One Daily Positive - Week 13 Covid-19 and travel to the UK

I spent my last few days in Dubai sorting the furniture and our personal belongings out into 3 piles. What's staying in Dubai, moving to the UK and being disposed of/donated.

It's been a harder job done in a short space of time, due to the uncertainty of when I'll next be allowed back in Dubai. At the moment it is closed to everyone, my next flight  27th April till 27th May has been cancelled.

Peter will be out in Dubai until I can get back or he can leave to visit me. We have a wedding to attend in June, which has now been cancelled, we're not disappointed, we understand the seriousness of this virus, we just have plan a, b, c waiting to be implemented.

If I'm honest I'd rather have stayed in Dubai, where I'm at less risk of catching the virus, but my MIL has been house and pet sitting for the past 3 weeks, she is 82 and would rather be isolated in her own home. Also our eldest child is in care in the UK, she's not at risk physically, but requires 24/7 care and if the staff levels drop, then so does her care and there's always a slim chance I might need to have her home.

There's not much difference to my usual week, being in isolation. I guess I'm more likely to catch the virus from the travel and being back in the UK than I was in Dubai. I don't miss the going out, I miss the ability to just spend a couple of hours out walking Bob, I'm still walking him once a day, but varying the route and making them shorter in case we have to go into full lockdown at some point.

I've had more contact with friends this week than usual, because I'm back in the UK where I can access voice over internet, such as Skype, facebook and whatsapp calling.

82 Sunday More arranging and sorting ready for our move in May, however we will just extend the rental contract here for a few more months if necessary. Emirates have cancelled all flights and the border will close on Wednesday. Was called in for another blood test as white blood cell count had shot through the roof again.

To top it all off, we had more rain and some localised flooding.

83 Monday As above, all done. Did a food shop for Peter before I leave, as check in was open and my flight is still scheduled. Finished organising the house. WBC back inside the normal range, no idea why it went so high.

84 Tuesday Flight to Heathrow, the last British Airways flight out of Dubai. Both Dubai and Heathrow T5 were empty. I was collected by friend due to my time of arrival and stayed at her house over night, we maintained a safe distance. Who knows when we'll see one another again?

85 Wednesday A lift to Watford then 3 trains and a short walk home. MIL had left by the time I got back and had left milk in the fridge, after unpacking I took my shopping trolley to Lidl and stocked up on fresh fruit, vegetables and meat. The toilet overflow is broken so I had a go at fixing it, it'll do for now but the downstairs loo is now out of action until I can get a plumber in or purchase a new ball valve. My oldest twitter buddy to the rescue.

86 Thursday The weather was glorious so I spent the day in the garden after taking Bob out for a walk. I then cleaned out and tidied both the sheds, borrowed the neighbours mower and cut the lawn, reclaiming back the patio and a path. Dug out all the Ivy growing over from next doors garden that had caused my fence to collapse back in December.

87 Friday Another day spent in the garden, more digging, weeding and tidying up. I have 4 large concrete pots I'd like to move, but even if I empty them of the soil, I still won't be able to shift them. Managed to move them just enough to get them off the edge of the lawn. Dialled in to a zoom call with my friends in South Africa to keep up to date with what is going on in their part of the world,  only allowed out with a permit if you are essential staff. My very own cat cafe.

88 Saturday Attempted to dig a new border, but it was cold and windy out, so I collected up all the bricks and laid them out, marking the new border. I fixed some loose panels on the shed. Sorted out the parcels I intended to post to family for Easter and birthdays. I condensed the contents to letter box style as I don't believe a trip to the post office is essential and I have enough stamps for the postage. Afternoon spent baking, watching TV and blogging. Found a new route to walk. In the 8 years we lived here I never knew there were allotments 200ms from our house.

On the blog this week:

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One Daily Positive 2017 Week 2 After the visitors

There's a bit of a change on the blog, I'm still Chickenruby and in my 8th year of blogging, I've just decided to drop the words 'Expat' 'solo travel' and 'family life'

I'm not really sure what an expat is anymore, Dubai is just where I live now, like South Africa before that and various places in the UK before that. My youngest child finished school this June, although he left home over 3 years ago now. The solo travel isn't really solo, I stay with friends and family in places where I've lived. The world of the internet is full of blog posts on 'how to pack a suit case' 'best places to visit with kids' I don't need to keep reinventing the wheel.

