As is often the way, after a proper gripe about what a bad day we’d all had, we followed it up with an absolute belter of a lockdown Friday. You know, relative to normal life.
Sitting around at 8am Andy asked what our plans were for the day. Which was his way of asking when we were going for a walk. Because those are All The Plans, All the Time.
We chit-chatted about the options - both time and location - for a bit and then, because I can’t handle indecision and don’t-mind-itis (see previous posts on the matter), I rashly declared we should go RIGHT THERE AND THEN. (There's precious little opportunity for spontaneity in lockdown.) You know, once we’d all got dressed and that.
So 45 minutes later, we were off. (Yep, it took that long - but in my defence that includes this typical scenario: can you go upstairs and get dressed please, ok I’m going upstairs who’s coming with me, if you come now I’ll help you, right if you’re not upstairs in one minute we’re not going out, careful on the stairs it’s not a race, don’t push past her Henry, for God’s sake Bella stop crying I said it’s not a race, right pyjamas off [I go and start getting Xander dressed and come back three minutes later to resume] stop that naked dancing and put on your pants, no, stop jumping on the bed, right, stop dancing in your pants and put on your clothes, why are you not dressed, just put on the sodding clothes, yes you do know how to put a t-shirt on Bella, for crying out loud PUT YOUR TROUSERS ON HENRY, ok Bella do you think it’s a bit cold for a sundress, I promise it’s colder than it looks, shall we pop a cardigan on, ok I’ll put it under the buggy, ok Henry go and brush your teeth, Bella let me brush your hair, [screaming ensues] I’m BEING gentle, I’m not trying to hurt you, Bella we really will have to cut your hair short if you scream this much every time I brush it, right, go and do your teeth, HENRY WHERE ARE YOU?! get some socks on please, ok now downstairs, shoes on, I don’t know where your shoes are, where did you last have them, no Bella you’re not wearing party shoes to the woods, ok can you go and get your bikes, where are your helmets, why didn't you put them away? I know I’ve seen them somewhere ANDY WHERE ARE THE HELMETS?? ok found them, in the toy box, right get in the car….)
Because we don’t have a bike rack (long story - bought one, didn’t fit kids’ bikes despite expressly advertising itself as a universal all-size bike rack) we had to go in two cars - Andy, two kids and bikes in one car, me, one child and buggy in the other.
But blimey was it worth it.
We went up to Chipperfield Woods (for my local readers) which is a vast expanse of woodland with a very convenient circular walk that’s wide enough to pass people from a decent two metre distance AND is smooth enough underfoot for the kids to cycle.
In 90 minutes we saw maybe three other people.
Andy and I worked in our daily exercise and took turns running laps of the woods with Henry cycling alongside, while the other ambled along with buggy and Bella.
At one point when I was walking with the small two the birdsong was so deafening it was like being in one of those indoor aviaries you get at tourist attractions. The sun was cutting through the leaves, the air was crisp, the birds were singing and there wasn’t a car, plane or human to be heard.
As horribly cheesy as it sounds, it honestly felt so good to be alive. An early weekday morning (and at 9am it wasn’t even that early) is clearly the time to catch these places in all their perfect, unspoiled glory.
It completely reset my mood and reminded me there are definite positives to lockdown. I had glorious little chats with Bella while Xander snoozed, and as we ambled along it was easy to forget about the stress of home-schooling, the absence of shielding parents and the life we aren’t living while we’re holed up in the house.
It was another valuable reminder that while chaos reigns all around us, nature goes on. The birds still sing, the sun still shines, the seasons still change and we are still just us.
Five people meandering through the woods on a sunny May morning.
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