Yes, I know it's been a while since I've blogged - it's a busy time of year.
We managed to have a really nice New Year celebration. Just husband, son and myself. I mentioned after Christmas that it's the little things that make the difference. For new year the little thing was a box of 200 glow sticks.
For me glow sticks remind me of the 80's - when - as a youth - yes I point out I was young then. I'd just started to go to parties. Not sure what parties were like in your youth - but in 'my' 80's they consisted of getting dressed up in a Laura Ashley ball dress - with puffy sleeves and usually a HUGE bow on the backside.
These were worn with Madonna lace gloves and 18 hole DM's (Dr Martin's - for those of you for whom DM mean's nothing).
I'd like to be able to say that this was massively different from what I'd wear on other days, but largely I'd tromp around in the Madonna gloves with knickerbockers and pixie boots - or even worse in bright pink dance leggings (with pixie boots), leg warmers and a Kids from Fame sweatshirt. Ahhhh those were the days.
Anyway, at the parties glow sticks would be sold for £2.50 each (yes really - I mean that must be about £20 nowadays). The 80's neon dream. I'd save my babysitting money for weeks so I could afford to get 2 - one for each wrist. If I had a particularly busy babysitting patch I could even get another 2 to wear as a necklace.
Husband is a bit younger than me - for him glow bands remind him of 90's raves (clearly he's far cooler than I am).
Son is far younger than us both - they remind him of nerf gun birthday parties and the pound shop! How things change.
Anyway, for all 3 of us they created a level of enjoyment - something a bit different.
Way back when the pandemic first started I bought a disco light so we could party on Friday nights. All these months on we've not done it once. So for New Year the disco light came out of hibernation. I have to say it was completely rubbish. Lit up about 1 foot in front of the light on the ceiling. I dare say there were a few spiders up their raving to the light show - but nobody else was.
Anyway, we played some board games (rocking and rolling) along with this game we were given for Christmas where you spin a wheel. The wheel lands on the colour of a jelly bean. Some of the jellybeans are lovely others are revolting and you don't know what you get until you try it. I was lucky enough not to stumble across a vomit flavoured jellybean. However, my mango jellybean turned out to be dog food (how do you even manage to get a jellybean to taste like dog food?). Needless to say we didn't finish the game, by the time each of us had had one nasty surprise we felt we'd played the game enough. It's gone into storage until son can have a friend over to stay!
At midnight we put on the telly - I have to say the firework/drone display put on in London was utterly amazing. What a great idea. I'm convinced they got the idea from the latest Spiderman film - but whatever it was stunning.
Anyway, a good time was had by all - without us even leaving the house. So hoorah for us.
COVID rates where I live have shot through the roof - so I'm really hunkering in right now. However, needed to go to supermarket this morning as catering wise I hadn't thought much further than Christmas and New Year. So this morning off I went expecting chaos. Fortunately there was hardly anybody around - I guess because it clashed with first day of term for most people (although many of the schools around here are not opening).
It's been a while since I really went to town with an outside visit. Today, along with my mask, I wore gloves and some fake glasses that I bought. I'm pleased to say that for one of the first times I only saw one other person without a mask. Oddly they were an employee at the supermarket. Personally if I worked in a supermarket I'd wear a mask even if I did struggle with it - but I'm guessing they had a good reason not to. Hopefully I've managed to block out this new nasty strain that's going around.
Vaccinations have started - government is messing people around with details of when they will get their second vaccine - and for many when they will even get their first. My dad should be one of the first people getting it and he hasn't heard a peep yet.
It looks like the maths I did a few posts ago were quite optimistic - this whole thing is going to go on for ages and I'M SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BORED OF IT.
Spoke to one of my bestist besties the other day, first time in a while. She and her husband have split up. I'm literally devastated. They are the couple that set me up with my husband - we only had 2 friends at the wedding as we kept it small. He was best man and she was maid of honour. I'm hoping that it's just a blip, but it sounds quite final. It's the only time friends have split up when I think I literally went into shock. I just can't get my head around it.
I think that this is happening all over the place. People finding it hard to spend so much time with those around them. I am pleased to say that husband and I seem closer than ever (let's hope he doesn't think differently). I think it's son that is struggling spending so much time with his stinky parents.
Son's school is starting on Wednesday - a day later than anticipated. He's home schooling - for at least a fortnight. At some point next week I need to take him in to get a COVID test. Doubtless I'll share more when I know more.
If home schooling continues it's going to be even tougher this time. Last time I was on furlough and it was all quite new. This time we're all exhausted and I'm about to start my new job. It goes without saying that when you start a new job you want everybody to think you're amazing and be thrilled that they offered the role to you. This is going to be hard if I'm juggling home schooling my son. That said husband has said he'll take most of the activity this time - we'll just have to take it in turns to work at the dining table so son isn't sitting in a completely different part of the house from rest of family.
Husband usually works in study and I've created an office at the end of the bed in the spare room. Son will be working from sitting room. I feel very privileged that we have different places we can work. It must be a total nightmare for families in small flats - my hat goes off to you. Son's school did a good job with virtual classrooms last time and that's when he was in juniors. Now he's moved to senior school let's hope they do an even better job. Time will tell.
Well that's it for today. I'll try not to leave such long gaps between posts - but you know what Christmas and New Year is like. The days fly past whilst you're busy either cooking or just busy doing nothing!
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