Any other year, the start of the 6 weeks school summer holidays would bring wailing and gnashing of teeth in the Voisey household.
How, on EARTH, will we juggle working/child care/therapies/and the rest without the respite that school brings?! This year however, we are rather more blasé about it all. We’ve already juggled this lot for 12+ weeks with no care support or respite, 6 weeks is no problem!
Week four of the summer hols and Sam is heartily bored of the sight of us, I’m hunting through Pinterest for inspiration like a woman possessed, and hubby has taken refuge in the loft under the pretext of tidying. Coward.
Usually, I have no problems at all thinking up activities – usually, we’re able to go out on day trips at the weekend, visit family and friends for a few days, and do various crafty things. However. 12 weeks shielding has rather depleted my crafting inspiration, day trips are a rarity and taking a few days holiday isn’t an option (financial/shielding etc).
The lack of his usual routine for so long has caused Sam’s seizures to go completely off the wall, he’s tired all the time and just wants cuddling, stories and on occasion to fall asleep snuggling next to me under a blanket.
Meanwhile, covid restrictions mean that the majority of my uni teaching will be done online next year. Working in pharmacy education however means there are a lot of things that MUST be done in person, in labs. So, in addition to entertaining the Small One, developing teaching materials and occasionally opening the back door for the dog to go out to the loo, I am also sewing face masks like a woman possessed.
I no longer loathe my sewing machine. It is now my best friend and the saviour of my sanity!
Hubs has just briefly appeared to get a coffee and announce that he is going back into the loft as soon as he’s had a drink. It’s very hard work apparently.
Meanwhile, The Lord has had mercy on me and Pinterest has coughed up several rather fabulous craft projects suitable for little persons, using hot glue (my glue gun is another one of my saviours), cardboard boxes and fabric scraps.
Abbots delivered masses of feeding supplies last week so cardboard boxes are plentiful, fabric we can do and the Dude requires storage for his (mountainous) supplies of LEGO… tomorrow is now sorted.
Hands up everyone who can’t wait until September when the kids (hopefully) go back to school?!