Wonderings Lately :: March 2021

March marks a year since we started working from home, social distancing and really taking things seriously. This month everyone seemed to feel quite reflective, thinking back to last year and the naivety that we had around how long things would last. I remember wondering whether I would actually get to the end of the 30 day yoga challenge I started the first day of wfh. It feel stupid to think that now, but really at the time it was only supposed to last a few weeks.

On the 1st March I dug out the Mărțișor that I bought in Moldova when I visited for interviews in 2019. This little broach symbolises the coming of spring and the tradition is to wear this everyday in March and on the last day of the month tie it to a tree. I like learning about little things like this when I've travelled abroad and I enjoyed wearing this just for me on the first of March.

I took this photo one evening when I walked to Balham to refill my washing up liquid. I don't usually walk as it's a nice cycle but my bike was vandalised and is now out of action. The walk obviously took slightly longer but it was also a nice route through Wandsworth common and strange and exciting to be out of the house when the sun set!

I've finally got into a nice routine with working out at home. Pilates and Barre classes through an online zoom subscription. I'm also pleased that my ivy plant has started growing again, after giving me a scare over winter immediately after I cut it back.

This book was slow to get going but once it did I devoured it and it's a trilogy so looking forward to the next two being released!

I went on a long walk to Wimbledon park which has this great big pond (lake?) and a delightful sunset. 

I met a friend for a walk in Battersea park and decided to walk home, past Albert bridge; one of the prettiest in London (in my opinion). I over-estimated my capacity to walk this far, after so much time barely moving and my legs were seriously aching for a couple of days afterwards.

I don't know how I am going to survive my first netball game when things start up again.

One whole year since we were all instructed to work from home. One year since that Monday evening when I walked in from work and Victor was watching Boris Johnson announce that all who could, should start to work from home and minutes later we were texted from work telling us not to come to the office in the morning.

This office space in our spare room has made wfh so much easier for me, I am luck that I can use Victor's desk, keyboard and monitor for work. Sir Woofington helps out on cold days so I don't have to have the heating on for the whole day!

The view from the window could certainly be improved upon though, that's for sure!

Wanderings Lately :: October 2020

We're now heading into another official lockdown, but having been working from home since March, I can't imagine quite how different this will be for us. We have ventured out a bit more recently - not least to view a couple of wedding venues and walk around the park with family we haven't seen this year. I did make a trip into the office this month, although only to collect some personal belongings and clear out my desk. 

We collected our new (to us) car this month, which is already making a difference for us. Whilst we won't be making unnecessary journeys during lockdown, of course, the last lockdown really highlighted how much we could benefit from being able the get out of London without having to take the tube.

Pottering about at home

First attempt at baked oats - nice but they really made a mess of this tin and could probably have done with less lemon.

Beautiful tree on one of my morning park walks

The deer at Richmond park have brought something extra to my bike rides around there on a Saturday morning. 

We bought this key holder in Kos, and as the sunrise got later, I caught this little pocket of light in our hallway one morning.

Office

A moment in time, the week before our office went completely remote.

An incredibly manky banana left in my drawer since 16th March.

The office has been set up as 'covid safe', so there were a few changes when I went in. I also realised quite how many notebooks I have accumulated!

I put my summer clothes away this month and realised that so many of them still had marks on where they had been folded up before. I have spent so much time indoors that most of my work clothes have just sat in the wardrobe all summer.

and at the beginning of October, we had a small celebration at home for V's birthday. It was pouring with rain outside, and we had to cancel our plans to meet family since V's brother had suspected covid, but we made the best of it.

Wanderings Lately :: June & July

Here you go mum!

June and July flew past, all mostly spent inside our flat and the furthest I've been is Wandsworth Common (excluding one surprise trip to Essex).

Sewing

My sewing machine arrived at the beginning of June, which was exciting and transformed lockdown time!

First sewing project was a curtain for our bathroom. One of the windows isn't frosted and I've had a towel hanging from the tension rod for the first year of living her. So first thing to sew was the curtain from seahorse fabric. Quite basic but I am still quite chuffed with this one!

First clothes item was this 'vivien' dress. It turned out ok, and I am pleased with the zip insertion but I actually don't really love wearing it and the fabric is quite stiff so it's not particularly comfortable. I made quite a few mistakes with this too, but it's all part of the process and the only way to improve so chalking that down to experience.

