Keep Calm and Make the Most of It!

Crime Solicitor Lewys Dymond gives us a glance into his life in lock down, and provides some useful tips on things to do to keep ourselves occupied.

 

Not that long ago, if you had offered me the opportunity to work from home for a few weeks, I would have jumped at it. No daily commutes in rush hour traffic and best of all NO FILING, who could refuse??

But after nearly 4 weeks of working from home and depressing news stories, it’s easy to get lost in all the gloom. Whilst it is important that we all stay home to stay safe and help the NHS, I’m sure we all had very different plans for spring. As a hobbyist photographer spring is one of the best times of the year to get out with a camera. I had hoped to be taking a trip to Skomer Island to see the Puffins returning to their nesting sites (there’s a picture from a previous trip below to help brighten your day), enjoying long hikes in the spring sunshine and booking a long overdue holiday to somewhere hot and sunny. Instead, I am in self-isolation.

But don’t lose hope, you don’t have to look too hard to find some good news. Social media is awash with praise (and quite rightly) for Captain Tom Moore and his heroic efforts to raise money for our NHS. Every Thursday at 8pm thousands of us stand on our door steps in support for our NHS workers and people who are not able to go to work in these tough times are volunteering to support those who need help.

And whilst everything is in lock down, professionals such as chefs, hairdressers, musicians and fitness gurus are taking to Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and Instagram like never before to keep us all motivated and educated to help get us through. All you have to do is look and you will find something for you.

In the last 4 weeks, I’ve had a go at cutting my own hair (though granted there wasn’t that much left to begin with), I’ve made a lamb rogan josh with pila rice, monster burger with spicy burger sauce (my favourite so far) and a Chinese take away inspired sesame and honey chicken, all made from scratch and I am already eyeing up a pasta machine for my next culinary experiment. As for exercise, I haven’t done this much running since I left school, I even tried Yoga, only to learn I really can’t bend that way but hey, I tried. If cooking, exercise and self-hair styling isn’t for you, there are countless tutorials covering everything from musical instruments, DIY and even learning a new language.

What I am trying to say, is that whilst we are all stuck indoors, there is so much we can learn and experience, things we never had the time for before but always wanted to try. As hard as it is to stay indoors, it’s vital that we do. So let’s make the most of it. Learn something new and come out of this with something to show off to your friends and family when we can finally meet up again.

Puffin

Keep safe everyone!