A-Z Blogging Challenge 2021 - Reflections

  

Notification - Having taken part in the challenge a number of years,  it was in the back of my mind  in March.  I thought I would be on a mailing list to receive 2021 details, but only found out about the schedule from a fellow genealogy blogger mid March.    I was grateful to her, too, for reminding me that besides signing up for Theme Revealed I needed to sign up for the Master List. I would welcome promoting the challenge from at least March 1st.

Choice of Theme - I had had a family history orientated theme in my head for a long time, which was using material I had featured before on my 10 year old blog, but from a different angle.  Then I had a sudden change of heart - go topical with “Life in Lockdowns”,  building on the fact I was already writing a journal (offline) on the Covid pandemic.

Keeping up with the Pace - I soon drafted  posts A-H  and felt I started the month in fine fettle, better than in previous years.   But I very quickly felt my title was too bland and questioned  “Were  people too fed up with the words Covid and Lockdown to want to read more?”.  So I  changed my title to “ Life in Lockdown in the Scottish Borders”. That lasted overnight when it dawned on me  it was far too long and cumbersome - and   It re-emerged as “Scottish Borders in Lockdown” in the hope the Scottish element might appeal.  Fortunately I only had a few posts to amend with the new title. Lesson. - think carefully about your title before you reveal your theme.

I J K L proved a bit of a stumbling block and then I realized  I was drafting only one day ahead of posting - and it got worse with the final letters when I was drafting the same day I was due to post.   (Fine gardening weather intervened plus the distraction of my husband’s DNA results.)   Lesson - don’t underestimate the time it will take to write your own posts, and respond to comments, plus read other blogs and giving your own comments.

Page Views - a tad disappointing, below last year when my theme  was “Family History meets Local History”, and well below my best year with “I Remember When… “ on childhood memories.   But then I always realised Lockdown might have less appeal.

Reading Other Blogs - I was not very successful at this.  I did begin going through the Master List and identified themes that appealed. But the ones I read consistently  were already familiar Genealogy blogs on my Reading List. I just did not have the time to explore new blogs.

The Aftermath - funnily I almost felt at a loss on the morning of May 1st without the priority of the A-Z schedule.  Given my theme  of Scottish Borders  in Lockdown  I am planning on printing my posts and passing them to my Local Heritage Group who have been compiling a file on the village during the pandemic.

Would I take part again ? YES,  despite the highs and lows of this years’ experience.  I did have a couple of stressful nights going through my head what I would write for certain letters due imminently.  But I enjoyed the challenge to my brain of coming up with topics for each letter.

What made it all worthwhile?  Definitely  the feedback from fellow bloggers with their encouragement and shared experiences, and it was gratifying at the end of it all to receive comments from bloggers unknown to me.  Thank you all – you made it for me!

Onto 2022 !

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Z for Zoom, Zest, Zeal & more: Scottish Borders in Lockdown.

A-Z Blogging Challenge 2021   - Scottish Borders in Lockdown

Recording My Everyday Life - A Picture for Future Generations

 

 

Z the trickiest letter in this mammoth A-Z Blogging challenge  which I began attacking with ZEST  and soon ZAPPED my way  through the early letters with ZEAL.  Initially  I  tried to introduce something of a lighter, almost ZANY touch,  but Life in Lockdown became more serious  in my later posts.  

There can only be one Z word that dominates the Lockdown story  - ZOOM.

Before Lockdown, I associated the word  with a Zoom Camera - closing in on a subject e.g.a. bird, or it was one of those instructions on the computer toolbar to zoom in on the screen - with my poor eyesight, it was something I did regularly magnifying the screen view to 115-120%.

But then in early 2020  the word  began to be used in a new way  and  ZOOM was something even the Queen was using!    I am not very IT savvy, so what did it mean! 

Wikipedia explains it all in some detail.  It is a video conferencing software app that allows users to interact with co-workers, friends and family etc.   - in effect a video chatting service.  

