What is self-isolation teaching you?

That I have very little self discipline.......

Patience

I am learning to be more tolerant too.I have had to work on it believe me!
I also have such respect for all the people going to work to keep everything going and for the volunteers who could stay safely at home but instead are out in the community helping the vulnerable.
I am also really appreciating our home and garden.We are usually rushing around and while we keep on top of things it is nice to spend time appreciating what we have and enjoying sitting in the garden appreciating the beauty around us.

Finding that I am fine on my own. Was always out and about
but it is relaxing knowing I don't need to go anywhere and I am alright with that.
I am exercising more and no more coffee and cake with friends in town so maybe eating healthier.
There are positives in every situation.

Nothing so far, life goes on as usual, just doing things through Zoom instead of face to face meetings. It is saving me a fortune in petrol.

That I hate housework and appreciate our cleaner much more!!

That I like to keep busy but I am not very motivated when it comes to making myself busy so I need 'things' in my diary.

That having lived in Developing World countries has given me more resilience that I ever imagined. We’ve lived under forms of lockdown before and know what it’s like to have your freedom curtailed, so this is a bit deja vu for me and I’m grateful for that lesson.

In many ways, although the virus itself is a horrible thing, it’s shown the positives about life. People I know are just keeping on keeping on in the best way they can and are being kind to each other. At the same time, I’m also aware that we are very, very fortunate to be holed up in decent circumstances.

I’ve also learnt that two of my neighbours never use tinned tomatoes!

As I'm not a social animal it doesn't make much difference. Perhaps the fact that we are limited in what we do upsets me a little. But no I haven't learnt any lessons.

How I miss my hairdresser!

It is not teaching me anything except it is reiterating the fact that me, making a short list for every following day is a good thing. It gives me focus every morning, I write down my basic meals and basic jobs or hobby work. It started doing this after my husband died 5 years ago and it gives me a good positive structure to my day. I wake early every day and finish structured things by 2pm when I sit and relax with knitting and radio or reading. I go to bed each day knowing that I have achieved something with my day. Self isolation has been a good test

I was never a twinset and purls woman, meeting others for tea. I am quite happy being on my own

That I'm so glad I live in the countryside in a nice house with a large garden; that was always my priority. I was born on a council estate to a working class family in a large grimy town so it wasn't always that way so I made the right choices and worked hard to get out of it and am now reaping the rewards.

craftyone,I write a list each evening for the following day too.Like you I feel it gives my day structure and the feeling I have achieved something at the end of the day.

1. Working from home is fine 1 or 2 days a week, but I couldn’t do it full time.
2. I need a house based hobby.
3. I really enjoy the company of my friends.
4. I am so grateful I’m healthy and lead a full and independent life that will (all going well) allow me to leave the house once this is over.

1. I can cope with this (I am shielding - week 3 of 12).
2. I am generally in good spirits.
3. The iPad with it’s various communication modes is very useful.
4. I miss having a cleaner and don’t love housework.
5. I would like to have lunch out in a nice country pub with a pretty garden.
6. I may be getting sick of ingenious, homemade vegetable soup for lunch.
7. I am sure I could guzzle a large, sharing bag of crisps, all by myself ...

1. I've learnt that, whilst working from home a couple of days a week is fine, a full week isn't; I really do miss my colleagues more than I thought I would.
2. I work better under pressure. The more time I have, the more I prevaricate and the less I do.
3. I don't like having a pristine, tidy kitchen and house as much as I thought I would. I miss the untidyness of having GC's clutter and toys strewn about and the detritus of children's baking.

It's reminding me of how important it is for people to feel valued for who they are and not what they do. Something I've had to grapple with myself at times of illness in the past.

A lot of the people I know are volunteers who are over 70 and do a myriad of things to help others and now, because of the instruction to stay home, they need to receive instead of give help. It's obvious that some of them are feeling pretty worthless at the moment and I find that very sad - I'm spending a lot of time (that's okay I have plenty ) on the phone trying to counter a lack of self-esteem in people.

oh CB, I wish my kitchen was pristine and tidy it is anything but that, too busy outside working in my new garden. I don`t have time for boring housework.

