Day 91 plus first day back at school

Sunday, 21st and Monday 22nd May 2020
Weather: Sunday was still partly cloudy but today (Monday) was a perfectly sunny day.

I can't believe I missed doing the last (school) lockdown blog on time! Instead I'll do a combined yesterday and today blog to end the daily lockdown blogs. (Andre and I are still currently working form home.)

Yesterday was Father's Day. Isabella was excited to bring Andre his cards and presents in bed. Isabella and I made breakfast while Andre stayed in bed.

We then went to clean the office again, but we're getting better at this and have reduced our time there quite well now. Back home we were just being a bit lazy around the house. Isabella and I played while we left Andre to do whatever he felt like doing on his own.

Tabby joined us to play with the LOL dolls.

For lunch we had ordered cream tea to be delivered. It was amazing and way too much! We were still eating leftover cream tea today! It included lovely sandwiches, scones of course, mini cupcakes, lemon drizzle cake, carrot cake and chocolate brownies.

Beautifully wrapped!

Andre had an afternoon nap and then we ended the day with a bit of fishing next to the canal. We caught one little fish.

Today was (finally!) Isabella's first day back at school. It felt strange walking to school this morning after not doing it for three months. Isabella was a little nervous, but also excited. We have a time slot for dropping her off and picking her up so each group is kept completely separate. She has two different teachers to her usual class teachers, but she said they were both great. From what Isabella said it sounds like she has 12 children in her class. They can currently have a maximum of 15 compared to the 30 they usually have in class. Still with two teachers. They're lucky to have small classes now! She said she has her own desk, desks are spaced 2 meters apart, and on her desk she has a tray with all her things in, her own pen pot and a pot of playdough too. Sounds like they spent most of the day outside in their designated outdoor space for their class bubble. Lunch is brought to their classroom and they eat at their desks. Sounds like Isabella had a really great day back at school today.

I enjoyed being able to work most of the day without interruptions or having to do multiple things at the same time.


I'll try to keep posting our weekend news regularly, but there won't be much interesting news to write about during the week now unfortunately. Thank you for reading! I now want to turn these posts into a book so we can save our lockdown memories to look back at. That's the next project, but first I need to finish painting those patio slabs outside this week. It's meant to be really hot this week so a good time for doing that. Ok, until next time!

"I will lie here with my paws folded because I am the king and you will serve me, human." 

"And I will pretend to dangle my feet and tail in the water to entertain you humans from time to time."

Day 90: Cycling mastered, on to the next wheel to ride!

Saturday, 20th June 2020
Weather: Partly cloudy

90 days or exactly three months since school closed on 20th March. Isabella is super excited to be returning to school on Monday.

We don't have much to report for today. Andre went for a motorbike ride. After late breakfast and a play in the garden with Tabby, Andre and Isabella went out for a bit. I got to relax, read my book and did some bits around the house. Back home, Isabella and I prepared Andre's Father's day card and gifts.

Before dinner Andre decided it's time Isabella learnt to ride the unicycle. They went for a practice session on the field and the sun even came out  for a bit.

Tabby enjoyed a snooze on some shoes.

Day 89: Final day of homeschooling

Friday, 19th June 2020
Weather: Rainy

I wanted to make the most of our last days with Isabella at home, but then I also kept reminding myself that we'll have her at home for a long time again soon! Just four weeks of school before summer holiday starts. So instead we continued our theme of yesterday and had another lazy day.

She wanted to try make a kind of playdough from marshmallows, coconut oil and cornflour. She wrote down the recipe from a video she watched and did most of the measuring and mixing herself. It turned out a little bit sticky. It's edible though which was the exciting part!

I then had to take Tabby for his first vet visit. He has been vomiting on and off again this week and not eating much of his regular food. Since we had this a month ago I thought it's time we get it checked out. Of course the vet couldn't find anything wrong. Should he continue to vomit they will do an X-ray or ultrasound scan. Fingers crossed it won't be necessary. He has been fine the rest of today and is happily eating his special diet of boiled chicken although he'll only be having that for another couple days. Then hopefully back onto his regular food without issues. 

