Good News Snippets in Everyday Life (Week 2). Plus at the end “Nagging Mother of the Shed” appointed!

We had a request from the People’s Health Trust for a story for them to use. They wanted a screen shot of us using Zoom video conferencing. We got Brian Holiday, Maggie and Lisa, and myself in a 3 way conversation.

Sheds at home

Look at these Owl Boxes Shedder Roger has made for the Cinder Track near his home. The first two are the Small Owl Box and the other tall one (a chimney) is for a Tawny Owl. Looks quality work to us! Well done mate.

Like a doll’s house inside:-)

Shut that door!

Home for a Tawny Owl

Latest Food Delivery List

Sleights Surgery Appeal

Changing Behaviour

Had a lovely note handed to me by a neighbour in the next road that I’ve not spoken to for a long while really. I was fixing a part of my fence in the sunshine. She was walking down the middle of the road keeping her distance, darted forward with the note offering any support and retreated to 4m distance I’d say.  At any other time I’d think it unusual but not in these unprecedented times.

I stopped for petrol at a small garage and before I filled the tank I was asked if I’d got a contactless credit card. People don’t want to handle cash. He took the card inside (I’ve never let anyone walk off with my card before) and he swiped it himself (wearing  rubber gloves) and brought it and the receipt back to me.

Because there are so few people walking about we seem to notice each other, even on the other side of the road, and nod. We are missing social contact already. 

Small groups are taking to videoconferencing with a vengeance and finding it not so bad after all. I will have to watch my Aussie granddaughter grow up on Skype for quite a long while before I get up close!!

My wife is seeing more of me now than for many years. She is very up close now (and sometimes demanding!). 

So life has changed. All seems a little unreal, except for the sunshine and daffodils. I needed to smell the roses a bit. 

The UK Men’s Sheds Association are working with the Frome Shed, and Frome FM to broadcast a two-hour radio show for the next eight weeks (more if necessary) on the topic of “Staying Connected”.  The first show will be 10am on the 25th March 2020.

The emphasis will not be on Coronavirus, but on “Sheds Staying connected”. Whilst being led by Men’s and Women’s Sheds, We hope that the content has a broad appeal to all who are staying at home and self-isolating.
The purpose of this show is to help soften the blow of self-isolating and keep people more in touch with the Sheds and the community they belong to.

The radio show will be made up of telephone interviews with people country-wide about their Sheds, and what they get up to in them. There will also be other guests taking part, which may include subject matter experts, there will some music, and also the opportunities for people to send messages to their Shedders who are self-isolating.
 We anticipate that there will be ideas from contributors on how people  can “stay connected”.

 

This will include examples of Community involvement. We aim to have a level of light-heartedness and humour.

 

Graham is being recorded later for a snippet about the gazebo we erected at Sleights Surgery as protection from rain (written in bright sunshine) and also for a contribution for the following week about Sheds internationally and his first experience in January 2015 of an Aussie Shed! G’day.

News from BayThorpe Shed (and a new appointment)

We knew it was coming,but it was still a jolt. The  Sheds closed and the Tour de Yorkshire cancelled. But the Penny Farthing is going to be painted black and used for Victorian weekend with an appropriate figure on it. The bird boxes will still be made at home and we will all be back !!

Steve decided to start some work on a friend’s tired static caravan. They use it as a reception for their campsite,and as it is in an empty field, he is doing his own isolation.

He should finish it today, and as it’s been a 9 to 5  job, we haven’t had a single cross word all week. The plan is to have hanging baskets all along the front when it reopens. A fellow Shedder said it was a great improvement, and looked like a Shed – was there a theme?? Hmmm. 

[It’s batchelor life for Steve. Maybe he could live as a hermit in the converted caravan?  Graham]

My week has been spent catching up in the garden, but found I couldn’t concentrate for long,popping in to check on family and friends, in particular elderly relatives in Manchester and Cheshire who haven’t anyone close. I found they have, just like us, a support group and gives me reassurance for when they need it, but it’s difficult for them to trust that these people are genuine.

I’ve put myself and other Shedders, forward in Robin Hoods Bay, for our group and am waiting to be matched up with my “buddies”. So much goes into setting up these groups, and the feeling that  when this is over, communities will be much closer. 

My last little bit is a personal one. When I was a child ( yes I still remember those days) I had a cousin in Canada, and we were pen friends for many years. I suspect we were put together as I’d lost my mum and she, her dad at a young age. We lost touch, but thanks to Ancestry ,were reunited last year. Over there thay are some weeks behind us in the Covid-19 journey, so I’ve been sending all the  information that I feel will be useful to their community as things progress.

It is important that we keep in touch as Shedders. There is a special spirit in each Shed but actually across all our Sheds from some of our perspectives. We were too busy to find ways of all getting together to know each other before. We are not too busy now!! But we cannot meet up. Electronic communication (phone, email, Skype, Zoom  however). Elaine has been asked to be the “nagging Mother of the Shed”. To bring out her caring feminine side to all our benefits and to help get some banter going. 

A Father of the Shed will also be appointed shortly (not Graham who is just a wayward child) with the same role.

BUT YOU as Shedders can help by sending in any fun snippets of life and even serious thoughts for the future.  

 

AND NOW WE ANNOUNCE . . . . The Father of the Sheds . . . . (drum roll)   Roger Gould  

We must make it clear that Elaine and Roger are not married. Their job is to cheer us up. Good luck to them:-)

PS A new blog will start for this shortly but for now send Elaine or Graham anything.