Getting our puppy

When we were looking for a puppy we had to be quite specific at which breeds we looked at because I'm allergic to dogs.  I did have a dog growing up - a gorgeous red setter called Max.  Unfortunately, the loss of him was too great for my parents and we didn't get another.  My husband, otoh, grew up with Westies until he left home at 18yo.  It was only after an allergic reaction to something unknown, that I was tested as an adult, and found to be allergic.

DD2 loves animals, and has been begging for a pet - any pet at all - since she was very young.  As my husband and I are dog-people, it would always be a dog, but I wasn't keen on having one whilst the girls were small.  To try and help the girls realise the level of responsibility that comes with owning a pet, I had said that we wouldn't get one until they had shown they are responsibly by keeping their bedrooms tidy for 6 months in a row.  That kept them appeased for a few years, as I kept saying that I would have a dog, but needed them to be tidier so the dog wouldn't get hurt.  Meanwhile, however, I had been thinking about getting a dog.

Ideally I would have wanted to get a rescue dog, however, because I'm limited to which breeds I am looking for, dogs that are suitable for our family are few and far between - the ones that are available specify that they need experienced owners, or no children, or both.  Then about a month ago, on Dog's Trust website, there were a pair of poodles - 4 years old - but they had to be homed together.  They were gorgeous!  Unfortunately (though fortunately for them), I saw the advert late at night, and when I phoned the following day, they had closed applications for them.  Going from no pets, to 2 potential pets, to no pets within 24hours made me realise how much I do want a dog.

So, I had been looking at adverts on as many websites as possible, and reading up about what to look for in a pet and a breeder etc.  There is also a lot of information about puppy farms.  Whilst I know they exist, I didn't realise quite how prevalent they are.  The old adage of "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" seems highly accurate when looking for a pet.  There were loads of adverts that I didn't even click on, some that I spotted and managed to contact the website owner to get taken down, and one that I didn't realise was a puppy farm until I contacted them, and someone with a different name, with a different email and phone number, and a different location, offered "just for me" £250 off the advertised price, plus he'll deliver it to me.  I feel sad for the pups, but I don't want to give my money to people like that, no thank you.

The breeder we found is fairly local, and as soon as I contacted her, she replied asking me a load of questions about why I wanted one of her pups, whether the pup would be left at home during the day, etc etc.  I had visited a few other puppies (because I refused to make a decision there and then, they were often sold by the following day), but she was the first to ask me anything, before she agreed for me to view the pups, and that made me have confidence in her.  

Due to covid, we had to have masks on, and meet in her garden, but the pups were gorgeous.  I thought it would be hard choosing between them, but luckily I didn't have to choose - she chose me!  We now have an agonising wait before we can bring her home to join us, with a couple of visits in between, but we are very glad to have made this decision.  Not only are we getting a new family member, it has prompted the girls to tidy and get rid of excess (I have said that any toys or clothes they sell, they can keep the money for), so our house is looking great!

Plague 99 by Jean Ure

As I didn't have a U in my alphabet list, Plague 99 by Jean Ure was recommended to me by friends.

It is aimed at teens/YA and is about a plague that has appeared and affects the UK... timely!

It is about a young 13yo (I think) girl called Fran, who goes off on a youth camp for the summer, and returns to a deserted London.  Away at camp, nobody had any idea what was going on in the rest of the world, and Fran has to come to terms with the impact the virus has had on her family as she struggles to survive.

The blurb says:

Almost overnight a plague has wiped out the population of England. The only survivors seem to be three very different teenagers. Together they must come to terms with the man-made devastation around them. Fran, Harriet and Shahid have the power to rebuild society, but do they have the courage?

As the book starts, I think it is very obviously written for teens, however, don't let this put you off reading it.  The plot progresses, and you become drawn into their world, and it is interesting to see things from the view point of a teen.  Surviving is not easy for Fran or anybody else who remains.  She meets a boy from her class at school and with her best friend Harry, they try to make sense of everything around them, and determine what they need to do and where they need to go to for food and shelter.

Despite the beginnings, I really enjoyed this book.  So much so, that I was going to buy and read the second book in the trilogy immediately - the only thing that stopped me was that it no longer focuses on Fran, and I was desperate to find out what happened next in her story.  I have added the subsequent books to my wishlist, and I have recommended this book to DD1 (12yo).  I really enjoyed it.
 

The Collective Virtual Choir - One Voice

Throughout lockdown, I've been keeping my depression at bay by singing regularly.  Unfortunately, my usual Adult Musical Theatre group has had to stop, however, I have been able to join The Collective - a virtual choir made up of many people around the world!

The Collective was started by Simon Lubkowski, a music teacher and barbershopper.  His vision (I encourage you to read the About Section on the Facebook Page) has taken off, with a fantastic team of volunteers who are all encouraging everyone to do their best, and now with thousands of participants, singing their hearts out.  Being part of the group, I can see the amazing amount of work that the leaders all do for free - from the admin, the tech team, to the music group and section leaders, to Simon himself, who seems to not need sleep at all!  It is the type of production that people would gladly pay to be part of, but it is done solely for the love of music and spreading joy.  It's amazing.

