On the countdown to freedom I’m finding the upside in downtime
‘IT’S the virus that will decide when things can open again.’ The words of the director of the American institute of infectious disease, Dr Anthony Fauci summarised how little control we have over our lives these days.
We are humbled in the face of such a powerful disease which is killing thousands of people every day in some countries a short Ryanair flight away from where we sit today.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s announcement on Friday afternoon was greeted with shock. In a time when everything is shocking there is almost comfort in being given any kind of guidance.
It appears we are all on a countdown now. Two and a half weeks and restrictions will be lifted. That is as close to certainty as we can get. In the meantime there are big demands on us all.
Being on my own a lot these days has made me realise the value in doing the simple things. In the rat race that is modern life we can often become the proverbial hamster on the wheel. Like Pavlov’s Dog we respond to societal cues and can find ourselves surrounded by junk. So over the past week I’ve embraced minimalism. The old suits, jackets, jeans and clothes in the wardrobe that no longer fit or that I wouldn’t wear on a month of COVID Sundays have been turfed into a black plastic bag ready to be handed into a charity shop when they reopen.
The poet Blake saw destruction as an opportunity for creation and rebirth. The word crisis in Greek means to separate or sift and that’s what I’ve been doing. As our worlds are upended, we are coming to the realisation that most of us have all we need. From that box of cereal in the back of the press that we’ve been putting off eating because it’s not our favourite, to the fact that our relations are healthy, there is much to remind us that hey our lives aren’t so bad.
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love food so I’ve been pushing the boat out, cooking dishes I only ever sampled in restaurants before.
Another opportunity borne out of the disruption to our lives!
Linguine Vongole was my Saturday night dish of choice. I had it in Rome when The Whirlwind Wonder was a pink cheeked, teething one year old who won the hearts of Italians and tourists in the restaurant that night. Their celebratory, singing smiles still shine bright in my memory.
The meal was one of many I have been experimenting with for when I get to entertain at Casa Looby with the Blonde once this is all over.
Before my days were bullet points of stress: Up at 7, lunch making, school runs, gymnastics, ballet, soccer, swimming, scout runs, in and out of the car like a clown practising to be one of the clown car gang. A friend once spoke to me about the benefits of never rushing. Well that didn’t sink in!
These days I have two options in the morning while the Little Fella and The Whirlwind Wonder have their routine at their Mam’s: lie in and listen to the radio or go for a cycle. I’ve been oscillating between the two depending on energy levels as work is busier than ever.
As with everything it has been thrown into sharp relief and I’m feeling the toll it takes at times. Books, music and household chores are also taking up my time. The garden jungle will keep me busy for the next while.