Newsy Email

End of March — Roars Us Into Isolation!

I’m your expat American cheerleader! We can do this. We can be isolated, but together through so many apps and phone calls. The technology is available to help us not feel alone.

I was told recently that I was a good cheerleader. How very kind! And true- I hope. Always try to give kindness even if your heart is unhappy, disquieted, in a storm, or totally happy.

I know that the reason I can be a cheerleader…is because of my Mom. She has always told me I could do it if I reached for it. She also told me I had it inside to make it happen. She has always been my biggest cheerleader. Thanks Mom for this amazing gift….that I can give as I pass it on to the folks I know, love and want to encourage. My Mom had a birthday last week, and I got to talk to her while I was out on a walk, it was wonderful, even if I was slightly out of breath on the up hills. But no connectivity problems- so yay! I heard that my sister and niece got to take an actual walk with her last week, with distance precautions, of course. My other sister and her husband replaced my Mom’s old computer so she could be able to stream her church services. YAY bother sisters! You all are the very best!

I believe both my grandmothers were cheerleaders too. And I can see my sisters passing it along to their kids, and my kids passing it along to their kids too. As a grandmother, I feel cheering my grands on is an important job. I don’t have to tell these kids to sit up straight or eat their peas. I can listen to their stories and cheer them on.

How can I be a cheerleader to you this week? How can you turn and pass it on?

Last week John worked from home, so there were "more the merrier" around here. He took opportunity to kickstart his running game every day. So seems like maybe he will work from home every other week- unless there are added changes, which I actually expect. No one quite knows how to handle all this. I think all businesses are scrambling to keep business going in the new normal. Grateful I’m not working to add to the shared madness of needing bandwidth etc.

Last week my grocery store put measures in place to have old and vulnerable first hour shopping. I arrived last Monday at 8:08, the the line was around 2 sides of the store. 40 minutes I was at the door, and as a person exited- another was let in. Still plenty of empty spots on the shelves, but I got many things on the list. I went again on Wednesday, and got other things….different empty spots on the shelves. I think if we don’t panic, the shelves will return to normal. Out of EVERY different kind of flour??? Has everyone decided to learn to bake bread in isolation? I mean, its a good idea- but how many will follow through? Rhetorical, my friends. And don’t feel bad if you got some flour. There will be enough to go around soon. So I tried to book a delivery slot from my grocery…but I then had to register myself with the NHS as being in a “vulnerable group”. Which I am since I’m on immunosuppression drugs.

So now I can’t book a slot until the NHS contacts me and admits me to this special group. THEN….I can get a delivery in a few weeks. Everything here is a cue up. Seriously!

But on the good side, I got some grapes which somehow take me back to childhood. The taste is perfectly familiar. John asked…what part of childhood- the part where you lived inTHIS country and ate grapes? Maybe so, its like in a dream when I can’t quite see the details. The mind is a funny thing. The grapes- so good!

Speaking of cueing- a great British pastime, I got a text from Boots(pharmacy) saying a Perscription was ready. And John wanted more sausage from the butchers- who were a day away from online orders only. So I walked into town with my Norwegian backpack from high school(still works fine) and cued for the butchers- only 1 person inside the store at a time. Then I cued for Boots- also only 1 person inside at a time, then the grocery express store, I cues as well(think 7-11 with veggies). Plus the walk to and from town it took at least 2 hours- most of that in line. Crazy. But that’s the program, the only program in this country, so I just got on with it- as they would say. A look at life in covidland Britain.

Our home cleaner who comes and does some things totally well- and never does some other jobs…. is in isolation as some of her workmates from another job are sick. She absolutely loves to steam clean my floors. I say “have at it”! I have never steam cleaned a floor. I’m thrilled she does anything(this was lumped into our house allowance, as someone suggested, and very helpful for me). She also loves American popcorn, so I make it for us to enjoy whenever she comes. In the UK most popcorn is sweet, I guess like Carmel corn.

So I’m the cleaner this week. So you know I’m only doing the things that I appreciate myself and can easily handle. Lots of door handle and bathroom cleaning, vacuuming etc. Taken with rest in between I should get it all done by the time I need to do it again!

With all John’s running there has been extra laundry to do, but John has urged my to try the whirligig in the backyard to dry things. I had tried it in December- and the items never dried….so I guess it was time to try again. At the end of the day I threw some of the stuff in the tumble dryer in the garage to finish them up…and the dryer wouldn’t heat, and turned itself off after 5 minutes. So I got a tip on a good repair company. I have an appointment for Wednesday. We already tried the unplug replug reset, the vacuuming insides and I washed the drum. Anyway, no change. Its fine, everything is fine till then. I just don’t like to let things pile up.

I mowed the front and back yards this week as well, with a mover that cuts about 15 inches across at a time. Where do I put the bubbles in for this mower?? Its so cute and tiny. Both front and back took me about 30 minutes total. I felt very accomplished! My next gardening chore is to trim the beautiful front hedge. John got me a tiny battery hedge trimmer. I’ll try it out when he is home to watch for a minute to make sure I’m not slaughtering the hedge. This weekend was incredibly windy, so I put this job off till later. All the gardening is my “job” while we are here. There is so much love and so many plants, it is a big and good job for me.

I have sewed a few masks for myself in the last week or 2. And I wash these in hot water. Not perfect, but …..it might help. I also sewed John and I sleep masks because the sun gets up really early here, and even with the dark shades its bright, around 4ish. We found ourselves not getting enough sleep. I also sewed a dress for myself out of soft knit that is green and kind of leopard-y. But not really camouflage, I’m calling it my corona hiding dress. It makes me happy to wear bright colors and nice things even when gardening or whatnot in isolation. I saw someone else suggest it on Facebook, and well, it helps me. Not as easy as wearing the same thing for 3 days in a row…but I’m happier. I know some folks are staying in pj’s all the time…that’s just not me.

So drop me a post or FaceTime me if you want to chat. Texting also works! FaceTime works through email so the fact that my phone number is totally different shouldn’t matter- and its free. If anyone wants to call me long distance, my number is +44 7391 797456. The plus is an important part of the number.

This post is a long one, thanks for hanging in there. My health is awesome for me- and I have found a place to get my thyroid medicine!!! So all my USA meds are going to be continuing! Yay, happiness.