Covid is that annoying mosquito in the room

Hello my lovelies. Thank you for popping in to my world here in Blogland the last couple of days. I'm really enjoying having you around. These last days have been just crazy. Prepare yourself for a bit of a download from my end... 

 

First Nelly announced on Saturday morning that she was a Covid positive "close contact" which meant we all had to figure out how that effects us as a family, with school and work. Suddenly I felt caught off guard not knowing who to turn to, who to contact for advice. Luckily we were given a Health & Safety guideline brochure from work at the beginning of the school year and I turned to that, finding detailed procedures for any Covid scenario imaginable, links to websites and a Covid Hot Line phone number. To begin with we decided to quarantine ourselves until further notice from the authorities.

 

The Covid Hot Line declared that Nelly Bo was to self isolate for 10 days and to do a Covid test 5 days from latest contact with the Covid positive person. A lady called and confirmed Nelly Bo's status, interviewed her regarding the transmitting situation and told us the federal council of Switzerland would contact us with more information and send a "Covid situation certificate" to show for school and work. They also told us that as long as no one in the household are showing symptoms, the rest of the family can just continue their life like normal. Hmmm... doesn't make sense to me but ok...  I'll follow the instructions given right? 

 

We waited and waited and no one called. We called the Hotline again on Sunday and then once more on Monday, receiving the same information as before (at least they were consistent in their information) but still nothing from the authorities. Nelly started to get nervous and stressed about missing out on school, falling behind on the big test week before mid-term break, teachers chasing her and wondering why she didn't come in to school, wanting her to validate her absence... not being very understanding or patient. On Monday Jay took Nelly Bo and Luca Bo to get tested and 24 hours later we got the result: NEGATIVE. Phew! 

 

Knowing that Nelly Bo hasn't caught Covid from her friend felt good. She still has to fulfill the full 10 days of isolation, however in a household of five where we dine and hang out all the time, share bathrooms, towels, open doors and cupboards, grab jam jars and milk bottles... you get it. I'm not surprised that this virus spreads so quickly as it is almost impossible to avoid if someone in your family gets it. Even if she spends most of her time in her room she will have to leave it to go to the toilet, get food, take a shower... And then I'm continuing going to work and... I don't know. I'm just confused. Luckily Nelly Bo is negative, but even before we knew that, the authorities told us to go to work and school... Is it just me who thinks that is weird? Shouldn't we all have isolated ourselves until we received the test result?

 

Anyway, after days of waiting we found out that the Covid department currently is overwhelmed by new cases and can't keep up with all reports and that is why it took four days for the authorities to finally confirm that Nelly Bo was put in self isolation following the federal protocol and regulations. Finally she now has a document validating her absence from school. What a roller coaster of emotions its been. Crying one day. Feeling ok another. Just to fall into tears again because of not knowing or getting any answers...

 

Yeah, what can I say. Covid is like that annoying mosquito in the room that you can't see. It goes quiet and you think that now it is gone, things are good, I won't get bitten. And then when you least expect it it comes back annoying the hell out of you buzzing in your ear, putting everything to a stall, winding up that inner fear and confusion once more. 

 

This "new normal" is not an easy life. I escape to my yarn basket and my Blanket Of Hope WiP (see previous posts on this project below)... It feels like the only thing I can do. And I really want to finish this blanket before the end of the year. Snuggle up under it. Feel the comfort of every stitch that has helped me to stay sane, calm and to breathe through this messed up year. I couldn't have done this without my yarn and hook... So far we are lucky to not have lost any loved ones, no one of us has yet gotten sick... I just wonder though if it is just a question of time... My thought goes out to all of you who already have been victims of this virus in some way. I can't even imagine the stress and pain you've been through... but keep on fighting, staying safe and look after each other. As they all say: This too will pass. I just wonder when? 

 

 

Previous posts and tutorials on The Blanket Of Hope:

Crochet circles - a Blanket Of Hope 

Blanket Of Hope - Part 1: Supplies & Facts

Blanket Of Hope - Part 2: The Circle pattern

Blanket Of Hope - Part 3: Circle in square pattern

 

 

 

Kärlek
Annette

FOLLOW  My Rose Valley HERE:

Let's go camping, shall we?

Photo by Kevin Schmid on Unsplash

Sun is shining. It is warm. We have started to socialize again with small careful steps. I'm taking Nelly Bo to the beach to see her friends for the first time in 8 weeks. Her "Happy Playlist" is playing and she's excited. I'm excited for her.
"You know, Papa and I have been talking a little bit about summer..." I say.
" Yeah..."
"We thought that as our plans have been totally changed, I mean, we will probably be in Switzerland all summer right, we had this idea that we could go camping and explore Switzerland? All together, stop at small lakes, grill hot dogs, hang out and play cards... Isn't that a great idea?"

