Not a fan! January is hard when you’ve not got everyone at home? So when you haven’t moved from the sofa normally, now you’ve got three people very aware.

I had a panic attack, or MS hug, or something scary happened in the wee small hours of the night. Maybe it was unrelated but I got up at 8.30 ish to the news that BTECs will go ahead… NO! I was invigilating tomorrow but I don’t know why these are going ahead, while lockdown intensifies. After last night, I took the decision to give up the only work I have for now, for the safety of my family, and me. It’s bonkers that they have agreed alternatives to cover the GCSEs in the summer but students and staff will have to continue with these exams now?

I sent off an apology. Giving up paid work in January is not easy at all. It’s hard and makes me feel terrible but obviously my body needed to tell me, by squeezing my torso very tight, to take care of me. It will be tight financially but obviously I need to look in other directions for my income. I must prioritise and keep trying to do my bit in other ways. If my hubby can work through the coldest months in the shed…

I managed 20 minutes in the greenhouse. I cut some toilet roll tubes with the shears… that was enough. There’s not going to be glowing tales of planted seeds today.