The positive mental health thread part 6

[Bunnyflop]

Morning all! Welcome to the new thread!

@Elloello you can knit things- even squares- for various charities.

Link below.

www.ukhandknitting.com/knitting-for-charity/charity-list

I'm a keen crocheter, a lot of what I make is for the Woolly Hugs charity which originated on MN. It's a great community to be part of as well as enjoying the crafting (it's knitting and crocheting, mainly blankets).

www.woollyhugs.org/

I can't keep up with this thread at the weekends! I'm a big crocheter, I find it easier than knitting in lots of ways, just finishing a twelve point star striped baby blanket for a colleague and trying to work out how to get it to her!

I want to get back into knitting too Elloello. Last thing I knitted was a jumper I started when I was pregnant with the 4yo. Ended up too small for me so had to give it to DD!

I don’t have a yarn stash as most of it got attacked by moths, and I’m not sure of good online places to buy yarn any more so I need to source a tempting pattern and yarn!. My favourite place for free patterns is Purl Soho’s purl bee blog.

Feeling satisfied having got the shopping done this morning. Did a proper meal plan - all snacks, breakfasts, pudding etc planned out too - and got everything on my list in a record 1hr from starting the queue to getting back in the car. Quite comfortable wearing my mask now.

Had a lovely after-dinner walk with dcs yesterday - plenty of room to social distance but there were pairs of people drinking and chatting down by the river and it was all quite cheerful. The cherry blossom is out and there was a gorgeous sunset and I suddenly felt like I could imagine this being in the past; a feeling I haven’t had before now.

If what you want is actual wool, this is what I bought: www.knittingwool.com/west-yorkshire-spinners-colour-lab-dk-100g/
so they are still open and sending out yarns. Mine arrived two days after I ordered it.

Deramores at www.deramores.com/ are experiencing delays but still sending stuff with a week to ten days' delay.

There may be a local shop near you that is doing mail order; if there is, that would be the very best place to buy from because they will need the help to stay open. Places like this one: www.facebook.com/bicesterwools

Have had a pretty ok day here. Had a good check in with myself and meditated for 20 mins. At lunch I list my oil burner with lavender in it. Also enjoyed a bar of Galaxy. And finally we went for a long walk in the sunshine. Just caught some of the government briefing and they said social distancing etc is working well, the graphs are all going down.

I haven’t knitted since lockdown started - I just don’t have the heart for it at the moment. I have a blanket square sitting and waiting for me, but no energy to deal with it!

I have been busy today though, got a loaf of bread going first thing, sewed some more bags (last week I made 12, this week I’ve got 7 done already) and made some brownies as well which are pretty good. And we went for a family bike ride around the lanes, which was lovely. We always do bike rides in the summer, often to a playground and coffee shop, but this was the first one this year. Also, DS and DH finished making the rainbow sign, so that looks good out on the verge. Hopefully it will raise some smiles.

We got Disney+ yesterday (DH was feeling expansive, I was amazed as he’s very cautious with money) and as the weather forecast this week isn’t great, I think DS and I will be making full use of it. DH reckons he’s going to cancel it after the free week... lol. He’s so funny 😈

Feeling like we can go on like this for a while at the moment, tbh, we’re incredibly lucky to live where we do and for DH to have a job that can be done at home and, at the moment at least, is still in demand.

Ooh I need to get back into knitting. Have only learnt casting on and knit stitch so specialise in very boring scarves I did learn to purl once upon a time but I keep forgetting

Had a mostly lazy tv day here but did manage to go out for a (very slow) 5k run! I haven’t run that far in a long time so feeling proud :)

Tomorrow I start interviewing people down the phone for my research project so feeling a bit nervous about that. Hopefully won’t have any toddler interruptions!

@Pinkarsedfly tell your Nan that she’s doing a great job and the hats will be cherished. I dug out DD’s baby stuff last week, including the little donated hat they put on her (I was poorly and don’t remember, but OH kept it for me)

Anyone on here who’s on heating oil - now is the time to top the tank up. We just got 500 litres for 18p/l - less than £100! We’ve never paid that little in the five years that we’ve lived here! 😱

@Pinkarsedfly sorry, your Mum! I was thinking of my knitting loving Nana when I replied

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. I’ve had a much better day today, just pottering around at home and then having a nice evening walk with the DC while DH cooked dinner. I think recognising that there will be up and down days is important, to accept that it’s a transitory feeling and almost ‘give in’ to it.
I also had a great success with cutting DH’s hair today . I’ve always fancied having a go but there’s no way he would have ever let me before now. Felt quite proud of myself!

