The third sequel already. The Trilogy done in one day. Eat your heart out Peter Jackson.

So this is the third instalment in the ‘what has changed over the 6 months of pandemic isolation’ saga. This time it’s what has changed for me. I guess this one is called The Return of the Kermit the Frog King. So what has changed then for me.

  • With Hawklads increasingly pronounced Social and Health related anxieties the last six months have seen a ramping up of the parenting pressures. Fewer breaks, more challenges and yes less support. In the UK small amount of support that has survived the Conservative Funding Cutbacks largely stops when kids hit the teenage years.
  • Have become a home educator. A school facilitator. A Classroom Supplies specialist. Much smirking…. After 6 months I’m still winging it.
  • I’m sleeping less. Much less. Just can’t seem to reset the insomnia cycle.
  • Certainly more isolated in terms of actually meeting people outside our little bubble. In 6 months I’ve seen family members twice, one work colleague (and good friend) maybe three times, neighbours a handful of times, the local shop workers maybe a couple of times a month, the dentist once, one visit from the boilerman, a few health workers and doctors. That’s about it. Oh actually forgot one person. The Postman, the only person I see regularly. I count his fairly frequent waves as my most regular physical contact. Luckily I have lovely online friends.
  • With not meeting too many people I’ve started noticing human life more. I notice dog walkers in the fields, cyclists, passing cars, voices from the street, even planes in the sky. A reminder that a bigger world still exists out there.
  • My conversation skills have never come easy to me. I have to work on and practice them. That’s just not happened for months. Even on most phone calls I can feel myself becoming increasingly wooden.
  • My largely unseen dress sense is becoming increasingly avant-garde.
  • I have lost 6lbs but you wouldn’t notice it. Having to resort to consuming far too much Soya (Soy) which isn’t great for my tummy. No I’m not pregnant.
  • I’ve stopped running and walking and road cycling. Must admit it’s not doing my old contact sport injuries any good. Bits are starting to seize up. So I’m trying to find my inner Yoga. Or as I call it Controlled Falling Over.
  • Work has dried up. This was supposed to be a really busy year. Lots of new jobs and major events. In practice that all was cancelled. Remains cancelled. Some plans have been put in place but really I’m not going to get much work until 2021.
  • I’m more able to fill my day without leaving our little household world. No need to visit shops daily, coffee shops, cinema, visit family or friends. I’m not saying it’s a good thing, but it comes easier to me now.
  • I do tend to overthink things now. Can have days when I do sober too much time internalising stuff. With me that’s not necessarily a good thing. It’s such a short stroll to self doubt and negativity.

Yes things have changed for me. They will continue to change as our personal lockdown is not going to end anytime soon. Potentially months more, maybe much longer. With us being an Aspergers Family that was kind of in place before the pandemic. Maybe many of these changes were already happening before the March lockdown. They have just become more pronounced. Maybe these are longer term changes. Maybe it’s much more than a three episode trilogy. Maybe it’s a permanent feature.

79 thoughts on “The third sequel”

  2. You forgot one thing … you have developed a wider (and more nonsensical) vocabulary. Also, look how far we have come? From balancing on one leg for 1 second to holding the crow and not causing yourself permanent damage! Well I can’t do the crow but I can balance on one leg for longer than a second now. I’m taking that as a win 😁

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  4. Having met Peter Jackson (he moves in the same circle as our daughter’s ex-husband), I believe that a trilogy was a compromise with his backers and he wanted a longer series. And while he might well be envious of how quickly you have drafted your trilogy, he has the ability to create his own reality through the resources of Weta Workshop and Weta Digital.

    The best that the rest of us can do is write the best screenplay we can from the script we have be handed. In this department, you can be very proud of the screenplay you have, and no doubt will continue, to produce.

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  6. Overthinking and too much introspection are mind-killers, and I can’t even balance on one leg! Still, I suppose if I were to try harder it would give me something else to worry about… like bruised knees.

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  9. Don’t think too long range forecast. Weathermen are often wrong. Keep your dad job. (I love how that sounds like keep your day job. 😀) Let God and time work on the rest. Yep, there are changes… and probably more changes coming. This is life. It’s a bit of a mystery, but we can still dream a little. Some of those changes can be good.

