Here we are a month into our new adventure and dare I say, not much has happened, but then again, so much!
It’s crazy how when someone asks you what have you been up to? Your first response now will probably be, not much! Whereas in reality I’m doing lots, and you are too.
This new life of ours has created many new careers, including becoming a school teacher, a PA to your husband, a domestic assistant, and a gardener.
Skills have been developed such as bread making, ginger beer and pineapple beer brewing and cooking using one of those fancy recipe books you never thought you’d ever use.
Having to budget differently to create delicious meals from nothing much, has created many more aspiring accountants.
Now may be a good time to look at those tasty snack options and to think more creatively about them, especially when your little ones are nagging all day long for the next snack.
I highly doubt a pubescent teen will think you’re fab if you give them a creatively made carrot stick or piece of cheese made into a face! Don’t go there, I’m sure they are driving you nuts, and you’ll not be wanting to cause any extra aggravation, that’s for sure.
New skills
I’m being taught a number of computer skills by my very patient daughter who is frantically busy working from home.
I think when I say, “Darling, have you a minute?” She looks on in absolute despair and is thinking haven’t you remembered what I told you 27 seconds ago. I’m doing a crash course in everything and trying to remember what I’ve learnt so far.
In South Africa one of my joys was washing the dishes. I actually loved my arms in nice warm suds.
Living with my daughter and son-in-law my instilled skill has been replaced by an actual dishwasher. Now I have to learn another new skill of working out how the damn thing works!
Having had an ordinary TV, although flat screen, we only had the normal “live” channels. Now, I can watch anything at any time and don’t have to specifically wait for the programme to be screened. It’s recorded for me.
Only problem is I don’t have the required skills yet to find what I want to watch. It’s a nightmare!
Yes, the challenges are real for us all.
To the top of the tower
The four of us set off on a country walk last Sunday and went along part of the moors above the town of Darwen.
Such a gorgeous warm and sunny day, and the moors were bursting with colour from the wild gorse. Our intention was to enjoy an hour’s walk, but it was so beautiful we decided to carry on up further and go to Darwen Tower.
The tower was completed in 1898 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and also to celebrate the victory of the local people for the right to access the moor. It was opened in September 1898.
The tower is 85 feet (25.9m) in height, while Darwen Hill is 1,200 feet (372 metres) above sea-level. Taken from Wikipedia.
We walked up all the 80 steps of the winding staircase to get to the top of the tower and the views were amazing.
I have to say walking back from the tower and along the moors, down into the town was a lot less tiring than walking up, but it was well worth it!
What a difference
While out and about there are many differences’ we’ve noticed living here to living in SA and one has to be the gardens or lack thereof at the front of homes.
Many of the houses in Darwen are terraced properties (houses in a long row) and in this case they either have no gardens at all with their front doors directly onto the pathway in front of the road, or they have a very small garden. Handy if you don’t enjoy gardening.
Another noted difference is how often the buses run or did when we weren’t in lockdown.
A fantastic service and you really don’t need a car unless you are working off a bus or train route.
The postmen deliver your mail (Royal mail) twice a day, first-class in the morning, and second class post around lunchtime. They even deliver mail on a Saturday.
Community spirit
In the UK, especially in the smaller towns and villages, community spirit is huge. This is something I‘m extremely proud of.
While in lockdown at 8pm every Thursday evening, community members can be seen outside their front doors clapping in support of the National Health Service workers.
It’s such a great coming together of the nation and it makes us feel a part of the local community. The lady across the road had her “drum kit” out in the form of a silver cooking pot and a large wooden spoon.
We wait in anticipation to see what next week’s clapping performance has in store for us.
That’s it for this week. Stay safe, stay at home, and wash those hands! Oh, and dream about shopping!
Julie
