Lockdown is such a weird time because the lines between work and home are blurred. Going to work is, for many of us, not the same as it once was. Having a weekend, or any form of downtime is so important for mental health and creates a routine that we all need.

If you read my Lockdown Survival Guide then you’ll know that it’s one of things I really recommend doing if you’re struggling to adapt to the new normal. Weekends aren’t the same anymore. We cannot see our family and friends, we can’t go out out on a saturday night, and the joy of a cosy night in isn’t the same.

I want to use this post to firstly talk about the things we got up too this weekend that I wouldn’t do a full blog on alone. And also to inspire all of you who are looking for some structure and normalcy in your lives. I hope this post helps and please don’t forget to speak up if you do need help.

Our weekend has evolved around two things; food and daily walks! Is anyone else in the same boat?!

Friday

The weekends for me start as soon as Shaun finished work, and so when he was done for the day we decided to go for a short walk around the village. The roads and paths were treacherous with thick black ice everywhere. My wellies were even having some problems, but Shaun was like Bambi! It was great entertainment!

We then decided to get some Fish and Chips on our way home from Ryhope Fisheries. It’s not far from home and it’s always really good. Cod bites and gravy sauce are elite! After this I had a hot bath and chilled for the rest of the night.

Saturday

Saturday the weather was GLORIOUS! Honestly it might have been the best day of the year so far. So we knew we had to make the most of it. Looking ahead and planning around the weather this time of year is a great way to make the most of the weekend. We ended up discovering a new place to visit and walked from Whitburn Mill to Cleadon Mill. You can read all about the route on my Twin Mill Route blog post.

After the 5 mile hike, we felt we deserved a treat, so muffins and custard it was before we sat and watched the football. Honestly there is nothing fun to say about this as it wasn’t very entertaining.

Sunday

Sundays are usually our day of adventure as I normally work Saturdays however things being the way they are, Sundays can now be a bit of a lazy day for us. So we had a lazy morning before being stressed out by the powercut we had.

After this we decided to try and do something we normally would, and order a Sunday Lunch to be collected from our local. The Albion at Ryhope always do incredibly good Sunday dinners and we have been a few times throughout the year. Shaun got the beef dinner, and I got the vegetarian which is just extra of all the veg, which I love!

To try and burn this off, we went for a little walk through Herrington Country Park. The monument itself was quite busy so we stuck to the park to avoid the masses of people. You can see from the photo below how busy the car park is!

Of course, we had to stop off at Greggs on the way in for a coffee!

Sunday night we watched Tag on Netflix. It scored a 6.5 on IMDB and was a pretty enjoyable film. It made me laugh a few times which is a bonus right now!

Trying to do normal things is a huge part of this weird time we’re living in. But nothing feels normal anymore. I really hope anyone struggling finds something that motivates them to keep going and get through this.

Stay Safe and Happy Adventuring