ZOOM has zoomed (sorry - could not resist  that pun!) during Lockkdown - used for remote working, distant education, by health professionals and organizations, and for  online social contacts. e.g. birthdays, weddings and funerals

 Image courtesy of Pixabay

 So how have I found ZOOM?

• A friend set it up for me, so I could join in our regular exercise class (Move it or Lose it aimed at the over 60s).  The sound quality of the music and synchronization with the movement was  not very good, but it was better than nothing.
  
  
• I joined in a national "Come and Sing" performance of Faure's "Requiem"  - 250 remote singers, though it felt rather odd singing alone in my kitchen.
  
  
• Committee meetings were a great way to discuss matters and keep in touch, but I do think the success depends on a good effective chairman, not allowing most vocal participants to dominate and ensuring everyone has a chance to add their voice.  I sometimes found it difficult coming in to make a point without interrupting someone else.
  
  
• The big success story was with my local Women's Institute which launched a series of speakers on Zoom.  So we have enjoyed talks by a representative of Slimming World, (very appropriator after Christmas);  two professional singers talking about their life in music;  a presentation on the making of the Scottish Tapestry  (twice the size of the famous Bayeux tapestry);  a naturalist and photographer showed his views of the landscape, birds and animals;  whilst "Field to Food" looked at the work being done to educate  children on the world of animal husbandry.  Great use of modern technology  and  refreshing  to have something different to talk about afterwards.
  
  And now, as we reach the end of this challenge  I am feeling rather ZOMBIE like. 
  
  But a huge thank you to my loyal band of readers and commentators - you made the journey through A-Z so worthwhile.  
  
  
  
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Usage

 

I

Y for Covid Years, Yearnng for Normality and Yipee! Scottish Borders in Lockdown.

A-Z Blogging Challenge 2021   - Scottish Borders in Lockdown

Recording My Everyday Life - A Picture for Future Generations

 

 

 I admit I have struggled with the letter Y,  but here are some thoughts. 

 

n history, how will 2020 and 2021 be remembered?    As the Covid YEARS? 

 What will be the abiding memory of Life in Lockdown?   A YEARNING for  a life of normailty and social contact? 

• To be able to visit family and friends indoors and outdoors whenever and wherever we please - and to give hugs in moments of happiness and distress. 
   
• To travel whenever and wherever we please  e.g. to shops, theatre, concerts, libraries, meetings, for a congenial meal out etc. etc.
   
• To have variety in my life to make conversations  more interesting.
   
• Not to have  to wear masks - I have never  solved the problem of steamed up spectacles.
  

But YIPPIE!!!    

April is the month in Scotland when we have begun to come out of Lockdown  - slower than in England, though. 

April 5 - Garden centres, homeware stores and hairdressers reopened - I don't know why they ere singled out for priority.  My hair had its first cut since December 4th 2020.

April 16th - 6 people from 6 household can meet outdoors  (note - not indoors). A great boost as the weather influentially was sunny and warm. So four of us met in a garden for a get -together - the first time, again,  since December. 

 

 

April 19th - all school children back to school for full time learning.  Hurray!

April 26th - the big day - non-essential shops opened, along with beauty salons,cafes and restaurants.  Pubs however can only serve alcohol out of doors - typically the weather has turned chilly and damp, so not exactly conductive to al fresco gatherings.   The number of people allowed to attend a wedding or funeral rises to 50.  Non-essential travel permitted between Scotsmen, England and Wales  - but still no non-essential foreign travel.  

Opening of other facilities such as libraries seem to be much further down the line. 

To continue this note of optimism, think on  something YELLOW to raise spirits and make you feel ready to embrace the welcome changes - sunshine, daffodils, even the humble dandelion in the wayside.

Sun shining on the daffodils and through the trees at Mertoun Kirk in the Scottish Borders.

