Last week was Friday 13th. I’m not normally superstitious but the last Friday 13th was in March and it was the day I left the office for what seems like forever. The previous one was the day after the work Christmas party and the General Election. That was a bit of comedown in more ways than one. So I was feeling edgy…but nothing bad happened. It did remind me tho that we’re going through a parallel month, what with the first lockdown creeping in partway through March and the second lockdown halfheartedly floundering around November. So what better than a side by side comparison of the Month Where It All Changed and the Month Where It All Feels a Bit Like Deja Vu? I didn’t plan this at all, so some of the pictures are a bit random but enjoy the insight into my inner monologue….
Sunday 1st
In March – I’m tired and covered in eye make up still after a racously fun wedding of some church friends. I’m clutching my guitar and on my way to lead worship for a church of equally tired people.
In November – I’m eating chocolate at 10am before online church. Apparently I liked the layering of this piece of Dairy Milk Oreo enough to take a photo of it.
Monday 2nd
In March – I’m out with the choir for a dinner to celebrate our 4th anniversary (and many more?)
In November – I take pictures of the sky
Tuesday 3rd
In March – I’m on a bus home from Woodford at school run time, which means that something has gone wrong.
In November – I’m about to go on a work zoom at school run time and I’m hoping nothing goes wrong
Wednesday 4th
In March – There appears to be a train home from Liverpool Street. After the previous day’s diversion to Woodford, I’m clearly overwhelmed by this school run miracle
In November – On the last day before Lockdown#2, Roo and I take one last walk to swimming. I’m still taking pictures of the sky
Thursday 5th
In March – School life appears to be BAU at this point. It wouldn’t be for long
In November – I think this speaks for itself.
Friday 6th
In March – The first sunny day of the year and it was a Friday so every child in Highams Park converged on the playground after school. There was a real end of term feel but we had no idea how close to the end of the term we were and how long the holiday would be
In November – There’s a pattern emerging
Saturday 7th
In March – Eva and I spend a fun day at the Feel Good Centre – making a couple of new friends, drinking coffee and finding what looked like snow on the way (it was beanbag innards)
In November – I spent the afternoon hanging out on a bench in the park with the one friend I’m allowed nowadays. There was still coffee though.
Sunday 8th
In March – I celebrate International Women’s Day by connecting with lots of amazing women at the library
In November – We mark Rembrance Day at home in front of a laptop, with the kids drawing poppies. Reuben’s was a bit too graphic to post here, so I’ve gone with Eva’s
Monday 9th
In March – Eva’s 6-month laptop obsession is starting to kick in here
In November – She’s reverted to reading books till she passes out.
Tuesday 10th
In March – The City is already getting a distinctly empty feel
In November – Eva keeps the formal dress code of the City alive by wearing a bowtie with her pyjamas
Wednesday 11th
In March – I banish Nathan to the study so we can attempt a Google Hangout. I’m trying to figure out how the heck I take choir online
In November – We’re pros at this video calling thing. I took this photo while on a Skype meeting for work. Eva is on a Zoom call for her drama class, Reuben is playing a Spiderman game on the PS4 and Nathan is working in his “office” at the end of the lounge. Our Wi-Fi is straining.
Thursday 12th
In March – All the handwashing at work was taking its toll
In November – All the work at work was taking its toll
Friday 13th
In March – This super-smart hairdo was one of the more abstract harbingers of doom. Eva’s teacher was clearly feeling a bit unsettled by the whoel situation and found that braiding Eva’s hair was a soothing distraction.
In November – A reminder on my phone that I needed to hit the “6 month” Snooze on
Saturday 14th
In March – We knew this Disco2000 would be our last for quite some time. There was a real “last night of freedom” feel. It did get busier as the night went on.
In November – The founder of Disco2000 and I went for a walk in the rain and bought a coffee. There was a real “one hour of freedom” feel as we weren’t in our houses dealing with our children for a brief time.
Sunday 15th
In March – We also had a notion that this would be our last trip to church for a while. We distracted ourselves by playing with the Cartoonize filter on the train
In November – Distraction now takes the form of pastry and cream.
Monday 16th
In March – I run my first ever Facebook Live rehearsal for choir. Motivation slightly hard to come by
In November – It’s getting cold on these schoolday mornings. Motivation very hard to come by
Tuesday 17th
In March – Our first ever home group on Zoom
In November – You guessed it. More sky pics.
Wednesday 18th
In March – In our first week of working from home and knowing that it was all gonna to get worse soon, Nathan and I sneak out for a fancy lunch…it would be our last for several months
In November – I haven’t dyed my hair red since February because there have been no choir gigs to motivate me to do it. Tonight, with the prospect of recording a video for virtual church choir, I take the plunge…and it’s almost like I’m back at March 1st again…