These last two months I have also developed a bit of an obsession with buying fabric online. I have now restricted myself to not buying any new fabric until I have used some in the cupboard!

With left over fabric I made a few reusable kitchen towels. The poundshop towel hasn't washed very well, so I am now reassessing how to re-hem to stop it disintergrating in the washing machine.

Most pleased with these shorts. They are definitely not perfect, and close up I can see bits where the sewing isn't great or seams are likely to come apart a bit, BUT they fit well and from a distance they look ok. So that's a big win. They were definitely not a suitable project for a beginner sewist!

Food

Made some bread, made some cake!

Brunch at our local cafe. They have closed the road to pedestrianise it, which is nice generally because there's less traffic but this is also so that restaurants can put more seating outside. So this was a nice sunny brunch in the middle of the road!

Got dressed up for our first evening meal out for 5 months!

Friday night fish and chips!

Exercise

When you leave the house for a run and then see this sky at the end of the road...

Wet, wet, wet.

And finally

This pigeon likes to wash in the puddles on the top of the house next door to us. For obvious reasons he's not been there recently, but there was slightly more rain in June/July and he became my unofficial colleague.

Wondering Lately :: March 2020

I've changed the title of this month's retrospective since there has been a distinct lack of wanderings. March was a bit mental, wasn't it?!

I did, in fact, do some travelling right before we all stopped going out. It was quite a hectic beginning of the month preparing for that work visit, and then a strange week in Nigeria. I got back on the Saturday, went to work on Monday and then was told to work from home Monday night. So the Chocolate Guinness cake I made for my colleagues on St Patrick's day was destined not to make it to my office.

Since the 17th March, I have been working from home and have not ventured further than a walk to Putney. I've now stopped watching the news - except for listening to one bulletin in the morning. 

Most of my summer plans have already been cancelled. Netball in Spain is off, as is our annual club tournament and the entire summer league. One consequence of that is incredibly long nails which I've painted since I have time on my hands in the evenings now.

I'm missing cycling to and from work each day, as well as netball. One daily walk is not a substitute for that. Victor and I have been to the park to throw around a netball and kick a football back and forth but that still isn't the same.

It's strange to not know how long this situation will last, or how many people in the end will contract the virus. All we can do is stay sensible, follow the advice and recognise what a privilege it is to be able to work/stay at home during this pandemic.

Nigeria

I was given my own pass in the High Commission, which I took advantage of to enjoy lunch in this small outside 'garden' area. The weather was a bit cloudy but lovely and warm.

The situation in Nigeria meant that I was not permitted to walk around the street on my own, which was weird as I have always gone off to explore places independently before. This meant that my day was very regimented. I had breakfast in the hotel, a driver came to collect me at a set time, then would pick me up at the end of the day, where I would spend the rest of the afternoon and evening in my hotel. The food wasn't that great at the hotel and the options limited. Thankfully by the end of the week I was able to go out with a few of the people from the High Commission (see below!)

This is the face of someone who is so happy to be having a meal outside of the hotel. The food was also pretty good.

Lockdown

Since going into lockdown, I have started a 30 day yoga journey. Currently half way through. It's a good way of keeping a routine as I do the classes before I start work, and I'm enjoying doing more yoga practise as I've always been a bit sporadic with it in the past. Maybe I'll be able to do an unassisted headstand by the end of this?

How is it possible that the postman couldn't deliver this, I has literally been in the house for 3 solid days when this was delivered.

Uninterrupted kitchen time = baking my own bread.

One day the message on the podiums changed from a coronavirus info webpage to 'Stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives', people weren't really getting the message before then.

Since we're going to be in a lot more, I thought it was about time to spruce up our window tubs. I hope these flowers last a while!

One long bike ride I took, which passed by Fulham football ground which is seemingly undergoing a facelift. The area along the river was very busy with everyone taking their one spot of exercise per day and all having the same idea. The riverside path was lovely but I don't think I would venture that way again.

I managed to complete this puzzle - the pink edges were SO HARD! I have another one ready from my birthday but I don't want to bust that out too early!

This wasn't the greatest start to working from home.

Zoom has become a big part of both my work and social life.

All staff meeting was interesting...