I’m starting to wonder what the world out there is like. The last time I went to a supermarket there was food on the shelves and lots of people and we were all squeezed into a queue together. If we went for a walk as a family we wouldn’t have had concerns the police might approach us for being too gang-like to possibly be a family group.

I stand in the garden in the morning these days and it’s eerie. Mostly because it’s so quiet all around the estate and I know that all the children are at home so I’m wondering what the parents are doing with them? Why is it only in my garden they sound like they’re murdering each other?

Those ponderings aside, today has felt long. Liam found out he can’t order from Wickes unless he’s providing an essential service. Apparently my jobs list doesn’t qualify in the list of hospitals and care homes. So now I need home education ideas for a 40 year old who’s highly likely to play truant and be found drinking beer behind the shed.

He did at least join in with PE today, unlike Theo, who is increasingly reluctant to be schooled, unless it is on his terms. Which is limited to making cakes. Although he was very into making ‘Dragon Dough’, which passed a good half hour and created an hour’s worth of cleaning.

He’s a tricky one to entertain that one. My creative brain is a little overworked today. He didn’t like my colouring idea, but Toby and I enjoyed it and we can’t please everyone. There’s plenty more fence to be covered. Hours of fun right there! Theo, it turned out, would much rather lie in the Heather bush.

But one particularly frustrated child aside, there were some very lovely moments along the way. Glorious sunshine is always a winner. Micah stroking a teary Theo and offering to go and get his favourite toy ‘Batty’ for him. Then when Theo nodded yes, please, Micah turning around and delegating the job to me. He might be the youngest but he rules the roost.

Sisterly love always makes me smile. As did Maddie lying on the bed and watching and re-watching her teacher reading stories to her with a contented look on her face. I’m so grateful for the effort their lovely teachers are going to to keep a little bit of normal for them.

Happy post arrived in the form of brownies, one of my ‘good deeds’ in supporting a local business. This one was a real sacrifice for sure. And even more special was the hand written letter with lovely words that the postman delivered from a friend. And the long distance sighting of and chat with my lovely sister and brother in law. It was a challenge to keep the kids away, but so good to see their faces. I do miss hugs.

It’s good to keep in touch with other people. As it’s starting to feel like we’ve been here for a while now, and are losing touch with the world, it’s helpful to keep perspective and keep looking outside my own circumstances to what’s going on with other people. I’m not sure I’ll ever love FaceTime or Zoom, but I’m so glad we’ve got those options and I want to keep hearing from people. The good stuff and the hard stuff. I don’t want to emerge back into the world in a few weeks or months and feel like people are strangers. It might be a bit more effort right now, but it is totally worth it, even when it’s just a WhatsApp feed full of other slightly crazy isolated people who all need a laugh. Or cry. Or a song. Or a verse. Or a YouTube suggestion. Or food shopping. Or just to not feel alone. Thank you to all of you for being those people, you are a gift to me!

‘A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.’ – Proverbs 17:17