The beauty of having time on your hands

IAM isolating in a house with a garden and two adult children. I have neighbours I can chat to from a safe social distance and thus far everyone I love is doing well. I consider myself to have it really easy and want to acknowledge how extraordinarily difficult, stressful or even tragic this is for others. This is just a reflection on what it is, hopefully, like for most people self-isolating. So far into this period of having more time to do things than I have maybe ever had I have done very few of the things I planned to do when I had time. The hall, stairs and landing are not painted, the office is not tidied and I have not studied an Italian verb a day. I have however, dug the garden, cleaned out under my bed, reorganised the freezer, washed out the cutlery drawer and sorted out craft materials. None of which were even in my mind to do before I did them.

I have also made inroads into the collection of beauty treatments that I always meant to do, when I had time. Coconut oil in hair. Check. Teeth whitening. Check. Thrice weekly exfoliation. Check. Application of cuticle oil. Check. Vaseline and cotton socks in bed foot treatment, check. I really need a farrier to tend to my feet but in these times of social distancing I have to tend to my own hooves.

Given the fact that I am spending almost all of my time in some pyjama/ tracksuit combo with no make-up and my hair air-dried I look worse than ever. However, I am hoping that from this leisurewear chrysalis I will emerge silken-skinned, glossy-haired and delicate- footed. But even if I don’t, doing something for myself every day keeps my spirits up, cleaning or tidying some random thing makes me feel productive. We can do this.