did a 300 piece puzzle together!

A bit of baking (as far as my skills go: ready made shortcrust, topped with custard and bananas)

Blow painting

We bought a new shelf so had lots of cardboard to play with... this made a great car ramp

Some of the cardboard was painted

The paintings

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