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:

Thirteen

This girl of mine. My little one. The last one of the three greatest gifts to my life. She came to us with demands, determination, stubbornness and confidence. With cuteness, laughter, a love for play, creativity, goofing around and with an endless source of imagination. She dares to go against the stream, dares to be different, follows her own path and her own ideas. She's a Peter Pan in a female body: full of adventures and with no desire to ever grow up. If she could, I think she would stay a child forever.

Thirteen. A time of exploration, searching and finding your place in this weird world we live in. To fit in. Or not fit in. One leg in childhood, one leg in young adulthood. Not always rainbows, unicorns, gumdrops and magic fairy dust like it used to be. More of a roller coaster of emotions that can be exhausting, confusing, exciting and scary. All at the same time. For her. And for me.

Yes, I worry, and I feel pain just like she does, and I selfishly want her to stay little forever... she is the last one and I'm really not ready for her to grow into a young adult... not just yet. I don't think  anyone is ready for their kids to grow up and become adults. But I know I have to accept that it is happening, right before my eyes. So I give her space, room to cut loose and try her wings, find her tribe, her way... It is so so hard... So so beautiful. So so painful... so so rewarding...

 At night when I kiss her goodnight she says:
"I love you!"
And I say:
" I love you too."
Then she says:
" I love you more..."
And I know she has won this game we play every night when I say:
" Well, I love you to the moon and back..."
She laughs out loud with that special twinkle in her eye and says:
"But I love you to infinity and beyond!" 
And so we laugh together and feel the love in between us. To infinity and beyond. And I know she'll find her way, that I can do this. And she will do just fine and she will always be my littlest girl, no one can ever change that. Not even years passing by. Happy Birthday my Emmy Bo.

PS Cake is a homemade Swedish princess cake. Make a sponge for three layers. Put vanilla custard and raspberry jam on each layer including raspberry jam on top, cover with thick layer of hard whipped cream. Cover with thin layer of rolled out marzipan. Cut off waste around and tuck edges in. Eat chilled. :)

Kärlek
Annette

FOLLOW  My Rose Valley HERE:

Reflections from my bench

Photo: @themidult in Instagram

Photo: @themidult in Instagram

The fruit trees are in bloom. 

Bees are buzzing.
Sun is shining.
I wear shorts.
I put sun lotion on.
Listen to a podcast.
Lay a puzzle.
Start a load of laundry.
Not much laundry to do.
I feel lost without the laundry mountain demanding my services.

 
Cats are always around us.
Basking in the sun.
Hiding in the shade.
Stroking our legs.
Playing with Emmy Bo.

She builds obstacle courses from cardboard boxes.

Leads Maya around with a string on a stick. 

Between legs, through a tunnel, slaloming her way passed tins...

 
Nelly Bo is lying in the sun.
On a quilt in the garden.
With AirPods in.
Book at hand.
Not sure if she's reading or just pretending to...

The fields are covered in yellow dandelions. 

It is just a question of time before the cows arrive.

 
Jay goes for bike rides.

Walks in the woods.
He waters plants.
Pulls weeds.

Listens to news.

Hangs out with the kids.
Cooks dinner.

He is the one leaving the house every ten days.

When the fridge is empty.

And the fruit bowl too.

 
Luca Bo goes off skating.
For hours he practices tricks.
At the empty school yard.

He spends a lot of time in his boy cave.

Doing mini projects.

Comes outside to shoot the new set of BB guns.

Bang!

He hits the ping pong ball hanging from a tree 25 meters away.

He is a great shooter. 

 
I crochet.
Squaring off circles.
White - black. 
Nelly Bo says it's "SOOO 2010".
"Grey - black is SOOO in Mama."
I listen.
But go for white - black anyway.
Call me old fashioned. 😂

My roses are starting to grow.

The Muscari flowers are bloomed out.

Tulips are flowering.

Salad plants are coming up in our kitchen garden.

The Phlox is slowly coming alive.

And the Clematis might come on nicely this year.

Our Forsythia tree is loosing its yellow blossoms. 

The Wisteria was cut down to the ground before Christmas... 

I'm really, really sad about that. 

I miss the curtain of purple Wisteria blossoms at the front of the house. 
 

Some boredom is creeping in.
Not much. 
Just a little. 

Many Covid19 memes have been collected.

Some are better than others.
Irony and humor are good remedies for dealing with stress.

Overall.

We are good.

We are healthy.
We are calm.
We can do this.

We are ready for Week 5.  

Kärlek
Annette

FOLLOW  My Rose Valley HERE:

Teenagers, Coronavirus and lock down

Oh my so much has happened the last few days. I struggle to take it all in, comprehend what our world is going through right now. I don't really want to go on about the Corona pandemic, but it is impossible to not talk about it isn't it? 

Friday afternoon Switzerland closed all schools and universities soon followed by closing shops and stores, businesses and anything not essential. We are advised to stay at home and to not go out if we don't absolutely have to. Next up is total isolation, we are not really there yet (not like in France where it now is against the law to leave your home without having special reasons to do so) but I'm sure it will soon come.

In my house we've been prepared for this for weeks. We've talked about it and monitored the development worldwide closely. Still the last few days have put us all in a state of shock. Never has parenting been so painful and hard.

For teenagers who just have started to become independent and discovered the freedom of moving around freely on their own; getting around with public transport, hanging out with friends "all-the-time", when and where they want to and pretty much come and go as they wish (as long as they are home for a few dinners every week and to sleep at night) it must be very hard when all that just disappears in a blink of an eye. I can't even imagine the shock to the system it must be. 

