Another week of school has started. Another week of yes, you guessed it, pretty much same-same: fitness, coffee, cleaning, sorting, cooking, baking, and staring out the window wondering how much longer this will last.
Today Nathan did a deep clean of his bike room, aka the 'Pain Cave'. I actually don't think it has been cleaned that well since we first set it up, so it was about time! Everything got moved out of the room and then things were cleaned, sorted and put back again, in impeccable order. It's like a brand new space!
In the meantime I cooked Swedish meatballs for dinner, and attacked another part of the house, the part of the master bedroom cupboards which contains other things than clothes. All tidy and neat there too now, and another bin full outside with stuff we just don't use or need anymore. Feels good!
Day 42, Monday 20 April
The fresh milk ran out again, but I am trying to stretch my grocery shop until Wednesday, as tomorrow is Tuesday, which Linnea rightly reminded me is cleaning day. Ha ha, I guess she is worried I'll leave it completely to her and Lucas to do eventually! The long life milk will again save the morning cereal for another few days.
Today was one of those days. I did my exercise, and a few small jobs, like sorting papers into binders, packing away the Easter decorations and the little ironing there was; but then I went and laid on my bed and stared out the window until I feel asleep for a while. Fortunately these days are not too many, but they are really rough. The ones where you just see no end, or no future. Take a pick.
On a positive note we managed to get the old Wii Sports working again, which gave the kids something to do (=fight over) for a while! Even I had a go, it's quite fun!
Day 43, Tuesday 21 April
I can't seem to shake this feeling of living in a vacuum at the moment. I find it a bit rough and have been in a really low mood the past few days. I think it's the lack of information here that gets to me. To the difference of many other countries where there are regular press conferences, or dates set when current restrictions will be reconsidered - here, there is nothing. Restrictions and rules are implemented "until further notice", and just gets changed from one day to another. The bigger plan, if there is one, is not shared with the general public. I wish we had some info to go on, what the next phase is going to be, and when they think it might be implemented etc.
Ah well, today was cleaning day - AGAIN! Yes, these Tuesdays seem to come around faster and faster! Full team working today, so we were done in a flash!
In the evening Linnea and Nathan gave the pasta machine another whirl and we had fresh prawn pasta for dinner. Om nom nom! The ravioli cutters arrived too, so next time we will try some of those (we didn't have anything to fill them with today). This somewhat experimental 'Corona Cooking' is actually quite a lot of fun!
Day 44, Wednesday 22 April
I don't know if it was because it was groceries day, or the fact that I was wearing lenses (as it was groceries day), or maybe thanks to the sunny weather - but thankfully I was feeling in a much lighter mood this morning. I also got a good workout in, with a bit of a quarantine theme...
... and then it was time for the shop-up for this week (and a bit, had stretched it a good nine days again!). Obviously, you have to make a bit of an effort when it's the only outing of the week, so I matched my dress to the face mask..! (By the way, this dress has not fit me for years, now it does thanks to all the 'quarantraining'! I guess that's what you call silver lining.)
We noticed a few things happening at the mall today which gave me a slightly optimistic feeling. For example they were busy installing a big "sanitation tunnel" at the entrance, and they sort of funneled us into the grocery shop.
They had put tons of different "distance stickers" all over the floor downstairs AND I saw them bring some of those stickers up onto the second floor of the mall too, to the normal shops! Maybe, just maybe could this be in preparation for opening up the mall again?! I sure hope so!
Personally I think it would be a splendid idea to open up the normal shops now during Ramadan (which starts this weekend), and still keep the restaurants closed. Oh, let's hope I'm right!
Here's how the receipt looks like, when you shop for about 10 days at a time:
Day 45, Thursday 23 April
Woke up this morning to the official information about the shopping malls reopening circulating on social media, I was right! Yay! We still don't know when, but hey - I take any little step towards a more normal life! I even have a hair appointment next week as hairdressers have been allowed to reopen as well, can you imagine! Not that there is any panic at all, my normal appointment just got moved by two days actually so I'm right on schedule, but it will be nice to get to do something else than just be at home!
We cooked lamb shanks in the slow cooker today, so the whole house smelled delicious all day, and I baked a citrus/chia cake for dessert to celebrate the weekend. We all enjoyed a family movie together in the evening, which is always nice. That's what Thursday nights are for!
More information came out today too about Dubai doing a 180 and going from 24h curfew to being allowed out for exercise and family visits etc (all still with heavy restrictions but still). We are waiting for similar info here in Abu Dhabi but as I said - any little step towards a positive change is good! As long as we don't have to take two steps back again as soon as Ramadan is over...
No comments:
Post a Comment