In the beginning I attempted homework with Lili which didn't go well with Trixie hanging off me so we gave it up and instead done random spelling bees and math quizzes and tried to keep everyone entertained with games and dance offs, filling up the pool in end of march/beginning of April shitty weather, we even made a den out of an old travel cot and a sheet.
We done window visits with friends and family and lots of walks out along the river to run off energy. All parks closed and those that didn't closed off their play areas so there wasn't many places to go. We caught tadpoles and started learning about the frogs life cycle. We walked for 2 hours each way to Stewarts Park.
We've done crafts - alot of crafts, I found last years Easter bunny masks to colour, we've painted, we've went through so many colouring books, Nicki printed out so many colouring and puzzle pages. We've made cakes, biscuits, pies and quiches and we've learnt to adapt recipes where possible to suit what's available.
We've watched so much Netflix and youtube and far too many movies. I've relived my childhood through the kids by watching my favourite movies with them, Trixie has developed a massive love of dinosaurs and dragons because of a lot of the movies.
I redecorated Lilis bedroom, she chose pink and grey so it was more grown up, got some nice wall stickers up, need a new blind and her reading corner sorting but she's happy with it.
We've made bubble blowers and attempted a home made lava lamp effect within a glass. The girls rediscovered toys when we tried to sort through the big box in the corner so that got blown off and haven't gotten back to it.
We've had lots of video calls with friends and family to try and pass time when everyone's bored, we've played online games together with them.
We made a covid hand collage and
coloured thank you pictures to go in the front window.
We've attempted growing things, our peas didn't shoot at all and our thyme plant and tomato plants died when noone was home to look after them.
Since clothing and shoe shops had closed everyone is buying online either new from shops or secondhand on pages and ebay, so we had quite a few little walks out to post outgrown clothes and shoes and the money went into our moneybox for when things are better.
You would think with all the time stuck at home that Trixie would be in some degree of potty trained but she's absolutely against it all, only uses the potty when I use the toilet and then it's a dribble, won't use the downstairs potty and is loudly against the toilet and then toilets on the floor in massive puddles.
Trixie has learnt to count to 10 - in her own way 1 2 3 6 9 10 and forgets to use 5 and 7 when counting using fingers.
I've bought a new shelving unit with boxes in an attempt to sort some of the small toys ie Trixies jigsaws and fishing set and her wooden train set and Lilis little plastic tat collectables. Also bought a shelving unit and stacking baskets for the kitchen to sort some of the clutter ie the overflow of food that doesn't fit in the cupboards and the cooking trays, still juggling around the kitchen to find a system that works without having to go looking far for things.
On the few very hot days we had we braved the train and went to redcar, we had done 59 days of lockdown and very few outdoor activities so this was badly needed, a good long day out just chilling together, further down the beach was nice and quiet whereas the main part of the beach was busy and not much space to distance.
We've flown kites and threw foam planes and ran around with ribbon twirlers on windy days and loved it.
And just as the summer was starting, day 94 of the apocolyse I essentially ended our summer slipping on a stream bank and breaking 2 bones in my ankle and badly damaging a ligament. 3 weeks living with Nicki unable to do a thing before Darren could get back to help me be home and some independence and to finally see the girls, they've been separated since he left in January from his Christmas visit.
After 6 weeks in a cast, it got taken off and was given a boot to help with walking. The ligament has mostly healed, the inside ankle bone has come together and fused and is looking good the outside ankle bone is well positioned but hadn't fused but doctor isn't worried and said it should do within a few weeks. I'm happier that I'm on my way to getting back to 2 feet. I'd been so miserable having everyone run around after me, I had no independence, when I could get up and do things it was too painful now I'm more on 2 feet with crutches, I can be up longer without pain, I can get around without fear of knocking myself and causing pain, only thing I can't do is sweep floors and put out rubbish.
