These uncertain times

I have so much to write and say. But words fail me.

Post-Lockdown UK, reaching a new height of daily new cases.

Anxiety reaching a new height as well.

I have to fight to still be able to take few steps, one little step at the time. Plan ahead for tomorrow, and focus on what you can do, what is on your power to do.

One step at the time. Live one day at the time.

Southampton Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group

How are things in your city during this pandemic?

My city , Southampton, has changed so much. Barely recognisable. Streets are more empty. High street is virtually closed. People are in lock down.

This pandemic has showed me the worse and the best people have to offer. 

The worse, just a quick view at the general policies that many governments enacted, UK included, showed how lack of preparedness has devastating consequences. Tragic, deadly consequences.

It has also showed me the best, how a concerted effort with one single selfless purpose in mind can accomplish so much. I joined a group, Southampton covid-19 Mutual Aid group. Yes, besides sewing scrubs I am also helping with other requests....

This group started with one single purpose , how can we provide help to people who are self-isolating? At the time, and this group was created over two months ago, it was clear the the government would not be doing much, and that the local government would be lacking resources to provide help to its most vulnerable citizens. And  one single person, by creating this Facebook group, was able to gather more like minded individuals wanting to help, and alongside its army of  growing numbers of volunteers more efforts were raised.  What is really important, is recognising the concept behind it, 'mutual aid'. If as a group we understand that this pandemic does not affect everyone equally - there are some people who are more vulnerable, most importantly the way that we offer support will reflect this. However, it also understands that if we are helping today, we, the members and volunteers of this group, might need help in the future. Therefore this group is about building networks based in deep trust  that will support our communities during this crisis  -  and who knows, maybe even after it!   

Altogether, our group of volunteers were able to create an isolation hotline 07923353365, that is open daily from 8am-8pm. Organically organised, our mutual help group  works daily  and continues to help so many people in Southampton. Volunteers working together apart, by using Facebook groups and WhatsApp, are able to coordinate callers that need help with either prescription pick ups, shopping, dog walking  or just by calling and keeping a lonely person some company over the phone... Our power to help did increase, as we are also able to provide financially struggling people with food boxes. Our hotline volunteers are able to generate food vouchers that are later presented at the local food banks and our caller will receive a food box that will provide them food for one week. And once the food banks are closed (they close by 15h), we have  emergency packages, again generated by the generosity of our volunteers that regularly collect food to later distribute among the people who need it.

And through this group, and working side by side with so many wonderful people  I did recover some hope in the future. The selflessness, the generosity, the kindness of every single individual that is working within this group does not cease to impress me. I am so proud of what we accomplished together, and really glad to see this kindness and the momentum it creates. This is only possible with team work functioning. How do we work?

We have coordinators that manage a pool of volunteers, that are organised by Southampton's council wards:

All this wards have their own Whats App managed by a local coordinator, that posts the request that the hotline receives. This hotline volunteer will answer a call, a text or even whats App message, and annotates the caller's general information  and what he needs help with. This generates a request, that is received by the local Whats App group coordinators. For instances, the coordinator for Harefield ward,  receives a request,  that Mr. S needs a prescription pick up from Lloyd's. This coordinator posts on Harefield Whats App group ' help needed for a prescription pick up from Lloyds'. Within minutes, a volunteer offers to help,  further information is provided privately  to this volunteer, that collects the prescription and delivers it to the caller. Our deliveries follow  guidelines, so each group has a delivery protocol to make the drops of medicines and shopping safely. No volunteer will ever enter the caller's premises, and we are working closely with Southampton City Council, as So:Linked to assure that both caller's and volunteers have the best help available in hand. 

Today the main Facebook group has over 6200 members, the group also has 79 local coordinators and around 300  volunteers actioning requests. Since the group started, we have completed over 2200 requests. That means over 2200 acts of generosity, kindness and selfless care, from strangers, to help strangers. 

This helped me through this very weird and anxious time. Witnessing that so many people are still out there, caring and helping the next one made realise kindness is still very present in our world today. It made me relax and be a little bit less anxious. Just a little bit. 

Find out more here: Southampton Covid19 Mutual Aid Group  

If you would like to contribute you can do so via the Open Collective: SCMAG

NHS: For the love of scrubs

I haven't touched my sewing machine for such a long time now. For so many reasons, but the main one being... no time at all. My priorities however changed a bit lately, as the works shifted abruptly and dramatically with this pandemic.  I have to do a little to help out. And so, my sewing machine left its catacombs and I joined several Facebook groups as a volunteer, For the love of scrubs and a local one, #teamscrubbers.  Have to say there really is an army sewing non-stop to help our struggling NHS. To say  their needs is dire is not enough. As a volunteer I receive daily requests to make more scrubs.