I've discovered that:
1. one of my neighbours is a total fruitcake.
2. putting off jobs until tomorrow (which I thought was a fault) is a useful skill.
3. the usually invisible neighbour opposite is a neurologist
4. playing/stroking my upstairs neighbour's dog is a mood lifter
5. my hair was never meant to be long
6. DH is even more patient (with me) than I thought was possible

I have learnt that I cannot bake or do DIY successfully, I am sure that 20 years ago I could do both.

I miss driving but always thought I could do without a car.

Most of the above apart from your neighbours obviously.
Plus I'm reminded of how lovely it was when there were far fewer cars on the roads.
That I am not easily bored except by television.
That I miss chocolate.
I agree grannyactivist about having to accept charity and to accept we are now officially old.

I love hanging out washing on the line on a lovely sunny day. I already knew that.

Today as I took OH's shirt off the line I thought "do I need to iron this shirt?". We are self isolating. I'm the only one who will see him wearing a crumpled shirt and I don't mind. I don't think he has ever noticed whether his shirts been ironed. I don't like ironing so an I just give it up until we get out again?

I thought this was lovely.

❤️ Home

'And people stayed at home,
And read books,
And listened,
And they rested,
And did exercises,
And made art and played,
And learned new ways of being,
And stopped and listened
More deeply.
Someone meditated, someone prayed,
Someone met their shadow,
And people began to think differently,
And people healed.
And in the absence of people who
Lived in ignorant ways,
Dangerous, meaningless and heartless,
The earth also began to heal.
And when the danger ended and
People found themselves,
They grieved for the dead,
And made new choices,
And dreamed of new visions,
And created new ways of living,
And completely healed the earth,
Just as they were healed.'

~ Catherine M. O’Meara

The news has far far fewer reports of stabbings, scooter robberies, weekend fights outside pubs and clubs. We have cleaner air, more time to reflect on the way in which we live and how we spend our money and time.
I appreciate all this and doubly appreciate the people who are keeping our services running and make sure to thank those with whom I interact albeit via email or phone.
I recognise that refuse collections have been stopped in some areas, thankfully, ours have not and I make an effort to let them know they are appreciated. Likewise our posties and couriers. When these services stop we get up in arms but sadly don't always appreciate them when things run smoothly.
If one tiny cog is missing, a watch however expensive, will not work. IMO, it's the ants keeping the infrastructure running who are the unsung 'heros', not the CEOs.

I've learned that I probably do too much. I was so concerned when I retired that I'd end up just doing housework, making meals and watching TV - but I seem to have gone too much the other way.

I'm normally busy every day of the week, including looking after grandchildren after school on two days and visiting my Mum on one. I enjoy keeping active but, to some extent, I've enjoyed spending more time at home and not having to rush out for choirs and classes.

However, if it weren't for the current semi-lockdown situation and if everybody else was going out, meeting with friends, going to groups and classes, I would feel I was missing out. It's ridiculous and rather immature but I fear it is true.

I hope I am able to make this worrying time serve some good purpose. Although I can't drive and don't usually travel in a car more than a short distance on a couple of days a week, I am going to make more effort to use public transport, even on longer journeys. I also don't do that much shopping for inessentials but I'm going to try and shop less in future and to choose more carefully the products I buy, with a view to environmental concerns. The photographs of the clear canals in Venice, the deer relaxing on the green of a housing estate in Harold Hill and the wild goats in the town of Llandudno made me think about how much our lives have impinged upon the lives of other animals.

As a person who doesn't at all enjoy talking on the phone, I have forced myself to do so in order to keep in touch with friends and family. I'm finding it's getting easier so I've learned that my usual way of avoiding anything that causes me discomfort (that includes anything computer-related) is defeatist and should be challenged sometimes.

I've learned how important friends are - in fact I already knew that, but I appreciate it more keenly now.