Reasons to be Cheerful

Brie

I managed to change the bed and get the bottom sheet in the wash and it's now out on the line.

The air smells like spring is almost here so I managed to clear some planters so the spring bulbs are at least visible. 

Mini irises are out in full and daffs are just a couple of sunny days away.

OH is out of the house on a speed awareness course so I can do what I want. (hoping he learns something about how to drive...)

I am likely to be made redundant in the next couple of months and have clocked that another company are looking to hire someone with an almost identical job description.

I discovered a silk scarf that I forgot I had.

I think I'm going to pop out and buy myself some cookies!!

pollyanna_26

My childhood nickname was Pollyanna. I always had my head in a book they were my reason to be cheerful in grey post war times. I decided to be Pollyanna and play the glad game . Find positives in negatives and I must have been a pretty unbearble at times trying to get every one to do the same.

The last couple of years I've found it difficult to play the glad game at times. I had to follow the news for all the updates my youngest in her 30s now is ECV and our Dr phoned to tell her to stay indoors a while before the news really broke. She moved in with her boyfriend she'd have missed him and the two rescue cats.

So we've had a strange couple of years following the guidance from Chris Whitty snd feeling angry and frustrated when the powers that be ignored him .

We stuck to commonsense . I visited her every few weeks tracking in my diary those visits stuck to hands , face, space space. and spent most of the time alone.

I had four children and this was never a quiet home. I found I could hear the clock on the wall ticking. So I started to find at least one good thing in the day however small and Pollyanna is back finding a lot more good things.

This is a lovely idea for a thread Jackie. Did youfinish the Helen Forrester books?

pollyanna_26

One of my reasons to be cheerful is our very good Hackney taxi firm. I no longer drive but over the years had wonderful drivers who took us shopping. to dds never ending hospital . clinics and 2 weekly Drs appts and anywhere we needed to be even long distances away.

They also work for our hospital and in the last two years I sometimes had to contact another firm some of the drivers were great some not so in a Pandemic.

Thankfuklly the good firm started a system for regular users and I could always access a cab. Those drivers like me are still masked. I am too when out or in a cab and the times I see youngest we still take great care.

The hackney drivers because they work with the hospital were double jabbed before we were and I always feel safe with them.

pollyx

London_1

pollyanna,

                     yes the next one of hers I have on the cabinet by my bed is 'Lime Street at 2.00pm', looking forard to reading it 
Sun is still shining although the sky is a wee bit clouded at the moment but still dry and not too cold 

JackieO xx

YorksLass

A pot of mini daffodils on my kitchen window sill that are starting to flower and cheer me up when I make my first cuppa of the day.

Watching the blue tits hopping about in the willow tree outside the kitchen while I drink said cuppa.

A beautiful sunny day; yes, it's a bit breezy and chilly but I was well wrapped up when I walked to the CS to drop off some unwanted fabric.  A brisk walk there and back, about 45 mins in all.  Well, brisk for me - erring more towards tortoise speed rather than greyhound but at least I can get there and back!

A lovely smell in the kitchen coming from a big pan of hm celery & bacon soup that will do us for a few lunches.

A warm and cosy bed to get into tonight.

wort

I am off work for a few days!

I have had a walk wrapped warmly in the sun and blue sky
My Scilla and primulas are flowering and lots of other bulbs pushing through.
my house is tidy
I have seen a friend for a catch up.
I have a nice piece of cake left for after tea, and tonight I will be safe and warm in my home.

thriftwizard

My rhubarb's up! A good 6" tall now & looking splendidly sturdy & glossy. I suspect I'll need to throw a clear plastic box over it for a few nights every now & then so it doesn't get frost-burnt, but spring is definitely springing down here near the South Coast! 

And DD2 unearthed a lovely crop of unsuspected Desirées from the container she was emptying earlier; baked potatoes all round tomorrow with leftover curry from last night. I don't remember planting any in there at any point, and I thought I'd cleared them all out in the autumn - and eaten them! - but anyway, there they are. Yum!

Paspatur

I work for a dance charity and have been at work today

We run various dance classes for kids, teenagers and adults and also for kids, teenagers and adults with special needs and/or debilitating conditions
We could see the mental health deteriorating in all groups when Zoom classes were the only option due to Covid
Now we are back in the studio it is an absolute delight to see the joy on their faces now that they can dance freely again
For some this is their only social interaction and you can see their spirit lifting to have it back

Being part of improving other peoples mental health is also good for my mental health after wfh a large part of the the last 2 years

The enthusiasm (and noise) of 20 people (aged up to late 80's) doing tap dance on a real dance floor wearing tap shoes compared to doing it at home with restricted space mostly without tap shoes brought a happy tear to my eye

And the special needs dancers (who have been among the most affected by restrictions and the most confused by them) are bouncing back to their usual delightful selves

So lots of cheerful dancers make me very cheerful

If you are fed up, just dance!

I love my post retirement job xxxx

pollyanna_26

Something we really missed the last two years were the Snowdrops Walks we used to do. Snowdrops as far as the eye could see not far from here. We used to look forward them in a darke dreary winter.

A few weeks ago I came across Winter Walks on BBC2 also on Iplayer.

I watched the Yorkshire Shepherdess on a long walk through lovely countryside. And it was lovely to see something normal.

Someone on the Garden Fence MrsCD mentioned the Winter Walks and I said I'd loved them. Floss then gave info on other virtual visits;

I've had a nasty Kidney infedtion in the last couple of weeks but have travelled many parts of Britain and taken a lot of Snowdrop Walks.

Mine is just a freeview TV probably 14 years old but it's flat screen , not huge and works. I wont replace it until I may have to. It's taken me on days out recently  free apart from the TV Licence.

You'll need another hanky for LIme Street at Two Jackie.

monna is thinking of conducting tea and coffee events in her shower room! I did say you'd probably organise a coach to get us to the IOW.

pollyx

pollyanna_26

Paspatur said:

I work for a dance charity and have been at work today

We run various dance classes for kids, teenagers and adults and also for kids, teenagers and adults with special needs and/or debilitating conditions
We could see the mental health deteriorating in all groups when Zoom classes were the only option due to Covid
Now we are back in the studio it is an absolute delight to see the joy on their faces now that they can dance freely again
For some this is their only social interaction and you can see their spirit lifting to have it back

Being part of improving other peoples mental health is also good for my mental health after wfh a large part of the the last 2 years

The enthusiasm (and noise) of 20 people (aged up to late 80's) doing tap dance on a real dance floor wearing tap shoes compared to doing it at home with restricted space mostly without tap shoes brought a happy tear to my eye

And the special needs dancers (who have been among the most affected by restrictions and the most confused by them) are bouncing back to their usual delightful selves

So lots of cheerful dancers make me very cheerful

If you are fed up, just dance!

I love my post retirement job xxxx

There is going to be some terrible fallout when and if all this is over. So many no longer getting the support or able to access the things that brought them joy. My dd3 had a friend with Downs who struggled daily but put the music on and she'd be dancing away with a big smile on her face.

Her only social interaction was visiting us. They moved away many years ago but I always wonder what became of her.I've been a carer for my youngest for 36 years and know how hard it can be. People like you help lift that burden and open up the world a bit for those struggling through life.

pollyx