Day 13 isolation

Well, one day to go in this journey of mine. I was talking to Tarryn in Australia today, when I checked my countdown and got a picture of it at 1 day, 1 hour, 1 minute and 1 second to go.

Two weeks have passed really quickly and I have kept very busy. There are still so many things I want to do.

I really think that I overcame this challenge the minute I stepped into my room after the airport two weeks ago. I decided that it would be a good experience and I would make the most of it. Once I had dealt with my emotions and made a decision the rest was simple.

Obviously my support system at home has been incredible and made the journey so much easier. So good in fact I would do it for another two weeks!

I come out of my room tomorrow at 12pm and still intend to keep a distance from my family for another week, but I’ll still be able to go outside and keep looking in the fridge to find something to eat , like the rest of you are apparently doing. 😘

Day 10 isolation

So just like that 10 days have gone past.

Most of the time gets taken up by work. I’m full time on a really big project and the day is filled with meetings, mails, spreadsheets and calls. I’m very grateful to have work and to be busy and productive each day.

Each day I have also managed to achieve my

Steps

Squats

Check in with family and friends

Contacting someone I haven’t for a while

Abundance journey

Mindfulness 21 day challenge

Yoga

Blog

And studying

I also get to chat to my family and get window visits. I even got some sun on my face today. 

The family here supplies me with boiling water, 3 great meals a day, snacks and smiles. I have Netflix and the internet, I pretty much have everything I need. I haven’t even had time to read or listen to a book or get around to sorting photos.

My joy jar is getting full, there are so many things to be grateful for and so many wonderful people in my life.

To those that said they wouldn’t cope with this, I completely disagree.

Think about it, I’m so blessed. I’m thinking of extending my isolation period, well, maybe once I’ve had some sun and a swim in my pool 😜

Day 7 isolation

Well today is the halfway mark.

It’s Kayleigh’s birthday and we had a Houseparty chat with most of the Dawsonbunch. That was great! It was lovely having everyone together.

Cleanup time and moved my bed to the centre of the room to make an easier walking track. Exercise is very important to me so I make time for it.

Lunch was served and then assignment time. I worked until 5 and then relaxed did some exercise.

I decided to eat dinner on my improvised yoga mat 😀 and then watched series until bedtime.

Day 6 isolation

Got a lie-in this morning for the first time in ages.

It made the day go way too quickly.

I spent too long on social media and have to limit that to an hour or two for my sanity.

I know we need info but too much is draining. Also spent ages going through the online grocery page to order some things. Hope I don’t make another mistake and order 1 box of 24 packets of licorice allsorts instead of 1 packet 😜

At 2pm we had a tea party set up, we were to wear hats and there was wine. Jenny had my favourite wine glass set up for me, I had coffee at the party. It was lovely to see the faces and expressions rather than just a typed message. Good to catch up and be there for each other. This will become a regular practice.

I made some post-it notes to keep myself on track, so far I have been very good at doing the things I set out to do. The tv hasn’t gone on until after 7pm any of the days so far.

One of my 134 goals this year was to contact 20 friends that I hadn’t for a while and I’m getting that done.

Day 5 isolation

Today was a really busy work day. I had 9 meetings so that pretty much took up the whole day.

Got awful news that my work hero passed away today. Craig was my manager for many years and the absolute best boss around. He taught me a lot about people and how to deal with work politics. He always called me Tash and gave me the opportunity to start the Testing Services department with him. So sad to hear and glad I kept in contact with him. A true gentleman.

Getting my steps done was a challenge and I’m glad Discovery have reduced the points for everyone from tomorrow. I’m sleeping well. Yesterday according to my Pillow app, I slept for 8 hours at 80%.

Appreciating the beauty around me and so grateful for my family.

As part of a 21 day abundance session I am doing, today’s task was to write down 50 names of people alive or dead who have influenced your life and spend some time thinking about them. That was such an easy and lovely exercise, I stopped at about 60 names and Craig was certainly one of the names on the list. I got a call from today Linda and that was great. It is my friend Megan’s birthday so that was special and a call from John in Spain. All people on my list. I’m sure you appeared on it too.

It’s strange not to hear any planes flying around.

A glass of wine and some binge watching to round off Friday.

Day 4 self isolation

Work day was longer than usual today so I didn’t exercise.

Today I took a suntanning break for a few minutes when the sun came through the bathroom window.

I managed to order some groceries at Checkers online and they have been fantastic. They called to confirm delivery and arrived at 7pm, unpacked at the gate and then got back in their vehicle and waited while Kiara brought the goods inside. She sanitized and unpacked. A big shout out to Checkers for this service.

No Facebook during the day and I don’t switch my tv on until much later in the evening and am appreciating that break to just relax, have 1 glass of wine and not worry. I liked the advice that Elan from Sleekgeek suggested earlier this month - only one hour allocated to worrying or else it gets overwhelming.