I missed out on the very first song (White Cliffs of Dover), but I have joined for three songs, and unfortunately have had to pull out again, because I'm just too busy to dedicate the time the latest song deserves.  

The first of these songs was One Voice by Barry Manilow.  Not being a Manilow fan (sorry! I don't dislike him, just couldn't care either way) I didn't know the song beforehand, so had to learn everything from scratch.  The materials to learn the song, both the music script and audio of the song, plus individual parts (I sing soprano) are all provided to you as part of the collective.  The music team then gets to work teaching everyone, over zoom, the melody, breath points, various singing and breathing techniques (ninja breaths!), multiple times a day, multiple days a week, across various time zones for the international singers.  

One participant, Ian Walker, deserves special mention as he made an app for all the information you could possibly need: links to videos, audio, script, rehearsals etc all separated out into your section part (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass or Solo), and adjusted according to your timezone.  Very impressive!

Once the song is learnt, the music team then focuses on performance, how to put emotion in the song, and the tech team teaches how to record your final version and the technology you need.  And, if that wasn't enough, they invite everyone participating to record themselves to gain feedback to improve their performance.  

As I write this, I had a sense of deja vu, and I have written about this before, so sorry for the repetition.
I will now get to the point of this post - the final video!

Recording it was a bit of a palaver, as I didn't have a good set-up, so I'd have to balance my laptop on a couple of boxes on an upturned bucket on my bed.  Not only that, before this recording I woke up late, and had to rush to put my make-up on, before joining in the zoom meeting.

But that didn't put me off.  After the tech team did their magic to integrate all the individual recordings from hundreds of people, to align them all, and then to get it to align with the video (that was recorded separately) the video was finally finished!  Hours and hours and hours of work for the volunteers to produce this 8minute final video.  I am there; briefly during the song itself, and more clearly in amongst the credits at the end.

I hope you like it.

Enjoying Life

I've been missing in action for a few days.  10 days ago we decided last minute to drive all the way to Scotland to see my mum and husband in her new house.  She moved last year, and it's too far and too expensive to go normally.  However, with lockdown easing somewhat, but still being unable to go on holiday, my husband took some time off work and we went for a mini break.

It was really good to see her.  Her house is lovely; it's in the middle of nowhere with a large garden and views of the countryside all around.  They are undergoing building work atm so her mother-in-law can move in, but even with that, the house was plenty big enough for my tribe to be housed for  few days.

On the way back down, we spend the night with my dad.  Again, it was great to see him as I hadn't seen him and his wife since before Christmas!  Living far away from family (and not being a fan of phones, beyond texting) it is good to be able to have time to catch up with family properly.

This past Thursday was my 15th Wedding Anniversary.  The girls went to the effort of making us a card each, and they brought us coffee and breakfast in bed.  For lunch, I had pre-bought an Afternoon Tea from Jasmine & Honey Bakery.  It was delicious! And you know how fussy my girls are with eating, and they enjoyed the children's version too.  I bought a cake/afternoon tea stand so we could dish it all out properly, and we drank champagne with lunch.  

Photos from Jasmine&Honey Bakery

Unfortunately, Thursday was also the day that both my parents spoke to their consultants.  To cut a long story short, as my dad often says, they both have cancer.  My mum was expecting it, as her body was feeling like it does when the cancer returns, and it is now due.  She has ovarian cancer in the lymph nodes in her pelvis.  My dad, otoh, was shocked.  He was expecting to be told he had prostate cancer, as his dad had it for many years.  However, unlike my grandad, my dad's cancer has been termed "significant".  He has to undergo more investigations before determining how it will be treated. My dad's consultant also refused to test him for the BRCA2 gene mutation, which I can understand somewhat, however, if my dad does have it, and I have inherited it (in addition the the BRCA1 gene I know about), I should not be on oestrogen HRT, especially not before I have a mastectomy.  So that's a little bit of disappointment, on top of a lot of shit.

In better news, yesterday, I finally got my hair redyed.  I went to Sharon Rewston again and she didn't disappoint.  We went with the same colour scheme as last time, but used some of the teal that was in my hair from being lightened, and it's now ribbonned from dark blue into other colours (purple, pink and teal) as you come down the strands.

Now we're all back home, I need to get back in the habit of eating well (yes I put on weight this past week), moving more, blogging more, and working more.  I am enjoying life for what it is, as nobody knows what the future holds.

Weekly Update Y2w27

Overall, I've had a good week this week.  I hit a new lowest weight, and though I haven't managed to break through 90kilos, I'm not gaining and that's the main thing!

For the past three weeks I have started exercising again by going  on walks with a friend, and with the family last Saturday.  It definitely raises my heart rate, though it's not too fast as I can still hold a conversation. It's certainly nice to be out of the house after being locked down for so long.

And I have finally finished Ilana Muhlstein's You Can Drop It (I'll write a review in a different post).  I am eating more vegetables, and enjoying different flavours and textures, and I'm genuinely not missing carbs in my evening meal.  Even yesterday, my family and I went to a drive-thru cinema and could order food to our cars, I had a naked burger, salad, coleslaw, a handful of sweet potato fries (giving the rest to my girls) and instead of dessert, I had a butterscotch milkshake. I'm not pretending the shake was 'healthier' than a regular dessert, but it was a treat that I could savour and enjoy.

