So what a pickle we all find ourselves in. Life has taken a very unexpected turn for all of us and for our own sanity all we can do is “Love what is”. If we don’t accept the reality and go with the flow of what life is giving us right now we will only make ourselves suffer. I say as much to myself everyday. Try not to be fearful but live your life to its fullest as best you can with the current restrictions.
Family life is changing
My family and my life are been affected by the situation in a huge way.
My husband, not quite yet divorced, is loosing his job at Gatwick airport at the end of the month. The family holiday to Florida, (not that I was going) has been cancelled, and we worry for the health of our parents who are all over 70, particularly my mother-in-law who lives in the same house as my husband and children, and is at extra risk due to underlying health issues.
My children are both now at home attending lessons virtually, but the wi-fi is not the best so this is not going so well.
My daughter, Georgina, was due to sit her A levels but now has the added anxiety of thinking they might just be delayed and how can she sustain revision for six months. Boris’s announcement was supposedly to help prevent further anxiety in our young people due to sit exams, but for her it’s only heightened it. But hopefully they won’t have to sit their exams at all and a fair way of assessing their grades will be found. But for now she still has to revise with her mind full of worry.
She is actually well on her way to getting her university of first choice as in her mocks she achieved the grades she required, but even this isn’t allaying her anxiety. Come on Boris we need some clarification.
Vanlife Changes with Coronavirus
So my plan was to be back in the UK for a few months anyway as I am undergoing a course of oesteotherapy on my neck and back currently (following a car accident whilst abroad 18 months ago) which has been getting progressively worse. I can be fixed but it’s going to take maybe six weeks.
I also had a few upcoming events. A trip to Vienna and Budapest next week, with a friend, which has of course been cancelled and another trip to Malta in April which is likely to go the same way. My nieces wedding is in May, which I believe is still going ahead, and ‘Download’ festival in June, which ultimately will be cancelled and was to be my first festival!
I was going to be living in the van and touring around Sussex initially and then head either to Cornwall or North Wales. However, as my children are now at home for an indefinite period I feel it is only fair on my ex that I help out with parenting, especially as he is now actively looking for another job. Also as a mother my maternal instincts keep me from going too far from the kids if there is a high risk of them being ill. Hopefully it won’t be me that infects them!
So I have been spending a fair amount of time with ‘Lucy’ van parked on the driveway of the family home. And I’m even doing decorating in the house for a small income.
Grandma is high risk of infecting family
Joking aside, it is my mother-in-law, one of the people we are trying to shield from the virus, who is the one who is most likely to infect our family. She is still attending her regular doctor’s and hospital appointments, which are still going ahead. I guess the NHS will do them for as long as they can to not add to any backlog. However, isn’t this putting vunerable peoples lives at risk! Of course she could choose not to attend but she is an obstinate woman and doesn’t seem to believe that she is going to get the virus and even if she does she will be fine. Great to have such optimism but possibly ignoring the reality of the situation.
She has been banned from going to the supermarket though!
Van Life trips
It is not all doom and gloom though as last weekend I spent it on the Sussex coastline and the sun even made an appearance. It felt good to have a few days for myself regrounding in nature and I really enjoyed watching the antics of the kitesurfers. Nothing better right now than to get out in to nature and enjoy the beauty and fresh air of this beautiful country we live in.
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Hi again Suzi, it’s worrying time for elderly relatives and people in 50’s aren’t safe, so it’s a case of adapting your life to situation as best you can thinking of the vulnerable, even volunteering to help local community.
Sadly the empty shelves in supermarkets highlight the selfish nature of the mayority of uk citerzan s.
It’s dispickable behaviour, Warrington is like a ghost town early in morning 7am which is nice and stress free drive to work for key workers like me Railways Frieght.
So I was looking forward to uk lock down getting house work done and garden, Decluttering but nope business as usual in Railways world.
Nice to spend time with your family, its like Christmas only lasts 2 months :0)
I’m few months this Virus will be a memory and we can get back to distroying the planet for which we are all guilty of me included
The slowing down and stopped industry is good for mother earth and may make people realise there is more to life than work and school its called Nature when you stop and look and walk in her beauty.
Enjoy what you can while you can. It is a very unpredictable time & this virus is taking a toll on the whole world.
I liked your email with the Indian lady giving a speech on Nature’s Karma—it is so true in what she says—we all have to work together & for the good of each other.
Six months down the road will everyone forget & go back to their reckless ways again ?
Somehow I couldn’t manage to bring the attachment up again–Would appreciate it if you send the link to my email address please.
Take care & be safe.
Rosalind xx
Hopefully people will grow and learn from nature’s karma. Not everyone will but maybe enough to make a difference.