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    Lockdown Life!

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    Yesterday I received an email from one of my readers, a lady calling herself Angel. Angel has written to me before, and has been one of my staunchest supporters. She wanted to ask if I could do a blog entry detailing what people like her, can do during these lockdown  measures, that we currently live under.

    I am no expert in such matters, which is why I asked friends and family on facebook and twitter what they are doing, to help overcome their fears.

    All of us have been thrown into a strange new World, that is alien in every respect. Keeping structure and order in our daily routines is important right now, as we not only deal with the horrors of Coronavirus, but we also prepare ourselves for the weeks and months ahead, by living a solitary existence, without regular contact with the outside World. These can be lonely challenging days, but with a little bit of thought and ingenuity all of us can strive to win the battles ahead and learn to cope in the COVID age!

    Lynn

    'I am doing Joe wicks, cooking, tidying and doing jigsaws... I'm lucky enough to be going out to work though.' Lynn has also managed to lose two inches from her waistline, something I could do with doing myself, when I am well enough. I think I'll have to give this Joe Wicks a bit of a watch!

    Charlene

    'My children have been doing gymnastics. They made a zoo out of Daddy's work tools and put the toy animals in. Cheerleading stunt pair Daddy and daughter. Been OCD cleaning daily lol and watching films, cooking bread, flapjacks, cakes and pizza. Home work outs bodyweight /weighted, and jumping on spin bike. Doing Max Whitlock and Joe Wicks work outs with the kids. And 3 school work tasks a day - we're on day 15 today. And me and the kids have only been out to collect something from school 1s. Daddy is the shop man.' Wow Charlene you are really busy and probably put the rest of us to shame, but when you have children to entertain, you never have a spare minute!

    Helen

    'Luckily for me I get to go to work every day, on days off we’ll go out for a nice 2-hour walk around the country lanes. I would literally go crazy if I couldn’t go to work, hopefully you’ll be able to get back soon, big hugs.' Helen lives on the beautiful Island of Jersey, which has also been affected by COVID-19.

    Janet

    'My garden, it has never looked so good; very therapeutic, vegetables and flowers. Am even growing some grape plants for wine !!!!!' Gardening is a great way to pass the time, nothing too strenuous though Janet!

    Michelle

    'Everyone has to find a way to cope with this awful situation. The emergency services and forces often use very dark humour to cope with the horrors they endure. It's human nature to try and respond positively and connect with each other and blogging like you do is a perfect way of doing that. The first thing we did at work was set up regular video meetings. We just check in on each other and are honest about how we are doing and it's been a really important way to get through this together with some of our mental health intact. I'm sorry you're feeling ill and you're so far away from your love. keep on blogging.' Thank you Michelle. You have always been a great source of inspiration for me and I always appreciate your advice. You are so right about video calling. My Aunt was able to talk to all her daughters and the kids together yesterday, which is so important right now. Stay safe my lovely! x

    Danae

    'Baking and watching box sets.' Now I've known Danae for a while and I never knew she baked cakes, but good on her for doing it, keeping her mind occupied and doing what needs to be done, surviving lockdown life!
    Michelle and Paul

    'Well Paul and I have been sorting out all our cupboards and getting rid of huge amounts of paperwork.'  Two beautiful friends from Spain, who I was due to visit only last week. I know my Aunt has also been sorting out things she has been putting off, the perfect way to pass the time. Just be careful what you are throwing out my lovelies!

    Steve

    'Hope you're feeling better today. I've been going through all the old family photos and putting them in order. I've scanned them to my computer. There's an online company called Mixbook where you can create an album. You don't have to pay until you've finished or when you have funds. It's an enjoyable thing to do and passes the time. The Planet Mirth Adventures Two, my second children's book, will be out soon. I'll never forget the help you gave me with the first one. Stay in and stay safe,' My dear friend an author Steve, who once again was always an inspiration. It's good to see him occupied and busy. I'm sure he is also working on book number three!
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    Jo

    'I would put money on 2 things, the divorce rate is going to be higher this year and there are going to be lots of new babies born December/January.' Good old Jo, she is right. I'm sure most people are just having some good old-fashioned fun and why not!

    Johnny

    'Downloading lots of things to binge-watch....but I usually do that anyway ;) Arguing with idiots on stalkbook (which I usually do as well). Gone back to being a kid......ordered some model kits off fleabay, THAAT should keep me busy for a while as I have crap eyesight and sausage fingers LOL - Stay safe brother. I'm quite lucky the way my brain works. If it's something I have no control over...then I don't even pay it a second thought. I should be worried; as I have copd, diabetes and plenty of over things wrong, I could just as easily get splattered crossing the road....so not worth stressing about ;) It's a shame I can't help in any way, as I know you can be quite a stress monster. My stress relief at the moment is channel "Now 70s" on the TV. Non-stop 70s music all day long. I can listen to this for hours at a time, and it takes me back to a happy, simpler time.' The wonderful Johnny. I went to school with this chap over 40 years ago and I know this is a really stressful time for him, even though he hates to show it. I know he will certainly do the right thing and stay safe!

