Monday, February 22, 2021
I continued to be crippled from my weird neck pain. My only comfort was my new top which had arrived in the post. Herself took one look at it and said, “It looks like scrubs.” And it does. I got a physio appointment that evening and though work was a bit frantic, I managed to sneak away like a thief in the night and get to my physio appointment. The physio thought my top looked like scrubs also. After some reasonably effective pummeling she sent me on my way and said she would email me exercises. On the plus side, I was home by daylight.
Top like scrubs: I’m afraid it’s only too true:
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Notwithstanding the effective physio, I found myself walking around like a turtle with my neck stuck out in front of me. The exercises arrived by email and I vowed to open them as soon as I got a chance. I got soaked cycling home from work in the lashing rain and the fence dividing our garden from the neighbours blew over. It was announced that Leaving Cert students would go back to school from Monday along with junior classes in primary school. Herself was broadly pleased. The boys were delighted with the news that they will be the last group back on 12 April.
We also have a Leaving Cert exam timetable. The excitement. To be honest, I’ve lost track as to when this arrived but recently anyhow. The certainty on exams is making things a bit less awful for herself. I hope that it will all go according to plan.
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
The Irish Times published a Sudoku supplement. They know their readers. I recently got the hard one out for the first time. Delighted with myself. Yes, this is where I am at. Your point?
They also published the latest road map for us to stick up on the radiator. As herself said “We have road maps for countries that never existed.”
For a smart girl, herself would surprise you on occasion. She said to me, “I’ve just realised that that story in the Bible about the workers and the vineyard was a parable.” “What did you think it was?” I asked. “An example of poor labour practices,” she said.
While we were dealing with matters religious she also said, “This family has eaten 14 creme eggs since the start of Lent, is this the spirit of the season?” Indeed.
Thursday, 25 February, 2021
It was an absolutely beautiful day and we all felt cheered. Next door’s plum tree blossom is out and it is, as always, a delight.
Friday, 26 February, 2021
Another beautiful day. My wellness pack arrived from work (I know what you’re thinking). There are some issues with the masks included.
Herself and myself went to the outdoor container for tea in the park (such are the available thrills) and I fielded slightly frantic calls from work. The boys and I then sat down to watch “The Two Towers” which is pretty lengthy but we’re committed now.
Saturday, 27 February, 2021
The weather continued to be absolutely beautiful. Michael and I cycled to the nearest patch of sea, contemplated it and cycled home again.
Ireland finally won a rugby match trouncing Italy. Daniel was delighted. I talked to my sister on the phone and when I asked for her news she said not to expect much as she was “leaning in to the pandemic low news bar”. I like to think that my blog has been doing this for some time.
Following emails all week telling me to open up the email from the physio and do my exercises, I opened it. It was all very swish. I had to download an app and there were videos of my exercises and a tracking yoke. I’m now dutifully doing them. I’m largely back to normal with the occasional twinge so a win, I suppose.
We watched Detective Pikachu for cinema night (Daniel’s choice) and, ok, it wouldn’t have been my first choice but, I’ll tell you what, I’ve seen worse.
Sunday, 28 February, 2021
Yet another beautiful day. Mr. Waffle and I had a very pleasant cycle to a park I had never been to before other than to drop Daniel off to training. Signs of spring were everywhere and not a moment too soon.
On our way home, Mr. Waffle took me down a little cul de sac to show me a delightful old Protestant church I had never seen before. It’s dedicated to St. Mobhi (of whom, I expect you’ve never heard) but he was teacher to the stars including (big name here) St. Colmcille, St. Canice and St Ciarán of Clonmacnoicse; a veritable who’s who of early monastic names. Hoping to get back and get inside when things re-open.
As we were cycling home, we ran into a friend of mine from Monday night bookclub and her husband out for a walk. They had Covid 4 months ago and he still can’t taste or smell and she still looks a bit wan to me (that could be endless winter of course). He’s English and his elderly father in Sheffield is due to get his second jab next week so relief all round (and a certain amount of envy at the efficiency of the British system but, really, a good British vaccination system is very good for us too).
I had my Sunday bookclub which wasn’t bad but the novelty of online bookclub has really worn off.
When I got off the call, I found Michael in the garden reading his book. He was outraged when I informed him that while this met part a of my demands (fresh air), it failed to meet the threshold for part b (and exercise). He and Dan played some basketball but it’s fair to say he was pretty unenthused.
We gave away the boys’ old bikes via the street whatsapp group. I cannot tell you how nice it was to see children from the road cycling off on them. I am delighted with the space in the garage as well. Still no one wants the complete sets of pristine Junior Cert Irish language text books and past papers in the shed awaiting a forever home. Alas.
We finished up our week of adventure with a zoom call with the relatives. The Londoners actually have real news, they’re moving house in March and my sister-in-law’s new novel is nearly finished. Busy lives. My sister-in-law in Dublin had us all in stitches describing how my nephew’s online mock exams for the Junior Cert nearly killed them all. It was the combination of the technological challenges and the descriptions of the hopping parents’ whatsapp group that made it all worthwhile.
An email has just arrived from the school saying that they they look forward to welcoming the sixth years back in the morning. It adds, ominously, that assembly will be held in the new outdoor classroom and the children are advised to wear coats.
And how was your own latest lockdown week? Any news?
14 cream eggs for a family of 5 seems quite restrained. No lockdown news from Glasgow, same old same old. My oldest (17) is back at school one morning a week, and not too happy to shove a long cotton bud up her nose and down her throat the evening before.
Mr. Waffle compels me to say that only three of us are eating the creme eggs.
Poor 17 year old. That sounds a bit grim but I do feel that the end is nigh, in a good way. I certainly hope so.