Day 3 of self isolation

Well I have gotten into a routine already. I get up open curtains and then get dressed, even though it would be easy to stay in pj’s all day. I start work after my first coffee. Kiara or Devin bring the kettle to outside my room where I leave the flask unopened so that they can pour water in without touching anything. After they leave I collect it from the outside table.

My dressing table is now my work area and it just feels more professional to work at a makeshift desk and not sprawled across my bed.

Work starts and it’s standup meetings for the first hour and a half. I try to have a coffee break with a 15 minute teams meeting with a work friend everyday, but we don’t always manage between meetings.

Today after work I felt like I needed to exercise so while Devin was doing his routine on the grass I did mine in my room.

2 days of isolation done

I have been isolated in my bedroom and bathroom for 2 full days now, here are some things I want to share.

• It’s very challenging being in a small space but I know entire families live in less space than I have now
• I’m very grateful for my big windows so I don’t feel totally isolated
• I can get visits from my amazing family outside my window and that is the greatest treasure
• Tarryn figured out how to have 4 of us on a Whatsapp call so that’s great
• It’s great to be able to do a full days work from my room
• I have to make time for breaks; it’s easy to switch on my laptop first thing and then stay working until the end of the day
• I have to make my 10 000 steps interesting 
• Washing dishes in the bathroom is something I haven’t had to do
• I try to limit worrying about the situation but it’s difficult 
• I have a fabulous group of friends and we have creative ideas to keep busy
• I appreciate technology more than ever

Getting home from Russia

I was very happy to be safely back on South African soil on Sunday morning.  I decided I would self isolate for 14 days. Got home and went straight into my room through the side entrance of the house. The kids had made my room so perfect. They cleaned it and made it my haven for the next 14 days.

Kiara moved a small fridge into the room, fresh milk, juice, overnight oats in jars. Candles and a lighter, cutlery and crockery, a big snack box filled with goodies, my favourite mug, books including one called ‘Behind closed doors’ which a Kiara thought was very funny!

Food is delivered to outside my door and once they have walked away I open to collect.

My brother made a whole lot of delicious food while I was away and that’s been wonderful. Nanna makes me lunch everyday too, so Im very well looked after.

I had an assignment to do for Unisa so got stuck in and

Christmas decorations

I love Christmas and decorations make me happy.

I have several that are very significant and the photo decorations are probably the most special to me. I first found silver frame holders when I was in America in 2001 and bought a whole lot at the new year sales. I can’t believe that was 19 years ago.

The one with Richards photo has top position on the tree and then it’s free for all. 

Not every one gets on the tree every year and some people have waited longer than others 🤔 Devin sneakily moves the Arsenal one I made for him higher than my Manchester United one and the way we are playing at the moment, that might be appropriate.

I have decorations from all over the world. Santorini and Venice with Linda, Brugge , Amsterdam Sydney with Tarryn and Luke. I got a Harrods ball from Tarryn, Claire from Wales, Angi from America, the Bookclub ladies always spoil me with beautiful decorations from their travels and I have a handmade treasure from the kids in nursery school.

Some are just pretty and some are special, a bit like the people in my life.

Richard’s 60th

Richard’s 60th

On this day that would have been Richards 60th birthday, some of this school friends asked for photos and I got my collection out. The photos of him all live in one box. For years I could not bring myself to look at a photo of him, so I sorted them and put them all in a box. I decided yesterday to take digital photos of these printed shots in case they deteriorated or got damaged. So many stories were re-awakened by these photos. Here are a few.

This is my favourite photo of Richard and it depicts his personality so well. I remember taking this photo so many years ago. I love seeing the disc he wore around his neck that I gave to him. I still have it

These two show the others loves he had, animals were always part of our

And then one more reminding me how much he loved the telephone. He loved people from all walks of life and loved talking to everyone. Being in the sun and around our swimming pool was another favourite pastime. He loved using the Weber and we still have one the same patio over 20 years later.

How I study

The study journey for me started three years ago. I had been out of school for 35 years when I decide to start my first degree. I knew that I was interested in psychology so that was an easy choice for my first major. Communication seemed a logical choice for me and then I decided that I liked the sound of criminology. I registered with Unisa to do distance learning for the first semester of 2018 and I have never looked back. I love planning out the year with assignment due dates and exam dates and my year planner helps so much with this. I use post it notes in my bathroom window with all my assignments on them and I move them to the other window when I’m done with them. I love the visual aspect of seeing progress and this motivates me.

I buy lovely note books, cheap but lovely for each module and then get all my guides and tutorial letters that are so efficiently delivered soon after registration. My textbooks are kept in the same place, so I have no excuse. I have a huge plastic tub that has beautiful gel highlighters, post it notes, markers and pens.