    Rita

    'When I'm not at work a bit of baking.' Now I've tasted Rita's cakes, and they are to die for. She would be the perfect companion to be self-isolated with!

    Linda

    'I’ve been doing jigsaw puzzles on my iPad and going for regular walks around the garden and listening to music.' Linda is such a positive lady and always finds the good in everything. These maybe dark days, but we can let light in!

    Zerina

    'Laying in the garden reading a book while every one else is in doors,   it's nice just me.' For those who are well, it's the perfect time to rest and recharge, so enjoy the time Zerina, it won't be too long before you are back at work!
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    Pamela

    'Watching films and TV, sleeping a lot, doing housework and cleaning and going shopping once a week for essentials and paying bills like  topping up electric.' Like so many others, Pam is doing what she can to carry on with normal life. Giving ourselves a sense of routine, despite the pandemic is so important right now!

    People are great, aren't they? Everyone is doing what they can to overcome their own personal difficulties at this time. Of course, it is right to wish the NHS well, support our doctors and nurses, by doing the right thing and staying at home, but it is also important to recognise the challenges everyone is experiencing today.

    Families up and down the country are having to adjust their lifestyles in order to stay safe  and hopefully ride out this storm. From cake baking, to reading, keeping fit to dancing, everyone is finding their way through this turmoil. With HM The Queen broadcasting to the nation tonight, I just hope we all continue to follow her example and stay calm in the face of disaster. The British people are known for their resilience; we will all embrace again one day!
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  • Published on

    I swear I'll stop complaining / Phoebe Over!

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    Another fantastic song from my Cousin Phoebe Over, so poignant for the times we live in today and a credit to her as a writer and musician. I hope readers to Roaming Brit love it as much as I do!
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  • Published on

    Why Do I Write?

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    I have been a blogger for nearly five years now  and spend a good proportion of my life blogging about pretty mundane stuff really. It is something I enjoy and a passion that was born out of adverse times. In April 2015 I started to document a very difficult period in my life, for no other reason, than to keep my own sanity. There is something very soothing about putting words down on a page and offloading your inner most thoughts. By the end of entry 1, I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders and was looking forward to entry number two.

    My own circumstances turned to illness and I spend a year writing about my struggle with depression. It was an important part of the heeling process and the beginning of a vocation that I have always continued, almost on a daily basis.

    Of course much has happened in my life since 2015, there have been many ups and downs and I have always found a reason to blog. Not only do I enjoy writing, but I also want to help others. You only have to look at the different categories on the right-hand side of this post, to understand the subject matter I choose to write about. Bullying, homosexuality, Expat life, illness, family and politics, just some topics I cover. The blog has reached many people, who continue to read it when they can. I have had letters, phone calls, emails and messages from hundreds of loyal readers who just need someone to talk to, who understands their plight. The most import aspect of blogging, is the connections I have made over the years.

    Coronavirus has changed the focus of my writing greatly. Today I find myself commenting on a subject that has touched all our hearts. This is an important time in history and it is the job of writers, diarists, in fact any one of us, to record events for posterity and our families for generations to come. The dreadful loss of life, brave key workers, nurses, doctors and all those who play a role in keeping us safe at this time, need to be recognised for their efforts in helping to stem the tide of disease.

    Of course, I am also in self-isolation, having been told to stay at home because of the symptoms I now have. Being told you likely have the illness is a bombshell, but it is also important, for me to keep writing and carrying on with normal life. Other people may decide not to even speak about their symptoms, but without words, how will others understand the seriousness of this situation. Each one of us is vulnerable, young or old, and we need to follow Government guidelines to the letter!

    It is necessary to clarify my aims and objectives as a blogger from time to time and although my focus changes, to suit the times we live in, the reasons for writing are always the same - Making others aware of the circumstances that shape all our lives. I don't hide my emotions, I wear them on Roaming Brit and until I decide otherwise, I will continue doing what I believe is right. Words from the heart are worth more than money itself!
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  • Published on

    CORONAVIRUS - Day 2 of Self Isolation

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    So Proud of the NHS!

    Last night I joined my Aunt from self-isolation in an upstairs room to clap for our NHS staff. This has now become a regular feature of British life, as everyone stops what they are doing at 8pm on a Thursday, to celebrate the courage of our NHS and Key workers during this Coronavirus Pandemic. Not only could you hear clapping up and down the street, but fireworks, cheering and ships in Portsmouth harbour; they all made their own unique contribution. This is an emotional time for everybody, so anything we can do to support each other is welcome. Whether you are ill, self-isolating, a key worker or a volunteer, it is heartening to know that we are all in this together.

