Working From Home Herald - Issue 26

 

The new first day

So, as you might have gathered from the last couple of issues, I was a tad excited to have the pubs open again. There is just something about drinking in a pub garden with the sun shining and having a draught pint rather than a can.

My Dad was equally excited, if not more so. My mum had actually reported that over the last few months she had to peel his face away from the pub window at points when he has walked past.
Having had the week off, we agreed to meet on Wednesday lunch time to have our first drink. I thought this was perfectly reasonable but soon learned that on the Monday they opened my Dad was one of the first customers at my local pub, having conjured some spurious reason as to why he needed to go to Sainsburys as soon as the snow had stopped!

Still Wednesday came and the drink was every bit as good as we had anticipated. I have a great relationship with my Dad but he is a very, old fashioned and stoic man with little to say at the best of times. Our true bonding comes from when we have a drink together, not so much the alcohol but the environment and atmosphere. It is something I cherish and I know he does. Not being able to do enjoy those moments with each other is something that has really affected him and I have missed.

Still, as good as the drink was, there was no disguising the fact that it was the start of April. We didn’t quite have the snow that we had on Monday, but it was still cold. Next time I went I wore skins to ensure I was warm!!

 

I’ve only been twice and have been fairly sensible both times but something else I have noticed is that a new phenomenon occurred. Just like the first day of school where social media is saturated with pictures of kids on their first day back at school, last week saw the same but people posting images of their first day back in the pub. Not sure I will put it in the family album but here’s mine.

Distinguished or Geeky - I’ll take either

I’ve always prided myself on my eyesight. I am not sure why, but ever since a young age when the optician used to ask me to read out all the letters on the board and I could read the bottom line perfectly and I was praised heavily as a result, I felt a measure of pride when it came to my sight. I think looking back it was the first real test/exam scenario you encounter as a child.

Every year since, I have felt the same degree of pride as I have proudly announced the bottom line with no difficulty whatsoever. My Mum and Dad wear glasses and so does my sister and so I always felt grateful I didn’t. It was ludicrous really, no one has any say over their sight, it is not something I have achieved and if anything, wearing glasses has actually become more fashionable and popular than not. There are many that wear them even though you don’t have to. 

The Home Office have always been fantastic regarding eye tests. Quite often I forget they will reimburse you for the test or provide a voucher, but this year I was prompted and gratefully arranged a voucher as my eyes were aching a little.

I trundled along, pleased to be visiting somewhere different and experiencing what new and magical equipment that had been invented since last time (there is always a new bit of technology). I also have a personal struggle/inner battle not to get the giggles when the optician comes in really close to look at the back of your eyes.

Once again, I proudly reeled off the bottom line multiple times only this time uttered the words, “Let me try something,” followed by a new lens being inserted in the glasses I wore and then the comment, “Clearer with or without.” I had to admit it was clearer with the lens.

Fast forward ten minutes and I was selecting a pair of glasses for the first time. Being me, I was rubbish when it came to style and making a decision as to what pair of glasses suited me and so resorted to asking everyone in the shop, both the workers and customers for their opinion and conducting an X-factor type vote. 

Which ultimately led me to receiving a new pair of glasses a week later. I was still unsure whether or not I actually needed glasses until I put them on for the first time when I sat at the laptop. It was like a veil had been lifted and I did not know what good eye sight was until I had been missing it. The screen was clear and the words crisp and precise. 

Don’t get me wrong, there are teething problems - the glasses are just for reading and so if I look up, everything is blurred and I get bouts of nausea but apparently everyone experiences this with a new pair of glasses. But as things stand, the novelty of wearing them has not worn off, so I am spending longer on my screen then normal - which will probably result in me writing a future column about too much screen time!

Communities are great.

My mum turned 70 on Tuesday. She is one of the most sociable and active people I know, always helping others and providing entertainment. Like many of us who have had big birthdays or have had loved ones who were supposed to have big birthdays/celebrations, the lockdowns have prevented what would have been a huge party to celebrate. 

My mum has played this down but I know it bothered her. Still, we were fortunate enough that restrictions have lifted enough that we could visit her. 

As it happened she has a fantastic day with a steady stream of visitors and phone calls throughout the day. The great thing about my Mum is that she doesn’t really know how much she is appreciated by others, but at 6:30pm on Tuesday she got an idea. 

One of the neighbours text me and asked what time we were likely to be round there and what would be the best time for her to visit Mum. I said 6:30 and thought this meant that at 6:30pm they would come into the garden and we would leave.

However, at 6:30 there was a knock on the side gate and I was asked to fetch mum and bring her outside where over 35 of the neighbours all stood outside their houses (around 12 houses) and sang happy birthday (imagine the clapping for the NHS and you get the idea). One by one, they all presented cards, presents and flowers to my very tearful mother and truly made her day. They have done a lot for each other over the past year but this was a truly special moment which highlights just how fantastic communities can be. 

Such a good week off!

Despite what the impression the latest columns might give, it has not all been about drinking recently! Last week I had a week off and I have to say it was amazing. It was so nice to go to places as a family and see new things. 

We went to several places throughout the week including the excellent Colchester Zoo where the reduced crowds and unscheduled feeding times meant you got to enjoy the animals in ways you perhaps wouldn’t normally. The boys loved it, although Toby wasn’t the most sentimental, laughing at the animals and then after ten seconds declaring, “next” and wanting to see the next one. 

It was Em’s birthday on the 11th and mine this Sunday so as a joint present my Mum purchased a membership to the National Trust. This allowed us to visit Chartwell House - the home of Winston Churchill. The grounds are simply amazing with lakes, hills, woodland, stunning views, black swans and wild rabbits. We took the dog and spent three hours walking him to the point he collapsed and went  to sleep for the rest of the day and night as soon as he got in - pity it didn’t have the same effect on the boys.