So, this week, I am looking to cement Veggies Most, and hopefully break through this invisible barrier of 90kg.  I have already gone for a 4km walk today, and will see if I can sneak in another exercise at the end of the week.

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs

 

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is one of the books that can be listened to for free within the teen section on Audible Stories.  (Audible Stories are free for the duration that schools are closed for coronavirus.)  I have been listening to this book whilst completing my current Mosaic Craft project.

I chose this book to listen to as part of my commitment into understanding more about race relations and Black Lives Matter.  I recently watched the documentary 13th, all about the 13th Amendment and how though slavery officially stopped, it just changed form afterwards.

The audio book has the subtitle "written by herself" which prompted me to do a bit of research since the author is Harriet Jacobs, but the story revolves around a slave called Linda Brent.  They are indeed the same person; Linda was a pseudonym used by Jacobs.

The blurb says:

This autobiographical account by a former slave is one of the few extant narratives written by a woman. Written and published in 1861, it delivers a powerful portrayal of the brutality of slave life. Jacobs speaks frankly of her master's abuse and her eventual escape, in a tale of dauntless spirit and faith.

Listening to this book, and being a mother myself, it is horrific to consider what she, and many other people, had to endure as slaves.  Not only what they went through themselves, but the powerlessness to be able to keep their own children safe.

This book is definitely worth reading/listening to for everyone.  There is some sensitive topics (eg sexual violence) described, but not in so much detail that it would be pornographic, and I agree with Audible's suggestion that you should be at least teenage to appreciate this book.  When my children are older, I will encourage them to read it.

Hair Update

I've just realised today that I had my hair dyed over 6 months ago!
I didn't expect it to even last until Christmas, but the colour stayed and I was suitably impressed.

Previously when I've dyed my hair (either myself, or at a hairdressers) the dye would come out thick and fast, and I was led to believe that my hair simply wasn't porous enough to hold the dye, even with bleaching first.  So though I had wanted purple hair for years, it was always a pipe dream, and I hoped that when I finally go grey, my hair would change sufficiently that I would be able to dye it.

Then a friend was telling me about her hairdresser, and personal recommendations are always the best, so after saving up, and psyching myself up, I went to Sharon Rewston.  Not only did she do the usual allergy test at the pre-appointment, Sharon also took a sample of hair and bleached and dyed it to see the colour that would come out.  I wasn't happy with the first try, so she tried again and got a brighter colour.

The day of the appointment came, and I was expecting it to take 3-4hours; it actually took over 8, but given the amount of work that needed to be done, it wasn't a surprise.  The price was more than I had previously spent on my hair, but it was agreed beforehand (even with the work taking longer than expected) and was definitely worth it.

The resulting colour was even brighter than I expected, so I was happy at the time and as I said above, I was still happy at Christmas time when the colour remained.

Over the following months, the colour did fade slightly, and my roots were growing.  I made an appointment for the start of May, where the colour would be refreshed and my roots would be dyed a plum colour.  (Forward planning, so that the next time my hair was to be dyed I could go bright pillar-box red, and the colours would gradually go from purple to red.)

Unfortunately, Coronavirus happened.  Lockdown happened and everything had to close.  My appointment was cancelled until further notice, but I understood, because everyone's health is more important than the colour of my hair.

During lockdown it has mainly been very hot and sunny.  My mental health is better if I'm outside, so I have been sitting as much as possible in the back garden, getting plenty of Vitamin D.

This has had the unexpected effect of lightening my hair.  I say unexpected, because it didn't occur to me, though logically the sun always bleaches colour.  Even my natural hair colour, which is very dark brown, the sun causes the red pigment to show more and gives me golden strands.  

Though my hair colour is now fading, I have to say that I'm loving the fade.  It has gone through Unicorn colours (as the pic above) and the blue is now turning a green, which DD2 reliably informs me is turning my hair Mermaid colours.

Yes, I would like my hair to be bright and bold again, but given current circumstances, I am doubly impressed with Sharon Rewston's hairdressing skills that not only has the colour lasted for over 6 months now, but that it is changing and fading in such a gorgeous way.  

So that is the point of this post.  If you need a brilliant hairdresser and you can travel to Swindon, then once lockdown has finished, call up Sharon.  I can't recommend her enough.

Weekly Update Y2w23

I have followed one good week with another!  In fact, if I had posted yesterday (as I normally do on a Monday) you would have seen me at my lowest weight - under 91kilos!  As it is, natural fluctuation (plus the fact I did loads of pastry and cake cooking yesterday) means that I'm slightly up from there today, but it is still all good.

I am still reading You Can Drop It! and meeting with my friend weekly.  I am still focusing on eating a lot of vegetables - sometimes I manage it, and sometimes like yesterday I don't, but I am learning, adjusting and moving forward towards my goal.

