Food, alcohol, sleeping, sitting, thinking, not thinking…

I was trying to work out how many days we’ve been in isolation and I think it’s 29. All I know for sure is we’re now starting week five and the roller coaster continues. Today I’m a bit blah, yesterday I was pumped. Who knows how you’ll feel anytime you face a new day at the moment?

Just that is a really interesting experience. Steve and I check in with each other every morning and ask: how are you today?

The responses vary, but it gives us the chance to be relevant for each other’s needs that day. You might want to stay out of my face is usually the clearest one… 😊

But, like you, I’ve been speaking with so many people over these weeks, asking how they are (and meaning it), and watching life play out like never before on social media. We will remember the beauty of this time one day. There is much beauty here.

One request. Please remember to be kind to people on social media. So many are participating from a deeply emotional place right now. You might think they’re being stupid, but just move on. This is a time for kindness, compassion and deep empathy.

Some observations so far….

Let’s start with food

Food is a topic of the moment. And there seems to be two extremes to this. Those who cannot stop eating crap and those who are so bloody healthy they make your eyes hurt. The healthy ones are losing weight and loving the changes they’re seeing. Bravo to them.

Apparently we’re also cooking and baking too, which is awesome, except hospital ERs around the world are also dealing with a pandemic of cooking burns!!

And kids are learning to cook too – brilliant – and my boys are loving it! This is a wonderful part of the social narrative, and I love how people are sharing their food journeys. Family musical journeys too. One of my favorites things of this time!

However for Steve and I, things haven’t really changed that much. We have worked at home for years, so life in isolation is not that different. With one distinct change.

Steve is definitely buying more chocolate than we’ve ever had in the house before, and he’s upped the game in buying higher quality chocolate too. Loo paper in most houses, nah chocolate… and Cointreau. That appears to be our panic buying focus thus far.

Although I have to avoid the chocolate because it’s full of nuts, and I chipped two of my bottom teeth at the start of this crisis. I can not risk further damage and hope I don’t have to work out how to get emergency dental treatment!

Butter Chicken, home made by our gorgeous neighbor, Rachna Rabari! Come visit Tumeric in Phuket when this is all over

Alcohol

Another either or experience. Those going gangbusters every night, those giving themselves 2-3 nights off, and those not going hard at all.

Around the world we have G&T time starting at 5pm, progressing to wine for the rest of the evening, and others just facing this time with a pretty permanent hangover.

But we also have the virtuous, and while definitely not in that category, Steve and I are only allowing ourselves to get shabby twice a week max – so far!!

However things did get a bit exciting recently. Phuket has been shut down into sub districts for the next two weeks, and an added measure is no alcohol sales indefinitely!! It is not unusual to have times when alcohol isn’t available in Thailand, usually around religious festivals, but boy, it sure did generate some panic.

Do not worry my friends. We’ll make it through. Besides we have a tonne of white and rose at our place if anyone gets desperate. It was left over from my 50^th.

Where are you on the drinking front? And feel no shame. We all deal with this how we deal with it.

We'll be fine! Six bottles of Cointreau should be enough...

Sleeping

As the weeks go on, it’s starts to get easier to slip into more sleep. Of course there are the early risers, making the most of their day, but I don’t think that’s a large majority anymore. The reality is, for some of us, sleep is a form of escape at this time too, just like alcohol.

Our first three weeks is isolation continued to be a bit normal. The boys were at school from 8am, so one of us had to be up too. But we’re half way through school holidays and well, we’re all sleeping a bit more.

I’ve always wished for a time where I could just sleep until I needed to wake up, and here I have it. Beautiful.

I did have a few naps early on in our quarantine, and decided I didn’t really like napping at this time. Waking up once a day, where for a few seconds you forget the enormity of what is going on in the world, and then bam, reality hits you again. I found I didn’t like that happening twice a day, so no more siestas for me!

If you find yourself really escaping into sleep, remember it is a sign of depression. It’s hard for many people not to be depressed right now, but if you can. Get up, have a shower, have breakfast, and focus on something you can do.

I’m attempting to build purpose into my life at the moment - helping others professionally, as well as donating locally to help those who don’t have as much as me. If you can fill your life with purpose at this time, you have a chance of fighting off the blues. Also talk to those around you. Talk to your friends. And get professional help if you need it. Good luck.

Sitting

We are all sitting more, especially those without much space to work and live in. I’ve got to say, this 50 year old body doesn’t like it at all, and I finally found my spiky purple ball to help ease some lower back muscle tension.

If you don’t have a spiky ball and have some back pain, I recommend getting a tennis ball, putting it where it hurts, and pressing the ball into your back against a wall. It’s bloody amazing how much that helps, but expect it to hurt.

Also follow people doing online yoga, Pilates, physios, chiros and more. Some amazing humans are attempting to help us through this time.

I miss you beautiful Kanitta at Physio by Kanitta!

Very grateful for my thinking view! And it's greening up beautifully with the recent rain

Thinking, not thinking

Sometimes I wake up, my brain is crystal clear, and I am pumped for action. Other days, I can’t seem to keep a train of thought, even to the end of a sentence in my own head! Those are the days I say to Steve: I can’t think. I can’t focus.

Thankfully he accepts it, because I am literally incapable of hearing anything he says to me.

There are scattered thoughts, covering the wide dimension of information I’m reading/watching, and I know I’m attempting to piece it all together, but when that will happen is never certain. Epiphanies come regularly at this time, because there’s just so much to take on board.

But it’s also why I can’t be responsive to requests to meet and why setting appointments can be so challenging for me. I don’t know how I’ll be today or tomorrow – I just don’t, sorry!! - and I know I’m not alone in that.

If you are all pumped up and ready for action, please understand that not everyone can be in that place right now, so manage it gently OK? We all need to be who we need to be right now.

Wrapping up

I know so many are going through so much right now. Across the world we are all feeling intense emotions, regardless of our privilege or lack of it. It’s a terribly challenging time for all of us.

But there are many who are relishing in this time for deep and personal reflection. I am definitely more on the reflection side most days, but sometimes I stumble. Mostly though, I'm welcoming the chance to think, feel, ask questions, analyse, read, listen, hear and more.

Not everyone wants to do that. And some are fighting this time. Equally, there are still many not accepting it too. We’re a complex bunch us humans.

No question, we are all different and I would love to hear from you on your status for any of the above, OR perhaps you have something else you’re thinking about? Or another form of escape? Let me know? Funny is always very welcome.

Big love and kindness to you and yours, without the bollocks

Andrea

Thank you for reading my ramblings. My brain and heart are a work in progress, always. I’d love a comment if it stirred any thoughts or feelings and of course, please feel free to share it with anyone you know who might be interested or entertained. I sure do appreciate it when you do. If you want to connect, I'm on Twitter here, Instagram here, YouTube here, and Facebook too. I share loads of stuff, not just my own xxxxx