Wow. Our world has come crashing down around us in the space of seven days. Just over a week ago I went out for a meal in Manchester with my husband. At the time we were not sure we should go, but it was to honour a friend who died earlier this year, and we wanted to pay our respects. We knew that was our last night out for a while.

We saw my brother at home on his birthday and he was subdued. Our conversation was dominated by the coronavirus pandemic as we shared advice we had heard from various sources and tried to decide what news was trustworthy. And then came Monday.

Phew, what a Crazy Week! #StayHomeSaveLives  

It began with the announcement from school that our Year 4 concert had been cancelled. They had rehearsed for this since last September and it was a big event hosted by the Love Music Trust. A neighbouring school had closed due to a suspected case of Covid-19, and they should have attended this concert with our school and a few others. My daughter was very upset, but our school managed to host a small version of the concert in their main hall, so I still got to watch her perform.

And then came Tuesday. My Grandad’s funeral. He died on 5^th March, which apparently was the day when Covid-19 really took hold in the UK. It had passed me in a blur as I grieved with my family. We decided to proceed with the funeral, but we all kept a safe distance from our Nan and my Mum, who are now in self-isolation.

School is closed

Tuesday was also the day when our school swimming lessons were cancelled, and we heard that the planned Year 4 Residential in Wales was cancelled. They were supposed to go on 1^st April. Yet another disappointment for our children, who had been preparing for the trip and planning their activities. After that I knew it was only a matter of time, and sure enough we heard the announcement that schools were closing.

In just a few days my whole life changed dramatically. I no longer have to do the school run, but now I have to be Teacher to a 6-year-old and a 9-year-old. We have no more dance classes, no more Girlguiding groups, no more daily walks by the canal with my dog. My children simply refuse to walk that far!

Start a new life in lockdown

Now we are preparing to start up a new life for the foreseeable future. We are lucky that I was already working from home as a freelancer, so my work pattern won’t be disrupted too badly. My husband is a key worker, so his life and routine remains the same. We are also lucky to have a comfortable family home with a large front and back garden, so we can have fresh air and exercise without leaving home if we need to. There is also a convenience store and pharmacy just a few hundred yards up the road, so we really don’t have to go too far for essential items.

I just hope that people as a whole will stop panic buying and that the supermarkets will quieten down. I am feeling anxious about going shopping for food for my family, and I am a healthy person. I really do not want to get this virus or pass it on to my children. Let’s hope people listen to the guidance from government and stay at home. We can do this.

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here.