Under House Arrest days 7

30/03/2020 Monday

After the weekend I decided it would be a good idea to set up video calling with my Sister and her husband it took a bit of sussing out but, we got there, it was lovely to see them both, and I feel less worried about them now. We also had a short ( because it was freezing) visit from Charlotte and her daughter Lauren. They stand in the car park, while we stand at the gate and catch up. They walk the neighbour's dog as their exercise. I also had a chat via Whatsapp with our lovely neighbour and friends Anne and Joe. They are in their 80's so obviously indoors. It made me feel lots better. 

In the afternoon I began a new project ( top secret) as it's going to be part of a Christmas present. It's going to take a lot of time to put together, but hopefully, they will love it. 

All of this, plus we knocked the news on the head, helped to calm me down and give me a focus. We didn't go out at all yesterday ( apart from to the gate) so we will go for a walk today. Thank God for that exercise bike I bought to help in my battle with type 2! It's a real bonus to be able to have some exercise indoors.  I also do resistance band work out twice a week ( we usually go to the centre, but obviously that's cancelled) but I've found a routine on Youtube that I can manage for the over 50's. I'll do that today, walk outside and then do 10 mins on the bike. 

I also devised a strategy for when we've been to work. Instead of showering before work,  I am having one as soon as I get home, stripping my work clothes off and putting them in a plastic bag ready for the wash, luckily I have two uniforms so I can do this each day. Then it feels like I'm keeping any contagion I'm bringing home with me confined a little. Obviously, I'm cleaning the bathroom after also. Sometimes having OCD can work in your favour, so long as I don't get too hung up on it, a routine can be a blessing. 

Stay safe everyone.

Under House Arrest days 4,5 and 6

I've been at work so I've found it hard to concentrate on doing my blog. One day slips into the next with me at the moment. So I'm going to start doing a few days at a time. 

I have tried to stay really positive and sticking to restricting news coverage to once a day. But I must admit I'm struggling. I'm wide awake at 3.30 am. It's Monday 30th, I can't believe it's only one week since lockdown and life is nothing like it was. 

People coming into the shop vary from being lovely, grateful and kind to downright evil. 

One lady bought someone who had forgotten his debit card his shopping. Which bought a lump to my throat, Then about ten minutes later, someone called me a see you next Tuesday because I asked him to step back behind the two-metre line. 

We don't have screens up yet, and the number of people who have no clue that they are putting themselves and us at danger because they want to get the shopping on the belt. I kept pushing my chair back as they got closer and closer. 

I was doing ok, I was being upbeat, but after this weekend at work, I found myself getting anxious, and I'll admit paranoid. I'm overthinking and worry about stupid things. 

I miss not seeing my Sister, I know we only used to meet once a fortnight, and we wouldn't be due until tomorrow but the news that the measures are going to get stricter has bought home just how hard it's going to be. 

I'll probably be ok while I'm at home, but it seems all too real when we travel to work. You go through a dead space of a city and you do start to look at the few people who care about and wonder why they are out. 

Hopefully, when I do my next post I'll feel a little calmer, I'm going to try and stop watching even less of the news coverage, it might be burying my head in the sand but I need to get a grip and I can't do that by watching things I can't control unravelling in front of me. Stay safe folks.

Under House Arrest day 3

March 25th 2020.

Today was another sunny day. We walked down to the village and back as our exercise. We fetched some fruit and milk from Sainsburys. Trying to do the social distancing thing where possible, but it was quite hard as there was a lady in the shop who obviously had no idea about that or personal space whatsoever. 

What got me as well was we saw Denise from next door, who'd come in because she couldn't get what she wanted from Morrison's. Fair enough I hear you cry, but the busybodies from number 4 bloody took her in their car! Surely, that can't be in the rules? Oh well, their funeral, forgive the pun... 

I started doing that Titanic diamond painting earlier on after I'd done a couple of cards. 

We also watched The Mandolorian on Disney plus and Fisherman's Friends on Netflix. Both were pretty good. In fact, I think we will be watching the Mandolorian instead of Westworld as I've given up on that, I can't make head nor tales of it! 

Under House Arrest day two

March 24th 2020

After going out yesterday we stayed in today. We had stocked up with food so, therefore needed nothing. I did half an hour on the exercise bike in order to keep my fitness levels up and then I set to and did a bit of crafting. It's typical because its bloody lovely weather out and it makes you want to go out even more so. 

