Crinolinerobot's vintage (and covid-free) week

A Work In Progress

It's been forever since I did a general roundup post. So, what's going on Chez Robot?

I'll get the 'rona out of the way first – we've both had a stinking cold but it is not covid. Work issued all employees with boxes of lateral flow tests, and we've both taken them on more than one day and are still negative. That's good, because the virus is currently burning through the population and while Mr Robot doesn't go out much, I have to be in the office three days a week and last week one of my editors tested positive. We know a few people with it now. Most appear to have caught it off of their kids. Bath has the worst rate in the country at present, and the local news reckons the dodgy testing lab that had been sending out false negatives is one of the factors, as kids had been going back to school with the virus and putting it into general circulation.

I've been going to the gym fairly regularly for about seven weeks. All the things I'd read said it would take six to eight weeks to start seeing a result, and given my age and weight I figured it would be the full eight, though I started because my shoulder pain was coming back, and that went more or less immediately. Now there's a slight change in the shape of my shoulders – there's muscle in there somewhere! – and my leggings feel looser in the thighs, and the scales say I'm three pounds down, so it's working. I'm not actually focussing on losing weight right now though. Pre-Christmas I'm just trying to build some muscle and get in the habit of going regularly.

I'd been on the verge of getting rid of loads of my vintage clothing, but the thought of it made me really unhappy. Why? Because I like my clothes. Just getting them out of the wardrobe when I do my mothproofing makes me happy. What I don't like is not being able to wear them. Every time I feel I can't be bothered to go to the gym, I think of all those lovely things and it boosts my willpower. This is my Year Of Self Care, but sometimes self-care isn't bubble baths and cosy socks, it's walking to the gym in the rain because it will stop my shoulders borking again, it'll boost my mood, and it's another small step on the road back to rejoining #teamcrimplene. 

The room's transformed – it looks so good now. It used to be a complete mess.

Our shelves are in! Wood's really pricy right now, and instead of premium timber we opted for scaffolding boards. The shelves replace some rickety six-foot chipboard bookcases we got at Argos about 25 years ago. We'd hoped them being floor to ceiling and going under the window would enable us to get rid of another bookcase in the dining room, and in fact we've been able to clear two others, so now the science fiction books are back with all the rest. It wasn't cheap (lacking DIY skills ourselves, we paid a carpenter) but it's honestly worth every penny. Since lockdown 2020 that room has gone from the 'spare room', an embarrassing dumping ground, to a proper study. It's lovely now, and the shelves are part of that.

Thadingyut was yesterday - it's a Burmese festival that we've marked ever since being back in my granddad's hometown, Maymyo/Pyin Oo Lwin for it one year. It was a more sombre affair this year; since a military coup at the start of the year things have been bad in Burma/Myanmar. Celebrating at a time when so many people are in prison and so many have been killed wouldn't be right. So, we lit the candles and had a quiet meal. 

And that's about it, really – this isn't a time of big happenings, more a time of little activities that hopefully improve things in the long run. I'm planning to watch some vintage horror movies in the run-up to Halloween, so perhaps I'll share those with you. In the meantime, stay safe and 'rona-free!

(By the way, I've been commenting on blogs but I think a few peoples' blogs eat them, so if you haven't seen me pop up lately, I might be in your spam trap. LURKING.)

Pretty red hydrangeas from the latest flower delivery. Beautifully autumnal.


Comments

  1. I'm glad to hear your cold wasn't Covid ...
    I must say that so far, none of our nearest and dearest have had it, unless perhaps Jos's youngest daughter at the very beginning of the pandemic before they even tested.
    I'm keeping my fingers crossed you'll be able to join #teamcrimplene again soon.
    And how marvellous is that shelving! Using scaffolding boards was a great idea! xxx

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    1. I do hope your family all stay covid-free. I really worry about my mum getting it; she had pneumonia badly a few years ago - was in intensive care for a couple of weeks - and has been wheezy ever since.

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  2. Wowsers! I absolutely love your room makeover and am insanely jealous of all those wonderful bookshelves. There's been a national shortage of scaffolding boardsso you did well to get some at a good price.
    We do lateral flow tests twice a week. Loads of people we know have had the dreaded virus and a quite a few friends have lost parents to it.
    I can't believe how lax everyone has become here especially after a fortnight in Greece where you can't go inside a museum without proof of a vacination, use public transport, go into a shop or use the loo in a restaurant or bar without a mask.
    Well done on the steady weight loss, you'll be rocking that Crimplene before too long! xxx

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    1. Yes, the carpenter warned us of the prices - proper timber would have been even more expensive, which is why we went with sanded boards. That room looks so nice now.

      People aren't masking up round here at all still, and the tourists in Bath all act like the virus can't get them while they're on holiday. I can't help thinking the hospital's going to get overwhelmed if it carries on like this.

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  3. I'm so pleased to hear you haven't got the virus but another one. My daughter and her partner had it, too and so have several other people I know.

    Good news you're back at the gym and seeing some results. It will be worth it in the long run. I admire you for going to the gym; it's my idea of hell!

    The 'spare' room looks fab. It's lovely to have a proper study and scaffolding board shelevs sound briliant to me - and you're recycling!
    xxx

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    1. I kind of like the gym - I put on my music and get on with it, and not being in pain is a big incentive!

      Pete works in the study - he's still working from home full time - so it's really his lair. He's got his plants there, and seems very happy.

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  4. Thank goodness it wasn't covid.
    The bookcases are beautiful. That looks like a good room to spend time in.
    Good luck with the gym.

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    1. Thank you!

      Pete's still working from home full time, so that's his room really. I do like to go in there from time to time just to look at it, though - it's such a great transformation.

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  5. Sorry to read that the Covid is spreading again, it's like a neverending story. We're not having many new cases these days, but all we've learnt that once it spreads in one place, it will affect every country sooner or later. Glad that many people are really sensible and keep the distance and masks on.
    I'm in love with your new shelves and the fabulous looking spare room / office. Totally support to invest in quality things you'll love and will make your home more comfortable (and your books more visible and enjoyable).
    And it's great news that you're finding the motivation to keep on going to the gym, so important. I'm always looking for incentives: an interesting podcast, a new routine, a pair of new-to-me leggings, whatever!
    Besos

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    1. I'm glad things are better in Spain now. We'd love to come back to Spain one day! (Maybe we'll make it to Seville in 2022...)

      Yes, we're at an age now when we think, "Spend the money to get the thing we like, because it'll probably be the last sofa/desk/whatever we'll ever buy." These shelves will do us fine for the next 30 years or so!

      My gym incentive is not liking my shoulders hurting, and being annoyed at all the clothes I can't wear. Though I'm actually getting into it now, it doesn't feel like such a burden.

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  6. Wow, that's scary, the amount of COVID going around. Our cases from our 4th wave have finally started going down - and now we are going to be getting booster shots!

    I love what you did with your bookcases, Mim! Wow, that's just heaven to me.

    Good for you for going to the gym - I loathe gyms, but I know that the exercise and strengthening is so good for me. Sigh.

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  7. It feels harder and harder to stay 'rona free what is it with our area?? Hugely jealous of your shelves. I had to get rid of SO many books when we moved I little bit of me died when we did.
    I'm back in the office for 2 days a week from next week I'm dreading the train travel.

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