It’s been just over a week since old Boris announced the new restrictions surrounding the lockdown due to Covid-19.

Prior to this, it hadn’t really hit me as to how different life was about to become, or the severity of the virus. How wrong was I?

The week before lockdown

I’d been in the supermarkets and seen people panic buying, empty shelves and faces of despair. Yet it hadn’t really affected me until the last week before lockdown, when I was genuinely trying to get a few bits that we did actually need – and was unable to do so.

I was walking around ASDA, and over the tannoy a monotone voice repeated “these are scary times, please do not panic, we have enough food for everyone”. 

This message in itself was so dystopian, and seriously unnerved me. To top it off, I was unable to get what I needed, which sent me into a small meltdown on the car park.

Three shops later and I was pretty much sorted, and felt a little less stressed than I had earlier in the day.

Schools closures

When the announcement came to close schools, as a family we decided we would be sharing the home-schooling of my granddaughter. Both me and my daughter work in schools, so it was easier to share the workload.

And for the first three days, this is what I did.

There is nothing like an inquisitive five year old – who literally does not have an ‘off’ mode – to keep you busy and take your mind of what was happening in the world outside my house.

Limitless questions about Egyptians and mummies didn’t give me time to think of the C word.

But later that week, as my daughter could work from home until at least over Easter, we made the decision that Poppy was safer at home in order to come into contact with the least amount of people possible to keep them both safe.

The sadness of not being able to see my elder two children and get cuddles from my grandchild literally made my heart hurt. Every mother with grown up children I am sure must feel the same and would love to have a big house where you could all live in isolation together until it’s all over.

Reflecting on the UK in lockdown

I’ve had a lot of time on my hands this week and the opportunity to reflect:

How much food we wasted as a family before the lockdown.

How much we took nipping to the shops, to see our family, to the gym, for granted.

How things always seem just that bit more bearable when the sun is shining.

How a simple thing like walking your dog can be the highlight of your day.

And how different the human race are.

On one hand are the friendlies – the ones who stand on the doorstep and shout hello as you walk past, because they actually want to see another human face.

And the ones who (rightly so) cross the street when they see you coming (social distancing check) but they look at you like you’ve just grown another head and you’re going to infect them with laser beam vision.

It’s the little things – adapt and evolve

Life as we knew it had changed and adapting to change is not my strength but I consider myself lucky, we have a house, a garden and fields at the bottom of the road. And when the sun shone last week I made the most of being outside with my family and dogs.

We have technology and have found new ways to communicate with loved ones we can’t see.

Using the Houseparty app with the kids is something I look forward to, instead of just nipping out in the car to see them. Although, virtual hugs are not quite as good as the real thing. It’s a fun way to all get together without actually getting together.

I’ve cleaned, baked and done the garden. I’ve become addicted to watching endless TikTok videos – anything to try and forget for a short while what is happening across the world. We’ve even had to dust off Simon’s weights bench and make our own gym routine.

I’ve spent three hours in a queue to ASDA delivery, only for it to freeze at the end and lose my slot.

I’ve been to the shops to get what we need and genuinely felt sick all the way round.

I’ve failed at making homemade yorkshire puddings (must try again – but thanks to Aunt Bessie for coming to the rescue), but been successful at making banana bread.

All in all, it’s not been horrific, there are people far worse off than us and my thoughts are with them.

Am I scared? Yes, if I’m honest. I’m scared for those in my family who still have to go out to work. I’m scared of what is to come, and I’m scared of what life will be like afterwards.

But I am also optimistic.

We can live like this – no matter how much we don’t like it, because that’s all it is. We don’t like it because we have to do it, and we can’t just do what we want.

It’s not a war stricken country.. We have electricity and food and the technology to keep in touch. We can find ways to entertain ourselves, learn a new skill, read more, cook from scratch, exercise. All things we should have been doing anyway but took for granted.

These are the things we will appreciate when lock down has ended.

I will continue to write about what I have done and how I am feeling over the next few weeks.

Because it makes me feel better, and I should write more – I took it for granted before.