I'm sure we all wonder how others are keeping occupied during our current enforced self isolation. Well the short answer here is that I am writing my blog, doing my workouts, reading quite a bit, and learning some new history.
In fact, days like these are not that unusual for someone who is disabled. Although most of the year we do get out a lot, there are many days especially in the winter, when you end up simply staying inside. You quickly learn how to keep yourself occupied and your brain active, otherwise you go stir-crazy!
It helps that both Mrs. F.G. and I are introverts so we've always spent lots of time together and alone rather than socializing. We both have personal hobbies that keep us busy. I also know that I have to keep up my workouts to build and maintain my strength.
So the first thing I do is try and write my blog every day. I miss occasionally, but I don't worry about it. Sometimes it's relatively quick and easy, like the series of barn posts I've been doing, but other times it takes a fair bit of research and thinking . In any case that's a highlight of my day, and it makes me feel less guilty later on when I'm reading other posts. I feel like I've made my contribution.
Then I do my workouts. I use small 3, 5, and 8 pound weights to build up my arms and shoulders. Then I do number of stretches with the Theraband. I also do a number of upper body stretches that try and keep me slightly mobile! This tends to happen in between boats of reading, spread throughout the afternoon.
[ I just saw a raccoon walk across the golf course! ]
I usually have a couple of books on the go, one fiction and one non-fiction. Currently I'm reading AWOL on the Appalachian Trail, and A History of Canada in 10 Maps. I also dip into the news, which I can read on my iPhone. Between this and watching videos after I've gone to bed in the evening, I get a lot of screen time during the week!
Just by accident we came across three videos on King Edward VI, Mary I (Bloody Mary), and Elizabeth I ( the three children of King Henry VIII), and that reminded me that I know very little of English history even though I know Scottish history quite well. So I set myself the task of learning the English kings from William the Conquerer on, and now I'm reading beyond that to understand things like the War of the Roses which I've always found very confusing. That keeps my brain occupied and hopefully gives me a little bit of mental exercise! Maybe after this I'll move on to Canadian and American history; I'm just fascinated with history.
In the evening we watch a bit of TV, usually watching British mysteries, garden shows, or travel shows. We only watch things available on a streaming service like Netflix where we can choose what we want to watch and there are no commercials!
Too soon the caregiver is here to get me back into bed. So I do all this in about an 11 hour day, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. I do usually get eight hours sleep a night, but I lie in bed either waiting for the caregiver in the morning or after I've been put to bed in the evening. That's when I watch YouTube videos.
And that's the end of my day. Hope you are keeping occupied too!
Yes. I have always been able to keep busy. But not able to post daily on my blog. Maybe twice a week? And I have no schedule. I am listening to a course on Churchill which is fulfilling.
ReplyDeleteI am learning a few facts about myself I didn't know. First, I am definitely a social animal and don't do well without interaction with others. I'm trying to get myself back on the exercise track, without anybody else. And of course I'm reading lots.
ReplyDeleteLike you I am spending some time writing blogs, but my content is pretty limited these days. We did not return to Canada after the last leg of our RV trip to Arizona. We had some chores to do and by the time we were ready to go, the border was closed except to essential travel. We could have crossed being citizens, but decided to stay in Bellinham where we have a part-time condo and there are more health care options than in our small isolated town of Powell River. Speaking of isolated, our only airline up there has ceased business due to the virus and induced economic hardship that forced them to close all of their scheduled operations throughout Canada. Now the only way to get in and out is by ferry, and that is now designated for essential travel only. We get out to walk each day either in an uncrowded park or around our neighbourhood blocks. We are under a state stay at home order so everything is pretty much closed except for groceries, pharmacies, banks and a few maintenance facilities. Stay safe and occupied. You sound like you are doing fairly well on that front. - Margy
ReplyDeleteWell, there's always plenty of history to read up on without ever reaching the end. I've been reading about the pre-history of the Fenland area near here. It has always been thought that it was a backward, largely uninhabited area, but recent finds have shown us that it was actually a wealthy and important area in the past. And most interestingly new discoveries are being made every year. Glad to hear you're keeping occupied.