So I did a page in my art journal based around the sunshine stamp by stamplistic ( let Leonie loose was doing some of their stamps) and I found it inspirational so dug mine out.

I messaged both Sue and Charlotte, the latter has joined the Cotgrave Volunteer group in order to get her out and about while she is stood down from work. At least it gives her and Lauren some quality Mum and Daughter time together. It just seems so weird her not being able to come over. They did fetch the diamond painting but they both stayed in the car park while I placed the bag on the grass by the fence. Like I said before all this feels weird, but I guess it will feel more normal the longer it goes on. 

Under house arrest. Day one.

I've decided to keep a lockdown diary, so today is Tuesday 24th March. The lockdown announcement threw me a little. We had a bit of business to do at the bank that we needed to be done before they shut them too... So our exercise today consisted of going on a bus into town and after the bank, we got our shopping for the week. 

It was eerie in the city, I was really surprised how many people were about, but with everywhere but the food outlets and pharmacies shut, our footfall echoed as we went about our business. We got done pretty quickly and were the only ones on the bus until we hit Bridgeford. The bus driver was chatty ( bored by the sound of it) and pleased to have someone to talk to. We were back home by 10.30, and when you consider we didn't get into town until 9.20 not bad going. But we didn't hang about and distanced ourselves properly as advised. But that's it now until we are work Saturday and Sunday. We will go around the block early in the morning for some fresh air and exercise and I will use my static exercise bike to keep with my half an hour a day plus routine. Willow is loving it, having us home. When we got home Kev made some candles ( I helped) from a kit I got him. We have one burning now and it smells lovely. 

Adventures in Shrink Plastic

Crafting during a crisis is keeping me sane. Yesterday my Sizzix shrink plastic tools and accessories came... So I've been busy cutting out shrink plastic expertly painted by Kev and using my heat tool to create these and other miniature masterpieces. They can be used as embellishments on cards, projects and journal pages. I can even turn them into jewellery with the right findings. 

In other news, the Coronavirus is putting quite a lot of things on lockdown. We are ok at the moment both of us but we are minimising our contact with people. We both work in retail and both front end facing the general public. 

So, rather than give in to the panic and locust-like shopping, we are keeping busy and staying away from the doom and gloom and idiocy flying around social media.

We are taking all the usual precautions but added to which we are smudging the bungalow with sage, for those of you not familiar with the term smudging we are using white sage bundles and burning them to clean and purify the air. In also gargling with boiled sage and salt to keep my throat and airways clear. I'm no expert and I'm not  advocating you follow what I do. Unlike some who are handing out medical advice like a doctor. Being in hospital as a patient does not make you any more expert on medical issues than a tea leaf knows how to make a tea bag! Anyway folks, stay well and stay calm. If it's the end of the world, we'll all go together! But I doubt it, and we can all help each other... Keep calm and craft on...

Messy Craft Day

We had craft club today over at the centre. Kev had planned to show Gelli plate printing, but Amanda bought her jewellery making kits so, we put our stuff aside for next week. It was nice I admit to not have to be "in charge" so I set to and labelled the drawers in the trolley so stuff is easier to find. 

Later on at home, I watched a Pete Hughes how to vlog and I've used a similar technique on the cards pictured. Products used are Sheena stamping card. Tom Holtz distress oxides in salty ocean and twisted citron. The leaves from poinsettia pieces. Pre-printed sentiments complete the clean and simple design with just a trio of gems to add a bit of zhuzh. 

Card making day...

Today was a miserable wet and windy day, so I got busy in the craft room and made a few cards. I don't make as many as I used to, as I mainly create in my journal now. I'd had a few bargains from the Sizzix sale and had a play a few were Christmas ones, but it's always good to have a few done early on so that I don't have so many to do nearer the time. Added to that I make my friends cards for Christmas and Birthdays too so any advance ones can be for hers too. As she cuts my husbands hair she doesn't pay for the cards, so we have a neat little arrangement going on there. My new dies were Masquerade masks, Mini wreath and snowflake, poinsettia pieces all by Tim Holtz. The Zombie one is not a new die set but is part of the Ghoulish one I've had a while, the card, however, is destined for sale on my friends Etsy. 

The Trick or Treaters card is a Sizzix strip one ( I found it with a bunch of others on eBay).

The Monster card is a stamp set by Dyan Revesley, and lastly, the cat one is a Sizzix own brand die.

I really enjoyed making them all, and it means I have a few more in my stash to dip into when needed. Let's just hope the Zombie card does as well as my others on Etsy.