Work from home diaries – week 2
Week two, work from home, was another short week on the calendar but certainly did not feel like it. My concept of going out mid-morning for a brief walk and a coffee didn’t quite get across the starting line this week. Thankfully, I was out earlier and walking for about half an hour. Some days, this week, lunch was closer to 4.00pm although by the time Friday came, coffee and a walk was definitely in demand at 1.15pm and that’s what was done.
The office space has not progressed to any tidier. If anything, it has gotten worse due to the disclosure and trial preparation I am undertaking on a file. Usually, I have ABC Classics playing in the background, keeping me company but due to school holidays, there were some very noisy days of plastic wheels on child’s toys running up and down pavers and across a grate – truly special accompaniment to the day, however, thankfully it did not last too long. Having said this, patience levels do get tested. School returns during week three work from home so I am looking forward to quiet time through to about 3.30pm as the neighbours who have children appear to be essential works. Insert sigh of relief….for now.
Hopefully in week three work from home, the desk we ordered recently, will arrive and I can pick up some of the mess off the floor and work in a more constructive manner. I have the printer on my camping table at the moment – beats being on the floor and the impact to one’s hip that such movement causes. The days are just as challenging as in the office and I am fortunate that I do not feel the need to turn my computer on earlier than about 7.30am when it warms up whilst I shower, ready for action at about 7.45, running through to evening.
During week two work from home, I have expanded my repertoire of chores. I managed to put on some washing, and hang it out on the same day, brining it back in the next day, and getting some meat out of the freezer ready for the resident cook to prepare for dinner. Let’s see what week three brings in the progress stakes. It’s funny how you resort to those chores, e.g. cleaning the toilet, to deal with the file you are doing the disclosure and trial preparation on – it was quite therapeutic. I suspect there might be some very clean toilets in the home while I continue to work from home.
The week itself has been okay. I remain intrigued with human’s interpretation of social distancing and I note the increased security and surveillance at Woolworths and Coles, with obligatory hand sanitiser (yuck) as you are counted in and counted out. I remain intrigued that the staff will scan you purchases but not put them in your bag. I should shop at Aldi if this is going to be the future…I remain intrigued that we can have many in a car but one person only on a motor bike, you can go play golf but I cannot go to the pistol range where we practice social distancing ordinarily or camping where social distancing is also practiced because you go there to avoid as many others as physically possible.
This weekend, along with not doing a lot, downloading a few more books that I do not need, reading some historical fiction, and enjoying the time, I manage to finish a sewing project I started in January – and relocating the sewing machine to the dining table. I also found out that the vaccuum cleaner works after cleaning up my mess. Next stop, get out the pattern for a Georgian/Regency coat for the man of the house, in the hope that it will enjoy an outing at Picnic at Pemberley in September. I also hear the beautiful sound of thunder rolling around and teasing joined by the gorgeous smell of rain on the earth. These are blessings I love at the best of times.
So, week two of work from home has drawn to a close. I have a rhythm and a system. I hope to observe the morning break much more so in week three and to have a proper workspace sorted by the end of the week. Week two has been fairly kind but I am also intrigued at the regularity that you find yourself heading to the office – about once or twice a week. We have some lovely new furniture after we went shopping for a desk but came home with a mattress and lounge. The space has been changed and the energy lifted. It will raise further when I can remove the extensive amount of lever arch files from the bedroom which has been re-purposed as an office but until then, the salt lamp works its magic and keeps the bogeyman at bay. Here’s to week three.