We're at a traffic light, I turn my head to look at her, she looks at me with a very serious face and simply says:
"No! I've been in isolation with you guys for 8 weeks and the last thing I want is to spend a summer vacation in a camper with you guys. I'm sorry, I love you, don't get me wrong, but no!"

It hits home in an instant and I burst into laughter. The green light goes on.
"Ha ha ha! You are sooo right... I haven't thought of it that way. Silly me... What were we thinking?"

We look at each other and laugh out loud together. Soon we arrive to the beach. She leaves and starts walking down to the water front with the beach bag over her shoulder and her messy pony tail wiggling from side to side...

At her age I was already living alone and working, I drove around in my own car, paid bills and had my own phone line... The last thing on my mind at that age was to go camping with my family. I remember that now. I guess I forgot because I had this romantic view of a camping trip all together, you know, but I realize that is just a fantasy. At least for now. Nelly Bo would LOVE to camping with friends - oh yes! But not with us. No, no, no... too much fun going on in her life right now.

On my way back from the beach I twist and turn my camping trip idea a bit in my mind... Maybe me and Jay should go camping on our own. Rent a small camper and leave the kids home alone for a few days. Hmmm... that actually sounds like a great idea! I better start researching campers for rent...

Kärlek
Annette

FOLLOW  My Rose Valley HERE:

When the dishwasher broke...

The dishwasher broke down. It just stopped. That is five weeks ago... It took ten days for a repair man to come, and he said we needed a new machine and no repair was made. We waited another two weeks before the installation man came. But he had ordered the wrong machine and the old broken machine still remains in my kitchen... waiting to be replaced. If I'm lucky, I might get a new dishwasher just in time for Christmas. Or not. I'm not sure and I have no longer any expectations.

Washing dishes by hand for a family of five is a big job. Especially when you have only one small sink (no big farmer's kitchen with double sink in our house, no no no...) and a small dishwasher rack big enough for a single girl of 20 something who never eat at home... I have found a routine that contains of multiple sessions daily of washing dishes and emptying the dishwasher rack. It's all about being one step ahead to avoid a Mont Blanc of dirty dishes on the kitchen bench. Bless the kids, they have been helpful. At times. If I ask them. Or force them... But most of the time it is me doing the dishes. I have turned into an organic dishwasher. With very clean and very dry hands... I wish for hand lotion for Christmas,

"Mama, I'll do the dishes." Emmy Bo announces at dinner.
"Alright, cool." I am happily surprised by this offer. We clear the table together and she tells me to go away because she is doing the dishes.
"Go away Mama. I'm gonna do this."
"Did Papa tell you guys to help me out with dishes while he is in London?" I ask with a twink in my eye as I think this is too good to be true...
"No. I'm doing this all by myself because I WANT to help you." Emmy Bo declares firmly with a big smile and love in her eyes.

YES! I have succeeded as a parent! It's all good! I can retire now! All the hard work of parenting is finally - FINALLY - paying off. It's just GREAT!

Seriously. I feel like Superwoman. And so I retreat to the sofa and pick up my crochet while Emmy Bo takes care of the kitchen and leaves it spotless. That, my friends, is pure parental success right here. Am I proud? Oh yes! Proud of me. Proud of her. Proud of this moment. Maybe it's not that bad to have a broken dishwasher after all...

Kärlek
Annette

FOLLOW  My Rose Valley HERE:

What do you do when someone dies?

She came down the stairs on Saturday morning with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Her mother died!" she mumbled through the snivels.

One of Nelly Bo's best friend's Mum had just died after many years of fighting cancer. Too soon. She was told she had until after the October break or even up until Christmas left. But she just died. On Friday night. The friend, let's call her Alicia, had planned to make a tattoo to honor her Mum, and her mother insisted she would do it as soon as possible as she wanted to be there to see it before she had to go. But she ran out of time... It is so so tragic. I wrapped my arms around Nelly Bo and while trying to hold back my own tears, I let her cry it out for a moment.

"What do I do Mama?" she asked.
Yeah... what do you do when someone dies? I reflected for a moment how to answer this question, what would I have done, what would I have wanted someone else to do for me if it happened to me at age 17?

We are protected from death so far in our family, with a Great Grandma who now is turning 102 in December, I just think we are one of those family trees that are long lived people. We don't talk about death and needless to say, we don't know anything about it. It is hard to comprehend when faced with death so suddenly and relatively close... I'm not sure how to handle it.