Many years have been since I last sewed! I didn't even remember how to thread it! 

But slowly that knowledge resurfaced, I fed the machine with beautiful green thread and here we go... Firstly, lets try to understand the pattern. The main group luckily had free patterns, and I contacted several companies to print out patterns to distribute along our members. I have to acknowledge the generosity and the help that so many companies are providing our volunteers, by contacting companies by email I was able to source over 10 large prints of the pattern that were distributed to our seamstresses!

So cutting is a large and time consuming bit of the sewing process. Luckily for my next batch of scrubs I wont bee needing to cut, as once again companies aided and a local company laser cut the fabric so I will only have to stitch the pieces together.

Fist step, zigzag so that the fabric doesn't frail... After re-read both tutorial and pattern again.

Stitch pockets... Iron a lot!

Making the neckline was my favourite bit. I had the chance to try out edge stitching. The learning curve process never stops.

And a new way to use my never ended Happy Easter embroidery! I know, it has been so long since I started. And yes, for a crafter-wannabe I never got the chance to make my own pin cushions... Maybe in a few years...

The neckline is a complicated process, we have to stitch, turn cut some nudges, flat iron...

.. and edge stitch.

Edge stitching... Have to say the photos of this post were taken... over 2 weeks! It took me over two weeks to make three sets of scrubs. This next photo was taken a couple days later, still night sewing...

This is my first garment. Really proud of it, even it has so many... many flaws, but mostly because I challenged myself to try out new things and finished it!

I wanted to add a little piece of my flair to the scrub, hoping that whoever receives it knows that it was made from my love of our NHS. And one first of many  mistakes, I stitched the label on the wrong side of the scrub:

And then hemming the sleeves... And that's almost one first top done.

And then the trousers....

I cannot stress how long it took me to make these stets. I do mean how time consuming this process was for me...  It appears easily on photos but the turning and the running around looking for the right pieces when the cutting is done can't be caught on photos... Nor the time staring at the machine thinking... is this the right side??

One piece of advice, kids chalk work wonders to identify both front and back sides... 

Line the trousers, and yes, the back side has a chalk legend as well... Also, coffee... Lots of coffee was consumed alongside the stitching.

Merging the trousers together is not easy at all.... Particularly if you are deciding to use the wrong side to do it.....

And here are three pairs ready to be stitched together.

And again my heart label.

Almost done. just needing to make some buttonholes to thread the cotton thread. 

My buttonholes are terrible looking. I trained before making these, and I cannot stress how an improvement was made. Still these are looking quite terrible!

And the end result. Three sets of scrubs waiting for a NHS staff member to use them. Just pressing to finish these and send them out!

Everyone deals with this pandemic and lock-down differently. I feel that the little I can do is use whatever skills I have to help out, this case by attempting to make scrubs. It does calm down my anxiety, and keeps those unhelpful thoughts away. 

What about you, how are you dealing with this situation?

Focusing on a new simple homelife with a lurking pandemia outside

Today I will be sharing how we have been dealing with covid19 pandemia and our forced lockdown, but also some activities that I have been having with the kids. This is not only for their enjoyment, but also for my self care. My anxiety has been reaching new levels, and focusing on my family, the kids entertainment has helping me cope a little with it. Everything is quite different, and our plans for Easter have changed dramatically. 

This week would be the first day of our Easter break. This will definitely be a very different Easter. My parents already cancelled their journey, as travelling is still very much prohibited. The kids are more aware that 'germs' and 'virus' are  changing our way of living and our future plans. We most probably wont be going anywhere this Summer. Well, its a wait and see what the Future stores.

Skype and video calls are even more frequent. And we are finding calling everyone that we use to see on a daily base... as we are now we are even video calling little friends from school! This was really nice for the big kid to still be in touch with his best friend. Our school has been quite brilliant with online tools, and making sure that big kid would be connected with work, teachers and friends. We start our morning signing into Dojo and reading what were the teachers work suggestions. We would also see the messages from all staff at school! And every time we posted what we were doing there were always nice and encouraging comments from all the teachers. It was different, and many times big kid asked why  simply not going to school? And then I had to re-explain again about the very dangerous germ that is still outside... And that all the children were now learning at home.

