What we did During Week Seventy Nine of Lockdown

Honestly, apart from Saturdays now, the days and weeks all seem to roll into one! Here’s what we got up to during this week. It does seem like week 79 by the way.

I am not complaining at all.

We have promised ourselves that we will use the time to learn new things, to help our neighbours, and to continue to make money. Here are some of the things we got up to this week.

Craft Monday

This week I’ve been looking at craft stuff on Pinterest and Facebook and I’ve been drawn to wreath making. I admired all the ones I saw and then thought of how I could make at least one without spending a fortune. Have a look at it below and let me know what you think.

I’m not going to let it take over though. And it is certainly not going to cost too much while I practise.

So we have saved most of the cardboard and other packaging material that comes through the doos from Amazon or anywhere else. To make the wreath, I cut rounds out of a piece of white, flat, packaging material (I think it is called styrofoam). Then we cut out a circle leaving a ring of about 5 to 8cm thick.

The glue gun Leisa bought on Amazon came in handy and I just used some strong Gorilla glue sticks to hold the jute rope in place. I quickly found out that it is easier to go around and around the shape and glue at the same time if I cut off a big piece and work with it as a bundle rather than trying to do that job with the whole roll of jute still attached.

Once the jute rope job was done, we then hot glued on some flowers that we already had.

My sewing stash came in handy and we searched for any ribbons we had that we could use to tie bows to the bottom. It was a fun project to do and my wreath is now mounted on my front door. Now taking orders, lol.

The plan was to make one for a few of my immediate neighbours but I haven’t got around to it yet.

Facebook Page created during the

lockdown

As a result of spending money on craft machines and supplies, some of which can be very expensive, we have decided to sell some of the stuff to get some money back so that we can continue to enjoy what we do.

If you’d like to check it out, it’s here Give us a like while you are at it, and it would be good if you share it for us too. Thanks in advance.

Here’s a sneak peek of one of the pics there with an item for sale. They can be personalized to suit your taste too.

Healthy Eating. Is it even possible in the lockdown?

I don’t know about you but we can safely say that healthy eating intentions lost the battle around here! Well, the intentions were there but the realities were something else.

Suffice it to say that again, we are giving things another push.

Part of the plan is that we will do a 40 to 45-minute walk first thing in the morning to get it out of the way, and then prepare some veggies as soon as we get back. That way, when we are ready to have lunch, the veggies are ready.

We put each prepared veggie in its own mason jar and leave it out on the counter at room temperature so that it is not too cold when we are ready for it. Also, breakfast now consists of only a hot drink or, on some days, a carb-free breakfast such as mushrooms, eggs and tomatoes. On two of the mornings, we actually did fancy a smoothie so we used up the frozen berries that we have been storing in the freezer when they are just past their best in the fridge.

This is a good way to use up the fruits instead of chucking them out. Almost any fruit can be frozen and used in smoothies as long as there are no big stones in them.

I braved a shop this week!

Thank God for good friends who are helpful. Can you believe that all of this time in lockdown, I have not been out shopping? It felt strange today to actually be in a shop!

Even to put ‘proper’ clothes on was a strange feeling! It is a strange time indeed.

Of course, I made sure to wear my mask and to use proper hand hygiene.

I really longed to eat some tamarinds and other Caribbean foods so we went to a little Jamaican shop nearby to get them. Of course, I was still watching the pennies and made sure not to get too much because we didn’t want to have to throw away anything and cause food waste.

Making use of the lovely weather in the garden during the lockdown

The weather has been absolutely smashing and we have loved being out in the garden. Mid-morning I find, is the best time to be in the garden. Sunshine just makes us feel more alive and is a real mood booster!

And as well, the garden looks more resplendent in the sunshine and it encourages me to do more and more there so that it can look its absolute best! Often I’ll say I’m spending 20 minutes weeding or planting and then find that I spend closer to an hour each time. Oh and I love the visitors I have in my garden these days like birds, beetles, and butterflies are there with me and we get along fine together.

Honestly, the only things I don’t like in my garden now are slugs and snails. Oh yes, and cats. You know what they use others gardens for and I find what they do in my garden a complete nuisance. If I see them in my garden, I don’t encourage them. I want them to feel uncomfortable there. But it seems that at night when they come for the nightly visit, they are very comfortable!

We have beautiful flowers, fruits, and herbs that help us to save money. We have a comfortable life and standard of living. Our kids and extended family are all safe and well, but as we bid you farewell for this week, we encourage you to think about those who struggle with aspects of life, those who are feeling despondent, those who are scared, and those who feel pressured to do things they would not normally want to do. See if there is any way you can help and do.

Black Lives Matter

Did you see the mask above that Leisa made?

We wanted to make our voices heard this week too. Even though we don’t think we have ever been personally racially abused, this week we took the time to educate those who were interested, about the subtle ways that they silence the voices and beings of black people.

It is really interesting and welcoming to see so many white friends finally stopping to think about and accept that what has been happening is not right.

We are black and we can’t do anything about it. But I assure you that we have feelings too, and we feel hurt and pain just as a white person would.

 

Let’s start a change that is worth becoming a norm. Let’s be more neighbourly. One good deed deserves another and the world will be a better place for all of us to live in. Think about that.

Until next time, love,

Jo and Leisa

Cass, Emma and Becky allow us to share in this week’s ‘Frugal Friday’ linky