He was really good in the car and stayed in his carrier when I told him to sit, even with the top open. We had to wait in the car and any discussions was done over the phone. When the vet was ready for us I had to leave him in his carrier outside the surgery door. They then took him inside. I really would have liked to have a face to face first vet visit but it's not allowed at the moment.

After lunch I taught Isabella how to play solitaire. We tried both the board game and the cards. She found the cards a little tricky so she played the board game while I played the cards. Nice and relaxing. She has actually taken the game upstairs to bed with her to play in the morning. She's totally up for the challenge to get this game completed with only one counter left over. We've not had  success yet!

Day 88: Lazy day

Thursday 18th June 2020
Weather: Rainy all day

We had very very heavy rain during the night. I thought it was going to wake Isabella up, it was that loud. Hoping our grass will now recover, although next week is meant to be very hot again all week so not sure we're going to win...

We had a bit of a lazy day today. Played vets. Again. I think we need to move onto something new tomorrow!

Did some school work, but I'm not bothering too much now that I know the teachers will be taking over again from next week!

Isabella had a video call with a friend. Unfortunately they won't be in the same group at school next week. They are in the same class, but classes are being split up into smaller groups and groups won't be allowed to mix. They had a lovely long chat though.

And then Isabella and I just watched TV the rest of the afternoon. Andre made us fresh pasta for dinner. Although the sauce (which I made) came from a jar!

Tabby went to lie with his big sister when I was bugging him with his brush.

Tomorrow is Friday and the last day of school lock down for us! Feels bittersweet. At least it's just four weeks until summer holiday.

Day 87: School Swap

Wednesday, 17th June 2020
Weather: Warm and sunny with heavy rain in the afternoon

Isabella and I started the day by playing vets again while she waited for a friend who was coming over. We were doing a school swap again.

Can you spot our Tabby-Cat? 

Tabby wanted a check up too.

Once her friend arrived they had to go to 'vet school' in order to become qualified vets. This involved some counting in 2's worksheets, handwriting, playing a game containing a-e words (cake, take, etc) and then watching a story and adding labels to a picture about the story. It didn't take too long.

Handwriting: tail letters

Then they played vets until lunch time. After lunch they completed another school activity- making a pinwheel and practicing deep breathing by blowing on it to make it spin.

Then a swim in the jacuzzi and ending with having their nails done in front of the TV.

Day 86: Playing Vets

Tuesday, 16th June 2020
Weather: Sunny with thunderstorms

Today's activities:
- School and office work on and off,
- A swim in the jacuzzi,
- A jump, or several, on the trampoline,
- Taking real and toy cats for walks in the garden,
- And playing vet's surgery!
- I also ended the day with pilates. I nearly didn't, I was so tired, but signed in to the class at the last minute. Then take-away curry for dinner.

Tabby patiently waiting his turn in the waiting area.

Kitten Kibbles wasn't feeling very well.

Doctor Isabella

Day 85: Strawberry Picking

Monday, 15th June 2020
Weather: Hot and sunny, with a little thunderstorm late afternoon

I was kind of hoping we are going to make it to Day 100 to round it off nicely, but seems we're going to miss that by 10 days! Isabella is returning to school on Monday. It would then have been exactly 3 months of no school since the last day of school was 20th March.

She is very excited to be going back. It is our choice whether we want to send her, parents aren't fined at this time for not sending their children to school. It is sounding as though there will be quite a few not in school, but it would be lovely for the children to have small classes. They will have a maximum of 15 children in their class group anyway. Isabella is actually also quite excited that the classroom will be looking different. Hopefully she will really enjoy it, because it's only four weeks then it's summer holiday again.

So yesterday:
Isabella went to a friend for 'school'. They did some school work and played and she had a great time. So did I, working in a quiet home office. Andre was out for work too.

I picked her up in the afternoon and we went strawberry picking at a pick-your-own farm.

Our rhubarb gin has been maturing for three weeks and turned out delicious!

I was just planning to sell this chair as Isabella isn't using it anymore, now our new baby is using it! He also uses various other places for napping so won't be keeping it specially, but he does often lie here. We bought this high chair second hand and got years of good use out of it.

