Trish, Anne and Dina are the Whatever the Weather Girls; Long term friends in the early Autumn years of their lives, on a mission to explore the restaurants and vibe of Liverpool each month – whatever the weather, whatever our circumstances.
The weeks are going on on and we’re all still in lock down, so we thought we’d let you know what been upto during lockdown.
Fortunately for the three of us and our families, we are well. New routines are becoming the norm and positivity is the aim, so on that note we’re all so grateful that the weather has been so lovely.
How lockdown is affecting: Tricia
Tricia continues to work from home, supporting vulnerable people in her role as a social worker. She worries so much about people in care homes and the lack of PPE that appears to be available amongst many other things. She so deserves that clap on a Thursday .
In her downtime Tricia is reading Starvation Heights by Gregg Olsen, a true and macabre story set in 1911 about 2 wealthy British heiresses who go to a sanatorium to undergo revolutionary fasting treatment thinking they were going on holiday. She like us all is keeping in contact with family and friends via the internet and is maintaining her membership of Slimmers World on Zoom. Thank goodness for technology.
Tricia is really missing her second home in Turkey and all the beautiful flora and fauna. She is looking forward to the photos her friend will be sending her and longing to be back swimming in the pool. In Turkey people under 20 and people over 65 are all in compulsory lock down, they can’t even go out to walk their dogs.
What she’s been eating: Tricia’s go to lockdown tread is this vegan banana and choc shot toastie. Though this definitely feels like you’re treating yourself, bananas are full of potassium and are brilliant for reducing blood pressure and water retention. Potassium also protects against strokes and helps prevent osteoporosis and kidney stones.
How lockdown is affecting: Dina
Dina has been enjoying re-reading Mayo Angelou’s, I know why the caged bird sings, a 1969 autobiography about how the love of literature and strength of character can overcome trauma and racism. She is also watching A LOT of films, (aren’t we all) but particularly enjoyed The Constant Gardener.
Life for her has settled into a routine of keeping in touch with friends and family, gardening, cleaning, blogging, walking dogs, cycling and cooking from scratch, often strange mish-mash type meals, some disasters, some huge successes.
She no longer knows what day it is and hasn’t looked in her diary since lockdown began. Constantly changing from outdoor to indoor shoes is a now a chore and shopping is dreaded as it really feels like lives are being risked for a loaf, and then it’s a huge task to disinfect it all before it comes intothe house
Dog walking is also more complicated now, as paws need cleaning and dog coats wiping down. She has a system of mopping all floors with washing up liquid as the dogs return hoping the soapy water kills any traces of virus on the dogs feet. She has to walk her Jack Russell, Buddy, separately from the other two as he misbehaves when out with them, so all the walking and the additional mopping and wiping of coats has become very time consuming.
Dina has also noticed that her elderly neighbour is utterly flouting safe distancing rules and is having regular parties in her garden.
Parcels and mail are a source of horror for Dina and are treated as though they are living zombies in her porch. However, she now has a system of dispatching such threats by vigorously shoving parcels out into the drive with the assistance of a bleachy mop. Parcels are then pushed under cars, which resulted in one being accidentally ran over.
Dina has been partaking in the Thursday night clapping for our frontline workers. She quickly moved on from clapping to pan banging, and is now considering taking her guitar out and singing, “For they are jolly good fellows…”
What she’s been eating: one of Dina’s favourite mishmash meals is cherry tomato spaghetti, it’s been perfect on these sunny evenings. Throw cherry tomatoes into a pan with garlic, red peppers, seasoning and olive oil. Then, drain plum tomatoes in a colander and add the juice to the pan. Stir in the cooked spaghetti, and season the remaining plum tomatoes and mix with basil. Serve the fresh tomatoes and basil on top of the spaghetti mix, and enjoy the weird mixture of hot and cold.
How lockdown is affecting: Anne
I am working hard in the garden and enjoying the lovely sun on my back! Need to keep those Vitamin D levels up as it helps to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy as well as being good for the immune system and it wards off depression.
Like Dina I am getting my daily exercise by walking my dog. One of our walks is through the local park where the grass has not been mowed. It is now full of wild flowers and looks lovely along with the trees which are full of blossom .
The air is definitely fresher and I swear the skies are bluer.
I get up at about 6ish and sit and read in the conservatory before breakfast, some of the sunrises have been beautiful and the birdsong is an absolute delight.
Recently my neighbours and I held a socially distant party in the road for our neighbour, who was 90.
I made the cakes and my next door neighbour brought the sherry. We all brought our own crystal glasses. (well, it was an occasion!)
I have just finished reading Never Greener by Ruth Jones .. an absorbing read about the complexities of relationships and have now started the latest Jeffrey Archer yarn, need easy light reading at the moment and have just bought Natural Living Style by Selina Lake, a lovely dip in and out of book about sustainable living.
Saturday night is film night for me and I have recently enjoyed Fishermans Friends and The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society. I am so glad I have Amazon Prime.
What I’ve been eating: my go-to summer Sunday lunch, roast chicken, salad and parmesan roast potatoes, washed down with Prosecco.
I have also made homemade hand scrub with grated orange peel, olive oil and sugar. It really is good for those gardeners hands, and I’m going to try making calendula hand cream next so watch this space.
And Finally…
This episode in our lives will pass, and although it is challenging and distressing for some, there are also many positives.
We must remain hopeful, especially for a more environmentally friendly and positive future.
So on that note, we’re all lighting a candle to represent hope.
Stay safe everyone and do what you can to ease these strange time.
Trish, Anne and Dina are ‘Whatever The Weather Girls’; three women in our fifties on a mission to explore the restaurants and vibe of Liverpool each month – whatever the weather, whatever our circumstances.