On Sunday, I also attended (virtually) a 3 hour Body Groove workshop with Misty Tripoli, and it was amazing.  At the end of June I was meant to be going to a full day workshop, but due to coronavirus it is postponed until sometime next year, but we were invited to a shorter virtual one instead.  It reminded me how much I love Groove and the philosophy, and yes, maybe one day I'll be in a position to afford the facilitator classes and indeed set up my own.  I'm not sure that I'm confident enough to do it yet. Having people looking at me as I attempt to lead a dance fitness class is really outside of my comfort zone.  But, this is the life we have, and we should make the most of it.  If God is willing, I will eventually be able to do that and help other people.

History in the Making

2020, so far as we're not even half way through yet!, seems to be a highly significant year.  

I know most years feel significant in one way or another - for example both 2016 and 2017 shocked the nation and the world due to the number of celebrity deaths, though when looked at objectively, given the time when TVs because household items, and the ages of various celebrities as well as the growth of music, sport and celebrity culture, it's actually no surprise that many of them get old at the same time.

2020, however, feels different to that, not least because of all the different things that we have been dealt with on a global scale.  Firstly there were the wildfires that ravaged Australia.  We've had a global pandemic that we are still living through.  And now we are living through world-wide protests about race and societal structures that perpetuate the differences and hardships that non-whites face.

Now, normally on a Monday I do my Weekly Update, and today I was looking forward to it because I am my lowest weight!!! But instead, I have decided to put my thoughts on what has happened at the weekend.

Over the weekend there have been many protests to tell the world that Black Lives Matter.  I have given my thoughts on race and privilege before. Now, because we are in a pandemic some people have said that people should not be protesting.  I disagree with that.  We are in a pandemic, so people should not be having parties on the beach, or squashing together in supermarkets trying to get the latest deal, or driving 200-odd miles with your wife and 4yo child just in case you need childcare... However, speaking out for what you believe, speaking up for those who because of systematic racism need your support, is always a good thing.

Now, I don't agree with unnecessary violence.  I don't think bricks should be thrown at police horses (though as a friend pointed out - why would a responsible horse owner take a horse into a violent situation? - food for thought!) and I don't think there should be mindless acts of vandalism.  Spray painting "BLM" on buildings and plinths just doesn't site right with me.  Yet, as a Bristolian, I was pleased to see the statue of Edward Colston toppled and rolled into the river.  It seems like poetic justice.

My friend and fellow blogger has written a more articulate post about Edward Colston that I could.
There is lots in Bristol that uses his name.  I have read that, after refurbishment, Colston Hall will be changing its name.  I wonder if Colston's School will be going through a similar thought process in the near future?  Bristol has a long history of slavery, and I certainly don't think that should be white-washed or forgotten, but should be remembered and learned from.  It certainly shouldn't be celebrated by statues in public, rather in a museum where the public can be educated.

There is currently a petition for a new statue to sit on the remaining plinth (which I'm more upset it has been graffiti-ed than the statue removed): https://tinyurl.com/y9c8mu78

Personally, I would like it to be replaced by the image of this man, perhaps with statues of slaves themselves around the base.  

I don't know who to credit the photo
but will amend when I do.

Remember this day.  

Remember things can change.  

We all have the power to do a little,

Which will add up to something big.

Musings on Race and Privilege

I spent this morning talking to my 12yo daughter about the goings-on in the world.  It started about Coronavirus and the impact that is having on our lives, and evolved, as conversations do, to talking about the various protests around the world.

I have not watched the video of George Floyd's last moments.  The photos and articles written about it are horrific enough.  I know that I am in a privileged position that I am not confronted with racism nor police brutality on a daily basis.  I know that I am in a privileged position that the closest I get to racism is second-hand: it happens to friends and family, or their friends and their family.  It doesn't happen to me.  I can't understand what it feels to be the subject of overt and indirect racism.  When I hear people speak, an anecdote, short story, quick meme, I get the briefest of insight into a fraction of their lives.  As try as I might, though I may understand that moment, I cannot fully understand the impact it has on their lives.

My husband likes running.  He runs for fitness.  He runs for his mental health.  He runs to cope with Lockdown.  And I swear sometimes he runs just to get away from the kids! lol.  At the moment, it is very hot during the day, so he is running at night when it is cooler.

I don't like running.  Honestly, it's not for me. Five years ago a friend challenged me to "run the rainbow" with her for charity.  I used the Couch to 5K app and I did get up to running the 5K, and I did run the race and have various colour powder paints thrown at me.  It was fun.  I got my medal.  And that was that.  No more running for me, thanks!  However, sometimes I do feel slightly jealous that my husband runs in the evening.  I have never felt like I could do that.  As a woman, we have been taught since we were little not to go out at night.  That we could be attacked.  That it would be our fault for being out late.  For not wearing the right things.  For being alone.  And though I have been through the indestructible phase (late teens-mid 20s) where nobody and nothing can hurt you, after having children it is easy to become aware of all possible dangers, no matter how remote they may seem.  As such, a fat middle-aged woman, huffing and puffing just to traverse 5K alone at night, in my mind is a prime victim for being attacked as I wouldn't be able to run away.  So whether that fear is reasonable or unreasonable, I never ran at night.

