So how are you all doing? Now in week 10 of lockdown, are you suffering from cabin fever yet? The phrase “cabin fever” was probably coined in the past when people would be literally snowed in their cabins for weeks or months on end. Well we know how that feels: restless, irritable, lethargic, and just plain fed-up.

Whether we are isolating alone or with family some days we just feel plain yuck! But according to ‘experts’ we can do things to relieve this cabin fever. Structuring the day is pretty important as is taking time out for exercise (get those endorphins going)—and for yourself. Taking time out for yourself might seem a bit odd right now, particularly if you are at home alone. But some days we just need to relax, chill, and not try too hard at keeping sane. It’s perfectly fine to take time out even from doing nothing. A bit harder if you are in a family setting with children who demand attention.

So what am I doing these days? My days are loosely structured and oddly they pass very quickly. No need to get up early, my day starts around 8am three times a week when I have live on-line Zumba and Pilates classes with Priti Rai. Other days I tend to get up a bit later.  Regardless of the day it starts with a drink of moringa powder, which has all sorts of magical properties. Seemingly. That is followed by tea and fruit on the balcony.

The past two weeks the local crows seem to have gained enough confidence to hop on by for their daily breakfast muesli. Rarely more than one crow at a time and they seem to rotate. I’ve been locked down so long I recognize individual crows. I’ll be painting faces on and talking to volleyballs next, right Wilson? By now it’s around 11am or noon. Time to hit the kitchen.

I’ve suddenly become the Soup Queen. There are currently around 12 individual containers of different soups in my fridge. Make ‘em, freeze ‘em, eat ‘em, defrost the fridge, and repeat! I have found two great delivery services to keep me supplied. One being Kathmandu Organics and the other being Salesberry. There are plenty more, as I’m sure you know. As for actually going out—I like to keep trips to the shops down to once a week. 

I have had quite a lot of work to do over the past couple of months. At the beginning I deliberately spread it out. Now I find two hours a day is the maximum I can concentrate. So after completing any work it’s around 4pm. Twice a week I have other on-line live classes, this time Yogalates and Restorative Yoga with Helen, who lived in Kathmandu until earlier this year. Listening to her voice I could be in the yoga studio in Lazimpat! 

On days when there are no scheduled classes, I do Zumba via YouTube. After which, time to Skype mum. A daily event. Then perhaps a fix of anything interesting that’s being shown online. For example the Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival is showing free movies. As is the Dharamshala International Film Festival. There might be some interesting gigs from local or international musicians, as well as other events from around the world. I watched a live talk from the North Pole earlier this week! 

**Breaking News** a chapter or two of J.K. Rowling’s new book, The Ickabog are available online each day now until 10 July, for kids, old and young!

By now the sun is going down and it’s time for what I call “Demented Dog”—or a walk round my very small roof! Then a glass of something on the veranda and check in if there is any other music online. Suddenly its 8pm—where did the day go?  A few calls or Skype’s to friends, a look at Netflix (‘Tiger King’ is worth a watch) and turn on American Idol (still running on Star World). Thankfully The Walking Dead series I watched on TV has now finished. Phew, because that marathon ran from 11.15pm till 2.15am every night. Roll into bed around midnight.  And tomorrow do it all again.

And yes, there are days when cabin fever takes over and there is nothing much happening in my house except reading (currently ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’) and coffee. So my original question: how are you and what are you doing? Comment below!