Pandemic Survival

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I’ve escaped to my she-shed. I have The Sound of Music* on my laptop, a glass of Four Pillars Shiraz Gin and tonic to hand, also a (large) packet of sweet potato chips and there are pretty candles inside and out and the city lights twinkling away.

Sometimes a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do to survive unemployment and a house full of men in the Age of Lockdown.

*Yes, tragically I am quoting whole tracts of dialogue and singing all the songs. It’s my own special Isolation Sound of Music Singalong.

How are you surviving the close quarters with your loved ones?

66 thoughts on “Pandemic Survival”

  2. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.

    I don’t have a she-shed but I do have the little ‘studio’ I created for myself in the basement. The view is terrible, but it’s working for me. I can write and do art and lose myself in thought down there … and I’ve been doing a lot of art.

    I’m also getting really creative putting together meals with what I have on hand. I may be disappointed with the state of my Armageddon supplies, but I do have an extraordinary amount of chocolate on hand. I think I’m going to be ok 😉

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  4. I can scarcely BELIEVE I am writing back to a person who not only watches (and presumably for the umpteenth time) “The Sound of Music” but who sings along. Were it not for the fact that you’ve taken once again to that glorious little home away from home, I would not do so !
    “South Pacific”, yes; “7 Brides for 7 Brothers”, definitely; “My Fair Lady” without a doubt. But that ghastly— no, I cannot comment honestly on it, for I have NEVER SEEN IT. YESSSSSSsss ! – I am one of the few people left in the world who can proudly utter that truth !!
    Go easy on the gin: you never know when it’ll become unavailable.
    XO

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  5. Love the she-shed with the night view, and I am so with you as far as SoM and the gin goes, but no other musicals. They do annoy me. They all need a darn good reality check. It sounds like an empty nest is rather appealing hey? But you worry more about the offspring – sometimes.
    I am seven months into the empty nest, although this crisis means the fledglings are hedging their bets on a possible return! Quick – hide the gin!

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  6. I absolutely love The Sound of Music! One of my all-time favorites. I would be singing along with you, Heather, but perhaps not quoting lines. Your evening of music, candles, city lights, chips and adult refreshment looks fabulous. Your view is gorgeous! While so many are complaining about having to social distance, you have found peace, alone in your she-shed. Salute! Stay safe!

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  7. How do you solve a problem like pandemic? At least I think that’s what those nuns in the photo are singing… Oh well, maybe a will-o-the-wisp… Hope you continue to stay well in your lock down.

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  8. My chief indulgence is the blog, I guess 🙂 🙂 I do escape up top sometimes, but if it’s sunny he tends to follow. Raining right now. Where did I put that umbrella? 🙂 Lovely welcoming space you have there, H.

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  9. Cheers. I like the view from the SheShed. There are just two of us. and we’ve had five months of retirement to get used to being together (after 37 years, you’d think we know each other). In other words, she’s in her part of the house, I’m in mine 😉

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  10. Your she shed looks absolutely divine. No boys, you’re drinking gin & tonic and watching Sound of Music by candlelight? Well that is a what heaven looks like, isn’t it?💕

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  11. We’re doing okay here, thanks for asking. Our house has enough rooms and levels that we stay out of each other’s way, meeting for meals and drinks now and then. Oddly this now seems normal.

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    • I’m glad you can find your space. It’s actually school.holidays here now so I guess this is normal since the boys have never really been ones to socialise anyway. They do tend to spend a lot of time in their rooms but I still know they’re there. Mostly because of the smell… 😉

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  12. Lovely view, and whatever cheers you up cheers you up.

    My view is of a beautiful yard/woods near Woodstock NY, with plenty of chipmunks and squirrels and birds, really nice to look at. I have a little area where I stand in front of my computer and walk or dance in place to avoid becoming a completely inert substance, and I can see out of several windows from here.

