17 weeks ago today I first set up from home to start the Low lockdown experience. I definitely didn’t think on that day the world would still be in this state 119 days later, nor that I would still be writing this diary. I still regularly wonder why I spend so much of my time each day writing this, but here I am yet again. I think it’s perhaps because it is a constant in my life at a time when every else seems so uncertain.
Anyway, enough of the deep thoughts! Today’s exercise regimen hit a new level as I inadvertently completed a mixed up triathlon. All this exercise and fresh Scottish air has me exhausted – I’m even having to write my diary entry earlier just in case I zonk out on the couch.
Grandma produced more presents for the kids today including some lovely socks. E was presented with a pack of 3 Frozen socks which she immediately wanted to wear. What none of us remembered was that M is just as big a fan of the movies and so he insisted on putting the Anna ones on whilst E wore the Elsa ones.
Another busy day meant some tough decisions on what made the top 5 but here we go:
1. For the second day in a row my wife and I have gone out for an early morning couple’s run. It still amazes me that firstly we have both decided that running is something we can do, second that we are doing it at the same time and thirdly that we would drag ourselves up and out with smiles on our faces to get in a run before breakfast. Wonders never cease! I managed to mess up my route completely, especially after my smart watch conked out this morning so I couldn’t check anything on my wrist throughout. Laps of a car park to make sure I made my 5k minimum was not the most scenic run I’ve ever done! On the other hand Steph absolutely smashed her latest C25k and felt great when she finished so definitely she takes home bragging rights today! We returned home to find that E had sat on the toy tractor outside which was soaking wet from the overnight rain and had given a rather unfortunate wet patch on her backside – it made me laugh at least! 🏃♂️
2. So what should a young family do on a cloudy July day in Aberdeen? Go to the beach of course, however a family has never been so clearly split by something as exciting and uplifting as a trip to the seaside. On the one hand we had Daddy and E who love everything about the beach, even the sand between our toes and the freezing cold sea water and on the other we had Steph and M who could think of nothing worse than getting sand between their toes or going anywhere near the sea! Fortunately Daddy and E won out today even after M’s complete breakdown on the promenade (one of the lie down and refuse to move classics). By the end there were sandcastles made and two very wet children despite repeated reminders that we didn’t have any towels or changes of clothes with us. I’m pretty sure E made it half way to Norway at one point. We had so much fun even if E had to travel home in her waterproof jacket and not a lot else! 🏖
3. To complete our triathlon after the run and “open water swim”, we took E out this afternoon for her latest bike session. Today we focused on mastering our starts, learning hill starts and unexpectedly how to handle speed bumps. She absolutely smashed it yet again and Daddy is starting to struggle to keep up. We did had a little blip when a bus appeared (about 300m away) and distracted her so she ploughed straight into a bollard, but no harm done and we got her back on pretty quickly. The running commentary is always amusing especially as she headed towards the very same speed bump which caused such a calamity 48 hours before. She just shouted out “I can do it!” and “I am confident!” and rode over it before continuing to the next and the next. She’s so proud of herself and I suspect even the random passers by were proud of her too given how many high 5s she then got from her Daddy! 🤚
4. On the way home from the beach at lunchtime, M slipped into the land of nod and had a very impressive 3 hour nap. The rest of us had lunch and then E took down one of her reading books to do with Grandma. Now E looked tired but she battled on with quite a bit of help. I was only half paying attention but when they got to the last couple of pages, Grandma definitely seemed to be doing more of the reading. When they finished I looked over and E was flat out on the couch snoring. Perhaps Grandma should confine her stories to bedtime! Just at that moment M arrived, bright eyed and bushy tailed. Clearly it would have been too much to have them both asleep at the same time! That Scottish air has a lot to answer for! 🥱
5. E told me this afternoon, out of the blue, that she had just made a wish. Now, when I asked what it was she immediately told me that she couldn’t tell me as if she did, it wouldn’t come true. The only hint she would give was that it was white. This evening Grandma asked why she couldn’t tell us what her wish was and she was told that Daddy had told her that for wishing flowers to work, the wishes had to stay a secret. After a little bit more discussion I realised she was talking about blowing dandelion seeds. Anyway, she finally let slip that her wish was cold and began with “s”. We’re not sure whether it is snow or skiing but either way it seems unlikely to come true in the middle of summer. Maybe it’s just the fact she’s suffering from withdrawal symptoms given it’s been over 5 days since she’s watched Frozen 2!! 🤫
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