Thought I would do this more regularly .. ho, hum. Another target, another whoosh.
13/04/2020.
It is now 2 weeks since I have left home (albeit briefly for supplies) … so once in 4+ weeks. No intention of doing any more than post a birthday card down the lane this week; but may need to venture out in 2 or so weeks.
This IS the new normal. I’m now vacillating between happiness and guilt: I am loving the freedom of doing little, doing it well, gardening, cooking, enjoying the sun, the wind, the growth; but feeling guilty that I am lucky to have a great place to be, space, garden, some savings and another person to isolate both with and from. Also, have routed through my boxes of kit from previous forensic expertise and found a few masks, gloves and goggles. So can gear up to go out, to protect my high risk, older, vulnerable partner-in-isolation.
Thought I’d ask my grandkids their views on a couple of questions – through the medium of zoom, and then transcribed. So, we have L (Catford, male, 7) and P (Catford, male, 6).
Mamgu: Now you’ve been away from school for 2 weeks, what’s the best thing about it? And what’s the worst thing?
L: Best thing is not having to do school work all day, every day. Worst is that I can’t see my friends.
P: Best is playing in the garden and going to the park every day. Worst: not seeing my friends.
Mamgu: Why are you home from school at the moment? Do you know the reason?
L and P both answered “Corona-virus” and “we aren’t supposed to be near other people in case they get ill or we get ill.”
Mamgu: What’s your favourite thing that happened recently?
L: We had water fights in the garden with my brother and over the fence to neighbours.
P: Cycling my bike around the circuit at the nearby park. There are distance markers and I did ride 5 kilometres.
We zoom a little and I am sending them maths puzzles everyday – little short fun exercises … knowing most other stuff will be well covered at home. They seem fine. But I guess we’ll only know the impact in a few years for all the kids who have missed school, the many who aren’t turning up even though they are on the list for safeguarding, those who missed GCSEs, AS and A levels, final exams at Uni and more. Talking of which, I need to really get on with that OU course, time is fast running out.
Dr Kristopher Lovell 