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  14. I love SoM too and know all the words to all the songs. We did a tour while in Salzburg a few years ago and I was expecting to have a singalong on the way. But I was the only one who seemed to know the words. Why would you do a tour if you don’t know all the words?? My theory is if you don’t know the words you’re not a true SoM-ist. 🙂

    My elder daughter can’t stand the movie and protests vehemently every time it’s on TV, mostly I think because she has a mother and several aunts who are fans. (being contrary is a family trait) So every time it comes on Channel 7 the aunts make a particular point of sending her group messages en masse with photos and videos of the movie, live streaming it straight to her messenger inbox. 🙂 🙂

    Your night time view is beautiful.

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    • How weird to do a tour and not be able to sing the songs. Have you ever been to one of those big singalongs at a theatre where they show the film and everybody joins in? Such a hoot.
      Middle Son messaged me recently that he and his girlfriend were watching SoM (she’s had a severely limited exposure to key films so he’s trying to rectify that) so I sent him photos of him in Salzburg when he was 8. There’s a great one of the.three boys standing on the steps where the kids sing Do Re Mi. 😁

      I love being in the she-shed at night. It’s so cosy and pretty.

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  15. Not a huge change for us – just two of us, retired. The weather is good, the grocery store finally has eggs, though still no toilet paper. We’re already self-sufficient in hobbies, crafts etc. Internet keeps us in touch with family, friends. Miles and miles of streets and park trails to walk in – everyone self-distances, so all is good!

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  16. Your she-shed is magnificent! And what a view! I’d happily join you there any evening for a G&T or a big glass of lovely Barossa Shiraz – virtually of course, wouldn’t want to impose myself on your space – but I will pass on SoM, seen it far too many times and I even remember the ending (not the case in most movies I must add). What I really want to know is did you ever get the outside space landscaped?

    BTW OH and I have been at home together since 2008 when I stopped teaching and he was self-employed working from home. We have clearly delineated areas. I have the upstairs room and the garden and he has his own wing. Bedroom/Office and Music Room. We occasionally meet in the kitchen to make coffee and the lounge in the evening to watch about an hour’s worth of TV as everything seems to be repeats now.

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    • Still no landscaping but hoping it might get done some time in the next month or so as it looks like both the Husband and myself will be unemployed for a while.

      It’s good if you’ve got the room to delineate space. With three boys still living at home that wasn’t an option so a spot up the back of the yard was definitely necessary.

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  17. Things are a tad “tetchy” chez nous – spring fever coupled with imposed isolation and a hubby who binge watches the news and then needs to vent about it… I could use a she-she right about now.

    Instead, I hide away on the blogs and sip at my pinot grigio.

    Cheers, dear. Be well.

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    • Thanks. Mine are past homeschooling stage – one is finishing a Masters in Software Engineering, one is in 3rd year of an Arts degree in Japanese and the youngest is in Year 12 (final year) – but it’s good to share whatever resources we have to share so thank you. Stay safe.

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      • Thanks. I really appreciate your blog and thought your readers seem a nice crowd. I don’t usually share my site as I’m happy with the traffic, but this particular post seems to resonate with parents as it’s very specific ‘what to do’ and I feel for the many families struggling with a tough domestic situation at the moment. You too, stay safe. And keep writing amazing posts! (btw how strange life is.. one of my best friends did a Japanese art degree and is now an animator in Canada. I can’t imagine it’s a very common degree. Good luck to all your kids in what they are doing, anyway!)

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  21. How brilliant you were to create your ‘she shed’ and now to have a sanctuary. We are quite lucky to have only the two of us to trip over each other and quite a bit of space. The ongoing snow falling could let up. That would be helpful to the general mood.

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  22. I created this blog. I thought I needed something to keep me busy and at the same time do something good for the world.
    I don’t know but I really thought it is a good time to look around and try to understand how everyone else is doing too!
    I get to speak to people from all over the world and tell their stories. I am really glad I gave this a go!

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