After a little while I said to Nelly Bo:
"I don't know... I think you should just tell Alicia you are there for her. Ask her if she wants to talk about it or if she just want to be alone. If she wants you to come over to hang out. Tell her you are very very sad for her loss and that you don't really know how to help. Be honest. Tell her you have no idea of what she is going through right now but that you want to help if possible. Ask her if she wants your comfort or maybe for you to just be normal and chatty... Tell her she can come over at any time and that our family is here to help if help is needed. Just reach out. Listen. Be there for her. " Well, at least that is kind of what came out of my mouth if I remember it right. Because to be truly honest, I didn't really know what to say. It breaks my heart to know that a man in his mid 40's now is on his own with his three children. How is he coping? How are the children? Do they have extended family who can help? Cook? Clean? Do practical things? I mean, they all must be in tremendous shock. It happened so sudden. They really thought they had at least a month more to prepare themselves for her passing...

A couple of days has passed since the sad news arrived and Nelly Bo is in close contact with Alicia through messages and Snap Chats daily, which is good I think. We have dropped off chocolate chip cookies and pickled cucumbers (apparently Alicia loves pickles!!!) together with comfort hugs at her door. On Saturday night Nelly Bo suggested to her friend to watch a movie with Jim Carrey to get her mind off things. "Jim Carrey movie? Why that?" I asked. Because Jim Carrey always makes Nelly Bo feel good when she is having hard times. He makes her laugh. And she thought that if he makes her laugh maybe he would have the same effect on her friend... Sounded like a weird thing to suggest in my ears but that evening Alicia's whole family - the father and his three kids - cuddled up in the sofa together to watch a Jim Carrey movie. It made me so happy to hear. I guess the Nelly Bo's idea wasn't too bad after all.

I'm keeping a close eye on this family and especially Alicia. I wonder how she will cope when it all sinks in. Becomes reality, after the numb shock phase is over... I hope we can continue to be there for her so she won't fall off Earth in her sadness. It's a tough age to loose a mother when being just 17, her younger brother is only 12. Her older brother is 19. I guess it is never easy no matter what age, but still...

If you have any experience or stories to share, I would love to hear them. It could help me and Nelly Bo to know how we can continue to give support and help to Alicia and her family. Life is fragile. When things like this happens I remind myself how precious life is and how it is not to be taken for granted. Why can't we see that without tragedy being thrown in our faces??? Why is it so hard to appreciate that we live here and now instead of living in the past or in the future. Life is a gift. We should really, really make the most of it.

Kärlek
Annette

FOLLOW  My Rose Valley HERE:

The phone line kiss

I'm running errands and I'm running late for lunch at home. I call home from the car on the speaker phone when leaving the parking garage at the mall. Emmy Bo answers with her twittering voice filling the inside of the car. I explain that I'm on my way, she says:  
"Ok. See you soon Mama. I love you." and then she give me a kiss through the phone, a kiss that fills up the inside of the car where I sit, making me feel the most wonderful warmth in my soul. And I'm thinking:
"This is life. This is love. This is what matters. This is why I'm here on this earth. To get this phone line kiss from my 11-year girl." Such a simple action that fills me with the deepest and most true love. Motherhood at its best. Eleven is a great age. And once again, its the small things in life that matters... like a kiss on the speaker phone in the car. Remember that.

Kärlek
Annette

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This Is Us And A Superhero Husband

It is like the old days. Those days when you were following a show on TV and had to WAIT for a full week until the next episode. First it was Macahan, then it was Dallas soon followed by Dynasty, later Beverly Hills 90210, ER, Grey's Anatomy... What torture it can be. To wait in suspense for a whole week wondering what is going to happen next. It is so refreshing to do that again.

I'm watching the US success series This Is Us  (89% Rotten Tomatoes...) and I am LOVING it. Are you watching it? Isn't it the most fantastic show? I think it is the normal people that this show portraits. The people who are very special at first glance but just happens to be like you and me, with the same struggles, same successes, same problems, same highs and same lows. With flaws, weaknesses and strengths. It is excellently captured. So perfect in its imperfection.

On Sunday night my washing machine broke down. Yep. Luckily I had caught up on some laundry, benefiting form the glorious weather we have had, but still... I needed a repair man "tout suite" because the thought of being without a washing machine is the same as a nightmare in a household of five. That machine is probably one of the busiest on the block. That machine runs 24/7.

Jay has been away working in Gstaad all weekend and came home this morning for a quick stop before heading on to London until Thursday. He could have gone straight from Gstaad to the airport in Geneva, but he choose to come home. To give the kids a cuddle and a squeeze at lunch break. To check out Luca's newly designed skateboard that he is so proud of. To say hi to me, have a coffee and a chat. Because that is what he does.

