Cold drizzly weather greets me this Monday morning, making me think hibernation would be a better alternative to my dog walk. But with bangers and mash to look forward to for tea my Monday morning feeling soon subsides. And here we are Monday evening, I am absorbed in Scout camp planning over a video call with my tummy filled with warm hearty food. Camp@home is back, and my creative juices are flowing as we agree a very suitable theme of seaside splash. While many groups are starting to meet again, there is still an appetite for a weekend camp from home, as the pandemic continues to disrupt life as we knew it, the virtual world is still the new normal. And while I miss being in person, the virtual world offers us a great platform for all sorts of adventures.

However, Tuesday brings an in-person event I have been looking forward to. An evening in a big tent celebrating my scouting in a different way. Through the Volunteering awards night at work, I find myself dressed up and out for an evening socialising. I had mixed emotions, from excitement to apprehension about attending in person. Yet on arrival the butterflies in my stomach are definitely jumping with excitement. Armed with my lateral flow test I check in and take my seat to enjoy the live singers with a cool drink, followed by cake and then the awards. I feel humbled to hear I have been nominated by my team for the volunteering work I do. And I really enjoy hearing about the wide and varied range of volunteering work going on across the university.  I leave the event reminded there is good in this world, and we will come out of this stronger.

So, when Wednesday evening arrives, I drive to the beach to record campfire songs without any hesitation, all I feel is excitement to be in the fresh air with others. Lady is also in her element running for the ball like she has never been away from the beach. She embraces the campfire and singing, sitting patiently, and only attempting to join in a few songs by jumping with excitement. It is so nice to be joined by others to perform. I have been singing the songs on the journey home and ever since.

In fact, when the weekend arrives, I don’t even put the radio on to go to the shops, still lost in songs from my seaside campfire. So, even though the shops are busy, I feel calmer from my weekly social outings. It’s raining as I leave the shops, people are rushing out and home for tea. But I am in no rush, and I don’t hesitate to stop to give a simple act of kindness. A man is leaving the shop just behind me when his bag splits dropping his produce over the floor. I turn to see him finishing struggling to pick up the remains to re-enter the shop. I step back to hand him a bag, exchanging a smile of gratitude, I move away into the rain still smiling.