A Limited Peace

Well, at least things didn't kick off too much in America following the inauguration last week. Nothing has been reported anyway.

Back home, the chaos of home schooling continues, with some days extremely stressful indeed. Especially since you don't really know how hard to push or what is expected of your child to be able to do. Although watching them at work does give you a bit more of an insight into their strengths and weaknesses.

Indeed, it gives you an insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the class teachers as well and without naming names some certainly have more weaknesses than strengths.

The baby has been awkward over the last week. It's probably another of those developmental things, especially coming in the last few weeks before he turns one, but he's woken up far more in the evenings than he was, meaning less relaxation time and sleep for my wife.

He's walking so much more though (and picking up speed), and his play is definitely getting a lot more focussed. He's started making animal noises when playing with particular one's - bee (buzz), tiger (grrr) - as well as making vroom noises with a car.

I've certainly been fortunate across the last year to be able to work from home and see him develop, something I never really got with the other two. Things which always happened when I was at work, I now get to see first hand. He's also just as happy giving me a hug at certain times, whereas the girls just wanted mummy. They are still a bit like that too and sometimes refuse to let me even try to help me with things.

Peace is a limited thing at the moment, confined to when they're all asleep, or in those brief moments when they are concentrating. In some ways I think the world is like that too right now. We are all getting over Christmas, but when February comes and the awful death toll of Covid and Brexit start to bite here in the UK, and the Trump supporters have regathered in USA, I think things will sadly heat up again.

In other news, it actually snowed today - albeit briefly.

Protest is quiet
But the atmosphere prickles
A limited peace

Though it never lasts for long
A limited peace
Floating gently to the ground

A limited peace

The kids are quiet

Snowflakes are quiet

Homeschooling, Trump, and Two Poems

So, the homeschooling began this week. In a positive sense both the kids want to learn, however Isabel wants to do the whole term in a day and gets jealous when Freja gets attention, meanwhile Freja (with her limited vocabulary) needs a bit of extra help with explaining things.

All this is going on with the 11 month old trying to pull everything down, or clinging to us or screeching.

And all this going on with me working full time after having taken a lot of time off over Christmas.

Meanwhile, the Covid situation seems to be getting worse. I've read figures saying that 1 in 30 within London have tested positive, whilst the national figures have topped a thousand for four days running. It's pretty scary really. With the transmission rates being so much higher, I'm amazed that the lockdown is so much more lax this time around. 

The local car dealership appeared to be open today when I went out of a walk which amazes me. I mean, who wants to buy a car during a pandemic anyway?

But we're coping despite being exhausted and in a brain freeze. So, here's the first poem.

Pacing chocolate intake with no means of escape
Laying on the couch, trying not to stay in shape
Anxiety is the new normal state
Grilling Twitter for the latest Covid update
Understanding that there are better ways to live
Empty tank with very little left to give

If all of this wasn't enough, the crazy goings on happening in America just seem hard to fathom. How can it be that a President can be allowed to whip up this sort of situation of gangs breaking into the Capitol and attempting a coup?

It's not something I could ever imagine happening here, even by someone like Farage. It's going to take a long time to heal the wounds over there (and here of course) and across most of the world. 

We definitely appear to be heading into some sort of crunch position. Either humans are going to bring about some sort of cataclysm which only a few (or any) will survive, or we will find a way to pull back from the brink and maybe into a fairer world - one can only hope.

In light of this it was pleasing to see Trump removed from social media channels. Although, they themselves have to take some of the blame for the world being in the position it's in, for not blocking people's channels before this. There is so much hate being peddled there by so many, and yet they are allowed to carry on - some still denying Covid of course.

All this inspired another poem, another acrostic.

Tweeting no more lies to incite

Riots that attempted to

Undermine the democratic process

May we be thankful that his

Presidential days are almost over

Take care & stay safe

New Year - A New Hope

Well, last year didn't really happen did it...at least it did, but it didn't.

Looking back at my number of posts by year I notice that I managed a paltry two all year and so here I am with a new hope (and yes that is a star wars reference) that I can manage at least three this year.

Last year was tough for us all. I probably had it easy in comparison. I was able to work from home and life carried on a some sort of paraphrased normality all year. Except, that we did welcome child number three into the family in February and so an already confined flat felt even more confined, and with both older children home for most of the year too, and having to actually work from home (something I had never done before) and with a baby, caused a lot of stress.

Not in terms of being under pressure, but just the number of emotions flying around at warp speed (or should I say hyperspeed if I want to continue the star wars theme?)

Things improved as schools opened again in September, however school is two miles away and required walking (or in their case scooting) there and back twice a day. Working from home got easier, and we found ourselves in a routine and it was great to get that sort of exercise and fresh air.

Now the schools are closed again and we'll be back to homeschooling for a while from next week. But it's better to be safe. The current situation is getting quite scary and seems to be far worse than it was last year. It's shocking to think that there has been no preparation for any of this, given the amount of time available - but then test and trace has been a mess from the start so...

Throughout all this I have really struggled to get the words out. I am an introvert, but I am also the sort of person who struggles with words in stressful situations. Mostly speaking them, but also writing them. My brain goes into shutdown. I have tried on a few occasions, but rarely has anything come out which I would be happy enough to even post on here.

But this is a new year, a chance to reset and try again. Anyone who has read this blog in the past may also spot a reset in the colour scheme. There's always a chance to try again (as there is every morning as a parent especially when you've been constantly saying "no" and "stop", you can always try again the next day - kids I've discovered are surprisingly forgiving).

So, hopefully I can get a few more words out this year, and can share a little more of our little niche in the world...

Take care & stay safe