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The Lockdown Diaries • Week 4 – Birthday parties and boredom!

Posted by Amy Smith

A dog wearing a birthday hat

I’m not feeling positive this week. Doubting myself , feeling really low, then I feel guilty as there is so many others fighting this horrendous virus one way or another. And I’m just at home in a nice house with a back garden, with my family , I still have my job able to work from home to keep me sane. Then there those that are away from families, risking their own health to help save or prevent others from getting sick.  

A child having fun on their birthday

We had a great Easter, we did 2 egg hunts; the BeeZee scavenger hunt indoors, and an outdoor one which kept Keane occupied and ended up with “hot & cold” clues. The weather was fantastic, so I sorted the garden a bit and then relaxed with a G&T and a puzzle book, before catching up with friends and family on the phone or group WhatsApp.   

We also had two birthdays over the Easter weekend; my son’s 10th & my canine PT Betsy turned 1! I managed to find a local shop that delivered the number balloons for their birthdays – nice to support local businesses.  We did a lockdown birthday party and tried to make it as special as you can in this situation; I managed to save some flour so he could have pancakes for his breakfast, we went on a bike ride, which was fun and helped towards the birthday cake consumption later. Lunch was a healthy picnic with party hats, then afterwards we played some party games – musical statutes, keepy up the balloon, and danced the Conga which the dog joined in by hugging my leg  – it was hilarious , we all giggled loads and probably had better fun than if weren’t in lockdown. We also did home cinema and watch Trolls World Tour together with homemade popcorn. It just goes to show, us parents depend too much on other options to make your kids birthday great when all you really need is a great imagination and joining in with your kids.

Dog and their owner out on a walk

My Couch to 5k nearly took a nose dive. I really didn’t want to do my run at the weekend , so I put it off  and used the excuse in my head that it was Betsy’s birthday so she should have a good walk instead of putting my needs first… can you see my Pinocchio nose growing?! But on Tuesday morning, Betsy comes in looking for me and I’m creaming in my head “I can’t do week 3, I’m still struggling with week 2!”  I stopped with the pressure on myself and did week 2 again. I was so glad I did.  

I thing I have learnt at BeeZee Bodies is to do exercise that you enjoy but still pushes yourself that little bit more each time, get a little out of your comfort zone but not too much that will make you quit. You will surprise yourself on what you can achieve but it doesn’t happen overnight either… If I end up repeating each week before I complete the Couch to 5k programme, so what?! I still completed it and didn’t let the “what hell effect” defeat me!  

Keane is struggling to keep himself occupied all day, as much as we get him out for his daily exercise with bike rides, dog walk and rugby in local park (whilst sticking to government guidelines of course). Around the house it’s nerf gun battles, watching films, washing the car and playing or relaxing in the garden. He is also getting bored with the computer!  

To be honest, all three of us are bored now. Hubby has done all the jobs he can do with the limited resources, I’m missing working in the office, it’s that interaction with others that my husband is feeling too. I love going to work – don’t get me wrong, it’s a mad rush in the mornings getting showered and dressed, dog walked, lunches made, dinner prepped, making sure the bins out, Keane has all the right things for school that day and repeating the same thing “brush your teeth” so you can get out the damn door on time … by the time I get to work I feel like I‘ve done half a day already! But do you know what – it‘s great because when I’m there, I only have to think of me, achieve things, be thanked or if something goes wrong it’s  not all my fault whereas at home it usually is…even when it’s not... water off a duck’s back! My friend and I call this “living the dream” – ironically, at the moment going back to that daily routine would be!!