I have a friend who recently shared a story on Facebook (though I had heard it before).  She is a white woman, and before she had kids lived in London with her partner, who bought her a dog.  One day, this dog tried to bite her, so she put in in a safe place, and called her partner asking for his help as he was on his way home from work.  When he got off the train, he ran home and she kept watching for him.  In her words:

But it appeared, I wasn’t the only one keeping my eye on him.

A police van happened to drive past this black man running. Put their lights on, put their sirens on and four of them jumped out to stop him.

He’d always asked me to stay out of things if police stopped him. It was something he was accustom to and he never wanted me to get involved.

...

I watched them put him in handcuffs and pat him down to search him whilst he stood there helpless. I remember the look on his face as he glimpsed me up at the window. The look of “look at this shit I have to deal with”.

They didn’t find anything.

But this wasn’t good enough for them.

They took him into the van.

At this point I was petrified! I ignored his request to stay away and I went outside to speak to the officers.

I asked one of them why they’d put him in the van and he told me they need to search him. I challenged him because I’d just watched them search him! 🤬

He told me they needed to do a strip search because apparently in the Croydon borough there was an order in place that meant they could stop and search anyone they wanted to.

Can you imagine how he was feeling at this point? 5 minutes ago, he’d got off the train from a long day at work, and was rushing home to help me deal with our naughty dog and the next minute he’s being stripped searched in the back of a police van.

As I was talking to the officer, continuing to question what this “order” really meant, I’ll never forget what he said to me, whilst dodging all of my questions... “How do you know a prick like this anyway?” 

I can barely imagine what it must have been like for my friend, to see the way the police were treating the man you love simply because they were black.   I cannot imagine what it must be like for her black partner who is so used to receiving this kind of treatment, that they warn their white girlfriend ahead of time not to get involved if they see it happening.  I cannot imagine living in such a way that I wouldn't be allowed to run, if I had desire or need to.  I cannot imagine feeling like I can't walk around my own neighbourhood alone during the day.  I cannot imagine a boy of 10yo having already learned that he has to put his hands up in a neighbour's yard, when collecting a ball he accidentally kicked there.  I cannot imagine being a young boy, dressed as a superhero, held on my dad's shoulders, and have police point their guns at us.

This is not ok.  This needs to change.  And not just these overtly racist occurrences, but also the slight, discreet, indirect and subversive racism that makes up modern day society.

It is easy for me living in my town in the south of the UK to think this only happens in America, or it only happens in London, but systematic racism is prevalent in our society and it is not right.

I'm not going to patronise you by saying what you should or shouldn't be doing.  I'm only a white woman living a fairly comfortable life, commenting on what is happening to others, who hasn't got a fucking clue how to change society as a whole.  But I will tell you what I am doing.  I am going to educate myself and my children about direct and indirect racism.  I plan to read Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People about Race and How to Argue with a Racist, amongst others.  I am going to use my voice and call out racism when I see it, and be gracious when people call me out on the systemic racism that I'm part of but barely aware of.  This article from 2016 says White Silence is Not an Option, yet not much has changed in the past four years.

I'm going to end by linking this BBC Article about why US protests are resonating in the UK and this 20min video about Trevor Noah's thoughts - well worth taking 20min out of your day to listen to it. (Trevor Noah was literally Born a Crime in South Africa because he is mixed race.  I reviewed his book last year.)

Here is a good list of books to educate your children and yourself.

The Collective Virtual Choir

This past month or so, I have been singing as part of The Collective.  The Collective is a Virtual Choir that describes itself as "An A Cappella Virtual Choir made up of singers from around the world. First started in 2020 during the Covid 19 Pandemic."
I saw an advert on Facebook that a friend shared, and it looked like fun.  It's a group of singers from all around the world, who are singing together, but separately, to make some music.

They did a project back in April ("back" - as if April was so long ago, lol) that I wasn't a part of, but gives you an idea of the type of thing we are working towards (as I'm not giving too many details until it is finished): White Cliffs of Dover by The Collective.

I had not realised that I missed singing, and it certainly does help with my mental health.  So, I have been learning a new song, learning new techniques and even learning how to self evaluate my own recordings by listening back to myself - something very scary when you've been told most your life that you can't/shouldn't sing.  I love singing, but this has stayed with me, so even though I do sing, I'm not convinced I'm any good at it.  During this experience, I have been brave and sung solo in front of strangers live, I have sent a recording of my voice part in for feedback, and this morning I have sent in my final recording to be included as part of The Collective.

The feedback I got almost made me cry - in a good way, I'm just not a cry-y person.

I'm not joking when I said that I have often been told I shouldn't sing.  When I was a child, I felt I didn't have support from family; I can remember friends laughing at me because I had perfected the art of miming to songs, and even though I did enjoy singing (even as a child) I can remember one friend telling me my voice was perfect for a choir but not for solos.  It took a lot of courage for me to join my Adult Musical Theatre group, though I haven't yet built up the courage to sing more than a few words by myself, I am hoping this experience with The Collective helps me to become more confident.  Even when practising this song, my kids say I'm embarrassing and my husband says I'm too loud because he is in meetings... 

