To the mountains…

It’s hard to imagine that I used to write my blog every day. I think I had more time to think then and I seem to have lacked the inspiration to write recently. Perhaps I needed some time to re-charge – last year was very intense.

This Sunday I’m hoping to go to the mountains and I can’t express how excited and nervous I am about going. It’s been 2 years and I have changed physically and mentally. I also had Covid the week before last which, despite being vaccinated, hit me harder than expected and I’m still coughing a bit.

This is a photo of where I’m hoping to be – I wonder how resilient I’ll be and if it will feel the same. I’m sure it will be good just to get up there – really love the calm and the expanse of this place and I can’t wait to zoom down in the snow.

www.privvi.co.uk

Advertisement

Time to reflect

I’ve mixed feelings about New Year and find it often happens with a sense of unfulfilled expectation. Despite this I feel it’s a useful time to reflect and an opportunity to begin again and a new start to another year.

I filmed this late on Christmas eve last year (after a few glasses of wine – hence the tinsel and flower) and it’s interesting to watch now. Although I’m making progress in the right direction, 2021 has been a struggle mentally and physically – after two operations and five hospital consultants I’ve felt the strain.

Looking forward to getting stuck in again next year so a Happy New Year to you all. Here’s hoping for a productive, healthy, Covid-free year ahead.

www.privvi.co.uk

A very merry Christmas

If I’m honest I find Christmas a tiny bit stressful (although I enjoy it). Been a busy week but we’re finally here and it’s good to take a break.

Spent a bit of time designing this Privvi promo for the festivities. I find designing quite satisfying and productive and it also relaxes me to focus on something creative.

Hopefully the toilet baubles are clear enough on the image. I was going to do some sort of Privvi manger/nativity visual and story – about how terrible the toilet in the manger might have been after use by three shepherds, the wise men (and any other visitors who may have come to visit after a long journey). I couldn’t work out how to depict it but I liked the idea…

www.privvi.co.uk

The Christmas wreath

I’ve never made a real one so I booked myself into a wreath-making workshop last night. There’s a surprising amount of labour involved and I hadn’t realised how much the damage to my hand would affect this as I haven’t done anything this ‘hands on’ for some time. It looked fine in the end so I was pleased about that.

You have to bundle up balls of moss really tight and bind them one by one with string around a wire loop. This really made my thumb hurt and someone had to do it for me. Then again a friend had to cut my wire with scissors as it was difficult for me. Tying the decorations on with wire was manageable but left my thumb very sore by the end of the evening. I can’t change what has happened so I have to get on with what I can and try not think too much about my hand. It is hard not to feel a little broken at times like these.

I’ve been ‘treading water’ recently in terms of my Privvi work. I’m hoping to recharge my enthusiasm and approach and start the New Year with a fresh outlook. All the boxes are packed and ready to go.

www.privvi.co.uk

Happy World Toilet Day

I didn’t know this existed until today when I saw someone post on Instagram. I set my ‘stunt toilet’ up in the living room and did a quick photoshoot.

Apparently World Toilet Day ‘celebrates toilets for everything they do – from taking away waste to protecting everyones’ health, safety and dignity.’

If you think about it toilets are a fundamental part of our day-to-day lives that we take for granted and even though we may consider them unhygienic, they are, in fact, a way of protecting ourselves in a modern environment where we live together in close proximity. Saying that – they still freak me out sometimes, depending what they’re like, where they are and how clean they may be.

www.privvi.co.uk

Taking a moment

If you read my last blog post I suspect you may have been wondering if I did get Covid a while back. I didn’t and I have several theories on why: that I had it already, my second vaccine dose was relatively recent and lastly due to having the Pfizer vaccine. I doubt I’ll ever know but I’m very grateful to escape it (for now).

I’ve been thinking of writing for a few days but it’s really hard to find the time. I was hoping to post on Halloween, hence the creepy photo (love this – especially the spider) Luckily I found a moment unexpectedly today.

I’m having a re-think on my approach to Privvi and I feel it’s good to re-evaluate. Christmas is looming so perhaps there’s opportunity there – I just need to find time to focus (which is challenging).

www.privvi.co.uk

Dodging the bullet

Seems I’m the last man standing. I thought about using an image of a row of toppling Dominoes but settled on the image of a soldier – because the last 10 days has been a battle of sorts and I have watched most of my friends and their children go down with Covid one by one, day after day. It’s actually been quite distressing to observe as well as dealing with my own family being unwell. I’m the only one at home who has managed to ‘dodge the bullet’ and I’m not in the clear yet.

It’s been such a shock, particularly after we’ve all spent so long protecting ourselves, to suddenly find this nasty virus spreading freely through the community. Reading the news there seems to be a misconception that it’s just school children getting it. From what I can see this is not the case and it’s clear many double vaccinated adults are now getting it from their kids and still becoming ill. In my opinion it’s crazy that school children weren’t vaccinated before going back to school in September.

I’m just hoping that everyone gets through, keeps well and that the situation doesn’t escalate. It’s an unfortunate reminder of the reasons I made Privvi and perhaps an incentive to continue to forge ahead with it.

www.privvi.co.uk

Small feet?

No, I don’t have really small feet – they are actually a size 8. Sometimes I look at them and think they’re a really long way away. My feet ARE actually further away than most peoples’ and I forget how tall I am sometimes.

While out with newspaper colleagues in Prague we met a lady who wasn’t very tall and had one foot size 5 and one a size 9. She actually put her feet up on a table to show everyone. Every time she bought shoes she had to buy two pairs and use one of each for each foot.

I’m having a strange week as both my children have Covid. I’m hoping they’re through the worst but it’s been surprisingly stressful. It’s a case of maintaining focus, monitoring and trying to stay calm. I think it’s why I noticed my feet – I’ve been stuck at home and needed the distraction.

www.privvi.co.uk

Our ‘new normal’

I had an idea for a social media post for Privvi which I’ve photographed and designed. Simple but titled our ‘new normal’.

I think we’d hoped that Covid was beginning to subside but then the kids went back to school, unvaccinated and with no masks or any precautions in place. From my perspective it appears to be turning into a minefield and a waiting game. We’re certainly more dependant on LFTs, than ever. I’m not sure they even existed until last year but I imagine they’re here forever now – if not for Covid, for other illness.

I wonder if life ever return to ‘normal’ again and be Covid-free and what might ‘new normal’ look like? I guess we’ll find out but I’m hoping this isn’t it. I think we’ve a tough winter ahead so we’ll just crack on.

www.privvi.co.uk