Lockdown two arrived in England on Guy Fawkes Day, as the whole world awaited news of whether Trump or Biden would be residing in the White House. The collective energy felt heavy and a dense early morning fog lurked over London.
The second wave
Sex magic is a thing
Isolation stories: week seven
Remember when the school summer holidays seemed to go on and on forever? Can you believe we’ve already endured seven weeks of lockdown? Seven weeks!!! It came as no surprise to see that some people had started gathering together socially over the bank holiday weekend when it was 25 degrees in London.
In other news, the UK recorded the highest death toll in Europe last Wednesday yet the tabloids focused on the Government’s scientific advisor who broke lockdown to see his lover. Oh and Matt Hancock told Dr Rosena Allin-Khan to watch her tone… there was nothing up with her tone and it sparked outrage across social media.
I was very happy to get my morning routine back on track. I’ve been doing the Five Tibetan Rites (or the fountain of youth as they’re also known), meditating, journalling and facilitating my own Transformational Breath sessions… something I started training in earlier this year which I’m super excited to share once I’m qualified. Watch this space.
I also got back on the yoga mat and joined a “sun flow” class with Becky Hicks, a combination of movement, dance and yoga which I absolutely adored. Moving my body, eyes closed to one of my favourite tunes by Bonobo transported me back to those festival days dressed head to tail in sequins frolicking about on a dance floor (miss you!).
Getting out and about, I cycled to Epping forest and explored Tottenham marshes (which are beautifully overgrown and dreamy for photos) and came across some guys from Forgotten Circus School who were just hanging upside down in trees. Wish that could be my daily exercise!
Keeping creative, I started making a macrame plant hanger (still in the early stages so far) and also put pen to paper to write an actual letter… something I haven’t done properly since the 90s when I exchanged letters with French pen pals and a boy from Devon. Lets see if I get a reply.
On Thursday it was the full flower moon (the last supermoon of 2020) and wow the energy was high… I woke up at 5.30am totally wired and ended up going for a 5km jog in the early morning light. To celebrate, we lit a bonfire in the garden and attempted to harvest some of this Scorpio moon’s energy with a ritual… deciding what to let go of and setting some intentions for the future. According to an article on Vice, you can use your sexual energy (in other words go have an orgasm) for manifestation. Apparently sex magic is a thing, who knew?!
Living with two therapists definitely has it’s advantages and Michelle received an Acupuncture and Tui-Na treatment from Charlie, to get her feeling back on top form. Go check them both out, they perform wonders on people.
Another highlight of the week was receiving a box of Italian organic goodies from Fattoria La Vialla, a beautifully rustic estate where a group of 95 family friends stayed last summer in the Tuscan hills (thanks dad!).
Here’s week seven in photos. Thanks so much for taking the time to read, I’d love to hear how you’re finding lockdown so please do leave a comment below.
Those April showers
Isolation stories: week six
We made it to week six of lockdown and the heavens opened… those April showers finally arrived! As had Boris and Carrie Symonds baby boy.
My week got off to a wobbly start. My morning routine had taken a back burner and I was struggling to get myself out of bed much before 9am. Sometimes 10am!!! Am I the only one?
I spent both Monday and Tuesday morning cosily under the covers editing photos, writing and drinking tea until noon. I absolutely loved being still and listening to the rain fall outside my window though, it transported me right back to my travels in 2017 where I stayed high up in the rainy mountains of Dharamkot, India.
As the week progressed and the rains faded away, I was really fortunate to be commissioned for a photo project by All Points East festival - they’ll be posting a collection of the images I captured around east London on Instagram over the coming days.
I started Charlie Morley’s Embracing the Shadow course which I’ve been meaning to do for over a year, experimented with food photography for my housemate Mike’s new venture and took photos of Michelle’s African sound journey. I also experimented with some self portraits (nude!), because well why not? One of the things I’m really enjoying about lockdown is having time to be creative and try out new things… a macrame kit is on its way!
Eira (the pup) enjoyed life in her new sofa playground (we’d removed the covers to wash) and our neighbours (the heroes who saved her when she escaped last week) were delivered some chocolates by Charlie as a thank you.
