When the corona outbreak reached worrying levels in Europe, I was about to go on a ski-ing holiday to Italy.
Grandad and I were already quite concerned about the virus, so along with our friends who were due to holiday with us, we decided to make the smart decision and discuss whether it was worth embarking on our trip, even though the Foreign Office had yet to advise not to travel to Italy. We collectively made the correct decision not to go even though it would mean losing a lot of money. Fortunately, our travel company allowed us to rebook for next year at no cost. Let's hope we can go!
The whole situation with the corona virus is indeed a crazy challenge for all of us. Just like everyone else, I have no idea when all of this is going to be over. And I have no clue what life after the pandemic will look like.
If someone had told me I wouldn't be able to leave home for several weeks and that I would cancel numerous holidays (a visit to the Yorkshire Dales, a once in a lifetime visit to Machu Picchu and a cruise around the Greek Islands) because of a virus plaguing the whole globe, I probably would have laughed at them.
Emmie has asked me to write this letter for a project she is doing and I don't think we should forget all of this. Instead we should take valuable lessons. I believe there are tons of lessons we all can take from this situation. So, it's important to reflect on them and write them down so we don't forget about them once all of this is over.
We all made plans for 2020. Travel destinations, professional goals, the decision to hit the gym five times a week or whatever. Some weddings were even cancelled due to the pandemic. And right now, we all need to decide how to deal with this tremendous impact on our lives.
We all have two options: Giving up or giving our best.
We are all in social isolation but I must admit I am enjoying the quarantine talks with the family on a daily basis. Thank you so much for all your love during this time.
I am 67 years old, born in a privileged, western country, and I always had everything I wanted and needed. I never felt insecure or anxious about the future. I believed getting a good education for my children would guarantee them a great future and I was incredibly ambitious for them to be good at school, helping as much as I could with homework. I always believed you could have it all if you gave your best and worked hard. To be honest, I still believe in it. I believe anyone who dreams big can make it big. But I never considered a global crisis.
Admittedly, Caroline is lucky to have an online business that is not particularly affected by the coronavirus. Her income is still stable and I don't think she will have to worry about the next months in terms of money or business.
For Alun, however, the situation is different. He is an airline pilot and as you can imagine, airlines' revenues have declined. Thus, no customers mean no flights. Yet, there are still loads of bills to pay. The mortgage, car insurance, school fees, just to name a few.
And Alun is not the only one being affected dramatically.
The whole pandemic has taught many lessons. For example, how important having some savings set aside is. I see so many people already struggling to pay their bills, and that's just the beginning of the financial problems we might face. This whole situation feels like a punch in our face.
Covid-19 can take different forms. Many people who catch it scarcely notice. Others grow critically ill. Those with even moderate symptoms can experience fever, chest pains, headaches, cold spasms and extreme fatigue. The disease is novel. Clinical experts agree that the most dangerous phase is week two. Then patients generally start to recover. But some precipitously crash, as the virus attacks the lungs. On 2nd April doctors were worried that in our Prime Minister's case, the infection was taking this second ominous path and Mr. Johnston was admitted to St. Thomas' hospital - just across the Thames from Downing Street. The Prime Minister is now recovering at Chequers. Without the NHS he wouldn't be here!
Right now, life is not about profits.
It will be over.
Everything will be ok again. I don't know when that's going to happen, but it surely will. And when everything turns back to "normal", let's ensure we stay as conscious about our lives as we are now.
Let's not get stressed about all the trivialities of our day to day lives.
Let's not forget about our duty to care for the planet.
Let's not forget about assisting the elderly or taking care of our bodies.
Perhaps the worst doomsday scenario was being stuck on the toilet and finding no toilet paper so people responded to corona virus fears by buying toilet paper en masse. Rolls were being flogged for hundreds of pounds online, while listeners were calling into radio stations to win packs of 3-ply loo roll.
And then there was the panic buying.
None of us needs more panic in our lives and if there's one thing psychologists can agree on, it's that panicky behaviour is contagious. Every time we read an article telling us not to be selfish and ransack the supermarkets, it triggers the thought that food is running out and we must urgently get to the nearest supermarket and buy five packets of pasta and as many tinned tomatoes as we can carry.
But there is still food in the shops. Rationally, we don't need to panic.
The restrictions on our movement in recent days and weeks, coupled with a daily drip-feed of unease, have been unlike anything most of us can remember. We can't visit our family or even find out whether we are infected or not, but we can at least stock our kitchens with long-life milk - or wine, as the case may be - to give us the sense that we are somehow prepared. Comfort eating during lockdown is understandable, but won't help you enter summer happier and healthier.
This is not a war, thank God. Many people are invoking the spirit of the blitz - and some of us are certainly digging for victory, judging from the fact that vegetable seeds have been bought in vast quantities. But we are not having to make do with wartime rations of dried eggs just yet.
