This monthly post is a preview of the month, full of plans and hopes for the coming weeks.  My diary for April 2020 was looking great.  For me April is the month where life starts to bloom after a winter’s hibernation. Our seaside town starts to fill with visitors and there is a lightness and happiness in the air.  April brings the Easter holidays and we normally go and have a break at my parents and then celebrate my Father in Law’s birthday with the wider family too.  On our family calendar we had dates for sports, the school Easter bonnet parade and the simple things like hair and nail appointments.  Then there were the plans yet to be finalised, days out at local attractions, play dates, a trip to the cinema etc..  April was going to be a lovely month. 

And now to the reality, everything is cancelled, we are in lockdown. Of all the things planned it is my Father in Law’s birthday which will be hardest.  He will be 88 this month and last year we had such an amazing day in Lyme Regis, in the Easter heatwave, with all the family.  It was one of those really special days, amazing weather, a delicious lunch, everybody on sparkling form, these memories do help.  My father in law lives alone and is self isolating and it just feels so sad and lonely.  He bought himself an iPad at the start of this crisis and with my brother in law’s virtual help, he has set it up so we can Face Time him every day. I’m trying to think of something special we can do for him so we’re still celebrating together (virtually)

I recognise how lucky we are that the coronavirus is simply an inconvenience at present and that none of friends and family have been infected.  There is no FOMO this month, we’re all in this together and this month is to be one of simple pleasures, walks in the countryside (5 mins walk from our front door) baking hot cross buns or playing games.