Cooking and baking aren’t the only pastimes. Marie, from France, has taken up knitting during lockdown, which was so fashionable a few years ago. Read below what has helped her during lockdown and to see her creations. What new or old hobbies have you taken up?

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The first few weeks of lockdown were weird in a way, as it all happened quite suddenly. In the evening of Sunday 15th March, I learnt that the school the kids I’m taking care of as a live-in nanny attend, was closing. So, we had been out and about the week before, and we just suddenly had to stay-in and homeschool the kids. I didn’t really had time to say goodbye to my friends. Then, someone in the house caught the virus symptoms, which meant we had to isolate for the following 2 weeks or so.

Since everything started, I have only been out twice and just for a run. That felt strange, which I think is all down to the fact that I’m exhausted after working around 70h a week. I try to rest during the weekends when my mind isn’t wondering too much.

Knitting

I have also started to do knitting, which keeps my hands busy and my mind focused on something else than school, the kids or what’s out there. So far, I have made 3 blankets and I’m on my 4th.

Video calls

I chat to my parents in France, who are also on lockdown. As my dad is one of the vulnerable ones, it eases me a little to see him via video call. My grandad, on the contrary, has no internet access. So, the only way to have some news from him is via my parents.

I talk to my friends too, which takes a bit of organisation to fit everyone in the same day but we’ve managed so far. Most of my friends are not working, so for them the lockdown experience might be different than mine, also because of my week being so full on with work I do tend to want quiet weekends.

Tips

What has helped me the most was to take day as it comes and not to think too much of it. I believe it will take some time before life will go back to normal, and we can socialise the way we used to.

I used to organise a meetup before it all happened, which was about meeting people for coffee, most of whom were strangers. This is the one thing that we are not allowed to do right now. I miss it a bit as I had to stop it, but I have been able to think of activities I can organise in the future.

The end of lockdown is coming soon apparently, and I hope that we won’t have to be back in lockdown again.