I remember when I was a teenager, out every single night of the week and hardly ever at home. My Mama begged me to "Take just one night a week to stay at home and take care of yourself, relax and chill. I think that would be good for you and it would be nice to have you around." and how I just stared at her like she was an alien thinking: "What? Stay at home? Are you serious?!!! I might miss out on something! I don't want to hang out with you guys. I LOVE my friends!!!".

I'm a mother and I remember how it was to be a teenage girl and I get it. I understand the upset, the questions, the anger, the tears, the complete frustration and confusion that followed our first big "No, you can't!" to socializing in a bar on Friday night and then the desperate negotiation to find a compromise ("Can I see just five friends? If I keep 2 meters distance? What if we sit outside? I'll wear gloves? I will not go to the toilet. I'll use sanitizers after going on the train. I promise I won't give any hugs..." etc etc...). And how can I expect my children to just accept the situation we are in and understand the seriousness of it when I hardly can understand it myself? Yeah, it's been a challenging weekend for us all.

Things have calmed down since Friday night. Now we are more cool about the situation. Somewhat. Slowly adjusting to the new more restricted way of living for the time being. It is a bit of a roller coaster, good one second followed by moments of overwhelming emotions. I still feel lost in all this. Trying to figure out my position in it all. I'll get there eventually. But for now I just let the days slip by in a fog of breakfast, walks, lunch, crochet, talking to friends and family and still just trying to digest today, now, this moment in time. 

It feels like there was no past and there is no future. Just today. I guess my kids feel the same. I tell myself to be patient. Extra forgiving. Understanding. Loving. And I try my very very best to not go crazy in all this. I promise I really do, even if all I want is to loose my shit and scream out loud all the anxiety I carry inside. Because this is not about me. It's about the world in its whole. WE have to come together in this. It's the only way.

How are you all coping and how are your kids? Do you have teenagers and can you relate to what I'm talking about? I'm all ears if you have any tips to share on how to take us through these tough times.


PS I haven't had these three in the same picture for years... Friday when school closed down and we came home I had my chance. I snapped a few pictures. They are so big now. What happened? So much love right there... so much love...

Kärlek
Annette

FOLLOW  My Rose Valley HERE:

In secret I dream of...

Winter never came. Sun has visit on and off between rain showers, frost and chilly northern winds. On weekends we live in slow motion, sleeping in, wandering around in PJ's until late if not all day. I lack motivation to take on projects that really needs to be done. Like de-cluttering, organizing and getting on top of this home of five. It seems to be my constant whining tune going on repeat, not just now, it's been playing for years... Needless to say, I'm so tired of it. It drags me down into the darkness of stress, frustration, anger, resentment and distress... It really bothers me that I can't just delete this sad blues tune and replace it with a new more upbeat and energizing one.

Instead of taking action I dip into Procrastination Lake, Creamy Coffee Bay, climb Laundry Peak regularly and slowly walk along the long long River Of Excuses and through the endless Mundane Chore Fields. Because these things don't request anything but auto pilot to be done. No extra energy. No extra effort.

I'm overwhelmed with it all, loving my new life as a working woman with great colleagues and the joy of leaving my nest every day to be active elsewhere. However, my status as a stay at home mum and housewife has not really changed in the eyes of my dear ones. At least that's how I feel. They do make efforts to share the work load, but I think the frustration lies within myself more than with the others. I am the one stepping into a new phase of my life and wanting a more minimal, clean and better organized home. Their life just continues with the fact that Mama is not around that much anymore and maybe my favorite hoodie won't be clean on the day I wished it was clean. The house might be cluttered and a bit messy, but teenagers don't seem to care that much about a dirty sink or replacing an empty toilet roll with a new one. Quite the opposite, they seem to thrive in the mess, at least it looks like it if you peek into their own rooms.

In secret I dream of a studio where everything has its place and stays there... where counter tops and shelves are free from clutter and the windows always have a brilliant shine instead of a dull layer of dust when the sun shines in. A place where I'm having my morning tea before diving into an hour of tidy up and not the other way around. I'm sure I would be bored within minutes having it that way, missing the kids' movement and presence, even if they only occasionally show up as ghosts (with earphones in so they won't be up for chitter chatter...) looking for snacks outside their caves.  Reality is I'm not far from that day when the house stands empty. It is sneaking up on me, the kids independence and need to leave the nest. I fear it. It hurts. The thought of them all gone cuts like a knife into my heart. I try to not think about it too much, this phase of parenting is so so hard for me. We still have time to be together. This is nature. I can't fight it, I just got to go with it. Once a mother, always a mother, right?

So I visit Crochet Land, seeking comfort in what once was my life saving passion. Hoping it will save me once more. While adding one block to another on my crochet Patchwork Blanket, I hear the kids crashing into the kitchen around midday, one by one. Rumbling around in the fridge and cupboards for food, cups, plates and cutlery. Pans come out, bread is being cut, coffees are made... and I just know that the sparkling clean kitchen I left after my own breakfast this morning has now transformed into a mine field of breadcrumbs, spilled milk, dirty pans and... you get it.
"Please tidy up after yourself", I call from my place on the sofa next door, but no one hears me. They got earbuds in. And so life goes on.

Kärlek
Annette

FOLLOW  My Rose Valley HERE: