Badgers!

So - the other night Andy got up at about 1am because he thought a badger might be attacking one of our cats but it seems that it was 2 badgers fighting - they are very territorial apparently.  Then today - we were in the garden and Andy suddenly pointed and shouted badger! I looked and saw a huge badger and as we moved and shouted it ran and legged it across the garden!  It is so weird to think that these huge creatures are living in the garden!  

We have set up our 'hunter' camera - which is designed to capture wildlife at night so that will be cool I we can get some footage of it!

I don't have much to talk about really.  I worked a late shift yesterday and today - yesterday I kept quite busy with a few phone statement but today I have had nothing to do!  So I have been preparing for a course I have to do on Wednesday concerning my designated powers.

On late shifts I spend the morning just clock watching and pottering about waiting for the time I have to start work.

I may as well have a look at the coronavirus figures for the last few days.....

Thursday 28th May

Total world cases: 5,811,649------------------- 70,527 increase

Total fatalities: 359,994------------------------  2,639 increase

UK total: 269,127------------------------------- 1,887 increase 

UK Fatalities: 37,837--------------------------- 377 increase

Friday 29th May

Total world cases: 5,928,756-------------------117,107  increase

Total fatalities: 364,490------------------------4,496  increase

UK total: 271,222------------------------------- 2,095 increase 

UK Fatalities: 38,161---------------------------324 increase

Saturday 30th May

Total world cases: 6,103,550 -------------------174,794 increase

Total fatalities: 370,801------------------------ 6,311 increase

UK total: 272,826------------------------------- 1,604 increase 

UK Fatalities: 38,376---------------------------215 increase

Sunday 31st May 

Total world cases: 6,208,684-------------------105,134  increase

Total fatalities: 373,611------------------------ 2,810 increase

UK total: 274,762-------------------------------1,936  increase 

UK Fatalities: 38,489---------------------------113 increase

Monday 1 June 

Total world cases: 6,310,915-------------------102,231  increase

Total fatalities: 377,078------------------------3,467  increase

UK total: 276,332------------------------------- 1,570 increase 

UK Fatalities: 39,046---------------------------557 increase

Grandad and Grandma AKA Grand-dude and Sam-mar

So - it was yesterday that Lissa had her baby at 6.37am.  I had stayed up until 4am and then was awake again just before 8am - so yesterday I was knackered!  I found it difficult to do much because I was so tired.  It was my day off too and Andy was working int eh basement all day on a work related music thing, so I was pretty much on my own.  The weather was gorgeous, but as I have found before its pretty boring in the garden on your own as you can't even go on your phone or laptop because you can't see the screen!

So, I just sat here and basically messaged with Lissa and looked at the baby pictures she sent!  Ada is such a cutey!!

I was woken up early by our guests thundering up the stairs (about 8am) I am sat here now - Friday - 9.34am and Lissa has just told me that she is going to video call me in a minute!  So I'll get to have a proper look at the baby!

I can hear Andy getting up too.  

So - my computer just died! Thought it had completely given up - not had this computer long either - AND my phone died too - keeps freezing and I have to restart every time I use the camera - I went for a walk outside and took this pic b4 it all froze....

Nope - the picture doesn't exist...

Nevermind.  So Lissa was going to video call me when everything died...then she was having a check up - then I had a shower - now she is waiting for the midwife!  So we'll get there eventually.  Apparently the cheese and pate I ordered for her will turn up today - kicking myself now for now ordering myself some too!!

Yesterday I put a swing up in the garden that I had ordered - I received it and then had to wait again because I had to order some stuff to be able to attach it to the tree.  I have got it all up but I ordered a child's swing so my butt only just fits in and it is a bit painful so I am going to have to order another one!!

So - I just got off a video call with Lissa - was awesome to see her and Ada!  We spoke about the birth, and how wonderful it is to have your baby! She also said - and ppl might hate her for this - that her belly has just gone flat and back to normal again (mostly) lol.

We were saying how she looks like the pic she had done of the scan - look at this:

Lissa was saying how she can see herself in Ada - I'm struggling - to me she looks so much like Antony...saying that - I think I can Lissa in her in this pic:

Although this pic is awesome cos her her tiny cute foot - I also really like how cute her face looks in this one too!!

Right - I'm off to make bread - I'll update this post again later today.

So - bread turned out well!

 NOT

This was a new recipe I tried - I was dubious to start with!  Its not good because it is so difficult to buy bread flour atm - any flour actually!

We braved our local shop and managed to get supplies!

Then - we made our way into the garden - and spent the afternoon there!  Weather so gorgeous atm!  Andy had a work thing where they had all recorded music stuff and it went live from 4.30pm - he had done a video and he was singing Zombie - his was really good - not all of them were lol - but all better than I could have done!  I was sat on our swing chair - and I had a video call - at first for a little while with Paul - and then for over an hour with Helen!  It was nice to be able to do that - especially as Andy was pre-occupied!  Helen told me all about a memorial thing she did with all the kids in the family - for my dad.  We both ended up a bit teary talking about the kids getting upset and telling their own stories about grandad.  I think it was an awesome thing she did for the kdis.  Unfortunately - only Candice contacted Helen afterwards, none of the other parents said anything to her.  Don't know if this means that they didn't think it was a good thing that they had did or whether they just haven't thought to thank her...

During the day I also received lots of lovely baby pics! which is awesome - she really is a very good looking, gorgeous baby!

We had a couple of burgers on the BBQ - and then eventually came inside - when I couldn't hack the heat anymore - but I think it was still after 6pm.  A little later we got on the Oculus and killed Zombies with Helen and Paul! I wasn't up for it really but it was so much fun!!  I quit about midnight - knowing I had to get a decent sleep ready for work the next day :-( 

A great day though.....

Coronavirus figures for the past week

I', going to write up on here about the coronavirus and write a separate post about the day!

I have neglected the figures lately - possibly because I didn't want to think about it and have had better things to talk about - like becoming a grand parent yesterday!

But - here are the figures I have - I've not been very good at collating them!!

Wednesday 20th May

Total world cases: 5,037,019------------------- 100,779  increase 

Total fatalities:  329,137------------------------ 4,653 increase

UK total: 251,290-------------------------------  2,472 increase 

UK Fatalities: 35,704--------------------------- 363 increase

Thursday 21st May

Total world cases: 5,142,326 -------------------105,307  increase

Total fatalities:  333,987------------------------4,850  increase

UK total: 250,908------------------------------- -382 increase 

UK Fatalities: 36,042---------------------------338  increase

Friday 22nd May

Total world cases: 5,251,028 -------------------108,708  increase

Total fatalities:  339,341 ------------------------ 5,354 increase

UK total: 254,195--------------------------------  3,287 increase 

UK Fatalities: 36,393---------------------------- 351 increase

Sunday 24th May

Total world cases: 

Total fatalities:  

UK total: 

UK Fatalities: 

Monday 25th May                                           (2 days worth of figures)

Total world cases: 5,442,802 ------------------- 191,774 increase

Total fatalities:  346,254 ------------------------  6,913 increase

UK total: 259,559--------------------------------- 5,364 increase 

UK Fatalities: 36,793----------------------------- 400  increase

Wednesday 26th May

Total world cases: 5,617,440 ------------------- 174,638 increase

Total fatalities:  351,065 ------------------------ 4,811 increase

UK total: 265,227--------------------------------  5,668 increase 

UK Fatalities: 37,048----------------------------  255 increase

Thursday 27th May

Total world cases: 5,741,122--------------------123,682 increase

Total fatalities:  357,355------------------------- 6,290 increase

UK total: 267,240---------------------------------2,013 increase 

UK Fatalities: 37,460----------------------------412 increase

Thursday 28th May

Total world cases: 5,811,649------------------- 70,527 increase

Total fatalities: 359,994------------------------  2,639 increase

UK total: 269,127------------------------------- 1,887 increase 

UK Fatalities: 37,837--------------------------- 377 increase

wow that took ages and was confusing!

The UK total cases have come down....

Lissa having a baby!!!!

So - at 19.54 Wednesday 27th May Lissa messaged me to say her waters had broken - she then called me! Said she was nervous! she was getting pain like strong period pain! If it wasn't for this friggin virus I'd have grabbed my pre-packed bag and made my way to Surrey!  

Below is a transcript of our messages to each other....until she found it too painful and couldn't message me anymore.....

I know this is all about Lissa - and I'll put a link in to her blog when she gets around to writing about it....but I went through a range of emotions...I was much more nervous and scared than excited....I could get excited about the baby when I knew she and the baby were okay.  In the meantime - I knew that she was in for a world of pain!  She was telling me how much pain she was in - when she had such a long way to go - and it was going to get so much worse.  I was so scared for her and hated the thought of her having to go through all that.

I called my mum to tell her as she'd not read my message - and she was all excited and at the end of our conversation she said - Tell Lissa we send our love.  We both then realised that there was no - "we" and "our" just my mum.  We both realised what she'd said and she corrected herself and said - I send my love....we both just paused - and I felt very upset and I got the impression my mum did too.  Then when I got off the phone I got quite upset thinking about how my dad should be here and be excited too....

So Lissa has now stopped messaging me - no doubt she is in too much pain and the last thing she will want to do, and will be able to do is message me.  So I'll have to wait and just hope that it is quick.  

[21:01, 27/05/2020] Sam: how is antony?

[21:13, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Really good

[21:13, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Yeah contractions started

[21:13, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Like 3/4 mins apart

[21:13, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Keep pooping haha

[21:13, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Going hospital in a second

[21:14, 27/05/2020] Sam: you called them?

[21:16, 27/05/2020] Sam: good get all that poop out now!!

[21:17, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Yeah called them and she said go in for check and they’ll make a plan

[21:18, 27/05/2020] Sam: okay - so you didn't suddenly speed up and end up in agony yet then

[21:18, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Erm the contractions are pretty painful

[21:18, 27/05/2020] Sam: ha!you know nothing yet!!

[21:18, 27/05/2020] Sam: sorry!! lol

[21:19, 27/05/2020] Sam: how bad are they?

[21:19, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Just like severe period pain

[21:19, 27/05/2020] Sam: btw Andy = grand-dude

[21:20, 27/05/2020] Sam: okay - that's normal at the beginning -

[21:21, 27/05/2020] Sam: I'm sorry to say it ends up nothing like period pain 🙂

[21:21, 27/05/2020] Sam: but you'll be fine my lil baby!!

[21:26, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: I’m scaredddddd 😂😭

[21:26, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: I’d like to fast forward time now

[21:26, 27/05/2020] Sam: awwwwww my baby! Im scared too!

[21:26, 27/05/2020] Sam: its exciting too!

[21:31, 27/05/2020] Sam: let me know what they say at the hospital - straight away!!!!!

[21:31, 27/05/2020] Sam: good luck! with a bit of luck you'll be one of those ppl who has the baby in an hour!

[21:43, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: I will. Just waiting xxx

[22:03, 27/05/2020] Sam: at hospital?

[22:04, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Baby has done a poo

[22:04, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: But heart rate not showing distress

[22:04, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Bit worried

[22:04, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: But gonna check cervix now and go from there

[22:06, 27/05/2020] Sam: Oh.....

[22:06, 27/05/2020] Sam: Let me know asap

[22:06, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: I will do

[22:08, 27/05/2020] Sam: how bad are contractions now?

[22:08, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Not a whole lot worse tbh

[22:08, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Still quote bad period and back pains but not excruciating

[22:09, 27/05/2020] Sam: okay....prob still early then

[22:10, 27/05/2020] Sam: google says baby pooping is v common and not a problem really

[22:13, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: So I just asked what the plan is

[22:13, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: She said they’ll have a look inside to make sure everything’s okay

[22:13, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: And then depending on that outcome and how often I’m contracting they may or may not examine me

[22:14, 27/05/2020] Sam: how can they look inside without examining you?

[22:15, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: I think they mean

[22:15, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: I’m not even sure

[22:15, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: I was contracting at the time lol

[22:15, 27/05/2020] Sam: lol

[22:16, 27/05/2020] Sam: its happening - you are having a baby!!!!!

[22:17, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Would like to skip to the point it’s done

[22:17, 27/05/2020] Sam: yeah...that'd be good

[22:19, 27/05/2020] Sam: let me see a pic f what is going on?

[22:19, 27/05/2020] Sam: see the room - so I can picture where you are and all that

[22:20, 27/05/2020] Sam: awww my baby girl(s)

[22:20, 27/05/2020] Sam: yeah need lots of pics for the blog - you'll be glad of the pics later

[22:20, 27/05/2020] Sam: as long as you can manage it!

[22:21, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Yeah I will ask Ant to take some

[22:21, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Even if I don’t him to at the time haha

[22:21, 27/05/2020] Sam: yeah - tell him to send me a message so I am at top of his contacts!

[22:21, 27/05/2020] Sam: and he can find it easy later

[22:22, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Okay will do

[22:27, 27/05/2020] Sam: so - I'm gonna send you some cheese and pate for when you are out!!  I checked and you can have it when breast feeling!!

[22:27, 27/05/2020] Sam: hahahah breast feeding!!

[22:28, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Hahaha mum! Really not the time 😂

[22:28, 27/05/2020] Sam: lol

[22:28, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Amazing! Can’t wait

[22:28, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: And a Prosecco

[22:29, 27/05/2020] Sam: yep!!

[22:30, 27/05/2020] Sam: while you are just sat around waiting - do you prefer brie or camember or both?

[22:32, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Camembert but love em both

[22:36, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: I got up to stand. This helps

[22:36, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Baby is absolutely fine

[22:36, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: She said 5/10 more minutes on the monitor and can take off

[22:39, 27/05/2020] Sam: Okay....

[22:39, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Fuck me it hurts

[22:39, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Contractions that is

[22:39, 27/05/2020] Sam: Stand up n take pics n videos

[22:39, 27/05/2020] Sam: Really? Getting painful?

[22:39, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: It’s not attractive

[22:40, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Yeah think so but also I don’t think I’ve got a good pain threshold

[22:40, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: So probs not that bad

[22:40, 27/05/2020] Sam: Monitor off then.....so no idea of cm dilated?

[22:40, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: No think speculum next

[22:41, 27/05/2020] Sam: Ok.....I'll google that

[22:41, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: I was gonna and decided against it lol

[22:42, 27/05/2020] Sam: Haha!!

[22:42, 27/05/2020] Sam: You may have what's called a speculum examination. This is when a small instrument covered in gel is inserted into the vagina. This allows the doctor or midwife to check if there is any cause for the bleeding, or confirm if your waters have broken. It isn't painful but it can sometimes be uncomfortable

[22:43, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Omg it hurts so bad

[22:44, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Where are they 😭

[22:46, 27/05/2020] Sam: get used to waiting around! try n relax....think of the lil baby you've grown!

[22:51, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Asked for pain relief

[22:51, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: And she’s gonna come and examine now

[22:52, 27/05/2020] Sam: good - we need to know how far you are.....

[22:53, 27/05/2020] Sam: awww my baby!!  don't like that it hurts!

[23:00, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Gas and air good

[23:00, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: 2cm

[23:04, 27/05/2020] Sam: if you think gas and air is good - you are early stages lol - 2cm isn't bad though - its a start!

[23:04, 27/05/2020] Sam: 20% of the way there!

[23:07, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: I think I have to stay but Ant is allowed to stay with me

[23:07, 27/05/2020] Sam: guess u r staying in then?

[23:07, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: They check me in 4 hours to see if I’ve progressed

[23:07, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: If not then drop

[23:07, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Drip

[23:08, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Fuuuuuck

[23:08, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: It hurts

[23:08, 27/05/2020] Sam: awww babe....I wasn't lying!

[23:09, 27/05/2020] Sam: 4 hours is a long time!

[23:09, 27/05/2020] Sam: I wish I could share the pain with you - take half of it away for you (not all of it I'd never cope!)

[23:11, 27/05/2020] Sam: what does ant think of the gas and air?

[23:19, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: He’s not here

[23:20, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: He’s not allowed in till I have a room

[23:20, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Am waiting

[23:20, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: In agony faaaaaack

[23:26, 27/05/2020] Sam: he is not with you???

[23:26, 27/05/2020] Sam: awww is it really bad?

[23:28, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Nope. Waiting

[23:28, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Pacing, climbing the bed and using gas and air

[23:28, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Offered pethidine

[23:29, 27/05/2020] Sam: you want/need it?

[23:29, 27/05/2020] Sam: it can make you feel woozy

[23:29, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: I don’t really

[23:29, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: But it really hurts

[23:29, 27/05/2020] Sam: why u waiting? for a room ffs?

[23:29, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: I wanna see if I can go without

[23:29, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: But then I don’t wanna just get it in the end anyway

[23:29, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Yeah

[23:30, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: There’s literally no1 here and I need a drink so bad

[23:31, 27/05/2020] Sam: can u take my call?

[23:42, 27/05/2020] Sam: press button or opendoor and shout

[23:43, 27/05/2020] Sam: me and helen both said the other day that we were pussies and just did nothing when afterwards we wondered why we put up with shit

[23:50, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: It hurts so bad

[23:50, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Antony is here

[23:50, 27/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Not really on gas and ai

[23:51, 27/05/2020] Sam: try and relax as much as possible in between....

[23:52, 27/05/2020] Sam: its gonna be hell from here my little girl...when you think you can't take any more whatsoever - you'll be about half way thru - but always getting closer and closer

awww my baby youokay?

Heard nothing - and asked Antony for a pic - and got this at 12.41 am (Lissa would normally be fast asleep by this time)

Conversation with Antony:

[00:43, 28/05/2020] Sam: awww my poor little girl!  I'm so sorry its so bad!!

[00:43, 28/05/2020] Sam: I tried to prepare you but I guess telling you doesn't make it any easier!

[01:21, 28/05/2020] Antony Wheatley: Talking about pethedine now. We didn’t want during planning but she’s in a lot of pain.

[01:22, 28/05/2020] Sam: has she thought about just going for the epidural and having no pain at al?

[01:22, 28/05/2020] Sam: its only going to get much worse

[01:22, 28/05/2020] Sam: don't tell her I said that

[01:24, 28/05/2020] Sam: why didn't she want it during planning?

[01:25, 28/05/2020] Sam: is it cos you can throw up, dizzy yukky

[01:30, 28/05/2020] Antony Wheatley: She needs to be in established labour for the epi

[01:30, 28/05/2020] Antony Wheatley: Checking now

[01:33, 28/05/2020] Sam: what is the definition of established labour cos I'm pretty sure she feels that she is in established labout

[01:35, 28/05/2020] Sam: let me know what they say!!

[01:35, 28/05/2020] Sam: I believe (after checking google) that established labour is 4cm+

[01:56, 28/05/2020] Sam: so.....?

[02:13, 28/05/2020] Sam: is everything okay?

[02:25, 28/05/2020] Antony Wheatley: Yeah all good. She had a check not long after last text. It came back as 4cm which means she could have epidural.Guy came in and did that and then just after she finished she got pushing contractions (I have no idea what I’m taking about). They did another check she went from 4 up to 9cm dilated in half an hour. So yah epidural should be kicking in soon and hopefully baby won’t be too long

2.25am

Conversation with Lissa

[02:48, 28/05/2020] Sam: you able to talk now u had epidural?

[02:49, 28/05/2020] Sam: I'm so proud of you

I video called Lissa at this point - and to my surprise and complete joy - she answered the phone!!  She looked good! She was telling me how painful it had got before the contractions....I can't even remember what we were saying - but she started to feel the contractions again and I could see the pain in the face - she was having gas and air again.  In the end it started to get too painful and we ended the conversation - apparently they topped up the epidural again and it was easier for her again.

[03:22, 28/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Sorry it got really painful

[03:22, 28/05/2020] Lissa Collins: Am fully dilated now

[03:22, 28/05/2020] Sam: thats okay - so whats the plan now?

[03:23, 28/05/2020] Sam: still waiting an hour?

[03:31, 28/05/2020] Sam: pushhhh.....pussshhhhh

It got to about 4am - and I just could not stay awake any longer...so I went to bed and left the sound on my phone...

I got these messages when I was asleep - didn't wake me up!!

[04:11, 28/05/2020] Antony Wheatley: No more news since last text really. Still haven’t started the pushing but expect that will be starting in half hour ish.

[04:54, 28/05/2020] Antony Wheatley: Started pushing but baby heart rate started lowering so they pulled the doc and anaesthetist in who checked over and in mean time baby heart rate went back to normal. Going to try pushing again in 10 and then they’ll look at other options if no joy

[06:39, 28/05/2020] Antony Wheatley: Baby arrived

The baby was born at 6.37am!

This is the most beautiful photo ever!!

I have not been able to stop looking at it - and when I zoomed in (because I was looking at it on my phone) and I saw the expression on Lissa's face I cried my eyes out!!! and it is making me cry again now!!

Ada Louise Wheatley - 6lb 2oz

She is adorable! and I am so proud of Lissa - apparently she was pushing for an hour and a half - and baby needed suction to get her out! But she did it!

I didn't wake up until 7.56am - and it was awesome to wake up to these pictures!!  I've been chatting to her all morning - she is so happy with her new little baby! She is in some pain - but doing well!!

Tuesday - work and quiz night!

So, I got up mega early (6.45am) and ready for work, and headed out to the office.  I wasn't hung over thankfully, but I was tired!  My eyes were also killing me - hay fever I assume!  

I got into the office around 8am and then had nothing to do!  I tried to keep busy learning things about the computer system and chatting to colleagues....I nipped out in the car around lunch time to try and get some hay fever stuff for my eyes but all the supermarkets had big socially distanced queues outside so I gave up and went back to the office, and had some lunch.  Then about 3pm I was asked by two people to take multiple statements! Luckily for me - only one was available and this took me right up to 5pm.

I came home - knackered with sticky horrible eyes - not really in the mood for the quiz, all I wanted was to sleep!  However, once we all got onto the call at 7pm I livened up!

So - the first round we asked the girls to make-up the boys like drag queens, and the second round we asked the boys to make-up the girls like pantomime dames!  They were all such good sports - here is a screen shot and then pictures of the results of that!

(Connor enjoyed the lipstick a little too much I think!)

So - all great sports!  Lissa and Antony and Adam and Erika ended up not very happy as they ended up with lipstick and eye liner all over their furniture/bedding!

We then had a round of family questions - and I had got in touch with Erika, Antony and Emily's families secretly to be able to ask questions about them! lol - didn't want it to be all about us!  Hopefully some of the questions got a few laughs!

here are the questions that were asked in the first round of family questions:

we then did a round called monster mash where each of them had to combine two things and draw them - these are the things that they were given:

Adam	giraffe	mouse
Erika	reindeer	crocodile
Connor	hedgehog	hammer
Emily	peacock	dog
Lissa	turtle	monkey
Antony	octopus	coconut

These are the pictures that they came up with:

         

THEN round 2 of family quiz questions:

THEN - FUN-KNEES where they had to draw a self portrait on their partners knee! lol

 ADAM AND ERIKA  

ANTONY AND LISSA

CONNOR & EMILY   

  We then did a set of general knowledge questions which I won't reproduce here - and then we had the third set of family questions:

and we also had clips of me playing the flute badly - and they had to guess what I was playing!!

So we had a lot of laughs and everybody were such good sports for getting covered in make-up and drawing on each others knees!!  In the end it was Connor and Emily that won!!

 

Bank Holiday Monday

The sun was out - it was amazing weather!  Me and Andy made bread buns in the bread maker for burgers on the BBQ as we can't just nip out to the shops - with the lock down its not that easy anymore.  

We were also preparing for our family quiz, getting ready to host Tuesday night.  We thought it would be funny for me to try and play some popular songs on my flute - knowing I'd play them badly making it more difficult to guess!  We recorded 6 different songs which we will send to the kids via whatsapp during the quiz.

We then moved out into the garden, got music going and got ourselves a selection of drinks in the cool box - took out some books and a game from which we could put some questions together.  We properly had a chilled out day - trying to forget the state the world is in.  