When he heard about the washing machine he jumped in the car and went down to the electronic store, came back with a brand new machine 30 minutes later. Because the old one was 9 years old and a repair man would cost half a fortune (as everything does in this country...), and we have had problems with the machine before. "We can't be without a washing machine for a week. The washing machine is infrastructure. We needed one anyway so I got us a new one." Because that is what he does.

We install the machine together and I ran a load of bed sheets to try it.  I'm delighted to say my bed sheets haven't been this shiny and white or fresh smelling in YEARS, and I can't help but thinking of the This Is Us scene with Rebecca at the pub after a gig, when she totally lifts her husband Jack to heaven and above for his family commitment, selflessness, compassion and reliability (don't forget patience...). How she aknowledges all the hours of work he does to provide for his family and that he still always puts family first, making sure everyone has everything they need. How he makes sacrifices to make everyone happy and satisfied. Rebecca calls him her "Superhero husband".  My Jay is too. A Superhero husband. I should tell him that more often...

Kärlek
Annette

FOLLOW  My Rose Valley HERE:

Lets make butter!

The other day when coming home from running errands, I found Emmy Bo on a chair by the kitchen bench with a bowl, a package of cream and the electric whisk.

"Hi Mama! I'm making butter!"

Emmy Bo is without the most passionate Little Cook of the family, spending most of her online time watching cooking videos and letting the world know that The Great British Bake Off is by far her favorite and her best TV program - EVER!

She is only 8 but knows her way around kitchen utensils, sharp knives, peelers and machines already. So I let her get on with it, while unpacking my groceries.

She whisks the whipping cream (35% fat) for a long time until it gets Chantilly cream thick. Then she whisks it for even longer until it starts to get grainy. And then she continues to whisk it until it suddenly separates into butter and buttermilk liquid.

I help her to squeeze out all the liquid and collect it in a glass to enjoy later. We wash the butter in cold water to extend its shelf life,  and then Emmy Bo adds a sprinkle of salt, kneads the butter with her knuckles until all salt is worked in evenly. She gives it a taste...

"Yep! That is perfect Mama!".

We put the butter in a cup and prepare a crisp cracker. It is good. Very good. And it is homemade! As simple as that. And if you wonder where Emmy Bo got the idea from, I would guess it must have been from one of all those videos she has watched. Internet is not that bad after all.

Give it a go. If homemade bread is good, serving it with homemade butter will make it taste even better. Plus it is fun to make butter with children. It is like an experiment, really exciting. Enjoy!

Homemade Butter
Makes approx: 1 cup

  500 ml Whipping cream, 35%

Pinch of salt
Electric whisk

1. Whisk chilled whipping cream on high speed until it separates
into butter and buttermilk liquid, approx 10-20 minutes.
You will go through 3 phases while whisking your cream:
1, Whipped cream - 2, Grainy mixture - 3, Separation between butter and liquid.

2. Pour buttermilk liquid into a glass. Very tasty and fabulous for baking.

3. Wash butter in cold water to pro long its lifespan.

4. Add a pinch of salt to butter and knead it into mixture with your knuckles.

5. Serve butter in pretty container and store in fridge.

Bon Appetit!

Kärlek
Annette

FOLLOW  My Rose Valley HERE:

How long does it take to speak to God?

This happened on Sunday morning. A day when we all walk around in PJ's at least up until mid day and just let things unfold... But since a couple of weeks Nelly Bo, my oldest, takes off just before 10 to return home around noon. She goes to church with a friend and I think it is great that she is exploring her believes, coming from a family who are far from practicing religion at all.

"Mama?" asks Emmy Bo, the little one when Nelly has been gone for a while
"Yes..." I answer half concentrating...
" Where is Nelly?"
"She is in church..."
"Why?" Emmy Bo says, looking at me with big brown eyes.
"Well, she is talking to God." I stop what I am doing as this conversation is getting interesting...
" For how long?"
" She will be back in a couple of hours..."
" Two hours!!!???" Emmy Bo looks shocked!
" Yes, why?"
" It doesn't take TWO HOURS to talk to God!" she blurts out.

Sometimes you just can't help to wonder how clever these 5 1/2 year old little girl's are... How do you reply to that? All the things going on in that little brain of hers. She is way to clever for her age... My darling little one. She certainly is a bit of a hand full... ♥ ♥ ♥

Kärlek
Annette

Photos taken in Sweden and France July/August 2012. Just to refresh my memories when the rain is pouring down in the dark winter month of December... My oh my how wonderful summer was... :D