Have you seen Normal People yet? I binge watched it over the course of a week and it is so beautifully written and raw, but wow it brought up all sorts of old teenage feelings. I cringed, laughed and cried my eyes out, remembering how confusing it was navigating that first love.
I ended the week getting myself knee deep in nature… one of my favourite things to do. It’s always the best cure!
Here’s week six in photos, thanks for taking the time to read.
The puppy escaped!
Isolation stories: week five
As we entered week five of lockdown, people seemed a bit restless and lockdown fatigue was definitely setting in.
Boris was still nowhere to be seen... did he actually have Coronavirus or was he just hiding away from his responsibilities? Bit like that time he hid in a fridge to avoid the media? Retailers were really suffering and Cath Kidston closed all of its shops, plus loads of Brits were getting pissed!
It was a dreamily warm week, filled with long sunny days. I ventured out on my bike cycling over 40 miles in a week… exploring an eerily quiet central London, taking a peek in Soho and Hyde Park, finally realising where the Royal Albert Hall actually was (after living in London for 15 years!) and even stood at the gates of Buckingham Palace (never been there before either). My bike has been a total lifesaver and lockdown has actually given me an opportunity to discover new places and enjoy London’s roads which are so quiet.
The BIG news in our house was that the puppy escaped! After ten minutes of frantically searching for her, we heard a voice outside shout “we have your dog here, in the end house”. Eira’s first big solo adventure! She didn’t seem phased.
We went for a house jog together one day, relaxed to Michelle’s fully immersive and beautiful online sound journey (she’s doing them every Tuesday at 8pm if you fancy it) and joined a new moon ceremony manifesting all kinds of good stuff.
I took some socially distanced portraits of my pal Laura who has written this beautiful article about living with MS, enjoyed the NHS clap from my mates front stoop and finally finished reading A New Earth which is a book i’m gonna treasure and read over and over.
Week five in pics (click to enlarge the images). Thanks so much for reading.
The age of Aquarius
Isolation stories: week three
As we entered week three and the age of Aquarius, under a pink super moon, Boris was admitted to intensive care with Coronavirus and it felt like the world had gone mad. Was he gonna make it? This was the question on everyone’s lips.
I started jogging. Who hasn’t? Ate three massive bags of salt and vinegar crisps in a week (hence the jogging) and crafted Easter bunny ears for the puppy. I walked barefoot through the park, sat and listened to birdsong amongst the trees, waved at friends through their windows and got ready for an online date… applying makeup for the first time in days, choosing a cool shirt yet wearing jogging bottoms on the bottom, because well he wasn’t gonna see them was he?
At our place we hosted an online fire sound journey in the garden under the full moon, celebrated Easter with a BBQ, indulged in six loaves of tasty free sourdough from my sister and binge watched Unorthodox on Netflix… there’s a scene in a Berlin nightclub where everyone’s dancing, sweating and slithering around skin on skin. Wow I miss that! I miss human touch. How long do we have to wait until we can snog someones face off in a club?
I tried my best to tune out of the news all week and remain positive, but it wasn’t easy, especially when we were all wondering if the prime minister was going to survive (not that I’m a Boris fan fyi, but no one wanted him to die, apart from a few absolute horrors on social media).
I’d actually been holding it all together pretty well, until Good Friday when I was approached by a warden as I was stretching on Hackney Marshes; “we’re asking everyone to keep moving this weekend please” and that was it, a sadness suddenly overwhelmed me. A sadness about not being able to meet up with friends, go out for dinner, to a gig, sit on a picnic table (they’re all covered in police tape) or even stretch in the park.
Although I don't want the world to go back to how it was (something needed to change) and I’m enjoying this slower pace of life, I'm really missing the simple things and the freedoms we once took for granted. Grieving for parts of my old life and missing my pals, yet staying hopeful that something amazing will come out of all this. Plus it’s spring, the blossom is in full bloom and the sun is warm on our faces so it ain’t all bad.
Week three in photos below, thanks so much for looking.