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    I've run out of my usual Porridge with blueberries and Oat Bran for breakfast, so I had to improvise today. Pancakes, with melted Easter Egg chocolate and lemon and ginger honey. It may well have not been my healthiest breakfast of choice, but it certainly tasted bloody great, for the few seconds I actually tasted something!

    I suppose it's a great time to eat all that hoarded food and stuff that's been left at the bottom of the freezer. When one looks at our ancestors and the trials and tribulations they had to endure, this really is nothing in comparison. As long as people continue to follow the rules, we should see the light soon enough!

    Everyone who lives in Portsmouth have been wonderful, offering to go shopping, sending their love and offering support; I am very lucky to have such great friends here. Of course, it isn't until something like this happens, that you realise just how lucky you are. If each one of us does what we can to help our friends, family and neighbours then at the end of all this, the World will be a much better place. The hope is, COVID-19 may just bring us all back together again, in a way nothing has done before!
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    Today my symptoms have changed yet again. The chest pain I have been experiencing for a few days has steadily got worse. They are sharp or stabbing and in different areas of my upper torso. I am sure if I am honest, there are anxiety issues at play as well, but the majority of these symptoms are unusual and I haven't experienced them before.

    I have also started coughing quite a lot and my voice is rather hoarse. Generally I am feeling well enough and my daily routine hasn't been too impeded by this illness.

    Mentally I am feeling rather low as you would expect. Being confined to the house 24/7 is not conducive to good health and with the sun shining, I would much rather be out enjoying the spring weather. Depression is a big problem for me and with my fear levels critical, I am not feeling the best. Like everyone else, I am not enjoying this situation and am finding it harder to deal with every day. Hope is the biggest medicine we all have, and we should grasp it tightly with both hands and never let go! Stay Safe!
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  • Published on

    Heritage House Hotel!

    1995 London the-story-of-us
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    After a few days staying just outside London we arrived in the centre. It was a warm September day, as Darrell pulled a broken suitcase over Waterloo bridge, cursing as he went, something about buying a new suitcase when he had the chance. Darrell was always a bit of a drama queen  and tended to blow the littlest difficulty into the biggest travesty. As for me, well I was happy to be away from Southampton and the turmoil that would surely surround our departure. The tube station was only a couple of hundred meters away now. I had taken the suitcase from Darrell to give him a rest, as we set off to our next hotel, during our short stay in London, before leaving for Australia in a few days time.

    Bayswater was bustling, there were market traders shouting to shoppers, bars serving cold beer and lunch to passers-by and the streets were busy with enthusiastic commuters trying to catch a few rays of sunshine before returning to work. There were rows and rows of grand Georgian mansions as far as the eye could see and just a short distance from our tube station, there was the Heritage House Hotel, nestled in the middle of a row of other grand looking buildings.

    Looks can of course be deceiving, and as we approached the entrance, I could clearly see the peeling paint, chipped masonry and rotting wooden window frames. The Heritage House Hotel was not what either of us expected, but is probably the most memorable hotel we have ever stayed in. As I opened the door, peeking my head inside, I could smell the musky air and a familiar stench of stale cigarette smoke. Immediately I was greeted by swirly patterned carpet and equally striking 1970s wallpaper, dark wood moulding and a handwritten note inside the door, asking guests to be inside their rooms before 10pm, when the doors would be locked. As we walked into the entrance hall, I spotted a small booth by the stair case, with an old lady furiously knitting away, unaware of our entrance, oblivious to all around her.

    We both gingerly walked over to the reception and I pushed Darrell forward, keeping myself a few paces behind, not wanting to get too close. Pushing her glasses, down towards the tip of her weather beaten nose, she peered disapprovingly at both of us. Stubbing out a woodbine in an ash tray full to bursting with buts, she scowled. 'Yes, what do you want,' she muttered. Asking us a few questions, not normally asked by your average hotelier, we told her we were both brothers, staying in London for a few days. Times were very different in 1995, and we didn't want to rock the boat by telling her we were gay. These days no one cares, back then they did. She gave us, rather threw us our key, and we headed to the very top of the building, dragging the case up flights and flights of stairs until breathless and sweat drenched we got to the top.

    'Wow, just wow,' a simple word to describe the room we were staying in. It had more beds than a Turkish brothel, the decoration was positively avant-garde, there was an old shower in the middle of the room and the beds were covered in candlewick bedspreads. As a child, growing up in the 1970s, I remember the very same linen adorning my divan; I used to pull the little woollen fibres out with my fingers, leaving them lying all over the floor. Well this room was a time capsule in every respect and despite its lack of interior design and elegance, it felt homely, familiar and a great place to begin our journey together as a couple. The Heritage House Hotel and its fading grandeur was a special place for both of us and a link to the past that is so important right now. During these uncertain times, it is great to look back at 'the story of us' and think positively for the future, hoping to continue that journey once again, when the World returns to normality.
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