Today is the fourth Saturday of our enforced lockdown. We should have been "free" yesterday. Instead, last Thursday, they added another fourteen days to our enforced stay at home. If one reads between the lines, as I have said, there's no guarantee that 1 May 2020 will see emancipation.
I admit that yesterday was a difficult one. The ick on village social media (again) highlighted the mean, dark side of humanity. It insidiously wears one down. Crises don't always bring out the best in people. Then I remembered my Irish blog pal's challenge to find or create some humour to make each other smile.
That's kinda hard when one's feeling down. Then I remind myself that others have it much harder than I.
Making friends in solitary confinement
A friend is literally in solitary confinement.
Unhappily, about the only humans she's seen have been Messrs Plod. That's a story for another time, perhaps. She has, though, created am army of pals. Not imaginary ones. Real ones that hang around the house and garden with her.
Asked for her favourites, she was hardpressed to choose between Shamus and Tut:
Shamus, the swiming pool sea monster. Apparently, he's very sweet. Once you get to know him.
To Tut, I cannot do justice, I have to use her own words:
He used be a Pharaoh, like real important like. Now he's a zombie mummy. He's a very happy little guy with a wicked sense of humour.
Check out more of Pixie's pals, pretty kitties and fabulous food on Instagram. You might just spot the brass animals she snapped when she went on her garden safari.
Duck!
Me, I'm just trying to keep my ducks in row.
I've not entirely succeeded. Mr Drake and Ms Duck, are too busy playing boomps-a-daisy. Duckling? Well, does what ducklings, do....
Practise what I preach? Hell, yes no!
I have tried to practise my own freely offered advice, but not entirely succeeded. I'm
I did not cut my hair in anger. I had to do a major repair job.
Three days into lockdown. Lopsided, bad hairday angry haircut (L). Running repairs a couple of days later (R).
Good thing, too, because suddenly I had a video conference. I had to be respectable (at least from the waist up). Beltrack pants that don't stay up because they're so comfortable that ...
Cold toes + laziness = Crocs and socks. Never before seen outside The Sandbag House.
Now, that's a confession. As is the fact that in the last three weeks, I have taken and shared more selfies than the entire time I've been on social media. Including this one of me dolled up for the video conference.
Me, above the Crocs and socks.
I suspect my friend and hairdresser will be politely disapproving of the hatchet job when she is actually freed to fix my head.
Oh, and guess what? The video conference ended up being a webinar where the screen was never shared. There I sat, lipstick and all. For whom? The Husband and the cats.
Ha!
Anyhow, that selfie has become my profile picture for an online platform where I will be teaching English.
Speaking of our feline family: Princess Pearli was off being the strumpet she is. Stay at home doesn't apply to her. Of course.
Gandalf? Well, he is dealing with this whole lock down thing as only he can:
Until next time, keep your ducks in a row (or try) and be well
Fiona
The Sandbag House
McGregor, South Africa
Photo: Selma
Post Script
- Corona Virus feature image: CDC on Unsplash
- I’m participating in blogpal @tracyork’s April challenge of sharing a post every day during April – on the Hive blockchain. I succeeded last year – on Steemit from which the new blockchain “hived off”…
- It seems a good way to constructively use the time during a compulsory lock down, right? For more about this initiative, please check out Traci’s post.
- If you’d also like to both join the challenge and post from the WordPress platform to the Hive blockchain, sign up here.
- I’m still blogging on Steem and more recently share my burbling on Uptrennd
Posted from my WordPress blog with SteemPress : http://fionasfavourites.net/ducks-drakes-and-croc-socks/
Thank you @paulag for making me get out of a funk. Taking up your challenge, I'm tagging a few people. Some, I know have their own cats to herd (as it were), and may be unable to participate. It's the thought that counts, right?
Here goes: @traciyork, @plantstoplanks, @nickyhavey, @lizelle, @enjar, @joanstewart, @kaerpediem, @quillfire
And to one and all: be safe and well.
I’ve had some funny fails in trying to work out how to create oneof my maps in game.
At one point I spawned in some rocks and put my character on top of them to think things over lol. I found it funny :)
Hahaha!
Lol love it. Good on ya for having a bot of fun. We sure do need it in these difficult times. Good to see you can keep your ducks in a row
Not a bad hair cut there either, I so need my colour done, but it look like I gotta wait
I think we are all having good and bad days lately. Our lockdown has been extended till 5th may 😒 and it's hard to tell if it will be lifted then
If that's successfully keeping my ducks in a row? I'll take it! lol
On the hair: I promise you, I was completely desparate otherwise my sewing sheers would have stayed in place. Fortunately I stopped the colour thing a while ago, so this is au naturale. Thanks to the maternal genes. Paternal genes and I'd be snow white and bald. LOL
We had a big spike in numbers on Saturday. I'm not confident that we'll be out of the woods by 1 May. We shall see.
Stay well!
Thank you @fionasfavourites, for using the CO2 Compensation Coin (COCO) to reduce your CO2 footprint.
@fionasfavourites,
To whom it may concern:
When it comes to speaking English, it is unlikely you will ever encounter anyone snottier than I. I am an arrogant linguistic bastard and I make no apologies.
There are only a handful of people I would consider capable of editing my work ... making better that which I believed perfect. @fionasfavourites is one of them.
If you wish to make an impression with language, Fiona is your girl. Pay her whatever she asks. She is as honorable as she is talented.
FYI: You need to trust me on this ... never mention her cat and mayonnaise in the same sentence.
Quill
@quillfire
I am hono(u)red. Thank you.
And, for those who care:
...is good advice....
Congratulations, your post has been upvoted by @dsc-r2cornell, which is the curating account for @R2cornell's Discord Community.
Thank you @jasonmunapasee!
Ha, I do enjoy the googly-eyed friends. It's been a few days since we've seen the Easter bunny or our little un-nested birdie, so perhaps I need to do the same if I want some company outside of Dave. ;) Positive posts are more than welcome, now and always. Never hurts to have a quick distraction and a laugh. This was a good break from my foray into the garden to pluck some of the seemingly endless supply of lemon balm, mint and oregano for different uses. Perhaps I'll have time for a wee post later on.
Aren't Shamus and Tut adorable? I am looking forward to meeting them.
I hope you are making melissa balm or sugar or salt rubs or bath salts? Lemon balm is, I think I have mentioned, a fantastic topical anti inflammatory. Once we are emancipated, I think there will be an achy foot brigade!
And yes an additional face or two and conversations just for sh*ts and giggles would be good.
No pressure. Only if you can. I know you have cats to herd... 😸
LOL & SNAP said I when I saw the socks and sandals, never ever would do this but my footsies don't like being cold so I've resorted to the same dress code a couple of times during lockdown:):) It's very comfy I must say, warm but still a bit of freedom for the toes not so;)
I see a challenge further down...will see about that!
Ha ha I have been tempted to do my own hair, more like get the Wahl clippers out, dive in, have restrained myself with cooler days. First port of call, as promised, she will need to start from scratch again when this is all said and done.
Got no ducks to get into a row, they all flew North haha, did not want to deal with me!
We have a garden keep digging and stay safe, I planted seedlings to start a new batch, how is the water system you set up treating you, must be an oasis by now.
Hahaha! Well, the water's a mixed blessing as we now have to do all the gardening!! Anyhow, it's lovely to have, so I'm not complaining. And things are slowing a little as winter approaches. We're still very dry.
Hitting water like that, I would happily garden, planning, planting some fruit trees, vegetables and a quiet corner to just sit at the end of the day and grin!
Oh yes. All of the above :D