This first song is nearly finished, and the next song is due to start next month.  I encourage everybody who enjoys singing to sing, whether it be at home, in a choir, or in a virtual group like this one. 
Sing and let your voice be heard!

Learn Free Home Education Conference 2020

Over the weekend of the 15th May, the Learn Free Annual Home Education Conference went virtual due to the Coronavirus.  Normally held in Coventry, this was the first year that I was able to attend.  The ticket was only £12 and for that you get access to all the talks and discussion. And, as this year was virtual, all the content is still available for the next 6 months, so if it sounds interesting, you can still buy access!

Using the Whova app (that I hadn't even heard of before, let alone use) it is really easy to navigate the conference and see and speak to everyone you wanted to.  The program was full with many speakers, including Dr Peter Grey the writer of Free to Learn, covering topics such as General Interest, SEND, Legal/Political Factors, Charlotte Mason, Secondary Education, Christian Education, Unschooling, Early Years, Numeracy & Literacy, Classical Approach, as well as some Just For Fun.

For the price, I thought the conference was amazing.  I had thought about going in previous years, but with the girls dancing (there is usually a dance festival May half term, so can't miss dance lessons on the weekends leading up to it) there has not been the opportunity, so being virtual has been good for me.  It also gave me a chance to catch up with old friends, some of whom I hadn't spoken to for years.  If there is an online version next year, I will definitely go again.

The Lost Heir by E G Foley

I actually listened to this book as an audiobook.  Audible Stories have given free access to a selection of audiobooks for children, for as long as schools are closed due to coronavirus.  Sitting in the garden with DD2, I started listening to this book because it was her age-level and sounded like I book that I would also find interesting. Next thing I know, DD2 had wandered off, and I'm thoroughly enjoying this book.  I don't listen to books that often, but it has given me a chance to sit in the sunshine, doing my latest MosaiCraft project whilst listening to the story.

The blurb says:

Take a dash of Harry Potter and a splash of Oliver Twist, add a pinch of steampunk and a sprinkle of Victorian fairy lore, and what do you get? The Gryphon Chronicles! A rollicking fantasy adventure series that’s as much fun for grownups as it is for kids.

Strange new talents...

Orphan Jake Reed is a smart, plucky twelve-year-old pickpocket living by his wits on the streets of Victorian London. Lately, he’s started seeing ghosts—then discovers he can move solid objects with his mind! He has no idea why, but it seems to be the reason that a Sinister Gentleman and his minions now come hunting him. Suddenly on the run for his life, the rascally lad plunges headlong into a wondrous world full of magic and deadly peril. A world that holds the secret to the greatest question haunting him: who he really is. The answer leads the rough-and-tumble guttersnipe to a mysterious stranger’s mad claim that he is the long-lost heir of an aristocratic family…with supernatural powers.

But with treacherous enemies closing in, it will take all of Jake’s wily survival instincts and the help of his friends—both human and magical—to solve the mystery of what happened to his supposed parents, Lord and Lady Griffon, and defeat the foes who never wanted the Lost Heir of the great magical House of Griffon to be found.

So, yes I did enjoy this book.  It's a shame my children didn't give it a chance (they'll only sit still for watching TV or playing computer games) and listen to it whilst drawing or anything, as I think they would have liked it.  I know I would have liked it when I was a child.  There are 6 books in The Gryphon Chronicles, and though I have no intention of reading more myself, I thought the book was good.  It was very well written, with lots of excitement in the story.

Mental Health due to Coronavirus

So far, I have been fine.  Honestly.  I'm quite happy sat at home pottering about.  I do miss seeing people face to face, and giving friends a hug when it's needed, but we do our best using Zoom, Houseparty, Facebook, Skype, Messenger etc.

My family, otoh, suffer more with anxiety so I have been busy supporting them where I can. Everyone is more stressed, and my daughter who is excelling at school, is finding it difficult to learn online. I tell her to take breaks, but she is worried about getting in trouble (thankfully her teachers seem understanding).  DD1 wrote this poem instead of doing her school work the other day, and it has a depth of feeling that amazed me.  DD2 is worried about my husband and me dying.  And my husband is stressing about work and the fact we're trapped in the house.  Yes he can go shopping (he won't go out more than once a week), and yes he goes for a long run daily, but when he's stressed he likes to leave the house and go to the beach or visit someone or go to the cinema or any of the other stuff that we can't do right now.

I've been calm, making the most of the slowing down of daily life and the sunshine in the garden.  I've been reading more than usual, doing a new MosaiCraft, and I have even started doing Pilates on BodyGroove.  Life has been good to me - until this morning.

Due to having the BRCA1+ genetic mutation, I have an annual mammogram and MRI to check I don't have cancer.  This is usually in February, and when I didn't hear anything, I assumed it was because it had been deprioritised due to coronavirus.  Last week I had a call inviting me to screening today, and that I'd get a letter through the post.  Despite having received a letter from the NHS/Council saying that I need to shield myself for 12 weeks, this is important so I accepted the appointment.  My husband wasn't happy, but with everything I have read and seen about coronavirus, I would make sure I took adequate precautions and everything would be ok.  I bought some disposable gloves, have wetwipes to wipe down surfaces in the car, made a face-mask from a bandana and hairbands and have antibac gel.

