Mishah's new routine

Oh. Oh, Good evening, then, Miss book. Because we we're We're having a chat in the evening, which is lovely, that you've spent some time in your busy day to to have a chat with us. And we're a community reporters, um, for the park area

And, um, the covid period is now going into its third lockdown. So if you maybe could That's quite a big gap for you to talk about, Mr. Because we've been going for nearly a year now, haven't we? In the lockdown, But how? How have you been finding it? Um uh, it's had its moment

So the early lockdown was very hard. My husband became ill, so that was a few months. That was not really a very good time

But you just get through it. Yeah. Sorry

That that wasn't covid was. It was all, was it? No, it was I think it was because of the stress of obviously being shut at home and not being able to work. He already had problems with his stomach, and it just kind of you could say, kind of, um aggravated

And it he just lost a lot of weight and stuff and he just became really ill. Oh, that was That was quite hard. But after I think it took about five months for him to get back to a bit of better because he couldn't eat or anything, it was really I don't know

You could say it was more like depression because he couldn't eat. It was like he did feel hungry and it was terrible time. And obviously with us all being shut up in the same house, it is very difficult

Was that was he Was he quite anxious? Yeah, well, he's had this problem before. It was, uh, obviously in 2019 when he had it the last time. But because obviously times were normal and he was even though he wasn't working, he was still obviously meeting his friends, and he wasn't too bad

But this time, because we were just stuck at home and he was just I think I think, like you said, he was getting really anxious and he was really he's He was very depressive around that time. It was very difficult. I've got to say, but yeah, now Marsala he is a lot better

He's, uh, more or less back to normal. But yeah, it's It's been hard in the way that obviously we haven't been able to see Mom very much, basically, just on video time with the boys. I mean, they've they, you It's like they've grown so much in this year and it's like, you know, she's missed

Even my friends were like When they see more video call, they go, Oh, my God is they've grown up so much And I go, they're at that age, aren't they? Where they're growing quickly and a lot. My family, I mean, my mom and my sister, the one who lives with my mom also, they just video, we just video call, and you know, they don't talk to them, and they're like, Every time they do that, they like, Oh, they look as if they've grown a bit more. But it's just I don't know

And then, obviously, the last time, the first time I saw my mom in lockdown was the I think it was Eid, our last Eid. That was the first time I saw Mom in lockdown. And the second time was just this, uh, Christmas day

Yeah, when I've actually been in my mom's house and you know, like we've been distance, but we've been in her house, but not for long. And obviously she's been able to see the boys, even though she hasn't been able to touch them or hug them. She just, you know, been watching them from far and just talking to them

But it's just just not right. I've got to say it's really difficult, but this is the way it is. I go for walks

When I was going for walks before this weather turned bad and I used to like if I was going down mom's way, I would ring her and say, I'm coming down that way so she would stand in the doorway, open the door and then stand in the doorway and wave while we were passing. That was the kind of contact. Yeah, that's the kind of contact we've been having

Oh yeah, We Yeah, the boys and we in the evening, especially in the evening before they go to bed. They always say night night to her, so they always video call on my sister's mobile and then, you know, she gives it to my mom so that she can video call. Otherwise, we talk on the landline

Obviously. All the time anyway. But yeah, it's it's It's very difficult

I think I'm finding it a bit harder As time is going by, I try to I mean, you know what I'm like. Anyway, I'm not want to get down very quickly, but I've got to say it is getting to that point now where, like, you know, I'm thinking, Is it? When is it gonna end? Try to be positive as much as I can. Yeah

And you you You were walking at first when you were walking quite a bit. Um, you were meeting a friend, weren't you? And then, right? Yeah. Yeah, we did that for quite a while

But then I I ended up with the pain, a pulled nerve, and obviously my osteo osteo arthritis became quite bad. So we had to stop it. And now we can't go anywhere because it's that cold that my bones, I don't think they can cope with this at the moment

Yeah, so I just stay inside and just basically run up and down the stairs as much as I can for exercise. You saying you got a lot of floors? Haven't you in the house? Yeah, we've got Oh, yes, very. I've got downstairs the one that we call a cellar, and then I go down there for things because even my laundry is down there as well

So I do the laundry down there, then I have to bring it upstairs. Then I have to go all the way up to the third floor, and my boys are straight up to number floor number four. So it's like I'm running up and down the house all the time