That’s lovely, Millie2013, I’ll pass that on

Morning everyone

It feels strangely good to have Boris back today. I have made a voodoo doll of him and have been poking him with sharp things to ensure he and the government to get their act together. So it's all going to be ok.

I have a plan to make lasagne this week. And to connect more with people on skype. Any of you have plans/ideas to make this a better week?

I think recognising that there will be up and down days is important, to accept that it’s a transitory feeling and almost ‘give in’ to it.

I think that's a really healthy way of looking at it.

Well, I’m winning at life today.

I managed to speak to the gp surgery, get a phone call from the doctor and get antibiotics prescribed to be picked up from my local pharmacy this afternoon WITHIN AN HOUR!

Pre-Covid days that would have been a feat that required a baroque process involving multiple phone calls, being on hold for a week, begging letters, a Red Arrows flypast, spells cast and prayer.

Suddenly everyone’s very efficient if you have an easily-solvable issue. I hope this continues when All This is over.

@Noooblerooble please can I see your voodoo doll?! It sounds awesome.

@pinkarsedfly I had the same, a dr rang me back within ten mins! Result!

Henry is playing in the tent again today and eating a ton of hay.

LOL at a Boris voodoo doll 😂😂

@Pinkarsedfly Result! I wonder if GP practices will keep some of the changes they’ve made

Morning Henry! I’ve just pinched a bag of DPony’s hay for George (she’d be furious if she knew, she doesn’t do food sharing)

This week’s plans:
Sort out DD’s bedroom and make room for my dolls house (she’s been begging me to have it in there)
Paint the understairs cupboard 🧐
Do some baking/make soup for friend with MND
I’d like to do some crafting, if I’ve got the motivation and attention span....

Love to all

@Noooblerooble LOL at the boris voodoo doll

I'm feeling a bit sad today. I am worried that I will lose my business because of this. 6/7 weeks ago I was earning a decent amount doing domestic cleaning. I loved it as well and it fit perfect around the dc school hours. But I just cant imagine it ever being ok to go into peoples houses cleaning again. And whether people will even want me anyway. I have absolutely no income other than child maintenance (eldest dc is from a previous relationship).

I am lucky though as dh is still getting paid (although less due to furlough). So gotta count my blessings that we can still pay bills

It just sucks though. Sorry for downer post

lol at the voodoo doll

I’m currently sitting here in my running kit, right down to my trainers... if I’d just been a minute quicker getting ready I’d have got out before DH’s Skype meeting started, he’s have been downstairs and I’d have gone. As it is, I’m now stuck waiting for them to finish waffling 😒 Hey ho.

@DianneWhatcock don’t worry, life really will return to normal and your business will be back on its feet. X

@DianneWhatcock I agree with @Bunnyflop - it will take a while but eventually things like your business will recover. There will always be a demand for skills like cleaning because it’s a basic need for life and one which many people prefer not to deal with.

I couldn’t read the full story as my phone kept crashing, but according to the Independent, only 9% of people want things to go back to exactly how they were before the lockdown - I’m one of them, I love the quieter roads for bike rides with the family. I hope we can keep a bit of this slower pace of life in some ways - perhaps more homeworking for those who can and less commuting, and more people who can discovering and appreciating their local area (I get that not everyone is lucky enough to live somewhere nice but many do, I have definitely found a new appreciation for the places on my doorstep that I took for granted before).

I too hope we learn something from this.

I don't have DC I'm always surprised by how much parents feel they need to entertain their children, particularly in the holidays, when we were left to run feral as kids. I hope people will feel less pressure on themselves to make every second count for their children.

I was a bit miserable about my garden as I'd not been able to buy any plants this year but I obviously bought well last year (from RHS Wisley) as some of the perennials are making an appearance now. And some of the container plants are showing their faces

A friend is going through her photos and is posting some from when we both lived in London 25 years ago. They're bringing back some great memories!

I think I'm one of the 9%. There is nothing about my old life that I don't want back. I don't like working from home, my DCs were so sporty (Joe Wicks might keep them fit but there are so many benefits to team sports that they are missing out on now). School online is not a patch on the real thing. I've enjoyed extra time for baking and gardening but I'd trade it in an instant to be at the side of the pool or the football pitch. Or be at a football match of the theatre. I'm struggling a bit today.

Thank you @Bunnyflop and @Spudlet

I hope you are right.