A few blogs ago I mentioned that I am a glass half empty person! Now add losing my mother, my mother in law and the covid-19 lockdown, all within a month! My glass is currently virtually empty!
So is this going to dominate my life for the next few days, weeks, months, years?
I have two choices. The first one is to stay indoors and live on the food I have in the house. Perhaps someone could shop for me but I would leave the bags for days untouched to avoid contamination! There is, however, a slight problem with my first choice. I’m not living alone.
The second choice is to jump right out of my box (the older you are the harder it is to jump!) and tip the glass on its head. I could then refill the glass to the half full mark! This way there will be one glass half full and one glass overflowing living in my house.
So, this morning I have woken up after having eight hours sleep! That’s a good start! I have watched the news. This is not good! But I’m focussing on the bluish sky outside the window and watching a fat pigeon syphoning up food under the bird feeder. The smaller birds mess so much when they peck at the sunflower seeds, suet balls and peanuts, wasting more than they eat! This drives my husband crazy because he continually reminds me that pigeons are vermin and he objects to feeding them!
Is that a typical glass overflowing comment? Maybe it’s more of a Victor Meldrew one! Apparently people with this trait live longer!
I need to keep to some structure and have a routine, which will help as a comfort blanket. This makes me happy and I can balance the glass of water! This morning my husband and I will have our once daily walk. He walks at a brisk pace so I get warm and my heart beat is raised. This is good as I am really missing my gym classes.
Because it’s warm and dry we can have lunch outside in the little thatched hut we call the teak house. It overlooks the country lane at the bottom of our garden. I’ve been weeding and de-leafing so the view of the garden on the one side and the wood on the other is very pleasant. This keeps my glass topped up!
I love being outside so will spend the afternoon weeding and generally tidying up. Being a visual person I can periodically step back and enjoy my handy work. That will take me to afternoon tea and another visit to the teak house. Back to the garden for another hour and then inside to prepare the evening meal.
This all sounds really mundane and in my ‘normal’ life I would not be satisfied with days spent like this! I am going to have to fill more of my time with diversions when the world reopens because I no longer have to visit my mother.
But, for now, still taking one day at a time, challenge number one! Keeping my glass topped up to half full, challenge number two.
Having a sense of humour is imperative! Trying to contact probate solicitors, banks, councils, inland revenue offices and all the departments necessary when someone dies (times two for both mothers!) could tip one over the edge! Or, just shrugging your shoulders and sometimes having a laugh at absurd excuses or comments, does really help. We have all the time in the world to sit on the telephone for hours! Even my husband is becoming adept at multi-tasking! He can be waiting for someone to answer the phone, drink a cup of tea and do a crossword puzzle.
There is even a chance that I will come out if this lockdown a calmer, more pragmatic, patient person! I’ll definitely be a few pounds heavier! I’m eating the same as I did when I exercised regularly! That is going to be another challenge for another day!
So, for today I’m sorted! Walking, lunch, gardening, evening meal then watching a recorded cowboy movie! Boris Johnson is showing signs of recovery but still in ICU. Here’s hoping the news will be better tomorrow. I’ll be clapping for the carers at 8:00 pm tonight and staying at home over the Easter weekend. I’ll speak to my children and hope they are all fit and well.
I can’t change the situation but only I can chose how I spend this time! So, to reiterate my mantra: Nothing lasts forever! Not the good nor the bad ……..👠
Jenny Burrell 