Yeah, that helps. So you keep you are keeping fit then And you're aware that's keeping you fit, then? Yeah. Yeah, Well, I've got an exercise machine as well, but I Well, obviously, I was told by the doctor that while I've got this pulled nerve pain, I shouldn't really do any kind of exercise like gym type of exercise

I shouldn't be doing it so well. Just trying to make make it work for us. Really? Just trying to Well, now I think it's better in the way that with school saying this time around that when Children are at home, they still have to get up in the morning for school time, so they have to be open and ready

Well, they don't have to be, but, uh, you know, they're they're very much like me in that way. If they're awake, they want to, like, you know, like, fresh themselves and change their out of the night clothes. So in that way, they're they're properly, fully dressed

When they come down, have their breakfast, Then they go up to their rooms and start their school work. So it's like by 8. 20 in the morning, they have to be upstairs in their rooms doing their school work

So I think I like this because it's structured and it means that it makes me look forward to getting up in the morning where before I used to get up in the morning, obviously read my prayer and then think, Well, what can I do with myself now? I might as well lay back down again. So obviously that didn't happen in the first lockdown. Then it was there was like no routine then in the first lockdown, and I am very much a routine person, so that, for me was was not nice

I didn't like it at all because It was like there's no structure to my day. And now I like it because I get up in the morning, early morning and, you know, do my stuff read and then come down and make sure I start making the breakfast. Then I go back upstairs, wake up the boys and ask them to get down

And while they're getting dressed and coming down, I'm putting their breakfast on the table. So it's like a routine. I need that

Yes, Yeah. Are you saying that if they if they don't log on the they they have to log on at certain times are the the the the log ons are monitored, are they? Yeah, because they have to say hi to their teachers so that they know that they're even. I get

And I get a text saying that, you know, make sure your Children, uh, I think they said, obviously that's a text that they sent to every parent saying that, you know, make sure your Children are open ready for school. So that's basically And then when they get on, obviously the teachers know then that because they have to log on and say hi to the teacher. Yeah, so it's a bit like saying it's like a register, Isn't it saying that, Yeah, I'm in

I'm in now, So I mean, that makes me feel better knowing that they're open awake and they're getting on with their education as such as it is. But it's better than nothing. Is that only been a recent thing? Or it's like it was back from before from the beginning, because obviously when they knew we were going into lockdown, the schools did

I mean, our school did both schools, actually, because at that time, my youngest son was in Year six. He's now in year seven. So he spent most of his year six at home through obviously lockdown

So that was a change because he didn't have a normal transition. He he he didn't have that. So that was a bit different, because obviously, I'd seen my older son go into the transition towards high school, where with the little one, I didn't because we had to do it through lockdown

So I think, for even for the Children, it's it's difficult because they find it a struggle, then going from, you know, lockdown to high school when you've never been before. Yeah. So you had one that got that

That would have normally gone up to the higher years. Wow, that must have been really difficult. Well, it would

I think it would have been more difficult if I did have an older son already in school. Because then I would have been like, Oh, how is this gonna work? Because I already obviously, I knew that because my oldest son's already there. They both the boys, they When lockdown was over for a while, they both went together to school

So I knew that, obviously, even though my younger son had never been to that school properly like Transition Day, But he obviously had his brother with him to show him which way to go in. So that was a relief. Yeah

We have to find out his way around a new building. Yeah. Oh, a Listen

You're kind of your voice. I can't hear it. I might be a bit Yeah

Come a bit closer And you can hear me. Yeah. Is that better? Yeah, that's better

I can't hear you. I can't hear. I didn't hear the last question

You said so. It was about? He didn't, Um, your son doesn't have to get used to a new space and like going up to a bigger school. Uh, because he's obviously still online, isn't he? So it's just a case of Well, he did

Obviously. He has been to the high school physically because after when they went back in September, he went into year seven. So he has been to the big school

He's obviously got. They've gotten used to the layout. Those three September, October, November, December they are about I know about 10 weeks or so of getting used to it all

So he's used to it. Now. He'll know once they go back to school, he'll know where to go

Because he's he started going there in September, right? So that's good. At least all that's done. So obviously the teachers know them

The teachers have got to know them so they know how much work, how much hard work they can do and what they can't do. So you know, they have They've got bit more of an idea of a child then, right? Right. So it sounds like a slight advantage at the moment

