Today I have been painting ALL day, well from 10am to 4.30pm – I’m exhausted!
The Livingroom is now finished, which includes the ceiling 🙂
I have also put primer / undercoat on some of the doors in preparation to start putting gloss on them. Plus, glossed most of the wood in the hallway!
I didn’t realise how tiring painting is.
Honey has managed to get gloss paint on her ear, tail and foot -I guess, as she walks by.
This evening with the Quaker Meeting House Christmas Gathering (on Zoom) – these are the folk I work with – well used to work with before lockdown began back in March! But I forgot to take a photo to include here – sorry 🙁
Lockdown Restrictions Corner
Today there has been publications on how the four nations across the UK suggest we spend Christmas. Here is the latest:
Scotland
https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-festive-period
“The safest way to celebrate Christmas this year is to celebrate with your own household in your own home – and as far as possible to keep any interaction with other households to a minimum. This is by far the safest way to spend this Christmas and keep your loved ones safe”.
If you decide to form a Christmas Bubble this updated guidance asks you to:
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- Minimise number of people in your Bubble – 3 households is the legal maximum, but recommended is 2 households up to 8 people (aged 12 years +). The smaller the bubble the better.
- Minimise time spent in bubble (especially indoors) – 5 day window is NOT a recommended time. Recommend not to meet for more than one day and do not stay overnight unless its unavoidable.
- Minimise travel – Minimise the distance you travel. Avoid travel between high prevalence and low prevalence areas – which includes travelling to and from Scotland. Plus Tier 3 areas in England. And Tier 4 Levels in Scotland.
- Avoid pub, restaurant or entertainment venue – do not go to these in your Christmas Bubble – for example cinema or theatre.
- No Christmas Bubble – if don’t form a Christmas Bubble you must follow the rules in the local authority area you live in.
- Hogmanay and New Year – Christmas Bubbles do not apply for Hogmanay and New Year.
England
“Think very carefully about the risks of meeting up with others and only doing so if you feel you absolutely need to. For many, this will mean that it isn’t possible to celebrate Christmas in the way you normally would”.
If you choose to form a bubble:
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- Stop all immediate contact at least 5 days before – you should stop unnecessary social contact outside your immediate household as soon as possible and for at least five days before you meet other households in your bubble.
- Small bubble – you should keep your bubble as small as possible.
- Only ONE bubble – you can only be in one Christmas Bubble.
- Bubble stays the same – you cannot change your Christmas Bubble.
- Travel – if necessary, you can travel between tiers and UK nations for the purposes of meeting your Christmas Bubble.
- Where to meet – you can only meet your Christmas Bubble in private homes or in your garden, places of worship, or public outdoor spaces.
- People outside Bubble – you can only meet people who are not in your Christmas Bubble outside your home according to the rules in the tier you are meeting in.
- ONLY Christmas Bubble – do not meet socially with friends and family that you do not live with in your home or garden unless they are part of your Christmas Bubble.
Wales
Nothing on Wales Government website (yet) about Christmas Bubble.
But Sky News reports that Wales is suggesting only TWO Households for Christmas Bubble and from 28th December Wales will be going into a new lockdown (Level 4 – tightest restrictions). This will initially last for 3 weeks.
Northern Ireland
Nothing new on government website – https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-regulations-guidance-restrictions-christmas
Face-Mask Corner
Over the last two days of Face-Mask Corner we have seen Christmas face-masks from Hannah (Day 266) and Leah (Day 267). So I thought, as we count down to Christmas, I would include some Christmas Face-Masks – if nothing else you could use them as Stocking Fillers!
Today we have Marks & Spencer’s Christmas Face-Masks. This is a pack of 3 for £9.50
The description that goes with these face-masks is:
“Raise a chuckle with these reusable and washable Christmas face coverings. Made from pure 2-ply cotton with a 200 thread count, they’re breathable and soft against the skin. Complete with an antibacterial finish which lasts for up to 40 washes. Elastic ear loops with adjustable toggles help you find the best fit.”
Music Christmas Corner
Like many new Christmas songs, this one is also very relevant to 2020 and Covid-19, although for some could be seen a little more controversial. But it is very topical for today’s blog as its message warns of the dangers of meeting up for traditional Christmas gatherings !!
So today we have Stay Away This Christmas, by Rudolph’s Leap.
As I come to the end of this blog, I am so so tired! I haven’t been sleeping well in my bed, it is definitely to do with not having the feeling of water below me! It’s hard to explain, not because the boat is moving, but more to do with the energy below me!
I am amazed to say, but I am also missing the fun of the wood burner!! The challenge of getting the right temperature (or not) is pretty much the highlight of my evening 😉
I am starting to feel that I am making progress with the painting. Tomorrow, I hope to get the spare room painted and then over the weekend my bedroom. Then I will just have the glossing to do, which hopefully I can do between Christmas and New Year!
I must admit, I am getting tired of all the lockdown protections, restrictions and regulations!! They change so often, that I am forgetting where we are at!! Does anyone else feel the same? I was watching something on BBC News last night about the restrictions need to change behaviour to be affected, when really I think everyone is so tired of all the changes and what is going on, that most people are just doing what they want!!
Our restrictions in Edinburgh (or “protections”) have been in place since the end of September and for me that seems to be “normal”. When things change, it will be interesting to see if I change my behaviour or just continue as if I am in Level 3!
I am planning on forming a Christmas Bubble with my mum down in the New Forest, which will be nice! If I was in Edinburgh over that period I would just be painting!! I have hardly seen anyone, IRL for most of lockdown, so won’t be any different avoiding contact with people leading up to forming the Christmas Bubble.
Hope you are having a fun week.
Jim x