A Continuation of Reflections

Another Monday , and today I have lots of energy.  The zoom chat with my children ,stepchildren and the grandchildren gave me a real boost, as did my private chats with Andrew, Philip and Penny I love my weekly Zoom with my sisters. I continue to be in awe of my clients working on the front line, as well as all my clients and students family and friends staying home and following the rules.We are all doing the best we can. I find the telephone work much more tiring and I have an increased respect for The Samaritans. I enjoy thinking of things to send out to Artist's Way students each week. I enjoy many programmes on Radio 3 and Radio 4 and feel very grateful for the BBC I watch a little Netflix some evenings and I am grateful for that, but once again I have to admit that I miss my evenings at The Philharmonic, Fact cinema and Everyman theatre. I miss bus rides, uber rides, seeing my clients and students at number 83. I miss having friends over for dinner, meeting ...

This week, for the first time I felt a bit down about this new way of life.  I also feel conflicted because I know I am so lucky to be able to pay my bills, I can get out to the park for a lovely walk, cook and bake ,have enough food, help some clients, zoom with friends and family. Yet I miss my life, my normal,every day every week routine, running courses, seeing clients in the flesh, meeting friends for coffee for lunch, going to the Philharmonic, The Everyman, Fact. Mann Island and Hunt's Cross choir. Going out for dinner with friends, visiting Andrew and Lucy in Woolton, seeing the new things they are doing in No 22. It is a big adjustment for all of us , which makes it hard to admit how hard it is for me, I miss John even more during this time, I miss my dad  my mum, I miss Anita. My mind is turing to all my family and friends who are long gone. My lovely grandparents, aunts uncles and even some cousins, all dead now. I know that I am passing through this moment as I...

It is a week now since I blogged, there is not enough happening each day to talk about to be fair. I have been doing some telephone counselling this week and that has helped me, helping others. I am noticing already the toll this lockdown in  having on my clients, some are stir crazy and frightened, some are experiencing domestic abuse, some totally shattered and grief stricken because of the work that they are doing on the front line. I do find telephone counselling more tiring for me, I like being a counsellor, because of the close contact and intimacy with my clients, I don't  get that on the telephone I do know my work is helpful to my clients essentially because they tell me it is. I also hear the difference in their voices towards the end of the sessions. I am not sure there is much reflection going on in the current crisis,  people need a safe place to offload their deep fear, their anger and their pain. I am glad I can provide that safe space,  it doe...

Today is a beautiful day the sun is shining and I had a beautiful walk in the park, it is the anniversary of Andrew and Lucy meeting such a shame they cannot go out to celebrate together.I sent a card and an e card, I also sent cards to Wendy and Gary for their silver wedding on 8th, and get well cars to E and M .I can go to the post box which is amazing ,a nice thing to do. I always took for granted going to the post office buying stamps, just every day things.I have discovered that I can buy stamps online. I wanted to send a book to a client which I thought would be helpful for her. Luckily my neighbour said she would take the parcel to the post office for me. The post offices near us were closed, she had to drive around for a while to  finally find a post office that was opened, she posted my book, got me 12 2nd class stamps, and a daffodil pin to cheer me up :)  M. came with some shopping that she got for me in Aldi, I have not shopped in Aldi, but everything is fine a...

I have been writing this week in my journal and morning pages, which made me think I have been doing my blog, which, I hear from my daughter in love that I have not been publishing. I thought that when I sent it to face book ,others could share my journey during Covid19. This week, I have had a daily walk in Sefton park, which I am so grateful for. I have noticed that as the weather has got warmer more people are out there, everyone is sensible and kept their distance. I have done  some telephone counselling, and it helps me to feel helpful and useful too and to be fair , brings in a little extra money. My young friends and neighbours continue to get my shopping. One of them has fixed my central heating, which is wonderful, as although I am grateful for the heaters that I have been loaned, it is so nice to hear it coming on in the mornings. I am so grateful to him, he is very willing and always wants me to know, I can ask him anytime for help. His mother is in Germany and...

I started on my 12  one hour  slot plan today, a little piano, a little Spanish, weekend blog, daily cleaning,lovely long walk in the park,  A young man called Tom from Next Door brought me a fan heater and a loo roll today. Carmen saw my post about it, and offered me another heater, like the one Charlie brought me, probably not so expensive to run, so today i was given two heaters by two very generous and caring people. I joined in the SOSO online Zoom sing along today it was really good fun. I wrote a long email to David, and sent postcards to Archie and Martha, Kate, Johnny, Felix and Harry. My local area, is very quiet, and the people bring me shopping are helping me feel a little less isolated. I am watching Last Tango in Halifax, I like it but,  i find it disturbing too. I prefer, Masterchef, Mock the Week, QI , have I got news for you, they make me laugh. Stef brought me veggies and salad to day, and Stefan brought me fruit Salad an...