Walks in the woods
Mar. 25th, 2020 08:43 pmThe last couple of days, since lockdown kicked in for everyone in the UK in earnest, when I've walked to the local park for my Daily Exercise, it has smelled so good. Grass and blossoms and woodsmoke. Our bit of London, one block away from the A10 and three from the M25, suddenly smells like the countryside. Overnight, there are so few cars on the road that the air is sweeter. It makes me feel good to breathe it. Like being on holiday. Humanity's lungs are congested, but as our patterns change the world's lungs are clearing.
I took a new route through the woods today. It was absolutely beautiful: bright and sunny and crisp. At the end of our road is a country estate which is being run as a conference centre and public park. It has a gift shop and cafe, both closed now of course. The estate is gorgeous: oak woods with children's climbing frames and swings, duck ponds, geese, wildflower meadows. I veered off the usual path through the woods along the stream to go around the lake under the trees. The ground had dried out since last week and the woods felt clear and spacious without the mud. One of those little emergent paths was visible running around the edge of the woodland lake, what they call a desire path. I had E sleeping in the sling on my chest, and I wandered along the water's edge, blue sky and budding trees mirrored in the clear water, the reflections disrupted occasionally by the passing of water birds. I'm listening to the six part pandemic series on This Podcast Will Kill You, learning about how viruses replicate and their structure and so on. I was walking for an hour while E had their midday nap, taking all the side paths in the woods, and I barely saw anyone.
This rhythm of life is really working for me. I miss socialising in person, and taking E out on trips. But with all the regular commitments of classes and meetings and get-togethers cancelled, there's more time. Leo has total permission to work fewer hours, as everyone understands that it's necessary when you don't have childcare support. We take turns to work during the day - I do feeds and walks and other half hours here and there, Leo does the bits in-between, and we all eat at the table together. So far we're managing around 5-6 hrs work per day total, and the rest is housework and cooking and eating and childcare handover and self-care. In theory we should be able to do 7-8hrs total between us, but we're still settling into it. If we did 4 hrs work a day each for 6 days a week that would be 24 hrs each, which would be a good amount for both of us.
Working part time, spending so much time with E and with each other, daily walks in the woods, cooking good food, making slow but steady progress with our projects - it's all rather lovely. We haven't managed any alone time as a couple since we started staying at home, it's hard without a babysitter. Either we're both tired by the time E finally settles or they wake up every time we try to cuddle without them and need soothing again. But the togetherness as a family is lovely.
My mum has come down with symptoms. We spoke on the phone today but it's hard being so far away. She's started journalling at![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
originotley if you want to say hello.
I took a new route through the woods today. It was absolutely beautiful: bright and sunny and crisp. At the end of our road is a country estate which is being run as a conference centre and public park. It has a gift shop and cafe, both closed now of course. The estate is gorgeous: oak woods with children's climbing frames and swings, duck ponds, geese, wildflower meadows. I veered off the usual path through the woods along the stream to go around the lake under the trees. The ground had dried out since last week and the woods felt clear and spacious without the mud. One of those little emergent paths was visible running around the edge of the woodland lake, what they call a desire path. I had E sleeping in the sling on my chest, and I wandered along the water's edge, blue sky and budding trees mirrored in the clear water, the reflections disrupted occasionally by the passing of water birds. I'm listening to the six part pandemic series on This Podcast Will Kill You, learning about how viruses replicate and their structure and so on. I was walking for an hour while E had their midday nap, taking all the side paths in the woods, and I barely saw anyone.
This rhythm of life is really working for me. I miss socialising in person, and taking E out on trips. But with all the regular commitments of classes and meetings and get-togethers cancelled, there's more time. Leo has total permission to work fewer hours, as everyone understands that it's necessary when you don't have childcare support. We take turns to work during the day - I do feeds and walks and other half hours here and there, Leo does the bits in-between, and we all eat at the table together. So far we're managing around 5-6 hrs work per day total, and the rest is housework and cooking and eating and childcare handover and self-care. In theory we should be able to do 7-8hrs total between us, but we're still settling into it. If we did 4 hrs work a day each for 6 days a week that would be 24 hrs each, which would be a good amount for both of us.
Working part time, spending so much time with E and with each other, daily walks in the woods, cooking good food, making slow but steady progress with our projects - it's all rather lovely. We haven't managed any alone time as a couple since we started staying at home, it's hard without a babysitter. Either we're both tired by the time E finally settles or they wake up every time we try to cuddle without them and need soothing again. But the togetherness as a family is lovely.
My mum has come down with symptoms. We spoke on the phone today but it's hard being so far away. She's started journalling at
originotley if you want to say hello.