ReplyDeleteWe are in lock down, travel for essential needs only, groceries, pharmacy and doctor. I am making curtains, and will reward myself with some quilting fun once they are done. A walk round the block, a wave to strangers, yell across the street to another lady, c hat or yell to a man out weeding his front garden, and see very few cars or bikes. So good you are both able to find things to do, I'm sure Mrs F G will have some new quilting project on the go.
ReplyDeleteYour days are very full. Lock down is going fine my end. Living in the countryside sure helps. My poor daughter has people yelling at her to go home when she walks the dog in the subdivision.
ReplyDeleteSounds like your filling your days with fun stuff to do.
ReplyDeleteWe have lots to do up here at Happy Trails too.
Always nice for we introverts to know there are other true blue fellow introverts out here. All this isolation and social distancing stuff is not a big deal for us. Like you, blogging is a great way to keep ones mind active. I like history as well and my current focus is the war years 1939 to 1945. The daring young lads and their flying machines. I could probably take a lesson from you on lifting weights. Heaviest thing I lift some days is a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Keep up the great writing and photos:))
ReplyDeleteI've been doing chores around the place and trying to get out for a walk if the weather is good. Sat out on the roof deck in the sun this afternoon and the temperature hit 26˚C for about 30 minutes. It is a well protected deck that faces south with a brick wall behind it so it has a hot microclimate up there.
ReplyDeleteYup, being an introvert certainly helps when we have to be isolated. Fortunately, I can still get out in forest and field and do some photography without seeing anyone, or at least anyone nearby. We've also occasionally gone for a drive, but having to gas the Subaru make me wish it was a plug-in hybrid. I've been watching videos on YouTube; we play board and card games; now have a growing inventory of blog drafts, enough to last quite to last quite a while; I've done a bit of woodworking, something I used to do a lot but have neglected for about five years; we've dusted and culled books in our library and now have several boxes of books for the library book sale; the birds and squirrels outside the window provide some entertainment too. But a succession of gray rainy days haven't helped the morale. We just set up a link to Zoom so we can "have coffee" with friends we used to meet several mornings a week for coffee and conversation.
ReplyDeleteThis will probably go on for a long, long time. We'll all have to find ways to spend our time productively and not go stir crazy with cabin fever. Those of us who are retired may not suffer too much economically, but for younger people who won't have their usual income it will be extremely difficult.
Even if it is On-Line you are keeping yourself mentally busy along with the Exercises that you do.
ReplyDeleteBe Safe and Enjoy yourself being Isolated.
It's about time.
To be honest I wondered how your days go...I wondered how hard it is for you to write the posts, etc. It is sort of hard on Roger...not being able to go to breakfast. He just really enjoyed being out, and there were some other couples that we met about half the time.
ReplyDeleteI think you do better at keeping occupied than many people. You give some good ideas of what a person can do
ReplyDeleteYou have some good practices and ideas. Have you looked into Great Courses+? Before the pandemic hit here, my wife had surgery and was confined to home and fairly immobile. She was getting bored, and I found out about Great Courses+ - they were having a half off sale and I jumped on. Courses on any subject you can imagine. Take good care of yourself.
ReplyDeleteI know you read my blog so don't need to go into detail of what we do in our 'quarantine' period. We are not introverts, persay, but still love the peacefulness and 'downtime' from what would be a normal spring return. Living in the country is wonderful but I'm still nervous about walking the country roads until our 14 days is up. Not for fear of spreading or catching (I never see anyone except in vehicles) but from what others view as 'quarantine'. We have lots to keep us busy.
ReplyDeleteWe stay busy, my husband walks inside and outside a bit now. He does weights also and has a small bike like thing he uses for his legs when it is on the floor and for his arms when he puts it on his desk. I do lots of household boring stuff:)
ReplyDeleteI've been doing a lot of reading.
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