People have also been cooking a storm in their kitchens whilst in lockdown - baking delicious bread, cakes and biscuits. Flour - a key baking ingredient - has been flying off the shelves and this has led to shortages of flour on supermarket shelves. The Millers are working round the clock, milling flour 24 hours a day, seven days a week to double their flour production - but it is still struggling to meet demand. They also lack bags to put it in. We have been enjoying home-made lemon drizzle cake with home-grown lemons - delicious, a real treat to look forward to in the afternoon.
In a tribute to NHS staff, Brits have been opening their doors and windows on Thursday evenings at 8pm to applaud the heroes on the frontline of the UK fight against Covid -19.
Captain Tom Moore, a 99 year old British war veteran has raised more than £20 million for the UKs NHS by walking 100 laps of her garden. He will turn 100 later this month. He has also collaborated with singer Michael Ball to perform the song You'll Never Walk Alone with the intention of raising even more money. The NHS Voices of Care Choir also joined the song which has reached No. 1 in the charts.
With schools closed parents across the UK are scrambling to figure out how to keep their children's education going at home. I think Gemma and Caroline are doing a brilliant job and don't worry. Ofsted won't be calling anytime soon. And Joe Wicks is holding live free PE classes every weekday morning to keep kids fit during school closures. The nation's PE teacher.
The grandchildren and I are writing stories together during lockdown. Apparently, Shakespeare wrote King Lear in isolation during the plague. They have also done some wonderful drawings with the help of You Tube and being of a musical persuasion Emmie's piano playing and Chloe and Jamie's ukulele tunes have dramatically improved. Lots of practise.
As much of the world retreated into coronavirus lockdown, it looked as though many people's favourite activities were going to disappear with them: evening drinks, birthday parties, casual dinners with friends and family. But then came the viral video chat app Houseparty. It allows users to congregate spontaneously with friends via video. Houseparty has become an overnight sensation - not only among company-starved millennials and teenagers - but also their parents. We have been meeting up with our friends at a virtual Houseparty. It is so lovely to get together for a drink, a chat, or just to see some friendly faces for a couple of hours.
The techsperts have said Covid-19 could be a "watershed moment" for working from home. Caroline has had to close her office and her staff are now working from home. Handshakes are out, remote working is in and conferences have been culled from calendars. So how do you have a meeting amid the mayhem of the biggest health crisis for a generation. Zoom is the new boardroom. Face to face meetings have been moved to the cloud-based video conferencing app. It's the chosen platform for press conferences, university lectures, etc. You can be dropped into a call with up to 100 people by simply clicking on a link.
Hairdressing salons are closed. I always wondered how Van Gogh managed to cut off his ear - was he doing a DIY haircut during lockdown? I am trying to avoid ANY self cutting, I know I will make a mess of it. But who knows what I will look like at the end of this lockdown.
Grandad and I normally swim most days but our fitness centre has been closed. We Brits are allowed to walk for an hour, or run or cycle for half an hour every day, as part of coronavirus movement restrictions. We are really enjoying our walks because the roads are both quieter and less polluted. As we walk through our local Nature Reserve we experience the wealth and richness of birdsong. This walk is so important for our psychological health and well-being. When our normal life - and noise - resumes this moment of peace will pass so its important to enjoy it while we can. Keeping active makes a big difference to how I feel during lockdown - physical activity helps one to sleep better and lifts the mood. I am also doing fitness classes via Facebook.
Jamie and Chloe saw a seal on the beach in Milford-on-Sea.
The public stayed home over Easter despite some lovely warm weather. Beaches, parks and beauty spots were deserted as people did their bit to prevent the spread of coronavirus. We enjoyed a sizzling Easter weekend in our garden as temperatures sored into the mid-twenties.
Between dusty skirting boards, dirty tiling and stained carpets the home offered days of distraction doing that deep clean we had been putting off and being stuck at home can make you rethink how much stuff you really need. Do I really wear all the clothes spilling out of my wardrobe? Will I ever re-read those GCE essays sitting in that box upstairs? What should I donate, what to throw out, ready for a full clear out when the lockdown is lifted.
Children have been drawing rainbows and putting them in their windows to symbolise the sun emerging amid a rainy backdrop. They ultimately serve as a reminder to stay positive.
Emmie you are eight, about to celebrate your ninth birthday in lockdown, old enough to know what is happening. All we ask you to do is WASH YOUR HANDS frequently, not to touch your face, and the toughest part - stay at home. You read, play, watch television, but you are starting to crave school and be with your friends. Lots of innocent questions. "How do people who don't have water wash their hands so many times?" Sanitizers are not the answer as people without basic access to water certainly can't afford them.
The four decades before COVID-19 were marked by vast technological changes. Cell phones and planes connected people across the world. The virus has travelled without restraint across the planet, affecting millions and sadly millions have died.
The most important question "When will it end?"
Coming out of lockdown will probably be a bit like walking the tightrope. If we stand still along the way we could fall and if we go too fast it can go wrong. Therefore, we must take one cautious step at a time.
I wish you all the best during this crazy period. Someday soon, things will be back to some sort of normal, and it will be easier to be happy again. I look forward to seeing you soon and even, in time, with sufficient PPE, giving you a big HUG!!!
Love and kisses, Nanna xxxxxxxx
