Day 78 - Read the instructions

Really good first weekend in the lockdown. Managed to get out to do a bit of shopping but generally spent it in the company of friends. Sunday carried on the theme of Saturday really. I caught up with Katie again, this time as she was doing one of her Christmas craft packs. She's got (or at least had before there was a mass cull) literally dozens of these lying around the bedroom. From "knit your own" scarves to science projects and slime kits through geology kits and "do-it-yourself" crafts.

Today's episode of Katie Crafts (her idea, but I'm running with it as a brand now) was making lip balm. It is so good seeing her embracing the creative side of things during this lockdown instead of resorting to the easy route out of being glued to some sort of electronic device. 

Way too many kids already spend a lot of time on their devices and I think it behoves us all as adults to bring back a sense of creativity and ingenuity. We've got a good chance to break the cycle here, don't take the easy route out. Now of course it is easy for me to say that as I'm on my own over here and you are likely having to deal with your kids and their boredom level 24/7 - but I'll swap you in a heartbeat. I'd take a year of having to keep Katie entertained full time over being on my own and free to indulge my own interests. Don't take it for granted.

Speaking of interests, my exciting new hobby arrived Friday - a bonsai treen starter kit. Imagine my excitement in opening the box, checking the contents, reading the little manual on how to do it. Now imagine the look on the face at instruction 6 - "within 2-3 years your tree will be ready for training"! TWO TO THREE YEARS!!! Talk about a long term investment, I could go get another degree in that time. Still, true investments take time to come to fruition. Things that are worth having don't come easy and you can't shy away when the going gets tough. So the seeds are soaking and the first step in the cycle has begun. Please check back in 2-3 years for further results!!

A couple of other new hobbies are on the horizon too. All I'll say is be glad I'm 4000 miles away and you can't hear me. Oh my neighbours are going to hate me. They might even stop their nighttime adventures long enough to complain. I hope they do lol.

Till tomorrow, Tom