It’s day 100 of lockdown and the situation in my tiny flat has gone from happy creative kids and a productive mother to grumpy kids and an uninspired mother.
Since my previous entry lockdown life has become more challenging.
The passing days are a bit of a blur but the constant fighting between siblings and the never ever nagging by the seven-year-old has become a permanent feature.
In order for me to take a day-to-day look at what we actually did this past week I need to check my phone, my camera gallery to be exact, to refresh my memory - oh, and social media because I often vent there.
Of course there are days that nothing particularly eventful happened. Those were most likely the days I was just desperately trying to maintain my sanity.
By just briefly scrolling through my pictures, one thing does stand out.
I did a whole lot of cooking and baking.
Cooking has become my “me-time” activity. I love cooking and I’m pretty good at it (well that’s what my family says). It’s far less complicated than baking.
Baking is a science. People make it look so easy but one crumb of sugar off a recipe measurement and your cake is a flop.
And how is one meant to focus on those tricky measurements when there’s a little person standing on top of you shouting, “I want to help. I want to add the flour. I want crack the eggs!”?
I don’t know how the Instagram moms make it look like so much fun to bake with their kids.
But back to cooking. I now cook with head phones on with Beyonce’s 'Lemonade' album blasting on maximum volume.
Whether I’m frying cheesegrillers or making a pot of stew, my music and earphones have become my best friends.
It’s a great way to put kids on mute. You can see their lips move but can’t hear the nagging. Of it only works until they physically come up to you and start yanking on your clothes.
My blissful cooking moments resulted in a hearty beef and chunky vegetable stew, a lemon and herb roast chicken and, as per my little one’s request, a pot of beans soup.
On the baking side I managed to get out two chocolate brownies, different recipes, and a lemon loaf cake. The lemon cake was the baking highlight.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/day7oflockdown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#day7oflockdown pic.twitter.com/WRQxBtgkKu
— +STAY@HOME+ (@GerryCupido)
My second attempt at making brownies. It really shouldn't be this hard. pic.twitter.com/mETy4egHww
— (GZC) (@GerryCupido) March 31, 2020
Enough about my kitchen escapades though.
So how are my kids coping you might be wondering?
My seven-year-old has has taken a break from her arts and crafts and now into playing dress up. This is something she absolutely loves. Now there’s no restrictions because she’s not leaving the house. Which means she can dress up how ever she wants.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/day8oflockdown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#day8oflockdown
— +STAY@HOME+ (@GerryCupido)
On one day she will go from a hip-hop dancer to Harlequen then pull on a swimming costume and use my bed as a swimming pool.
I don’t mind her playing dress up. It’s very entertaining. But the amount of clothes involved becomes a laundry nightmare. Her wardrobe is a mess as well. Items just get shoved back onto the shelves. Let’s not forget that it’s mommy’s shoes that usually completes the outfits.
At the end of the my work day I have to cross a sea of clothes and shoes to get to my happy place in the kitchen without having a meltdown.
I’m really surprised by how well my 14-year-old daughter has been dealing with the lockdown. Besides the screaming matches with her little sister and occasional normal teenage sulking, she’s actually been okay.
The Teen girl is watching "A Star is Born" for the 53rd time. pic.twitter.com/kJQuE378ie
To those reading this, it probably sounds like thing’s aren’t too bad but like many people out there I too miss my family, I pray that my partner who lives and works in Romania is safe and I miss adult conversation.
I’ve made it over the halfway mark with my sanity still reasonable in tact. One should always be grateful for the little things.