Gah.

So in the spirit of positivity here are ten good things from this week, although it was quite hard to get to 10 and they are really quite dull:

1. I cleared over 5000 emails from my inbox and organised the rest. Although I still haven’t checked my tax return.
2. We are painting some pots. It’s taking ages which is good because what the hell else have we got to do this week?
3. T’s guitar lessons are starting back up again so she’s starting to practice more. Music in the house is a really good thing.
4. We had a table tennis tournament in which we laughed and no-one got angry despite not winning.
5. We played charades over Facetime – it was weird but worked ok and good to do something with family when we can’t do anything else. Plus mulled wine.
6. I have a new job title and hours from Tuesday next week. Eek.
7. Tonight I’m going for a walk with a friend in the dark. There was a time when we would have gone to the pub.
8. T has crocheted a Christmas Brussels sprout with party hat for the Christmas tree, although I suspect she may suggest I have to buy it.
9. Team effort homemade pasta on Saturday was amazing. I’m preferring it when everyone helps cook which is now happening occasionally.
10. I’m nearly ready for my grand reveal to the kids of the December calendar which includes lots of things like a Dickens at Christmas online event and getting up early to watch the Winter solstice on the English Heritage website. Don’t worry there is also baking, eating and watching Christmas movies so it’s not all riotous history and geography.

I’ve been finding things a bit tough this week – it’s hard to simultaneously try to ignore the news while needing to know the news and then wishing you hadn’t bothered watching the news. I miss my friends, my family, my work colleagues, gigs, eating pizza in a restaurant, school concerts, singing in harmony, the cinema, the theatre, mooching in shops, days out, having visitors. I want to see the sea and visit ancestral graves in Lincolnshire – I’m easy pleased really but even that will be impossible. We find out today what tier we are in – 3 is my expert guess. More exploring Barnsley on the weekends it is then.

There are good days though. Today I woke up this morning at 4.45am and couldn’t get back to sleep. I’d made cupcakes and packed lunches by 6.30, exercised by 7 and tidied the house by 10. I wish I could be this productive all the time.

Keep on stressing the positives and taking one day at a time and all that. Sending love, Kx