From reflections on grief and identity, bad hair and parenting, sleep and spirituality, to the things we can control and the things we cannot, Dawn has been doing a lot of thinking about life in lockdown. Mostly from a cupboard. Discover the daily diaries that track the journey – for a hilarious, heartbreaking and highly entertaining glimpse into the new normal.‘There’s been a lot of well-meaning but mad advice on how to contend with the strangest period of human history any of us has ever lived through. Dawn O’Porter redresses the balance by telling it as it really has been: holding out for 5pm to crack open the tequila’ Mark Watson
As soon as I began reading Life in Pieces, I was smiling and sometimes laughing at her view of 2020. Unlike her, I am not a mother of small children, but a senior citizen; however, having been in that role, I could definitely imagine how the year would play out from her perspective.
Her occasional jabs at those in charge in this strange new world particularly resonated with me. None of us are happy to learn that politics has played such a role in how events unfolded for us.
Now I am just hoping to make it through the year…and beyond, if necessary, but it is great to read books like this one along the way.
I like her description of events: “I am speaking to my family more. I am working on my marriage more. I am nesting, organizing, preparing for disaster, making sure that, if the world goes to shit, we will survive. I am loving harder than I’ve ever loved in my life. I was alone with my grief, but now the whole world is grieving too. A solidarity that we can’t deny.”
I love when a book pulls it all together so nicely, reminding us that, in the midst of uncertainty and chaos, there is a silver lining. 5 stars.
It’s good to hear of others experience with this time and to be able to identify with them and feel connected.
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Thanks, Kathryn, this is the first book I’ve read about the lockdown, and it did feel great to connect to some of the feelings and experiences.
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This has been quite the year. I must say that I am so glad that my kids are big enough to take care of themselves because I don’t think that I could have juggled homeschool and bored kids on top of everything else. I think that this year has really helped me focus on the things that are important.
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Thanks, Carole, I agree that having older kids, or in my case, grown ones, makes it all a little less stressful. It’s bad enough without the extra responsibilities for others!
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This sounds good Laurel. I am glad I don’t have the added responsibility of child-rearing during COVID.
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I am so grateful for that, too, Diane.
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