So here we are: one year, four months and 25 days since the first lockdown commenced …

A little plumper, a little greyer—with a slightly pummelled liver—but also feeling more resilient than ever before and confident in the knowledge that we have got through the worst of it. We’re definitely looking forward to better times 😊

We have settled into our ‘home working’ routines, with new desks and IT equipment and comfy chairs from the office to support our poor old backs! The kitchen table is mostly back to what it was designed to be, rather than a mass of Darren’s work bag contents and paperwork (who still handwrites supervision notes?!)

Our children have survived all the changes and adjustments, going to school and not going to school, seeing people and not seeing people, the air hugs, and real hugs. The only thing they still haven’t quite grasped is the ‘not now, Mummy’s working’ concept!

Living with a teenager was slightly more challenging. The isolation became suffocating, and the social media frenzy became toxic and unbearable. However, like most things, what doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger and with GCSEs behind us and a new college start in sight, our beautiful young lady is out, having fun and smiling again!!! Yay! (Aaaaand breathe …)

We have both enjoyed seeing our colleagues at the Big Lunch Out, which was so much fun and ridiculously exciting to meet people in the flesh 😊

Everyone kept commenting on how they thought people were taller or smaller than they thought they would be … I’m glad no one told me they thought I was younger on Teams! I would have been mortified!

Our other ‘colleagues’ are mostly made up of small people and the latest addition to our madhouse, our red Cockapoo called ‘Buckley’ who’s just turned one. He may have made a few appearances in Teams meetings, usually with me chasing him around the living room trying to prize the post or one of our shoes out of his mouth!

During this pandemic we have mobilised a new hoarding service which has been a wonderful success. We have recruited eleven new starters which has forced us to think creatively about delivering a good induction process and creating strong working relationships over Teams, while trying not to sound like a robot or freeze on screen pulling a really ugly face!

The last year has taught us how to be even more resilient, to be kinder, to slow down and to take notice of what and who is around us. We have realised we can change the way we work; we can adapt, and we can get through it.

What I love about P3 is that we will always find a way to help people, rather than a reason not to and a worldwide pandemic couldn’t stop that!

So, I guess, for the Halls, it’s been a mix of challenging, wonderful, scary, humbling and feeling the love …

Well most of the time!

Disclaimer: No children were hurt in this photo!