The good things that happened this year thanks to Covid-19

It has been a strange old year hasn't it? Who could have imagined a year ago how much all our plans for 2020 would change.

Soon we'll be saying goodbye to 2020 and hoping for a much brighter year to come. But while I'm in a reflective mood I thought I'd take a positive look back at some of the things that have happened to me this year thanks to Covid-19. 

Spending more time together as a family

This has to be number one, as it really is the best thing to have come out of this year. Although I admit I do often find it overwhelming having everyone at home, all of the time, it really has been lovely and I think we've all benefited from time spent together. In the summer we went out walking and exploring in the local area and this winter we've been watching films, playing games and reading together.

Exploring new parts of the UK

We had three big holidays booked for 2020, and although we were hoping that at least one of them might be salvaged, in the end we had to accept that it wasn't to be. But we were lucky enough to instead enjoy three lovely holidays in the UK. We spent a week in Westward Ho!, in Hunstanton and in Torquay, each time in self-catered accommodation and in our family bubble. 

Each holiday was a wonderful break. Even though we didn't get out to any of the usual tourist attractions and we mainly went for walks or chilled out in our accommodation it was still fantastic to visit some different parts of the country and spend time exploring and relaxing as a family. 

Making time for new hobbies

I was really pleased to complete a 100 Day Project this spring. Although it was one of my goals for 2020, I honestly don't think I would have done it if I hadn't found myself at home for a long period without any interruptions. At a time when my anxiety levels were super high it really helped me to set aside half an hour or so each day to play around with paints.

Spending time in the garden

We spent so much time in the garden this year, far more than we would have normally. Working on the vegetable patch, sitting on a garden chair with a cup of tea and watching Mia playing, having discovered a new found love for our swing set. We enjoyed eating pizzas from our pizza oven, regular barbecues, and we spent time outdoors with friends and family when it was allowed. On the few hot evenings in August which coincided with the Perseid meteor shower we lay out on a blow up mattress and gazed up at the stars.

Decorating and improving the house

When it became obvious that Ram was going to be working from home for the foreseeable future we made the decision to turn one of our upstairs rooms into an office. We bought the desk almost as soon as the first lockdown started, but it wasn't until later in the year that we gave the room a proper clear out and decorated it. The bright pink walls that we inherited from the former owner were replaced by a calming cream and white colour scheme and it's now a pleasant and relaxing place for him to work. At the same time we also decorated our dining room, replacing dark red with the same cream, and it has really opened up the room and made the whole of the downstairs much brighter.

We evaluated the storage in some of the bedrooms and found it lacking, so we bought new drawer units from Ikea which have made a big difference to the tidiness level of the rooms.

Watching theatre from home

I was so excited to have tickets for Hamilton in July, having only started listening to the musical at the beginning of the year. Of course that didn't happen, but my disappointment was somewhat assuaged by the fact that I can now watch the original cast perform on Disney + as often as I like. Over the summer I watched several plays streamed by the National Theatre, including Small Island, Frankenstein and Coriolanus, which I enjoyed very much. 

No more supermarket trips

We used to do a weekly big shop as well as several top up shops during the week. No more! Now we have a regular Tesco delivery, we are organised with what we buy, and when we rarely run out of something we pop to the local Co-op in the village. I've only been to the supermarket when I've needed things that can't be bought online, like school uniform and shoes over the summer that needed to be tried on or at least held up against a child. 

Lots of time reading

I have always used the library fairly regularly, but since the summer I've been in the routine of visiting our local library most weeks. I'm loving the fact that I can reserve books for free, and when it has been open I've been stocking up on big piles of books to keep me going through the weeks when it has had to close for browsing. This year I've read an enormous amount of books, and I want to keep that going. 

No illness

Luckily none of us have tested positive for Covid. However Ram was very ill in late February with all the Covid symptoms, and both children had symptoms when their school closed in March, with Mia having been sat next to a suspected case. 

I always seem to be ill with a bad cold at Christmas and I never get the full enjoyment from our Christmas dinner and assorted snacks. However I can't even remember the last time I had a cold - I think it may well have been Christmas last year - and although the children both caught a bit of a sniffle when they went back to school in September I have been illness free all year.

I'd love to hear about the positive things that have come out of this year for you!