The Importance Of Fun During A Pandemic

I've discovered that the way to survive the utter fear and panic of this pandemic was to keep busy. I was ensuring I kept up with my online friends so we could help each other through the bad parts like a huge online support network, and it was reassuring to know that others shared your worries and you weren't the only one who sometimes felt like they were losing the plot. In those first weeks, I was afraid that the virus was going to attack me if I so much as stepped outside, I was hyperventalating behind my mask going into a local shop for milk, had a full on panic attack when our Prime Minister looked like he could die and then my uncle went into hospital. Those weeks were bad and I realised I needed to take control of my mental health or I was going to have a breakdown. Although sadly we lost my uncle to Covid 19 and underlying health issues, I did manage to regain my mental stability.

Reading is usually my mode to relax but I found it hard to concentrate on books with everything that was going on, and I know a lot of you had similar struggles. For ages I was reading virtually nothing until for a giggle I picked up ebook copies of childhood favourites by Enid Blyton and the first Paddington book, which wasn't a re-read. Suddenly I was back in those carefree days of the gosh, crikey, spiffing kind of child adventures I loved as a kid! The Wishing Chair was fun, the Secret series has been enjoyable and Paddington has been brilliant! I also did a Harry Potter re-read which gave me the fuzzies. Now I'm inching back into my beloved horror and non fiction so I'm a lot happier. Adventures are fun, whatever genre you are reading and these childhood books helped my mood as they are quick light reads. 

Fun has also come in the rewatching of old favourite films. For me this means shark films like the Jaws series, Deep Blue Sea and The Meg, adventures like Jumanji and The Mummy, Harry Potter and the Jurassic Park/World films, Star Wars (original trilogy), Mamma Mia!, A Bug's Life, Barnyard, The Jungle Book, Alien 1-3 etc. I've also caught up on reality TV I enjoy like Great British Menu, MKR, Masterchef and Pimp My Ride. More of that stuff to come all summer. I'd love to watch new films and dvd boxsets but I'm not quite ready for new stuff yet! I'm slowly building up to it! (I hope) I also have lots of great cds but I'm saving listening to them for when I start to clear out my bedroom and get it into some kind of order!

I used to love arts and crafts as a kid and I've plunged back into it by building Diagon Alley in 3D to display in my room and 3D puzzles of Winterfell and King's Landing. I have another 10 3D puzzles for Harry Potter and Game of Thrones to two, two jigsaw puzzles and 3 sequin art Paddington projects! That will entertain me right through the winter! I'm toying with getting in a few cross stitch projects related to my interests if I find any. I'm looking at the six wives of Henry VIII but haven't got the money to order more than one right now so I went for Anne Boleyn first as I liked her outfit best! I also have my glue, scrapbooks and sellotape supplies for my news scrapbooks.

I'm also picking up crossword puzzlebooks over the coming weeks to give me a winter stock. I'm grabbing some of the women's magazines that focus on real life story and puzzles for added entertainment. Hopefully I can pick up the odd history, dinosaur or other cool magazine to add to a small pile that I can browse whenever the mood takes. I also get my weekly Inside Soap and Hello (for the Royal articles). I have a huge pile of colouring books ready to use and a supply of lovely gel pens to use.  

I'm also doing a total rewatch of my beloved Coronation Street! I've watched April 1976 up to March 1991 at the moment, taking notes on each episode for future reference. Very time consuming! Never mind Chuckles, just 29 years to watch!!! *freaks out a bit* I've also got hold of some classic Eastenders-the first 10 years which were 1985-1995. I no longer watch it but I liked the early stuff. I won't be watching that for a long time though! I also have my favourite five or so Brookside years on disks too. 

So it looks like I'll be well covered for winter and any future lockdown. I have a variety of stuff I can do for fun to keep me occupied every waking hour! I certainly recommend getting in supplies of everything you need for entertainment ahead of the winter rush of mass buying on Amazon. Being prepared for vital food and health supplies is great but we also need to take care of our mental health with fun stuff too. I'm loaded for bear and ready to rock!!!

What have you been reading and watching? Have you been doing any arts and crafts? Doing any puzzles of any kind? Are you planning on stocking up for winter or in case of another lockdown?