This is quite different, I find myself leaving different scenarios at the same time. The news are simple disastrous, and I often find myself despairing at the lack of preparedness of UK government. And yes, this is so very unhelpful for my mental well being. Don't even get me starting talking about twitter. That's another new level of despair - and I am forcing myself to stay away from there. However, visiting my go-to blogs has been quite relaxing. Its a new found serenity, where everyone is living and showing how they are easily coping with this lock down... Almost feels that this lock down is normal... These are never ending sources for ideas to play with the kids, and enjoy a new found family centred life.

Coping with this weird scenarios is the most difficult thing I had to face until today. Its not only about me, but also about my family. Its about balancing my anxiety, and how I have reached a new heightened stress level, but still having to manage this so that my kids don't get so affected by it. That they don't see it. 

Lets once again refocus. What can I control? What can I manage? 

A basic and simple answer: Our home life... and entertaining and playing with both kidos. We have been  doing a lot of activities in the garden whilst British weather allows it. And... some activities that we have been enjoying:

....Bubbles is a must in the sunshine!

 In these last couple of days playing with bubbles is a favourite pass time for the kids in the garden. And is so helpful as they just run after the bubbles burning a bit of their never ending energy!

Chasing bubbles and blasting bubbles. I would never guess that they would never grow tired of this!

So simple, soap water and this leads to hours of chasing and laughs and screams in the gardens.

Shadow drawing 

This was a play suggestion I got from a local Facebook group. I will be quite honest though, I was enjoying it more than the kids. After a couple of dinosaurs and elephants and the kids grow tired of it.

 ....And birthday parties!
No, we don't have to leave the house, nor have guests. Our little friend the pinguin is turning 1 and we definitely had to celebrate! This is not an outdoor activity, but kept us busy for the whole day. We made decorations, we baked.
We had fun!

I hope I inspired you for some activities!

...How are you coping?

xx

How is the world today?

I don't know if it's just me, or if anybody else feels the same, but it has been difficult for me to keep up with all these crazy world, and how.... Its so very difficult to express... Again I find myself  drowning in fear.

I know that some thoughts result from my anxiety, but its also more than that.

I feel that this world is drowning in chaos and pandemonium. Getting  sense that disregard for your fellow humans near and far is at large. 

I am feeling so scared for the future. For my two little kids future. Years ago, when these little two were far thoughts in my mind I was hopeful for the world. When both were born we were so very happy. So very, very happy and confidant about the world and  their future. 

The past two years slowly eroded my confidence away. And of lately with the latest coronavirus news  and the way that the way these pandemic is progressing,  as the actions that any government and the humanity in general are taking is snipping my last thread of confidence and hope.

I have nowhere to look to find some shred of light.   I am trying to keep my feet grounded and concentrate on the laughs my children share with me. At the same time these same laughs are hurtful because I am afraid that they will be stolen away.  That a virus might stroke too near and embodied  someone we love. And then these scary news that are still far away are right by our door. 

Some scary news are already by our door. They have yet to be perceived by these two little guys, or so we think, but it just takes a few steps into our supermarket to feel that something is different. Mummy why are there so many empty shelves?

Our attention to how well our hands are cleaned. How often we are cleaning them.

Our attention to the way we cough.

Mummy what are you thinking?

My thoughts again are drowning me.

My fear again is rampaging. At the same time I know I have to keep sanity around us and not show any panic. This is starting to be more difficult to me.

I feel that I can't stretch my sanity much further.

I am following with dread the dramatic stories of what is happening in Italy. And now, with yesterday's press conference from our current prime minister I am far from reassured. I am scared as many people that surround me keep saying the same: 'be calm'. And I want to scream 'I am calm'! Do not misinterpret me, to be scared is quite  different from not being calm. I am calm, I am also very afraid. And that is because I profoundly distrust current governments. The beginning of the speech that I listened yesterday  said 'loved ones will be removed from us too soon'. This was quite revealing. Many of us will be gone,  will not survive this disease. I am quite aware of that. Tragic numbers today in Italy show over 1000 deaths. News that many health workers in Italy past away were also quite real revealing the dramatic situation existing in hospitals caring for the current over 10000 sick people. This is  the fight that will soon reach us. And I don't think we are ready. Far from it. The speech yesterday revealed a government that gave up containing Covid-19 and is already embracing a tragedy that I believe that we could fight. The unfairness that the vulnerable ones are who will suffer more enrages me. It shows a very callous government that is counting their demise. What enrages me more is the fact that this could still be avoidable. 

I am surprised that when facing this horrid scenario I am still calm. Yes, I do hope that we all keep calm with this impending struggle. Be serene, be kind. I hope that we can serenely face this together and overcome this pandemic. Maybe that will bring me some hope in the future.