Happy Easter & Lockdown.

Happy Easter.

Surely the strangest Easter any of us have seen.

Lockdown has been an interesting experience for us all.

We are extremely lucky.

We have a garden.
Neighbours within calling distance.

Walks in easy reach with views that take your breath away.

I still enjoy a daily

walk in the countryside around Arundel

 with  Elsa, our cocker spaniel.

We have explored new paths

 and found 

 beautiful

corners to chill and watch life go by.

In the middle of nowhere away from everyone.

Paws for thought

Nass has been ultra careful with having MS.

He goes to the little field near us with Elsa in the afternoon for his daily exercise.

Apart from that, we are home for the rest of the day and cope with it by working on furniture.

We have a studio/ summer house at the foot of our Arundel garden.

Here are some of the pieces we have worked on.

we are so lucky to have a workspace at home.

Kindness

We have tried where we can to help those that cannot get out at all.

In turn, we have been really touched by things people have done for us.

A cake that suddenly appeared on the doorstep.

A message from neighbours/ friends further down the road.

Are we ok? Do we need anything? Can we get out?

A bottle of Prosecco and a box of beer turned up, with a Happy Easter message.

A bottle of pink gin.

(There seems to be a pattern forming here.)

The mum with two young children who left a hand made

 Easter card and homemade biscuits on the doorstep.

I thought it would be interesting to see how people in other places are dealing with the situation.

Here is Krista, my lovely daughter in law.

Krista and Jay live in California.

Normally they live a very outdoor social lifestyle.

Here's how they are getting through.

Positivity movement

Krista Borley
 

Social distancing does not mean social isolation....Be extra kind 💛

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have been impacted in some way. 

Businesses are slow or not able to open,

 employees are being made redundant or furloughed,

 and children are no longer able to return to school for the academic year.

 Playdates and social gatherings have now become a thing of the past.

 We have all had to embrace this new way of life.

I was looking for a way to spread kindness and positivity

 to others in our community.

 I wanted to be able to connect with people

 to lift their spirits during a time of uncertainty.

Our friends at Kidscolorfulworld (check them out on Instagram)

https://www.instagram.com/kidscolorfulworld/)

 started painting rocks and placing them around their community

 so we joined them in this movement.

 Many of our friends and neighbors have been impacted

 during this unprecedented time and I felt this would be an enjoyable family project

 to paint positive words and messages in beautiful colors and patterns and drop them around our neighborhood.

 We included a special message on the back: 

If you are the lucky recipient

of this rock,  please post a photo to

social media with #positivityrocks

 

We are so amazed how many people participated

 and joined us in the movement.

 Many have now started painting rocks and spreading

 them around other areas outside of our community.

We hope to keep this going and continue to spread

 love and joy to the world even after this epidemic becomes a thing of the past.

Host a Chalk Your Walk event in your community.

 Invite friends and neighbors to draw inspiring art or write

 encouraging messages on their driveway or sidewalk with chalk.

 Then head outside- drive around in your car or take a walk and look for the prints and messages. (Just make sure it is not going rain, that would certainly ruin all the fun!)

Another fun idea is a bear scavenger hunt. 

 In the classic children’s storybook, a family sets out on a bear hunt chanting:

“We’re going on a bear hunt.
We’re going to catch a big one.
What a beautiful day!
We’re not scared.”

We staged our own bear hunt and asked neighbors

 to put bears or any stuffed animals in their front windows

 or yard and children could take a walk around the neighborhood

 and go on a scavenger hunt to find the animals.

 You can chant the “we are going on a bear hunt.”  

 It is a perfect way to get outside for some fresh air

 and have fun looking for the critters

 and practice social distance.

 We had over 15 houses participate in our neighborhood and it was so nice to see everyone’s creativity.

 We found bears on roofs, in cars, and even having

 a picnic on the lawn.

 It was great fun!

 You can choose a specific date or keep them up all week.

 

If you or anyone in your family is celebrating a birthday or anniversary,

 a drive-by birthday bash is an enjoyable way to celebrate while social distancing.

 You can decorate the front of your house just like you would for a party.

 Ask friends and family to drive by, wave, play music

 and dance, honk, make a sign and hang on the side of your car. 

Maybe even dress up in costume. 

It is marvelous way for

 that someone special

 to feel loved on their big day while

 still obeying the rules and practicing social distance.

You can also create a time capsule to keep as a memory

 for your child for this time in their life. 

I am sure this will be something they will read

 about in the history books for years to come.

 It is a wonderful idea for people of all ages.

 After all, this will certainly be a time to look

 back and remember something we all experienced together.

 Even though most children are being home schooled,

 this is a fun exercise to do as a family. 

It is a delightful way to capture these moments and documents this occasion.

The attached PDF was created by Natalie Long, a graphic designer at LONG Creations

(Here is a link her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LongCreations)

PDF Time Capsule

Also, gather items and put them into a keepsake box along with the time capsule.

 It is not something you have to spend money on.

 Perhaps something you have made, or a piece of art you have created.  

Years from now

 you will have an amazing discovery

 to share with your family.

After all, it is important to remember, the community is stronger than the virus.

 This is a time to look at this pandemic in a positive light.

 Being able to spend more time at home as a family,

 slow down and prioritize what is truly important in life.

Time

waits for no one and you will never

 have these opportunities you have now.

 As a mother of a young child, I often think that statement “the days are long but the years are short,” certainly holds true and

 I am forever grateful to have this extra time to spend with her. 

We have played more games and activities than ever before and have had more home-cooked meals and family dinners around the table and more dance parties than I can count.

 That, my friends, is what TRULY matters. 

So, keep that chin up and remain hopeful and optimistic.

 Together, we will ALL come out of this stronger and better than we were before.

 Thanks Krista

Stay Safe