Then this morning it hits me - I am going to the place they take everybody with coronavirus.  Doctors and nurses who have PPE have died at this hospital after contracting it, and I am willingly walking into this environment.  My rational brain knows that they wouldn't have called me to the appointment if it were dangerous, but that part of my brain went into hiding.  I was worried.  Thankfully a friend talked with me and helped put things into perspective and making me laugh (I don't know if you can see the skulls on the bandana, but it was suggested I carry a scythe too.  I don't have a scythe, but do have a garden hoe, and my husband's scholar's gown from Oxford that would complete the look!). Haha.

In the end, I went to the hospital.  I couldn't wear the mask, as though it didn't when I tried it at home, it kept steaming my glasses up.  I wore gloves going to the appointment (not during the MRI) and antibac-ed my hands every time I went through a door.  And when I returned to the car, I wiped my handbag down, and also the car steering wheel/radio/seatbelt/indicators/doorhandle etc when I returned home again.  Now I'm back home, I'm calm again.  I immediately changed my clothes and put them in the wash, washed my hands and face again.  It may be overkill, but I don't want to be responsible for bringing the virus to my family.

This has made me realise how brave loads of our workers are in this country.  I only had to go to hospital for an appointment that took less than 90min.  There are men and women who daily have to go to hospital to care for others, to treat others, to clean the wards where people have died or are dying, maintenance people who ensure all the equipment is running smoothly, people in the kitchens making sure staff and patients are fed, receptionists who are the first faces you see when you go to the hospital or to the department, and then the morticians who are encountering large numbers of people who are dying from the virus.  God bless you all.

I'm back home and am going to stay safe and stay here until the coronavirus has past.  I know at some point I will encounter the virus (it is inevitable) and I hope initially that I don't suffer badly, but also that it will be after the peak of this pandemic has passed.

Easter thoughts

Today is Easter Day, and is a celebration of God's love for us, where He defeated sin and death, and enabled us to approach Him without fear and condemnation.  Jesus is alive!  We can now have confidence, through faith, in the hope of being with God in Heaven. 

Whether you agree with my proclamation of faith above, or not, Easter for most of us is a time of celebrating with our family.  We get to enjoy a long weekend in the UK with Bank Holidays on both Good Friday and Easter Monday - admittedly they'd be more noticeable were we not locked down at the moment.  The kids do an Easter egg hunt, chocolate for breakfast, lots of people have lamb for lunch, and scoff the rest of the chocolate for afters.  The day is spent with family, sometimes a walk in a park, and it is restful whatever beliefs you may have.

This year is different.  We are locked down.  The kids don't have as many eggs as usual - whether that be because people are only going to shops for essentials, or relatives are unable to give eggs for Easter.  Church services are online, so no sociable Easter services that many look forward to.  Easter egg hunts that are open to the public are cancelled, and people are confined to their own homes; a walk in the park may be permissible as long as everyone stays distanced from each other.

We're lucky in that we normally do an Easter egg hunt for the girls around our home and garden anyway.  This year, whilst I've been watching a church service online, my husband did the Easter Egg hunt, writing clues in rhyme about being in lockdown, and where to find the next clue.  He also bought me an Easter egg, and I hadn't got him anything as I haven't been to the shops in weeks.

Unfortunately, I have friends who are not so lucky.  On what should be a day of celebration, I have friends who are going through trials and tribulations in their own homes with their partners.  I am not going to go into their difficulties, it just highlighted to me how lucky I am to have my husband.  We may not agree on everything, but I am thankful to God for him.

On the first Easter day, God freed us from the bondage of sin. God gave us love, and wants us to experience it in all its fullness. We should not be trapped in our homes if we are in danger.  In case this information is useful to you: Safety Advice for Survivors

Bless you and I hope you have a Happy Easter however you celebrate it xx

Reliable Coronavirus Information

There is a lot of misinformation being spread about Coronavirus: causes and cures.
Some of these theories are funny, some make you raise your eyebrows and some are downright scary and will certainly lead to more deaths!

So, I thought I would do my bit and share the people who I have been following in the recent weeks, and they are all medical doctors*.

Firstly, there's Dr John Campbell*: Dr J Campbell's YouTube Channel
He is British and has a very calming voice.  He does a daily global update based on facts and figures.  He gives his expert opinion about what to expect in the coming days and weeks and so far has been proven correct. He also has other videos about whether to wear masks etc. If anybody wants to know what is happening around coronavirus, without any hype and scaremongering, listen to Dr John.

Secondly I follow Dr Duc Vuong: Dr Vuong's YouTube channel
He is an American surgeon who specialises in obesity.  At the start of every episode he shares his qualifications and degree certificates to prove his credentials.  I like Dr Vuong.  He is passionate, to the point he has been accused of scaremongering, but actually he tells it like it is.  He does swear, which I find amusing (especially when he tries not to!) but you can see he believes in what he is saying.  He has produced some good educational videos about how the coronavirus attacks the body, what a cytokine storm is, and he is now moving towards doing more videos with other people.
If anyone is suffering with anxiety around coronavirus, I would suggest watching just one of his videos before you subscribe to him, because he is blunt and he is passionate.  I, personally, find his passion and straight talking to be a comfort against all the crap that is spouted online and from those in positions of power and influence who should know better.