Daffodils in the garden 

 

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ONTO Z FOR ZOOM, ZEALOUS AND ZEST 

 

X for eXtra-ordinary Times - and more: Scottish Borders in Lockdown.

A-Z Blogging Challenge 2021   - Scottish Borders in Lockdown

Recording My Everyday Life - A Picture for Future Generations

 

 

 

 

 

 In Lockdown, we have been living in eXTRA-ORDINARY times. Will generations in the future  wonder what was life like during the Covid Pandemic of 2020-21? 

 

Through this blog,  I have shared eXPERIENCES,  eXPRESSED my concerns and  eXCHANGED information. 

 

I have had time at home to enjoy many eXCURSIONS into my family history research and writing.     I have eXAMINED  records, and eXCLAIMED  at   my findings  - such as discovering my husband's great great grandmother made  a bigamous marriage.  

 

And yes, I am coming close to eXHAUSTION  with this  mammoth blogging schedule,  - but only two posts to go, so I will get there! 

 

 Image courtesy of Pixabay

 

 

ONTO Y FOR YEARNING  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

W for Worries, Weather, Walks & WOW! : Scottish Borders in Lockdown

A-Z Blogging Challenge 2021   - Scottish Borders in Lockdown

Recording My Everyday Life - A Picture for Future Generations

 

WORRIES AND WOES have characterised life in Lockdown, particularly for those most affected by the virus and its impact on their families.  But what are my fears for the future? 

• The long term effect on children on their education and mental health   - my granddaughter is an only child, stuck at home without seeing friends - missing months of school learning.. For older pupils,  national exam schedules and assessments  have been in chaos, with university students dependent on online lectures and missing the social aspects of college life. 
   
• Employment prospects are grim.  Our son-in-law was first of all on furlough,  then made redundant, but very fortunately found another job through a contact.  But what about youngsters coming out of school and university?  Where are the jobs for them?
  
  
• What will be the effect be on on social structures and on social behavours of such high unemployment rates among disaffected youth? 
  
  
• What will our High Sreet be like, with so many leading brands and department stories  closing down and thousands of staff made redundant?
   
• How will the National Health Service   deal with patients whose treatment was delayed by the concentration on Covid - on a personal note when can I expect a hospital appointment for my arthritic knee?   I fear a long wait!
  
  
• Will people return to local orgnisations, the life blood of a community ?  Here Earlston Wednesday Group has over 50 members meeting in an afternoon for a social gathering with speakers, demonstrations, entertainment and an afternoon tea served.  But  no local hall can take that number and still observe soial distancing.
  
  
• What will the long term effect be on church  congregations? 
   
• Will people still be eager to go out and about?
  
  
• How, as a country  are we going to  pay for all these government subsidies beng paid out to employers, different sectors of the economy etc?
   

What a gloomy picture I am painting - but let us think optimistically  and we will WEATHER  the Covid Crisis that has dominated our lives for the past 13 months.  And there is no doubt good sunny WEATHER  does raise our spirits.

WALKING - is the one activity we have been able to do during Lockdown that boosts both body and soul - and I live in an ideal part of the country to achieve this.  Woodlands, rivers and rolling hills define the Scottish Borders    with a network of walking groups across the region - now able to meet again.  So enjoy this little walking travelogue - taken in pre Covid days.

 

 

 

 

 

And finally WOW! 

 

This bunch of flowers was presented to me with my supermarket delivery service this week as a thank you for support during Lockdown.  What a lovely surprise   -  and it made me look back to all the customer  service training I went through in my work,  and thinking of gestures that would WOW the customer.  This one did and brightened up my day. 

