COVID-19 For copying and sharing: A selection of socially distanced HUGS

[Wiebke]

 

[Winniepeg]

Hugs

when this is over and we have a vaccine I am going to hug everyone. I miss hugging people.

Take care people x

Me too could really use a hug right now

 

[Merab]

Some hugs for the spirit

 

[Merab]

More hugs for the spirit

 

[Siikibam]

Could really do with a hug today. Just felt...angry and down in the dumps all day. Apart from when I was making the muffins. I disappointed my girls because I just wanted to do it alone today. It’s not PMS (sorry if tmi). Don’t know why I’m feeling like this. The whole family has just annoyed me today.

I feel like I need some alone time but I’m not likely to get it. Don’t want to cry because really there’s no reason to. We are all healthy etc but I just feel

Let me go look at some nice threads maybe that will help. Or try to figure out if I’ve missed a book in a series I’m listening to.

 

[VickiA]

@Siikibam I am sure many of us get what you are saying. This is the longest time I have ever been at home with my husband and sons. And I think it’s only natural to find it challenging. I know we aren’t finding it plain sailing.

I could also do with a darned good hug today. A lovely, generous and kind spirited soul who supported our rescue left this earth today. Taken far too young. Makes me feel so guilty about feeling hemmed in at the moment, as all she wanted was longer to complete the items on her bucket list.

 

[Siikibam]

I’m so so sorry for your loss @VickiA It’s okay to feel hemmed in. It’s the new ‘norm’ at the moment. I’m sure she wouldn’t have wanted you to feel guilty for yourself feelings either. May she rest in peace. And here’s a big hug from me. We’re a family of huggers

 

[Betsy]

I need to give my best friend (practically my sister) a big hug . She had a massive operation in November and it has had follow up treatment for the last month. She will be safe to see in 10 days but I can't cos of lockdown. I haven't seen her since September. I've spoken to her on the phone and texted her but it's not the same.

 

[VickiA]

I’m so so sorry for your loss @VickiA It’s okay to feel hemmed in. It’s the new ‘norm’ at the moment. I’m sure she wouldn’t have wanted you to feel guilty for yourself feelings either. May she rest in peace. And here’s a big hug from me. We’re a family of huggers ☺
View attachment 140034

Thank you. Here, have a hug right back

 

[Wiebke]

Could really do with a hug today. Just felt...angry and down in the dumps all day. Apart from when I was making the muffins. I disappointed my girls because I just wanted to do it alone today. It’s not PMS (sorry if tmi). Don’t know why I’m feeling like this. The whole family has just annoyed me today.

I feel like I need some alone time but I’m not likely to get it. ☹ Don’t want to cry because really there’s no reason to. We are all healthy etc but I just feel ☹☹☹☹

Let me go look at some nice threads maybe that will help. Or try to figure out if I’ve missed a book in a series I’m listening to.

BIG HUG

Being cooped with your family with no opportunity to get away from each other or from the house for any length of time is very stressful. It gets to all of us, sooner or later.

Make sure that you plan a little special joy or indulgence for yourself for every day (can be an activity or quiet time/meditation, a naughty indulgence, just taking care of your body in a more conscious way and giving yourself some love, building in some 'mummy out-time' every day etc...)
Try to introduce the habit of every member of the family doing or saying something nice to every other family member once a day.
And try to come up with something positive you take from every day when you go to bed.

The first three weeks and the run up to lockdown were full of stress and things were changing so quickly. Now we have adapted; the adrenaline is running out and the hard slog of being stuck has arrived and is hitting very literally home. You are grieving for the life you have lost and all the little and large things you can no longer do or have...

Try Mindfulness or meditation exercises to rebalance yourself every day and pull up strength. They don't just work for people with mental health issues but also when you are feeling stressed or down.

I have started my stair climbing challenge simply to have something little every day I can add to an impressive whole to help me to end this year on a high of some sort and have the satisfaction that I have achieved something memorable. But I have started to add a little fun along the way to prevent it from becoming a slog.
Perhaps you can find something you can build on, little by little every passing day?

Look after yourself and be kind to yourself. You do not have to be superwoman. this is a tough time!

 

[Siikibam]

Thank you @Wiebke I've actually been okay up until today. I guess its the Adrenalin wearing off as you said. It’s hard to have alone time now because I work in the evenings. And on the days I don’t, my husband is also there. So it’s not ‘alone alone’ time I’ll just have to soldier through. I do enjoy my knitting and audiobook at bedtime - 15min sleep timer. But my husband complains about that quite a bit.

And to top it off we’ve got ants starting to come into the house and he doesn’t seem to care. I’m dealing with them as I did last year and the year before. Anyway let me stop ranting.