Lastly, ZDogg (or Dr Zubin Damania): ZDogg's YouTube Channel
Again, he is American and he produces videos against "pseudoscientific nonsense" and recently has done videos about coronavirus.  I confess to not having watched as many of these as I have of Dr Campbell and Dr Vuong, but the ones I have watched I have found informative and enjoyed. Especially his satirical and musical ones.

*Technically, Dr Campbell isn't a MD, but he is a medic (nurse) and has a PhD with a medical focus.

Weekly Update Y2w14

I don't want to get too excited, because I know what I'm like - a couple of weeks of weightloss and then I pile it all back on again.  Especially as this is Easter week, and all the associated foods that I don't/won't deny myself.  Added to the fact that we're in lockdown and we need to use up all DD2's Easter chocolate from last year, before she gets given more this year, I am not pinning any hopes on losing weight this week.

On the positive side, though, we're not in self-isolation any more, so can go to the shops if we need to.  My husband went out yesterday, so we have lots of yummy food in the kitchen, and we still get a weekly delivery of fruit/veg (alternating each week), so there are plenty of ways to be healthy.

And little as it may seem, I have started doing Body Groove again - yey!  I've convinced my husband to join me too.  We're building up slowly due to my unfitness and his embarrassment at dancing round the living room, but we've started and that's the main thing.  And he's still going on runs by himself to keep his own fitness levels up, so isn't his main way of keeping fit, but I know I need to do more, and little by little it can make a difference.

Black Virus and Black Rust by Bobby Adair

We're in the middle of a pandemic.  What better way to pass the time than to read about a pandemic that sweeps the whole world?

Black Virus is a short story prequel about the virus itself...

Virus. Chaos. Survival.

Alienated in a world where he doesn’t fit in, Christian Black survives because he’s different. Then the virus came, and made the world turn different, too.

Now people are dying by the million. Food supplies are short. Riots are blazing through the streets, and Christian’s only goal is to keep his family alive. But safety lies far from the city, and just getting out will be tougher than anyone knows.

...whereas Black Rust is set 15 years later, and is about how people deal with the aftermath.

The virus came, and the world fell into an abyss.

Starvation camps, corporate farms, endless ghettos, and failed states darken a future where most of the population has been twisted by the disease.

To protect itself, a corrupt system pays Christian Black and others like him to exterminate violent degenerates who would destroy what's left of the world. Unfortunately, a mistake has been made and Christian has put too many of the wrong ones to death.

Laws have been broken. Punishment comes for Christian, but he will stop at nothing to keep his freedom.

Fortunately, the Brisbane Strain is nothing like the Coronavirus we're currently dealing with.  Rather this is type of zombipocalypse - though those badly affected by the virus become degenerates, rather than zombies who die and come back to life.

These are two thrilling stories, and even though Christian Black is portrayed as 'different' and needing a therapist, actually he doesn't seem that different to me.  He just makes hard choices and sometimes goes too far.

At the very end of Black Rust there is a twist in the plot that I didn't see coming (and I like it when I don't see them coming!).  According to Amazon, the next book is due out August 2016 and to my knowledge it hasn't been written yet.  If/when it does, I would happily read what happens next in the saga.

Weekly Update Y2w13

There has been some progress!  Whether it's because we've been stuck in the house for a week and been forced to cook from scratch, whether it's because I'm drinking more water as I'm now accountable to someone who checks up on me, whether it's because that same person is specifically praying for my health, or something else entirely, I don't know.  But there had been progress and I am happy about that.

I need to keep this momentum going, so I have been thinking of other things to add to my routine.  I know I need to do some kind of exercise, as being stuck in the house means I am being more slothful than usual.  I want to get back to doing Body Groove, but with DD1 doing her schoolwork on the table in the living room, and both girls and my husband generally taking the mick, I haven't been inclined to do it when they're around.  (Which admittedly is a bit of an excuse, as I wasn't doing it before lockdown either.)  I have downloaded the 7min workout app, in the hope that I can start there, get in the habit of doing a short burst of exercise each day, and slowly build it up.  My husband uses the app sometimes, but he uses the full version, whereas I'll be starting as a beginner.

Garlic Flatbreads

I was meant to be making slow cooker bread to go with my slow cooker soup. Unfortunately, I forgot, and then it was all-of-a-sudden lunch time; so I made flatbreads instead.  These are really easy and only use two ingredients, plus oil to fry.

Ingredients: 

Image from dreamstime
All my flatbread got eaten before I thought to get a photo!

200g Self Raising Flour
200g Greek Yoghurt

Method:

Combine the ingredients to make a soft dough. 
Cut the dough into portions (I made eight).
Roll each portion into a ball, then roll flat and really thin.
Heat a griddle pan hot, and pour on a little oil.
Fry each flatbread for a few minutes on each side.

To turn these flatbreads into garlic flatbreads, make some garlic butter (crushed garlic, butter and optional herbs) and spread on the flatbreads after cooking, whilst still warm