30/04/20 - Poem in your Pocket Day

Today marks the 100th birthday of Captain Tom Moore who has become a national hero for his effort and achievements in the name of the NHS. The war veteran has spent April walking laps of his garden for a fundraising challenge which, via his Just Giving page, has raised over £30 million pounds for NHS charities. Today Captain Tom was made an Honorary Colonel and has received over 125'000 birthday cards. On April 16th he completed the 100th lap of his garden and the moment was marked with a Military Guard of Honour from the 1st Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment. A special postmark has also been issued to be used on all letters and parcels posted this week. We have planned to post a letter to our children to ensure we receive something that would be marked in this way.

I have spent this evening writing a poem to mark Poem in your Pocket Day. The poem documents our life in lockdown and will be sent with the card and letter for the children. I really hope they like it. I thoroughly enjoyed writing it. I haven't written poetry since 2018 when I was on a Creative Writing for Well-being course. The best poem I wrote back then was the one about my Dad which I posted on here last Father's Day (June 2019). I will endeavour to get this Lockdown poem typed up on here in the coming days.

I spent the majority of today painting a Retirement Rainbow picture for my Mum who officially retires today after 29 years working for Growing Places/Community Childcare Centres. I used watercolour and Sharpie pens and was really happy with it until right at the end when I made a mistake which I have had to try to cover up. Very frustrating and yet another indication that my brain/creativity is not at it's best at the moment. We sent a video of myself and the children wishing Mum a Happy Retirement to our family group where the rest of the family also posted their own videos. The children held my painting up on display for the recording but I hated doing the message. I cannot bear the sound of my voice which is why I will probably not be recording my poem for the group, despite the fact that I would really love to share it with everyone!

My Isolation Inspiration for the Family Group today was a poem about Rainbows; I chose it because it is Thursday and the day that we clap for our NHS and Keyworkers. Rainbows have been a huge part of this within communities so I thought this poem was perfect for today.

NB: Isolation Inspiration was something my mum suggested I send each day to our Family WhatsApp group after I sent a photo one day of a happy baby who had survived Covid-19. I agreed to do it and so from then on, every day I send a photo, quote, link or video to lift spirits and bring a sense of positivity to the group during these strange, uncertain and anxious times.