Can we share ideas to make the best of the next couple of months?

[Whataloadofshit]

I was going to post on the Covid board, but it's overrun with school threads every day.

January and February can be gloomy months as it is. Cold, grey, damp. Often skint, dieting, not much going on.

With all of the Covid restrictions they're likely to be even tougher this year. We are in tier 4 so it is going to be utter shite, none of the dcs hobbies will be running again.

Has anyone got any plans/ideas/projects to get through it?

I'm hoping to have a bit of a health kick, lots of exercise and healthy food. Watch lots of films, start a new book, play more with the dc hopefully lots of games and puzzles and may set eldest a reading challenge.

Lots of great ideas here. I'm keen to ensure DS gets something out of enforced homeschooling/lockdowns that he wouldnt otherwise have (due to lack of time), and have decided it will be cooking - I want to equip him with basic skills and recipes that means he'll be confident cook when he goes to university/lives alone. Also ditto with cleaning - teaching him how to properly clean a bathroom - what to use, what order to do it etc.

Making a weather tracker is a good way to waste time. Just knit/paint/whatever the minimum and maximum temperatures of where you are each day and by the end of the year you have a beautiful piece of art.
People posted photos of the ones they made on Twitter last month and I fell in love with them.
Temperatures seemed to be the easiest to do, but you could try seasons, daily weather - sun/wind/storms/rain, daylight hours vs night time hours, moon cycles, etc. They are really pretty when they are finished.

@tillytown could you post an example please? I’ve googled but can’t see anything that sounds like what you mean.

The best one was the decade of weather, but I can't find it :(
This tweet is a good one, and there are more examples in the comments
mobile.twitter.com/porridgebrain/status/1344965854195306497

Finishing a blanket I started to crochet.
Tidying - I had a few cupboards I couldn’t face during lockdown one but I’m going to sort them out.
Carrying on with Spanish on Duolingo.
Running - am nearly up to 10km. This time last year I couldn’t run around the block.
Buying lights for the house. It cheers things up immensely. Lights everywhere!

Oh I like it! Thanks

I’m going to attempt to crochet a stuffed toy.

Our campervan arrived today, its a second hand transit camper. So when there is a mildish night we’re going to be camping on the road outside our flat 😅

Having very few social contacts I thought I'd try to actually meet up with some friends for walks, well, when the numbers start to drop. It's been over a year since I've talked to friends or family as I can't cope with zoom etc.

I plan to knit too.

@LakieLady I can't concentrate on books but I love reading magazines like The Week/The Economist/The Spectator/New Scientist or newspapers - more bitesize and I kid myself that it's training up my concentration more than using my phone! It's getting expensive in subscriptions though but I often cancel after the offer period. Also you can sign up to read a few free articles a week online in The Times or The Spectator.

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@SimonJT

I’m going to attempt to crochet a stuffed toy.

Our campervan arrived today, its a second hand transit camper. So when there is a mildish night we’re going to be camping on the road outside our flat 😅

Brilliant! I would love a campervan!

I don't have young children but I've just bought a few quiz games so that we can play with DS and his GF over zoom .

I have got kindle unlimited which costs I think 7.99 a month for unlimited kindle books . I read a lot .

Have been looking at some brain game apps

I make sure I get out for a walk every day and do Pilates once a week but I'd like to add in some kind of online dance class

I am a bit embarrassed to say that I still have information bookmarked on my phone of language and mindfulness courses I planned on doing in lockdown last March

January and February are the months for running and DIY.

I'll be juggling caring for my disabled mum, home schooling and working full time as an essential worker. No furlough for me
I wish I had to wonder how to fill my time

Dp has decided his activity is getting birds into the garden. He's festooned the fences with feeders already. We are a new build with a noisy dog so it's quite a challenge

@nevernotstruggling

Dp has decided his activity is getting birds into the garden. He's festooned the fences with feeders already. We are a new build with a noisy dog so it's quite a challenge

Of the avian kind?

@Kissthepastrychef

I'll be juggling caring for my disabled mum, home schooling and working full time as an essential worker. No furlough for me I wish I had to wonder how to fill my time

Lots of us aren’t furloughed either and are still working hard albeit perhaps not in essential worker roles. Being an essential worker doesn’t mean you’re working any harder than the rest of us. This thread is a nice place to share ideas now that our evenings/weekends aren’t taken up with the usual activities and social events lots of us are used to.

I've started doing some more painting inside the house. The whitework has been going very yellow. Painting always makes me feel calm and relaxed. It doesn't need to be much either - 30 minutes a day can make a bit difference over the course of a few weeks.

Planning on celebrating everything! Burns Night is 25th January, Chinese New Year on 12th February, Valentines, Pancake Day etc. Do some decorations with the DC and cook special meals. Does anyone know any other days we can do? Love some of the ideas on here.

All manner of obscure events on here!

www.activityvillage.co.uk/holiday-calendar

I also just saw whilst searching that it's London Fashion Week usually at this time of year...dress up and photo shoot?

Google St. Brigid's Day (also called Imbolc). It's the 1st February. It's not a very big deal in Ireland any more but you could definitely do some crafty things with kids based on it.

That’s great, thank you

Being organised. I'd love to only eat junk food and mope around but I work part time, I study full time, trying to spend less money AND to lose 5 kg. So hell broke loose around here do I have to mention that where I am finals are starting in January?

Doing my best to stay calm, eat my horrid food, exercise and read to relax.

I did declutter the house in the first lockdown so not much to be done atm but I will try to make some things more aestethically pleasing.

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I have thought about starting one of these "challenges"

Have popped them up incase they are of interest to anyone