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  10. You sound sad, yet accepting of what life is offering right now. I wish I could tell you it will get easier, but I can’t see the future. One thing for sure, you sound strong and are probably stronger than you think! I’m glad you have writing as an outlet. 🙏🏻

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  11. It’s difficult to give up things you love. But it makes it easier when you’re doing it because of someone you love more than life. I get sad too. We all have days when we think “it wasn’t supposed to be like this”, but we keep going and keep looking for that Rainbow Connection, and sometimes we even find it!🌈💃🏼✨
    Having Ben home has been difficult but not the most difficult thing I’ve been through. Stop thinking, it’s bad for you. Trust yourself to do the right thing!! You always do. Even if it seems wrong, it turns out okay. Right? Right!

    I’m good at falling over too. Don’t need to stand on one foot to do it. I just randomly fall over. Gravity is wonky around me.🤷🏼‍♀️😂
    💌💌

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  13. My situation is similar, in some ways to yours, with hubby’s health so compromised we spend a lot of time at home anyway, even before this pandemic. What IS different is that now our children no longer visit much, my son especially as he is so fearful of bringing the virus into our home. It’s harder than it was prior to pandemic life. Having said that, it is also easier in some ways because nobody expects us to visit or socialize, understanding that we simply cannot afford the risk. On the plus side, I get to interact more often with my WordPress community and you all have saved my sanity many times over.

    Hang in there, try not to indulge too much in trying to sort out those things that stubbornly refuse to be sorted. “God grant me the serenity…” and all that. Sending monstrously huge hugs to you and to Hawklad. Praying you receive whatever it is you may need day by day.

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  14. I think we can all relate to your feelings. It is depressing, especially not being able to get a good night’s rest. Being a parent is hard enough without all the extras we are receiving Or not, lately.

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  15. This feels like the only appropriate response for those of us dealing with the spectrum and the pandemic: “I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I”, said Gandalf,”and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”Tolkien

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  16. It is impressive how well you are observing yourself and your situation within the pandemic situation… perhaps part of that overthinking habit. However, it doesn’t sound healthy and I really hope that you are finding a way to get more sleep again. Maybe that would also support your ability to have a more “controlled falling over” 😁

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  18. Increasingly wooden? What does that mean? I don’t know that terminology applied to a person??

    Oh you shouldn’t self doubt or have negativity – but ya know everyone does every so often – again we human lol happens lol … but you shouldn’t … you quite impressive

    Also… ya know the pandemic changed all our lives … shook it up a bit…

    But when you step back and look… I have areas where it’s been a blessing in disguise? Not all areas but some.

    I’ve been learning through all this and I think I’ve become stronger as well?

    Gave me moments to take a breath, and moments of learning, and figuring out what direction I want?

    Just very different – there were some blessings … and I did love for one moment being united with the world… even if was just a moment 🤨🙄

    I wonder how will be when a vaccine comes? Are we going to forget? And what will be different ? Will we go right back to how used to be? 😕 or did this wake us up?

    I dunno. It has been quite the year!! Can not wait to see the year in review lol 😄 that will be one for the books ✌️

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      1. Ooohhh I see… well I’m a talker lol – you have experienced my novels lol… that is in person too 😄

        I do like not talking sometimes, depends on where I am, but in a convo, I am that one who you can have a 2 hour convo with and it’s just going and going and you don’t even realize it.

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      3. Awww 🥰❤️ thank you for saying that… that was really sweet ❤️

        I would totally have you laughing – is it free to call England? Lol

        Thank you for that ❤️ you make me smile 🥰

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      7. Lol… I’m sure you are understandable… I can understand people through sobbing lol… and we have a lot of different nationalities too… I’ll always ask to repeat if have any issues, but I am used to it

        Now you have me curious lol

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      9. I’m pretty sure I could understand your accent without issues…

        The one thing I am not sure of is if I can understand the actual words 😄 your words for things are very different than mine. So that might confuse me and not understand you lol

        But that’s the only thing. I don’t really have issues with accents of any kind. It’s the words lol ✌️😄

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  20. I’m trying to look at this time as a chance to refine my long-sufferingness, if that’s a word. Often we have to endure the wilderness before we experience new light, new direction, new beginnings. This period of isolation (exile?) might be preparing you for big things. Look at how you’ve grown, even in the current stagnation. Yoga is definitely a stretch, lol. You may even be heading toward becoming a master yogi, a nimble and gifted instructor of yoga and life.
    I’m making light of things but I hear you, and feel for your situation…believe in the change. It’s coming. 💕

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