Lisa’s lowdown

As a member of the island’s annual Polar Bear Swim, Lisa McLure greets the first day of spring with a traditional dip in the ocean, accompanied by son Angus. All other plans, however, have gone up the proverbial creek.

“Some weeks are diamonds, some are more like putting your eyebrows through a meat grinder.

All plans and practices have gone through the meat grinder this week. That amazing list we made up of house rules, yep, that also bit the dust by Wednesday.

Remember back in the olden days (two months ago) when we all thought we had life back under control in some way, I have fond memories of it. Now it just feels like we are back on the bike, with no wheels, and it's careering down a hill toward a lava pit.

I ended up back on social media after a week’s break. I didn't miss the bad stuff, but I was missing all of the good news people had to share. Book week pics of the kids that people had shared, engagements, birthdays and baby announcements, photos from the lucky ones who had managed to get off the rock and go exploring in the NT.

I'm just trying to limit my time on there now. Having a break was really good though. It helped to reset my head a bit and get some perspective on what's important.

Remote learning has its challenges daily, I've given up trying to rewrite the rules. Mentally I've really struggled this past week.  The goal posts keep moving. I'm fortunate to be surrounded by supportive people. What can you do, other than check in on your friends?

Poor Tim feels bad about trotting off to work each day, only to come home to me in a muddle.  As always he's been an awesome support.  He does what he can to help get things back on track. Simple things like putting the clean sheets on the bed when I am in the shower is worth millions in my book. He's such a good egg.

Enough with the whinge whinge. 

Some good came from last week as well. Our gorgeous little pug puppy Mavis has arrived. She's a little black ball of crazy and brings sunshine to everyone she meets. I hand her over to strangers in the street for puppy love. I love watching people’s faces light up when they see her.

Our cat Eric, as you can imagine, is MOST displeased with this new housemate.

Mavis has settled in well, we can't wait to be able to walk her down to the beach so Audrey can teach her to swim. She sleeps in Evie's bed at night, and we put her mattress on the floor so Mavis can get on and off. If I get up in the middle of the night Mavis comes out with her ferocious little bark. No intruder would dare cross her path.

Yesterday I was doing some painting outside and when I turned around the little mite had rubbed her face and head on the paint tin. She went from being all black to black and white. Puppies are funny little creatures. Eric doesn’t think so, though.

On the first day of spring we have a tradition: The Polar Bear Swim that has been going for around 12 years.  A group of us usually would meet up on the Cowes beach and all run in to the ocean and scream and laugh as everyone dunked under the freezing water to celebrate the first day of spring, no wetsuits, bathers only, no nudie runs either, damn. And the rule is you have to fully submerge, head included.

We haven't been able to gather in our group for two years now since Covid hit. But everyone has been going in pairs or with family members and sending in their videos to Jenny who is our fearless Polar Bear leader.

It started off with only a handful of us. Two years ago we had around 50 people on the beach. That year will go down in history as the craziest ever. It hailed just as we all hit the water. Madness ensued and it was hilarious.

This year I went down in the late afternoon with Angus and he held my hand as we ran and jumped in together.

Nothing like Arctic cold water to bring you back to earth. It definitely helped clear out some of the mental cobwebs and bring a smile to our day.

Well, I'm off to see what’s in store for remote learning today. Hopefully we won’t have to use the meat grinder.”