Meteorologist and RTÉ Weather presenter Joanna Donnelly has been working, of course, but also practicing the piano, reading and 'marvelling at how many pairs of shoes can be accumulated by one man and three boys.'
"The weather being what it has been the last few weeks has been a big influencer on my behaviour in isolation, as I'm sure for many, but in particular, because it made work a fairly easy concern.
"Harm, my husband (Harm Luijkx, fellow meteorologist) and I are very lucky to be secure in our careers so don't have the stress and worry that so many have at this time. We're also lucky that we have a nice, comfortable house and a reasonable-sized garden to share with our three children so we've plenty of company - sometimes it can feel like a little bit too much company.
"It's hard to comprehend how many pairs of shoes can be accumulated by one man and three boys, and how they like to change shoes depending on sport - and then leave said shoes for me to pick up! I had an idea at the start of all this that, if needs must stay at home, I would take the opportunity to clean my house from top to bottom.
"Sort out all those junk drawers. Get to the back of the wardrobe and declutter every available crevice. My house would be gleaming! and so it started out. Then, realising that having 5 people home all day everyday eating all meals and not "spending a penny" in any facility other than the one I had to clean... well, I soon got over that notion.
"The house is now clean enough and no one can see it but us anyway. I have managed to get some painting done. When I say 'some', what I mean is, I've painted every surface of the house that could possibly take a piece of paint. Harm ran screaming from the house after Day 3.
"I'm sure he suspected I was going to paint him next as I stood menacingly over him, Colour Trend Classic White dipped brush in hand. It's quite satisfying to see it done. Again, it's a bit sad that by the time it's open to guests for them to admire my handiwork, it will likely need to be done again. See point about living with four other people (not that I'd have it any other way.)
"I took up learning to play the piano using an app called FlowKey last June and I have ambitions to be able to play Debussy's Clair de Lune by my birthday in September. So I play piano every day. I use the Yamaha keyboard, with earphones on - Harm bought it for me for my birthday last year, I'd like to think because he's so thoughtful. I suspect though, it's because he couldn't bear to listen to me on the actual (upright) piano a moment longer.
"I absolutely love to play piano and am so delighted to have found this hobby. It suits me so well. It's soothing, relaxing and keeps the mind alert and active. I'm reading a lot. I'm also really enjoying audio books. I find audio-books a brilliant way to enjoy large books, or non-fiction works.
"At the moment I'm working my way through the Guardian Top 100 books of all time and currently am reading WG Sebald's Austerlitz at night time before bed, and listening in the day-time on audio book to Clarissa by Samuel Richardson.
"It's a huge book and I was a little frustrated at the very slow start but I'm loving it now. It's taking up all my time so I'm not really watching TV or Netflix. We do have family movie nights regularly during the week which we all enjoy, we usually find something that we can all agree on, the Marvel movies or Star Wars being the top favourites.
"I'm knitting and sewing too which are also some of my favourite activites. I finished my own Aran jumper a few weeks ago, so I'm now working on Harm's matching one. We'll make a very pretty picture next winter, matching Arans.
"Finally, there's time left for exercise. We live near the beach, thank God, and the new Green Way between Baldoyle and Portmarnock opened just in time for us to be able to enjoy it. So, between walking the dog and cycling with the children on the Green Way, or to the beach we get lots of exercise.
"I also practice yoga on a daily basis. It's important to keep the mind as active as the body and it's important to talk, so I call my mother every day and remember to keep in touch with my friends near and far using the technology available.
"It's so important to take all the positives that we can from this experience and make the most of what we have. The emergency response to Covid-19 can teach us so many lessons on the further response to the climate emergency, so I do hope that lessons learned will help us going forward.
"I've always commuted to work by bicycle and recently the noticable increase in the number of people cycling is so heartening to see - perhaps they'll realise all the positives to be gained from the most liberating of commuter methods."