It was so hot that at one point we moved under the Indian Bean tree for some shade....here is Andy chilling....

  

Here is our quiz prep, alcohol fuelled mess.....

Whilst in the garden we came across this HUGE dragonfly - I assume that is what it was....

We stayed out in the garden all day - didn't put the BBQ on - all we had was 2 burgers so it seemed like a lot of trouble for just that - so we came indoors quite late, quite squiffy - and ordered Chinese AGAIN!!

Then I dragged myself to bed about 11.30pm hoping I wouldn't be hung over for work the next day.....

Wednesday/Thursday

Got a little behind again....

Tuesday

Total world cases: 4,936,240------------------- 94,683 increase

Total fatalities:  324,484------------------------ 4,565 increase

UK total: 248,818------------------------------- 2,412 increase

UK Fatalities: 35,341--------------------------- 545 increase

Wednesday

Total world cases: 5,037,019-------------------100,779  increase

Total fatalities:  329,137------------------------4,653  increase

UK total: 251,290------------------------------- 2,472 increase

UK Fatalities: 35,704---------------------------363  increase

Thursday

Total world cases: 5,142,326-------------------105,307  increase

Total fatalities:  333,987------------------------4,850  increase

UK total: 250,908------------------------------- 382 increase (this looks wrong - but that's what the figures                                                                                                     said!)

UK Fatalities: 36,042---------------------------338  increase

So - Wednesday/Thursday - the weather was gorgeous - I was working from 2pm to 11pm.

I don't remember much about Wednesday - I think it was quite uneventful!  Yesterday though wasn't a great day.  I started off in the morning chatting to my sister Joanne on Messenger -we asked how each other were and ended up talking about Dad, and I ended up getting upset for the first time in a while.  I had not been allowing myself to think about him at all - because it is upsetting.  So when Joanne mentioned something I said that I'd thought about him on my birthday - as he'd normally call and mention the nice weather, and tell me again how I was born in a heatwave.  I got upset - just as Andy came in...

We ended up going and sitting in the garden and talking about all the stresses of the new job - him not being able to find a new job - the virus, the crapness....so not great really....

Then we came in - made a Sri Lanken Curry for later on - and then I started work.  Spent hours just sat at the laptop reading through cases, doing an online course....trying to keep busy....all the way through until about 9.30pm when I stopped to eat...actually just prior to this Helen had finally received the video of my Dads funeral - so I started to play it - got upset again almost straight away and turned it off again.  So felt fed up all over again.

Once I had finished work - we watched some TV for a while - then I got to bed.  I sat in bed going through my dads facebook page looking for videos of him - I just wanted to hear his voice...

so - all in all not a great day....

Tuesday - The News

Hi,

Here are the figures....

Monday

Total world cases: 4,841,557------------------- 100,952 increase

Total fatalities:  319,919------------------------ 4.035 increase

UK total: 246,406------------------------------- 3,103 increase

UK Fatalities: 34,796--------------------------- 160 increase

Tuesday

Total world cases: 4,936,240------------------- 94,683 increase

Total fatalities:  324,484------------------------ 4,565 increase

UK total: 248,818------------------------------- 2,412 increase

UK Fatalities: 35,341--------------------------- 545 increase

So - UK fatality figures up again.  We are still the highest in the world after the US and they have a bigger population than us - so as a country we are not doing well.  That is not new news though is it.  

Here is the BBC news front 'page' online...

Thought it might be interesting in the future to see what an average day in the lockdown looked like.  

One thing I did think was interesting was this image from an American news site...

Sunbathing in New York.....people still look too close to me....but I guess it must be okay...

Anyway - yesterday - I finished assembling the lasagne's which took forever, and by the time I finished I only had an hour until I had to start work (2pm - 11pm).  At 2.30pm we had a Skype meeting with the team.  I can't contribute much - I am just getting ad hoc tasks - I don't have my own work load because it is too difficult really in the current climate, being new and stuff....  I did have enough work though to keep me busy and was busy for most of the shift!  I am having some problems with the computer system and uploading things so I am going into the office tomorrow.  Hopefully, not for the full shift, but I'll be in the office by 2pm.

Lissa was texting me - she is getting shooting pains or 'lightening crotch'! which is shooting pains in her cervix, and she is getting nervous about going into labour - she is due in next Tuesday!  I realised that I am quite nervous about her going into labour too!  I was supposed to be there :-(  now I am going to have to worry from a distance....I hope she is okay!!!  Almost all her life I have told her how horrendous giving birth is, and she watches programs about woman having babies all the time, so I am hoping she is much more prepared than I ever was - but it will still be painful!  Maybe she will have the epidural and think I made a big fuss about nothing!  I can't wait to see her little baby girl!!  I can't wait to see Lissa on the other side of having the baby, and really happy with her gorgeous daughter!! Hopefully she won't take after Antony have have 6 fingers!  It's so close now!!  This was her yesterday....