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ONTO X FOR EXTRAORDINARY  TIMES   

 

 

 

V for Vaccination, Vocabulary & Variety: Scottish Borders in Lockdown

A-Z Blogging Challenge 2021   - Scottish Borders in Lockdown

Recording My Everyday Life - A Picture for Future Generations

 

VACCINATIONS  - A GOOD NEWS STORY - The big success  in the UK with early ordering of vaccines, and    efficient roll out of the process.  More than half the UK's total population has now had a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

 

My husband had his first jab late January, myself mid February and the second jab together on April 3rd.  This was very efficiently organised by our local Health Centre using the village  church hall, set up with six stations -  in one door and out another.  Everyone was so friendly and cheerful,  there was almost a celebratory atmosphere to the day - helped by the gorgeous weather of blue sunny skies.  Things were looking up. 

I came across  this little ditty on Facebook - which says it all!

The weather is cold. The days are dull and Covid isn't very funny 

So let us all  So let us all get immunised, Then smile and make life funny

 

We had the Oxford Astra Zeneca jab with minimal side effects, but it has become mired in  controversy over its supplies, with the European Union seeking to block its exports to Britain from its manufacturing basis in Belgium - shades of the fractious Brexit negotiations raising it's ugly head again.  Accusations that the vaccine could cause blood clots has been refuted by all the leading international medical bodies, with the risk assessed as being 0.004%

All those VOCIFEROUS VOICES in the media have introduced us to new VOCABULARY   - new phrases. abbreviations,  or words with new meanings.

• Blended Learning -  with the closure of schools, apart for provision for vulnerable children and children of key workers, the emphasis has been on home learning making full use of technology and parents and carers having to become  teachers. Not an easy task with a children of different ages.
   
• Flattening  the Curve - slowing down the spread of the virus -  a phrase used by newscasters, when showing those graphs of Covid cases and deaths on TV
  

• Furlough Scheme - whereby the government has  subsidised workers' salaries where  businesses were closed due to Covid.  

• Herd Immunity  - the belief that when a high proportion of the population have been vaccinated, the risks of infection will be reduced.
   
• Lockdown - what my A-Z series has been all about!   Do read back to earlier posts!
  

• Roadmap - the favoured word to use now  in place of  plan or strategy e,g, the Roadmap out of Lockdown.
  
  
• R Number - an R number is used by scientists as a way of estimating how many other people one Covid sufferer will reinfect.  The aim is to keep this rate below 1. 
   
• Shielding - in social isolation at home  
   
• Social Distancing  - 2 metres apart from other people.
  
  
•  Test & Trace  - a government scheme aimed at reducing the spread of the virus  - call centres were set up to alert  people  identified as being in contact with a Covid sufferer.   Whether  this was a good value for money scheme has been questioned with reports of call centre staff often sitting idle;  and people giving false contact details, which thwarted the intention of the scheme.
   
• Virtual Gatherings  - held online, making full use of current technology -   and not face to face.
   
• PPE - Personal Protective Equipment - worn by medical and care staff - gowns, aprons, masks, visors, head coverings, goggles etc.  Great concern expressed that such equipment was in short suppply  for care home staff in particular.  
  
  
• ICU - Intensive Care Units in hospitals .
  

 

Some more Slogans I missed off my earlier listing under S:

• Data not Dates   - used by government to determine when Lockdown would  be eased.
  
  
• Eat Out to Help Out -  A government subsidy paid last summer to cafes & restaurant to  safeguard jobs and encourage the public to support the badly hit hospitality industry,  with meals half price Mondays to Wednesdays. Customers were required to  give their contact details on every visit.   We took full advantage of this offer ! 
  
  
• No Jab, no Job - a controversial topic  with some people  seeing this as an assault on personal liberties. 
  

Will these words and phrases make their way in to the next edition of dictionaries?  Are there other words and phrases  I have missed?  

 

 

 

 

And finally,VARIETY AWAITS  us this 26th April 2021  with non-essential shops, cafes and restaurants reopening, pubs (alcohol only served outdoors) and beauty salons,  (but no facial treatments), along with travel to other parts of the UK. But what I definitely  need is a VACATION! 

 

 

  

On the Isle  of Iona looking across to the Isle of Mull - one of our favourite places.

 

 

ONTO W FOR WORRIES AND WALKS