This month is also the 6th anniversary of us leaving the UK. As well as writing my weekly #Project 365, HDYGG? Animal Tales and My Sunday Photo Photo posts, I will be reflecting quite a bit, as I celebrate 25 years of parenting in May this year.

The visitors have gone, they left on Tuesday. I must admit I am enjoying the peace and quiet, but I know it won't last long. It's hard being an expat, family come and it's an intense few weeks, then nothing till the next trip, which will be me visiting the UK in March/April.

The last few days were busy with a desert safari on Sunday and I managed to get the christmas decorations down on Monday when the kids popped to the beach, followed by a visit to the Aquarium, some last minute shopping and a new suitcase for me with industrial wheels followed by afternoon tea at The Palace Hotel. Peter and the teen spent the evening installing a new TV and sound bar.

It was an early start, 4am on Tuesday to the airport for the goodbyes, it doesn't get any easier. I then spent the day cleaning and blitzing the house. 

Wednesday involved a lie in, food shop and coffee. The decorations were put away, although there is still a set of lights to come down but it's a two person job. I did the ironing, a bit more tidying and then headed off to a friends house where Peter joined me for a pub quiz and dinner.

Thursday morning was spent gardening, then off to work to collect my final salary pay cheque, I opted not to let anyone know I was coming and left some stuff in reception. I called in at the garden centre on my way home, followed by dinner and an early night.

Friday and another lie in, took Bob for a play date, followed by my first proper night out out in Dubai with some of the girls from work, which saw me dancing on the beach, drinking cocktails and getting home at 3.30am. 

Saturday and another lie in, took Bob to soft play for an hour and spent the evening on the sofa with the duvet.

I'm determined to find something new to do with our next lot of visitors.
8/365 Goals.

Afternoon tea at The Palace Hotel with my niece my first visit here and 1st time I've been defeated. 
9/365 New.

Could only find gluten free bread so I'm toasting it in the hope it's tastes better. I really need to start eating more healthily, but it's been difficult with all the visitors.
10/365 Make up

The first time since I left work that I've had a chance to tidy up properly and find a place for everything 11/365 Smells Good.

First meal I've cooked from scratch in ages.
12/365 I'm cooking.

Duvet day in preparation for going out.
13/365 Inspire.

Taking Bob to soft play

14/365 Car.

This week on the blog.

My Sunday Photo 'S is for Selfie'
HDYGG with a visit to Zaabeel, Dubai Garden Glow
And a post about 'why I'm done with being a tour guide' with #PoCoLo

Week 46 - Project 365

I can't believe how quickly my visit to South Africa has gone, I fly back to Dubai on Tuesday. I feel so at home here, that I don't want to leave. Santa Shoebox is a year round project but October and November are what we call the 'silly season' and we see little of our husbands and children for several weeks. To me it feels like my husband is the one who has gone away and that I am at home in South Africa waiting for his return. The reality is that this isn't my home anymore and there have been many tears saying goodbye to this beautiful country and some amazing people with no idea when or if ever I'll return.

Sunday morning didn't start very well, we were still ill from the night before and the food we had eaten in the township the previous day. I declare that I now have the full blown flu and require plenty of bed rest and alcohol. I left my friends around 3pm to arrive at anthers where I had a total melt down and there were lots of tears from exhaustion and the realisation that I had just started my 'goodbye' tour. We did manage to pop out for a late breakfast and I very much enjoyed wandering around the grounds of the gifts shops, although I didn't buy anything. My Sunday Photo this week was what the Santa Shoebox project was all about that was the celebrations where the children receive their gifts.

Day 312 #onedailypositive #wooden #fmsphotoaday#music #snaphappybritmums #project365 a rare day off from volunteering during my stay in South Africa and a chance to wander around the craft shops at the local tearoom sphere we had a late breakfast. I've no idea whether this record player in a wooden box still plays music or not but it was fitting for today's photo prompts and I rather liked it.

Monday I packed boxes into cartons, I sorted boxes, I sorted cartons. 

Day 313 #onedailypositive #distraction #fmsphotoaday#sky #snaphappybritmums #project365 it's all Christmas gifts and shoeboxes. I spent a lot of time today looking for distractions in the hope the boxes would magically pack themselves.