She has done SO WELL keeping fit and not piling on weight whilst pregnant - she will be back to normal in no time!!  Wish I had done the same!  

Post Birthday Fun

HI,

Well yesterday - the day after my birthday - I was quite tired and not as hung over as I deserved to be! 

I spent so much time sat on the couch and not moving that on 3 occasions my fitbit thought I'd had 1-2 hours sleep!  

I am pretty sure that we watched a whole series of something I can't remember the name of, in fact I can't even remember what it was about! Oh yes I do - it was about a woman going to Ibiza to try and find out how her brother had been killed 20 years earlier!

So yeah that was my day yesterday!  I have today off work again before working late's for the rest of the week.

So - Coronavirus - I've given myself a few days to not think about it, not really look at the news and trying not to get upset thinking about my dad.

The last time I made note of the figures was Tuesday last week and I did a snapshot of the figures last night - so almost a week....

Tuesday

Total world cases: 4,341,420------------------- 91,359 increase

Total fatalities:  292,846------------------------ 5,921 increase

UK total: 226,463------------------------------- 3,403  increase

UK Fatalities: 32,692--------------------------- 627 increase

Sunday 5 days later

Total world cases:4,740,605------------------- 399,185 increase (average daily increase of 79,837)

Total fatalities: 315,884 ------------------------23,038 increase (average daily increase of 4,607)

UK total: 243,303-------------------------------16,840 increase (average daily increase of 3,368)

UK Fatalities: 34,636--------------------------- 1,944 increase (average daily increase of 388)

Monday

Total world cases: 4,841,557------------------- 100,952 increase

Total fatalities:  319,919------------------------ 4.035 increase

UK total: 246,406------------------------------- 3,103 increase

UK Fatalities: 34,796--------------------------- 160 increase

Sunday was our smallest death increase since the lockdown apparently - 170, although we are still the country with the biggest losses in Europe - then today (Monday was smaller still at 160) I can't wait until we report no deaths in a day, because 160 sounds quite good considering at one point we were having 800-900 in a day, but it is still 160 families going through what my family have been through - and obviously 160 people actually losing their lives....

Nearly 35,000 people now - that is a lot of people.  In addition, we have had more deaths from other causes too because people have not gone to hospital when they should have....it is still a crazy crazy world.

Strange that we seem to be getting used to it now.  Doesn't seem that weird anymore when you go outside and cross the street if somebody else is walking towards you, or give people a wide birth, not go in a shop if you can see people already inside, have shopping delivered outside your front door and leave it there until the delivery guy has gone - not see your family and friends other than online, all the news being about coronavirus because everything else pales into insignificance....

A small price to pay really, for your life I suppose.

Today the sun is out again....we have got all the excess alcohol out of our system - maybe we'll go out into the garden again? not sure yet - I can hear Andy getting up, I might suggest we go for a walk - I'll have to see how he feels.  Oh according to Alexa we can expect partly sunny weather with a high of 20 degrees.  Many days have been really nice with a forecast much colder/cloudier than that!

I'm trying not to sound it - but I feel fed up again today.  We are back to groundhog day I suppose.  If I am correct - Andy will feel the same.   - I'll catch up again later - and we'll see how the day pans out!

1.12pm.....so far - have lasagne ragu in the oven.....have chatted to Helen online....little catch up with Lissa - received scan pics from Adam and Erika:

Erika said the second pic is the baby looking at us!  When you look at it like that it seems a bit like The Scream! lol

She said the weight of them are 3lb 8oz and 3lb 6oz - but that is down a little since their last scan so she is going to have another in 2 weeks.  

Okay - need to go and get changed and cut the grass....

So - I cut the grass - takes ages! looks awesome!  Then I went to a garden centre - not many ppl there so easy to distance from people....got some cabbage plants, 2 tomato plants and some mint and 2 bags of soil.  Came home and re-potted some house plants - then Andy helped me dig up a square of grass to make a small vegetable patch - never done it before so no idea how they are going to turn out - have 12 cabbage plants and one butternut squash! lol.  Have sweet pepper and tomatoes on the bathroom window sill....

I was knackered - ended up doing over 15,000 steps - over 6 miles walking in the garden!  We then sat in the garden for a while - but was getting a little cold by then so we came in - and sat in front of the TV - was about 6pm by then - was really bad again and ordered pizza!!!

Amazing Birthday in lock down!!

Hi,

well, I haven't really posted on here for a few days - funny how going back to work throws my life into chaos! lol.  That's not really true....it is not chaos it just means I don't have hours in the morning to sit write my blog!

Today is Saturday and my day off!  I've actually had 8 hours sleep for the first time in AGES! 

The last few days I have been working from home - and I've actually had work to do which is good, because I didn't want to be sat at home bored and feeling guilty about not actually having any work!  So - because of the nature of my work I can't really talk about it - but I've had enough to keep me busy!  Yesterday I called a girl I used to work with (Clare) and we had a nice catch up! and she talked me through some stuff I haven't done in a while! So that was really nice - being able to get some advice and speak to an old friend!

