Happy thoughts only - no negativity allowed!

[CheriLittlebottom]

Let's have a thread where we can talk about the things that are going ok at at the moment and not have our heads bitten off.

Rules:

1. No negativity. We all know it's a shit situation overall, we know lots of people are suffering, we don't need it pointed out over and over. No need to qualify your own positive thoughts.
2. No-one has the right to tell another poster off for finding some happiness in the current situation. No-one knows another person's full circumstances.
3. No coming on the thread just to say "I'm glad you're happy, I'm fucking miserable, so fuck you". There are plenty of threads started already about how shit this is. This isn't one of them.
4. Appreciate that finding positives, even in a shitty situation, is a good thing. It's good for mental health, it's a coping strategy, and it is allowed.
5. Pictures of dogs / cats / babies being cute and are awesome, and encouraged. Other animals are available!

Please, please let's have a place on MN where we can drop in and be positive without being made to feel guilty.

To start - I'm enjoying school at home with DD. She never normally tells me anything about her school day so it's lovely seeing what she can do! She's actually letting me teach her as well which is s surprise.

The sun has been out all week and it feels like spring! There's daffodils in the garden and the trees are coming into leaf. There's warmth in the sun.

I've started stargazing, a bit. Seen the space station go past a few times, been finding constellations. Took DD out to look because it was ok to keep her up late on a school night, then we came indoors and had a late supper while watching YouTube videos about life on the space station.

Am loving not doing the school run - no more rushing around, no parking dramas!

DH is working from home and it's nice to see what he actually does for a living! His job is quite technical and totally out of my experience so it's interesting to see.

Good idea. My 12 hear old nearly teenager (think Kevin) very patiently taught his little brother how to take a bike apart, clean and rebuild it yesterday. Also my aninals are all cute as per always.

Oh and thanks to PE with Joe Wicks I'm doing more exercise than I've done in a very long time! My muscles hurt but in a good way.

Also, someone sent me this yesterday and it made me laugh.

Gorgeous animals, bunny!

Here is my youngest doing terrible things to a chocolate digestive.

Great thread, count me in.
Weirdly I'm enjoying watching my birds in the garden, early in the morning as we have no usual mad morning rush.
I'm also enjoying getting our old CDs out, we had a bit of a dance around the kitchen yesterday evening (assisted by a few glasses of wine) which even my teenage daughter enjoyed!!!
Reading too, I've got a good book on the go which I've been meaning to read for ages.

I need to start my book again, I think. Began last week but my head wasn't in the right place and I can't remember what I read!

We've been dancing around here too, lots of 80s and 90s tunes! Plus a bit of Taylor Swift, for DD and me.

Just bumping for the early evening crowd.

Who else is actually enjoying lockdown a bit?

So it's just us then!
So shocked, thought this thread would be filled with lovely positivity to spur us all on.

I think I cursed it by posting a picture of my one year old eating a chocolate digestive; that's got to be breaking a few Mumsnet commandments!

I had a nice day yesterday, DH did the brunt of the childcare and I had an hour's nap in the middle of the day. DD (the chocolatey one) has been waking at five all week and I was starting to feel it!

Today, a combination of changed clocks and magic has meant she's slept til seven. Currently bf-ing in bed then going to do a PE with Joe Wicks before breakfast to make up for the chocolate Easter bunny I ate last night .

MIL sent elder DD some more maths and English workbooks through the post, so our home school stash is looking pretty good now, which makes me happy.

I've gotten to know all my neighbours which has been great. I'm now doing the shopping for the elderly couple next door and they're leaving me treats in their porch. A couple of days ago they made me a Dorset apple cake which was delicious.The flat downstairs is a couple of final year medic students who have been called up to help in the NHS. They're absolutely lovely and I'm just in awe of them. We've only lived in the area for a year and I now feel much more connected to the local community.

Apprently there is now much less noise pollution which means birds are talking to each other more, as they can actually hear each other!

I've quite enjoyed it as well. So nice not to be rushing around. DS is loving that too. It leads to so much tension normally so we are all more relaxed. He has been so good at getting on with school stuff and his school have been amazing. His teacher has a class blog and posts stuff for them to do every day. They don't have to do all of it and there's plenty to keep him busy all day, much of it quite enjoyable. He had a playdate over WhatsApp video with a friend, I could hear them from another room, giggling, shouting "tig!" and shooting laser tag guns, so whatever they were doing they had a great time. We're going to do it again in a few days.

