Covid-19 – Week seventeen: beginning 29/06/2020
Welcome to day – I’ve lost count we are now over 200 days in lockdown. But it’s Monday and things have started well. I get up and out for my jog, but not early enough to be back in time to see my fiancé before he leaves for work. So as I open the door, I walk in without a thought and almost jump out of my skin. There are noises coming from inside. Now as the door was locked it could only be Lady surely? Yet, not dog noises, not human noises, or any other recognisable noises. I approach closer to the noise, is it water? I rush to the kitchen and I find it.
My fiancé has only gone and surprised me by washing up and setting the dish washer away. So, although he frightened me half to death. I can’t help but smile at this gesture that has started my week on a win.
So I head straight into a much needed shower. I get out and realise I am missing an essential item: my towel is in the bedroom. Let’s just say, a hand towel doesn’t cover much. As I dress, I am giggling to myself at my morning fright and think back over my weekend.
The weekend just gone, already had me in a good mood before the fun of this morning. I’ve been sharing daily my exercise efforts with fellow Slimming Worlders and I was commended with Slimmer of the week for continued entertainment and exercise encouragement. So I’ll post about my jog later and miss out the shock I got on my return home. Although, I could argue I got a workout, trembling in my boots as I entered the house.
I also spoilt myself to a new top during our weekly shop that I had to return as it is far too big. I have become two dress sizes smaller without realising – well in this top anyway. The other sizes just swamped me. It feels like a real achievement. An accolade to my efforts of my every changing lifestyle. Since January 2020, so much has changed and yet my mindset has seen me through. Therefore, I wear the new top today like a medal of my achievement.
Our young people similarly deserve medals for working through the pandemic, adjusting, and becoming stronger for it. At Scouts, this week one of our young people showed the small changes we are making. It started with a simple question –
“Wait, aren’t we going to share our weekly wins tonight?”
And in this one comment, I know we have passed on a habit to focus on the positives. We have been sharing a positive from our weeks all through lock down. And it has clearly stuck. We are all adapting and forming new habits some for the better.
Even our animals are starting to follow suit, adjusting to their changed routine. Lady deserved a medal today as she adapted to the changes at the vets. Don’t worry she is totally fine, it’s time for her annual booster shot. And I’m not worried, she doesn’t mind the vets. In fact, I think she sees it as a trip to the treat shop as she gets spoiled with kibble and affection. However, I have already accepted a vet’s visit in lockdown is going to be different, well at least I thought I had prepared myself. We follow the advice: only one of us attends, we don’t arrive early, we stay two meters away from others and I wear my mask and gloves. It all seems rather standard, I say who we are, I weigh Lady in and take a seat then –
“Is Lady ready?”
“Yes,” I say getting to my feet.
Lady wines wanting attention from the vet.
“You can’t come in.”
I stare at the vet in disbelief.
Lady barks, still waiting to be allowed to go to the vet for attention.
“If you have any concerns, we can discuss them here and then I will take Lady into the room for her check-up and booster injection.”
So we talk, Lady lies down giving up on the please give me attention show. Then I hand over the treats and I sit. Well that is true I do sit. But my mind is running with emotion. I feel like I have lost part of me. My ears are pierced on the door awaiting noises to check Lady’s okay.
In the meantime, a lady and her rabbit sit at the far section of the seating. Social distancing still feels so anti-social and strange.
“It’s strange isn’t it,” the lady comments.
“Yes, I feel lost without her.”
“That’s normal, last week I came, held the carrier out (gesturing to the rabbit in the carrier on her lap) to the vet and sat. However, inside the consultation room, the rabbit jumped off the table ripping her nails out and throwing blood all over the room.”
AHHHH. Although I can’t see Lady doing the same. I can’t even imagine the vet lifting all 24.7kg of Lady onto the table. Yet, my worry is intensifying.
“Ouch, is she okay.”
“Yes, yes we are just back for her routine check-up and booster shot, as the last appointment didn’t go to plan.”
Well that was one way of wording it. But before my worry could go any further the door opened, and Lady was back.
“Didn’t even notice the injection,” the vet said, “All looking well, but I would recommend a few things …”
So we walk out of the vets with waggy tails and carrying our ice toy with delight. Just my fur mammy worry.
The fact is lots of things are returning to normal, well a ‘new normal’. On our return from the shops a learner driver was Sunday driving in front of us. But we’re in no rush so we take life in the slow lane. As we pull parallel to the learner driver at the traffic lights, we can see them both wearing protective masks. It looks like everything is returning to normal with adaptations.
Yet the news of Leicester going into lockdown makes me fearful that we could follow next. With frightening numbers reported, it also brings home the reality coronavirus is far from over. Just because things open up doesn’t mean it will last.