I like my workplace to be comfortable, so I usually go on to YouTube and search ‘music to study to’, alpha wave music. I have everything I need in arms reach, a big jug of water, my stationery, and then, I set my phone timer for 40- minute sessions. I don’t do more than this without a swim, a walk-about or some other distraction. I draw crazy pictures when making notes and employ techniques that I have recently discovered called memory palaces. So far this has worked fine for me.

My 2020 list of goals

So this is my third list of around 101 goals that are meant to be completed in 1001 days.
I hope to finish these a lot sooner.

1		100 blog posts for 2020
2		48 hours no technology
3		arrange my photos
4		attend a barista course
5		attend a wine course
6		attend another cooking class
7		back up all photos onto dvd and external drive
8		be able to have a conversation in Spanish
9		be in a floatation chamber
10		blog once a month for 6 months
11		botanical gardens in Stellenbosch
12		cape town aquarium
13		complete 10 scrapping unfinished projects
14		complete a one line a day journal
15		complete my coaching certification
16		complete the Neuro Linguistic programming course
17		complete the parkrun alphabet challenge
18		Continue Sunday family lunch
19		create 2 more photo books
20		detox form sugar addiction
21		do a Camino/walking tour
22		Do Jocks trail
23		do the Fresh start challenge
24		Do the Gorky Park parkrun
25		do the tunnel tour in cape town
26		Document “A Day In My Life” in photos.
27		drink green tea once a day
28		drink Vodka in Café Pushkin in Moscow
29		Drop off something to eat at the police station
30		earn my volunteer shirt
31		eat at a Michelin restaurant
32		eat at chefs table
33		Eat at de strandloper in Langebaan
34		eat at Fermier
35		Eat at Marble courtesy of Bethuel and Corne
36		eat at mosaic
37		eat at rockets
38		eat at the Fat Duck
39		eat Vegan for a week
40		Explore the Winelands on the Franschhoek Wine Tram
41		fill my joy jar again
42		finish my degree
43		finish the Zanzibar photobook
44		fly to East London for parkrun
45		fly to George airport for parkrun
46		get a coach
47		get all my bingo times on parkrun
48		get another tattoo
49		get my credit card into credit by year end
50		get my cv up to date
51		get my international tourist badge
52		get my time under 45 minutes for 5 kms
53		get my windgat cap 100 different parkruns
54		get to level 5 in all areas in Spanish
55		get to my next weight loss goal
56		Go on a hike
57		go on a silent retreat
58		go on a spiritual retreat
59		Go to Neetlingshof
60		go to the Franshoek chocolate factory
61		gym once a week for muscle strength
62		have 3 couples over for dinner
63		Have a board game evening
64		have a sanctuary in the garden
65		high tea at mount nelson
66		host/attend a cocktail party
67		Keep a “My Day in Six Words” journal for a month
68		keep my emails under 200
69		know all the European capitals and flags
70		learn new things every month this year at our Fabulousness group
71		learn to remember peoples names
72		listen to Bennie Lewis Ted talk
73		make 10 things from Pinterest
74		make 3 new friends
75		make a Bali photo book
76		make a deck under the tree
77		make all my 900 vitality points weekly
78		mentor someone at work
79		no alcohol in January
80		overnight train trip
81		parkrun in Swaziland
82		pick 5 countries and try a meal from each
83		play a game of croquet
84		read 5 of the books on Susan Frances' EQ reference list
85		read moonwalking with Einstein Joshua Foer
86		read the magnetic memory Anthony Metiver
87		research and practice memory palaces Joshua fore
88		road trip with friends
89		run another training course
90		Rust en Vrede for lunch
91		see Linda once a month
92		send a message to each Facebook friend
93		Send flowers anonymously to someone who needs cheering up
94		shower in a waterfall
95		sort out all my clothes
96		sort out my scrapping room
97		sort out old photos with Dolores
98		speed reading course
99		spend a night at the palace
100		spend a night in the desert
101		spend time with Devin
102		spend time with Kiara
103		Start a compost heap
104		stay at Enjo farm
105		swim at the gym once a week
106		swim with dolphins
107		Take Nanna for a massage regularly
108		Tea garden called birdcage
109		The spice route in Franschoek
110		touch my toes
111		try 10 new wines
112		try Anki
113		use my stamps in scrapping
114		visit 3 new wine farms
115		visit a new country
116		Visit a psychic
117		visit a reiki healer
118		visit Asmara estate for a meal
119		visit Cairns
120		Visit Cancun
121		visit Clarens again
122		visit New York
123		visit Old Trafford again
124		visit Russia
125		visit Scotland
126		visit Swaziland again
127		visit Tangalooma
128		visit Tarryn and Luke
129		visit Turkey
130		Visit Victoria Falls
131		wake up an hour earlier every day
132		watch all the family DVD's