Thank goodness for the technology we have. It's making this so much easier.

I'll be more positive once my essay is done by the end of today but at least I'm not on placement at the moment so can get it done.. Though a challenge with a 4 year old and 2 year old running around.. Though dh is helping with them a lot. Will be relieved once it's done so I can spend more time with my family.. Really looking forward to relaxing and playing and baking, painting etc..also I wake early in pain so looking forward to a daytime nap once essay is submitted. Wish me luck for today so I can get this sent off and enjoy my time better.. Great thread to start

Actually seeing my 3 children in the same room -hasnt happened in years! Having time to spend with them ,my partner and our dogs. Getting some time back in our lives-no rushing around and making crappy freezer dinners at 9pm for tea.Nightly card games round the table. The gorgeous weather. Thankyou for this thread x

My two year old is absolutely overjoyed that we’re both here all day every day! I’m really enjoying the slower pace of life, eating dinner together every day, using our garden more than ever, having good chats with friends and family. No food waste! Making soups and baking. It is a strange old situation but finding the positives definitely helps me too

I totally agree that not rushing around has made our house more relaxed too.
Keep going Bambinos, your nearly there!! Once it's done you will feel so good.
I've been able to take some time teaching some life skills to my two children 12 and 18, I normally am so busy and just do everything myself but I'm going to use this time to get them both domesticated then hopefully I can delegate some tasks a bit more

Good luck, Bambino's, one last push and it's done!

I might try to teach dd1 some card games later today. I can only remember how to play rummy though! What do you reckon the chances are of a 5 (almost 6) year old getting the hang of that are? I have lovely memories of playing cards with my grandparents but I'm not sure how old I would have been.

I need to make soup today too. I am meant to be on slimming world but it's gone a bit tits up this week and last. Need to get back on it. Only 3.5lb off of losing 2 stone, I'll be really chuffed when I get to that so I need to make sure I don't go backwards. No more chocolate bunnies for me!

Joe Wicks this morning was bloody horrible but I feel better for having made myself do it. Bastard squats. My arse is big enough already!

Hoping to get the last bit of our back garden fence up today as well, then the back is totally fenced in which will be better for chucking dog & kids out there. Gates across the front will need to come next but I've managed to create a fairly effective barrier using the four (!) wheelie bins and some bits off the log pile. It might not be entirely dog / kid proof but it will at least slow them down long enough for me to catch them! Really looking forward to using our garden more this summer, it's been a bit of a hazard since we moved in three years ago but it's nearly there now!

Yes I'm going to try and find our cards too.
I used to love playing as a child but can't quite remember what we played.
My children have always played cards with their grandparents so I will have to ask them.
You'll need some soup today, just walked our dogs and it's freezing, lots of hailstones too.

Thanks OP - great idea and I love your rules.
I have been running three times this week and doing a long walk on my rest days. I went to the gym before but I’ll probably get fitter as I look forward to my exercise more.
Another positive is I’m going to sort my reading out this week. I usually read loads but have been finding it hard with everything going on. This week I’m determined to read at least one whole book. It’s Jack Reacher to the rescue!

Being with my dog 24/7. I would love to be able to take him to work and now I can! He snoozes at my feet while I work from home. And my lovely neighbours are great - we are all supporting each other and that helps me feel more connected (live alone with my pets). I am also speaking to friends and family more than I would normally as we are all making an effort to Skype/zoom, etc

I've been ill so far but
The amazing blue sky and blossom trees
My dog is the happiest ever
No rushing around commuting which is knackering and stressful
Long video chats with family and friends
Cooked some nice dinners and not wasted any food
People are appreciative of others especially those doing the hard work while we stay at home

I just went up into the loft, have sorted out a load of dd1s old clothes and now have a whole lot of "new" clothes for dd2! Much better than going to the shops. Been meaning to do it for ages.

Weather has definitely taken a crappy turn, but looking on the bright side I can light the woodburner later! Might watch a Harry Potter film and drink hot chocolate in front of the fire once the kids are asleep.