 

[Betsy]

Nippon liquid ant killer is the only thing that gets rid of ants @Siikibam. I used to have a big ant problem at my old house every Spring. You just need to put a bit on a small piece of foil where they come into the house and keep replacing it as soon as it's been eaten. May take a while depending in how large the nest is but it's the only thing I found that works. Also if you spray antibac around any hard surfaces where they walk and leave it wet that acts as a barrier and they can't go past it. You can get Nippon on line. I got mine from eBay. You need to wear gloves when handling or wash your hands very thoroughly after and obviously tell your children not to go anywhere near it.

 

[Merab]

Lockdown is tough so it’s good to have a place to come where we can find support, friendship and understanding.
We can rant if need be, we can find something to make us smile if that’s what we need.

And, of course, guinea pigs are the best therapy

(sorry - no pics. There seems to be a technical hitch)

 

[Betsy]

(sorry - no pics. There seems to be a technical hitch)

Here's some piccies @Merab's Slave to make you feel better.

The Ever Beautiful Betsy


Hiding Silver Fox Christian.


Cutey Pie Dennis


Shy Little Meg

 

[Siikibam]

@Betsy i sprayed a mix of vinegar and water with washing up liquid on areas where I think they emerge from. And sprayed all the ones I saw mulling around. I woke to no new ones, at least not as bad as yesterday morning. I’ll get some nippon as well though.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you @Wiebke I've actually been okay up until today. I guess its the Adrenalin wearing off as you said. It’s hard to have alone time now because I work in the evenings. And on the days I don’t, my husband is also there. So it’s not ‘alone alone’ time I’ll just have to soldier through. I do enjoy my knitting and audiobook at bedtime - 15min sleep timer. But my husband complains about that quite a bit.

And to top it off we’ve got ants starting to come into the house and he doesn’t seem to care. I’m dealing with them as I did last year and the year before. Anyway let me stop ranting.

Try to negotiate winding down alone time with your husband where each of you gives the other the option to retire away from the family for a set time for breathing space and to do something for themselves. This is even more important when you are already working at different times.

Don't just swallow things; it is important to rant and to let off steam in order to prevent the pressure cooker from either imploding or exploding. I am known to have my own rants whenever I need one to take care of my own long term inner wellbeing.

Please keep in mind that you always pay one way or other - by letting steam off in small controlled bursts, by having a major volcanic eruption or by developing a stress related health problem at the weakest point of your body if you do not deal with it in a constructive way.
It's a lesson I've learned the hard way so I am not feeling guilty or foolish when ranting because my own pot of woes has reached boiling over point, nor do I feel bad when I have to take a step back to reload my own empty batteries.
If you want to take care of others long term, it is important that you take care of yourself first and foremost so you can be there for others in the long term. Simple as!

MORE HUGS

 

[Betsy]

@Betsy i sprayed a mix of vinegar and water with washing up liquid on areas where I think they emerge from. And sprayed all the ones I saw mulling around. I woke to no new ones, at least not as bad as yesterday morning. I’ll get some nippon as well though.

I would cos that way the ants take it back to the nest and the queen gets fed it and dies. Then its the end of the ants nest.

 

[VickiA]

@Siikibam we have an annual problem with ants as our area is built on sandy soil. I use ant traps. They are safe as the small amount of poison is kept inside the traps. The ants are drawn to it, go in and eat some and take it back to the nest, poisoning the nest. I keep one just outside the front and back doors and one in the hallway, where they come in. You can get these on EBay or amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stop-Station-Home-Defence-Stopper/dp/B004P2TZK0

 

[Betsy]

@Siikibam we have an annual problem with ants as our area is built on sandy soil. I use ant traps. They are safe as the small amount of poison is kept inside the traps. The ants are drawn to it, go in and eat some and take it back to the nest, poisoning the nest. I keep one just outside the front and back doors and one in the hallway, where they come in. You can get these on EBay or amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stop-Station-Home-Defence-Stopper/dp/B004P2TZK0

I never found those worked for me. Maybe the ants at my old house were Super Ants!

 

[VickiA]

I never found those worked for me. Maybe the ants at my old house were Super Ants!

I blame the North South Divide.

 

[Siikibam]

I’ll try anything once.

 

[anyar.dris]

This is amazing. This is actually a great idea for those who need a little comfort from someone they love who can't be with. A great souvenir too.

 

[Pigwhisperer]

@Siikibam we have an annual problem with ants as our area is built on sandy soil. I use ant traps. They are safe as the small amount of poison is kept inside the traps. The ants are drawn to it, go in and eat some and take it back to the nest, poisoning the nest. I keep one just outside the front and back doors and one in the hallway, where they come in. You can get these on EBay or amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stop-Station-Home-Defence-Stopper/dp/B004P2TZK0

We get those, I used to put them under the hutch when the pigs were outside cos the ants were horrendous. Weirdly though, cos we are clay soil here in Norfolk, it's all drained marshland!

 

[Pigwhisperer]

I blame the North South Divide.

And this is another weird thing - sorry for the major sidetrack but Norfolk is South?! My kids referred to themselves as Southerners but I grew up near Poole, Dorset ie 5 miles from the English Channel not 150-odd miles away from it...?!