Day 83 & 84: Garden Make-Over

Saturday, 13th and Sunday 14th June 2020
Weather: Partly cloudy with a few raindrops

First time in over 80 days that I didn't get to the blog on time, or at least early-ish the next morning! We started out straight from bed with a busy, but good day today.

Andre went for an early cycle and Isabella and I made bacon and eggs. Right after breakfast we took Tabby in the garden and then I continued the painting I started on Saturday. I've had these stencils for about a year and only now getting to do it. I got about half way with the project when my primer ran out, but was happy to quit it for now. It's back breaking work, sitting bent over like that. I did about two or three hours yesterday and the same today. I will find some 'before' photos once it's all done to show the difference. This area used to be very scruffy!

Yesterday evening I enjoyed a girls night out(side). Four of us met in a friends garden for curry take away and a catch up.

Isabella and Andre went fishing this morning while I was painting and gardening. Tomorrow we need to finish weeding before the rain restarts on Tuesday again for most of the rest of the week.

Top down yesterday afternoon on the way back from cleaning the office!

Day 82: Another outing

Friday, 12th June 2020

Weather: Rainy   

Isabella and I went to the grocery store to do some Father's Day shopping this morning. My third time in three months to the grocery store and this time there was no queue. More people were wearing masks, although still not the majority, and the tills were separated by large screens plus they now have perspex in front of each cashier. Isabella said she really enjoyed being out.

We didn't take very many pictures today. We had a play in the garden before and after shopping and  after that the rain started for pretty much the rest of the day. Hoping our lawn will turn a little greener...

Isabella managed a couple maths worksheets and completed yesterday's geography. That  was it for school work. Then we both did some more drawing, and that was pretty much it for today.

Day 81: Garden Centre Visit

Thursday, 11th June 2020
Weather: Rainy

We had quite a nice day today. I asked Isabella this morning if she wanted to do school work. She said no, I said ok let's go to the garden centre instead then. We first took Tabby for a run around the garden. Isabella actually asks to take him out now. He is quite happy indoors and never sits at the door asking to go out. Not yet anyway!

After some garden time we drove to the garden centre with rain coats and umbrellas in case we had to line up in the rain. There were very few people though and no queue to get in. It was lovely to have a browse there even if we had to pay attention to stick to the one way system. We bought two hanging baskets and Isabella chose some flowers for her own garden. We will show pictures when it's looking more colourful there.

The fish at the garden centre.

Back home we had some lemon cake which we bought at the garden centre and then started school work. She chose a maths booklet of which she completed three pages and did some geography- continents and oceans of the world. 

Two cats helping with maths.

Tabby said the maths made his head hurt!

We  enjoyed some more drawing after lunch and then visited friends in their back garden. We stayed outside and no one even needed to use the toilet. The rules here are now that you're allowed to visit in people's gardens, keeping two meters apart, and only allowed indoors to use the toilet, one person at a time. 

How cute is this!

We came home in time for tap dancing class on zoom. Isabella has missed a couple lessons as she's been a bit reluctant doing it via zoom, but agreed to join again today in order to keep up to  date with what they're learning.

Day 80: A Tired Cat

Wednesday, 10th June 2020
Weather: Rainy

Today we tried a new routine to help stay focused on completing school work: school from 9am - 12noon with a 15 minute playtime break between each task.

Still loves these since a baby!

We managed to have a little bit  of time in the garden. It started raining while we were on the trampoline. Luckily we had the canopy to keep us dry!

Isabella totally tired Tabby out again. He is currently going crazy for what we call "the little fly" toy. It's just his feather wand minus the feather as he destroyed another of those! It's amazing how he is able to see this little thing It's just the very small clip (which we have bent shut for safety) which the feather clips onto, attached to the clear fishing line, attached to the rod. He can not resist it. He will be panting and go and hide, but as soon as he hears it moves he is out and running after it again! So after a good play in the morning, he slept most of the day on the sofa.

Isabella and I ended the day drawing. We each watch a video which gives step-by-step instructions to follow. It's great fun and relaxing. It was her choice of activity and something I'd happily do all day!