When I started this blog it was intended to be little more than a diary, a time capsule to remember what we knew would - in any circumstances - be an era-defining time in our lives.
It began with a run down of our days - what we’d been up to, how we were adapting to our confinement, our various moods and the challenges we were facing - with a few photos thrown in each day. So very much the good, the bad and the ugly.
But as time has gone on it has become harder to keep the content engaging. Our days have begun to merge into one giant amalgamation of same old same old. The same battles, the same emotions, even the same clothes (I'm damned if I'm putting them in clean clothes when no one can see them to judge).
So today I have cheated. You will have to do without my musings on what Wednesday threw up for us. Instead I am treating you to a photo montage of weirdness from the past 24 hours.
1. Happy Henry
Henry had a video call today with two of his friends, Leighton and Sammy. Leighton had written a quiz for the others and it was all just so completely adorable. Later, they ended up playing a guessing game where one was assigned a well-known person and they had to ask questions of the others to work out who they were.
Watching Henry interact with his mates was a joy. He was just so happy - giggling, shouting, being ridiculous and, at one point, baring his chest and pointing at his nipple.
Henry is one of those kids whose face completely crinkles up when he smiles and it’s like the sun is shining out of his eyes. I do realise how horribly twee that sounds but I think people who know him will get what I mean.
And I think the best thing for me was that when the call ended he just ran off, ready to get stuck into the next task. He wasn’t sad, he didn’t say he missed his friends or ask when he would be going back to school.
I know he does miss them, and would far rather be with them than us much of the time, but I have allowed myself to believe this whole house arrest episode isn’t doing him any harm.
2. Twinning is winning
I snuck off for a glorious hour tonight to have a chat with one of my all time favourite people, Clare. It was particularly pertinent timing because my electronic diary kindly told me we were due to meet up in person today. One of my oldest and closest friends, Clare is one of those pals whose company I leave feeling completely mentally cleansed.
Over the past 20 years I have not made a single major decision without thrashing it out with her first. And I would flatter myself to think we are pretty in sync. (Except in maternity leaves. Between us we have managed to have five babies in seven years and not coincide a single day of maternity leave.)
So when we did a video call today it was lovely to see we were dressed the same, but in reverse. Man I miss my friends.
3. What’s that you’re wearing?
I have one of those apps on my phone that shows photos you took on the same day in past years. Today threw up a shot from a year ago that, at the time, was very mundane, but today made me stop in my tracks.
It was of Andy pushing a Dyson round the living room. History doesn’t relate why I took it. Maybe I was just getting photographic evidence of him doing housework. Or perhaps we’d just taken receipt of the hoover, which was a very generous gift from Andy’s mum who - given I was pregnant at the time - possibly saw it as her way of helping with the cleaning from her home in the Midlands. Either way for some reason he was vacuuming after work one night. (We have a LOT of fun in our house.)
But what made me look twice today was that he was wearing a suit. I haven’t seen him in a suit since December. He took three months parental leave in January, and of course now only commutes to the spare room, usually in his running gear with a half hearted promise that he’ll shower ‘later’.
Until this year he spent more time in a suit than any other clothes, so it was weirdly emotional seeing him back in the formal clothes that represent commuting, travelling and generally being away from home.
Much as I didn’t want him to go back to work at the start of April, I now realise we should all be careful what we wish for.
4. Look who came to breakfast
While in April 2019 we were having a wild time hoovering the house, eight years ago today I was having a whole lot more fun on my hen do. It doesn’t feel five minutes since we were cavorting round London on a Grand National-themed day out with celebrity guests Clare Balding and John McCririck, God rest his soul.
It seems rather astonishing that this happened nearly a decade ago. Thankfully - for all our sakes - Timehop didn't produce any other gems from that weekend. Bad luck.
5. How young is too young?
I gave Henry knee tattoos today. No reason but it made us both happy.
And that was Wednesday. Onwards...
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