The last couple of evenings we have got online on the Oculus and played Arizona Sunshine with Helen and Paul - its a zombie killing game, so that has been a nice change too!  

So this morning - after making myself get back to sleep and then sleeping until 8.30am, I felt pleased that I'd got 8 hours sleep! I woke up to some birthday messages!  

Lissa posted this on Facebook....

She is so lovely!!  I could not have wished for a more perfect daughter!!! I miss her so much!

I miss all of my kids - how they all turned out so well, I'll never know!!  

So - I've emptied the dish washer and had a tidy up - I'm very disappointed that the weather has gone a bit crap!  Our plan was to spend the day in the garden, playing games and maybe having a BBQ - but now its cloudy and not very warm!

------------------------------------

So - It is now Sunday.....so here is how the rest of my birthday went.....

The sun came out!  Andy got up - and I opened a few pressies - crochet hooks off my mum!  gin off Lissa and a paint by numbers canvas thing (I'd actually fancied one of these and had nearly bought myself one!) she got me one which was a monkey which made me think of my dad as that was his thing!  It actually looks a lot harder than i thought it would!

Then I got onto a video chat with Helen to open hers - she'd sent a big box and there were a few presents in there - each had a note on - mostly about how awesome each present was going to be! lol.  I got a sprouts jigsaw - which I think was re-gifted back to me after I got it for her at xmas! lol.  I got a glass ball which produces pictures like this:

How cool is that!!

She got me some bubble bath! lol and then the big surprise was a aboard game than me and Helen have spoken about often - and we tried to find it in mums attic when we were in Manchester...this game was one we played together as kids, like snakes and ladders, but would go on for AGES as you were constantly sent back...we loved it!  I have looked online for this game many times and failed, because it wasn't a standard game.  Mum got it after sending off tokens - I thought from cereal boxes but as it happens it was from tins of spaghetti!!  Helen apparently found it in her own attic!  Here it is:

I am SO PLEASED about getting this!!!

So after that I opened my presents off Andy - he always manages to get awesome stuff!!  I got a bottle of whiskey - for the first time ever as I only discovered I like whiskey so much when I was at my mums and tried my dads....I got a very expensive looking bottle of brandy - a bottle of gin, and a gin making kit (or gin flavouring kit....) a huge big heavy, weighted blanket, a jigsaw lol....a camera that you put outside to try and capture wild life!! and a new Canon camera!!  I may have missed stuff.....but it was all so very awesome!!

We then went outside with our camera's and had a play!

After playing for a while - we chilled out in the garden and I tried some of my new gin!  We'd been sat in the garden for an hour or so when Connor and Emily turned up!!!  That was an awesome surprise!!  It was so very cool to see them! Actual other humans (that were not from work!) we obviously kept more than 2 metres away - which was difficult because I wanted to hug them both! They also bought me a bottle of gin - so obviously I sampled that too!!  Emily had made cookies as well - so I tried one of them too!!  It was amazing!  So we sat chatting and catching up for a couple of hours and that was so good! It just went really quickly though and then they had to go....

We tidied up and came inside and had a few games of pool - I lost probably because I was quite drunk by this point!  I had a video chat with Yvonne which was really nice - and then Lissa tried to connect with me via Zoom - but it would not connect on my phone - Andy was pushing me to go and sit at my computer to connect with her, and I was resisting because I wanted to connect with her and carry on playing pool - but he insisted!  I came into the living room - connected to zoom and everybody was there!!  Helen and Paul, Adam and Erika, Lissa and Antony and Connor and Emily!!  They had all pre-arranged it and each of them had sorted out a round of quiz questions!

Its a little bit of a blur if I'm honest - Lissa said this morning that she's never seen me so drunk! So I must have been bad (although I did point out to her that she probably has seen me that drunk - but normally she would have been more drunk!).  

Things I remember - Connor got his testicles out and nobody really bat an eyelid! lol I sang really loudly down the microphone to Wham! (I sent out an apology for that this morning lol)...actually there are pictures.....

This one really made me laugh as Lissa drew a face on her pregnant belly!

In this one Adam and Connor compared their bellies to 

lissa's!

I think this one was taken just as I logged on and was surprised!!!

Apologies for the graphic drawing!!!  I think this was drawn by Connor as he is taking the picture!!

I don't know why this one was taken - but Andy is obviously killing himself laughing at something!!!

Lucky for whoever is looking at this it is a still picture rather  than a video as I was singing - obviously badly and drunkenly!!

So - it was a great night!! We had lots of laughs - and I am so grateful to them all for making my birthday so special!!!

I was the first to leave - because I was so drunk! but I didn't cut the night short - I think it was almost midnight - or 11.30pm somewhere around that time!  I went to bed thinking I was going to be getting up again to be ill but thankfully I must have passed out!

I'm feeling a little worse for wear right now - but I am about to make lots of unhealthy food.....