Really? Yeah. Yeah. It is and and men mentally, How the the Children do you feel the Children are coping? How How do you? Yeah

Do you feel the coping? Yeah, I think I I don't think they're that bad, because, I mean, when it was summer time and when the weather's not too bad, they they do go out with their dad. They go on their bike riding and things like that when the weather's good, but with my obviously, with my older son, he I have to We have to be careful with him because we have to try to keep him as warm as possible so he doesn't get ill very quickly. Mhm So? And so you you sort of negotiating the family

Now you you're speaking to Mum. Most days the boys are so it sounds like you've got a really you've You've worked out this routine. Um, so do you feel that's that's keeping things in a good place Or, um, what other things? Maybe you find it difficult or or or have you found things that are making this easier? I mean, we always ask about how difficult it is, but you know, some of us I think I found things that have made We we've actually looked after ourselves better

I mean, have you found anything like that That things have been better for you in this In this way? Yeah. So yeah, yeah, I've got to say I think all the the all the running around I used to do obviously before lockdown. Uh, because I'm not doing that

I think I am a lot better off in that way because the one thing I could say is that my osteo is not too bad. I mean, it's a lot more easier to manage now because I'm not running around thinking, Oh, I've got to do this. I've got to go out and do this

So it's a lot easier in that way. And I'm able to do a lot of things at home like I can do a lot of reading where before I used to always be watching the time thinking, Oh, I've gotta go and do this at this time. I've got to be here

So in that way, it's a lot better, but spiritually, I've gotta say it's been very beneficial. So you've been able to to spiritually practise or, you know, do you your prayers? Have you pray? Well, I practise even obviously before lockdown. I was very young when I started practising, but I think now because we know we don't have to go out and rush around

I'm more relaxed when I'm praying. I'm not thinking, Oh, I've got to do. I've got to pray quickly because I've got to go here and I've got to do this year

So now it's mostly, you know, because we're all at home and we we know no one's coming over to our house and I don't have to be ready for something. So in that way, spiritual, spiritual wise, I've got to say it. It has been really good, and I've learned a lot over this last year about my own religion as well, because you're reading more, a lot more

I'm going on YouTube, looking at different things and, you know, trying to understand it better. So in that way it's it's been, uh, like I said, it's been really good. It has been really good, and I notice she we have a WhatsApp group, don't we? We have, um, uh, a little group, a WhatsApp group

And so we we? Yeah, I I've noticed you're posting a You know, a lot of things that we can read. So you've been sharing that in inside with other people. And so you've still I think you do

You still feel like you've had a a community. I know it's been online, but do you still feel like you've had? Yeah, you? I just You know, I think we all still feel connected when we're even, though, obviously, physically, we can't see each other the way we used to. And we used to, like, be at the cooking group

We used to eat together when we were at the NNA group again. We used to sit down with each other and, you know, learn new things and also have a cup of tea. Obviously, that's missing

And you know, we do. I still do feel that as well. Like the physical contact that we don't have

But at least I know that we're still there for each other. Yeah, Yeah. I mean, like, like with, uh, with the, uh, knitted after group and the community group

I mean, Sheila is our favourite. And, you know, she she Yeah, because she likes she actually, you know, like when you send something out, you know, like from our religion. And then, you know, I always think that when someone sends something, they should always send it with translation so that obviously when people the people who don't understand it, I mean, even I don't understand everything

So having a translation, especially the English translation, that's good for all of us. It means that we're all learning something new. Yeah, well, thank you so much

Yeah, because you you've shared so much with us and and the fact that you're doing that with other people still and yeah, you you you're connecting and finding some Some practise yourself that's helping you to keep in a good place. So thanks for giving us a little snapshot of that. It was That was really helpful

So keep well and, uh, keep keep keep up. The good routine. That is obviously keeping you sane

I'd like to say exactly. Yeah. So? Well, you too

You are. You're doing a lot of running around anyway. Are you really? Yes, but yeah, I think it's just the nature of the job, isn't it? When you have the com, you are You know, you've been a big part of the community for a very long time

You know, the history of our community. Yeah. And your family

So, um, you know, we we do our job because we love in knowing the families within the area. So thank you for for sharing a little bit of how it's been for your family. Thank you for having me on

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