Tuesday I packed boxes into cartons, I sorted boxes, I sorted boxes, I sorted cartons

Day 314 #onedailypositive #golden #fmsphotoaday#SomethingRed #snaphappybritmums #project The Golden hour after a day of packing boxes, enjoying a glass of wine

Wednesday I went for coffee with a friend, I collected 350 boxes from a school, I unloaded 350 boxes, I sorted around 50 boxes, I lost the will to live. I wrote out the remaining 150+ name labels.

Day 315 #onedailypositive #blank #fmsphotoaday#stairs #snaphappybritmums #project365

Thursday I tracked down a friend's old maid to give her, her annual christmas money. I collected toiletries from a sponsor, I met a friend for lunch. I packed and sorted 90 more boxes. I collapsed into bed at 11pm.

Day 316 #onedailypositive #curly #fmsphotoaday#YourBreakfast #snaphappybritmums #project365@mcdonalds_za and @kfcsouthafrica has been the staple diet for us volunteers during the @santashoebox drop off in Pretoria. It was only after I took the photo I noticed the curly phone charger

Friday I loaded the van, I drove my friends car to a celebration day in Silverlakes, at the children's home, despite it being a year since I've seen them all I was greater with so much love it was overwhelming. I unloaded a pile of donations. I met my friend with the van who had to go to Joburg to collect cartons and drop at another celebration and drove into Mamelodi to the Alaskan Informal Settlement to drop the boxes off I'd been making all week for their celebration day to be held in December. I felt so much at home today surrounded by people I've spent the previous 4 years volunteering with.

Day 317 #onedailypositive #OneWord #fmsphotoaday#popcorn #snaphappybritmums #project365 YES

Saturday was a 'me day' I visited Irene Christmas market, a place I used to take Bob for walks most weeks, I shopped for new clothes for when I start my new job in Dubai next week and visited a friend and her family for lunch and had an awesome time. I then went to see another friend to say goodbye to their family, then back to where I was staying for a braai, a few drinks and fell into bed around midnight. 

Day 318 #onedailypositive #peace #fmsphotoaday#BlackAndWhite #snaphappybritmums #project365Peace in Afrikaans

My Santa Shoebox journey is now over, it's been 5 glorious years. I can't say I've loved every minute of it, but I will very much miss being involved in this wonderful project.

My Sunday Photo - Saying goodbye

The packers arrive tomorrow so with today being the last day with furniture in the house, it was an ideal opportunity to invite friends round to start the goodbyes before leaving South Africa and moving to Dubai.

Dishwasher ran 3 full cycles to clean it all, this was just a fraction of the mess.

International travel and relocation, goodbyes and identity.

It’s been a tough and long few weeks, too many decisions to make about our future and saying goodbyes.

Our last child of 5 children left home in January this year and I thought my heart would break. The youngest left home last August aged 14 to return to school in the UK, he came out to visit for Christmas and I returned to the UK in April and we travelled around together visiting family and friends, visiting his siblings and saying our hellos and goodbyes. Child 4 of 5 then returned to SA in May for 4 weeks and spent most of his time catching up with his school friends and we spent some quality, adult, time together. The youngest came to visit for August and child 3 of 5 is currently out here with his girlfriend.

I love and hate going to the airport to collect the kids, but as I’m stood there waiting for them in the arrival hall, I start to think about the return trip to the airport to say goodbye. I can’t help it, as excited as I am to see them, it means it won’t be long before I have to say goodbye again, unsure as to when the next visit either way will be.

We will be on the move again soon, no further details at this moment in time other than we are going to Dubai, sometime over the next few months. This will be the last visit to South Africa for the children, unless they decide to come here independently, which I’m sure child 4 of 5 will probably do at some point in his life.

It also means more goodbyes to my lovely and amazing friends, another change in my identity which over the past 4 years has gone from a working mother and student to a SAHM, to a SAH. My volunteer work will cease and I will have to find other ways to occupy my time, maybe a job, maybe return to my studies, but I know I’ll carry on raising awareness and funds for the charities I’m involved with in South Africa. There will be visits back out here, that will involve more goodbyes and the children will be able to visit us in Dubai more often and there will be more trips for me to the UK to see them, but again, more goodbyes.

At some point in time we will return to the UK, but by that time our last child will be an adult, hubby will be approaching retirement and maybe we’ll be grandparents.

All I know is that these goodbyes and changes in identity are crippling me at the moment. I need to view these changes with positivity and excitements, new opportunities and experiences and I’m sure in time it will all be ok and not have any lasting effects on our relationships with the children and ourselves.