March Round Up

This month didn't start out as much different to any other. Coronavirus was there in the memos from work and on the news, but it seemed like those preparations and suggestions were so distant. Then I got ill-- just a virus. Then we had to quarantine "as a precaution", then the country started to quite quickly move towards shutdown as we watched from our social media accounts and heard about the weird feeling in the air from those still at work.

Self-isolation and social-distancing are now in our vocabulary forevermore. They were never words I had used before this month, now we're all living it. That first week before the actual lockdown' on Monday 23rd was tough. There were moments of anxiety and panic and sadness. The gym still being open was a reminder of life continuing whilst I was stuck, ill, at home not able to have my release. Then it closed and it seemed like the final 'normal' parts of my day-to-day were being taken from me. 

But now, on the 31st as I write, the feeling is one of acceptance and gratitude for the little things and the existing luxuries that were probably taken for granted a bit before. Work is a blessing as I have become an education 'help desk', answering queries from students, marveling at their resilience as pieces of work come in hourly. Of course it is a case of seeing life before with slightly rose-tinted specs: day to day life was mundane and hugely stressful, and the students weren't always on top form. But it was my 'normal'. 

Thinking forward too far isn't a wise move, but I suspect going back to any form of a day-to-day workplace scenario will feel like a huge adjustment. Even after only a few weeks away, it feels that way. I will sample the oddness later this week when I do my time at work, supporting key-workers' children. That will be interesting, and a welcome day-trip out at this point (even if tainted by the nervousness of catching this thing).

March has been a month to never forget-- one for the history books. The theme of 'Shades of Green' for my photography project was very easy to do seeing as I embraced nature even more than I thought I had done before. 

April's theme (in line with it being Spring/ Easter) will be: Shades of Yellow!

A Photo a Day 2020 #91

Lockdown: Day 8

I have started to document the 'Lockdown' period of this year, so you will start to see some of this 'series' across the coming weeks and months. This was taken on a walk yesterday. You can see the Fareham Council Offices building that I photographed previously, before this all happened. It feels so much more emotive a landmark now that I can't really walk into that area. It used to be my regular Saturday routine to take a nice stroll into town, maybe get something to eat (a 'hot' Nandos always went down well!) and mooch about the shops. Now it leaves a tinge of sadness that I am so far away from this idyllic picture. Nevertheless, I am enjoying my daily walk out where there are not many people, and of course, looking forward to one day when I can frolic into Fareham and enjoy being part of the crowd again.

A Photo a Day 2020 #90

Vaccine

This was hidden in the long grass on our walk today. At least we know Sainburys are still there for all of our boozing needs. Litterbugs.

Makeup Monday #3 Natural Brows

Today's post is about creating natural looking eyebrows with minimal product. Brow shapes and styles come and go (remember the pencil-thin, over-plucked 90s look that left some of us with minimal brows for years following?) I am going to talk about two products that give my moderate-volume eyebrows a natural, 'polished' look. These tips could work for most people who do not want extreme-looking eyebrows:

A Photo a Day 2020 #89

Maintenance

More of a graphic style today (or Photoshop 101 as professionals may call it!)

I'm trying to take my vitamins to give my immune system the best chance of fighting any nasty virus that may come my way. I took a photo on my phone (I'm lazy and my phone camera is pretty good) of this green bottle. But the outcome was not as stylised as I had hoped for despite capturing the sun from behind the transparent bottle.

So I Warholed it. Why not?!

A Photo a Day 2020 #88

Tree Shadows

This was taken a few days ago on a walk into the countryside. 

A Photo a day 2020 #87

New Blooms

I clocked these beauties on my evening walk.

A Photo a Day 2020 #86

Together

We went for at walk out into the countryside today. I video-called my family and a friend. What an odd juxtaposition of science and nature. This is most definitely a weird moment in history, full of horrors and blessings alike.

This photo was taken on my phone and I like it because I look quite tall! I also like it because I am beside someone that I care about a lot.

A Photo a Day 2020 #85

Escape

A photo taken on a lovely walk out into the countryside. No-one was around, the sun was starting to set and it felt freeing to be in such an open space. So lucky.

A Photo a Day 2020 #84

Underpass

A little bit of urban photography today to contrast with all of the nature shots. Taken locally on a walk into the countryside.