Glad Game

I love the story of Pollyanna.

For those who have no idea Pollyanna is the story of a girl who placed in a difficult situation plays the glad game - seeing something to be glad about in every situation. Her life has an impact on those around her as they also learn to play the 'glad game'.


With so much fear and anxiety in a situation beyond our control one thing we are doing as a family is playing the glad game.
Before each meal we all have to find one thing we are glad for. Somethings are obviously repeated but it has helped us as a family to focus and be thankful for the things that we have rather than the things that for a season we have had to give up.

Part of our lockdown scrapbook.

It is the simple things that have become so important in our day - sunrise on a run, birdsong on our daily walk, being able to purchase food and finding new ways to cook.


Today I did not want to play the glad game. I had had a difficult day and we had not communicated well as a couple or as a family. In normal life this would have passed quickly and we would have moved on  but in this pressure cooker environment things expand far more than they would normally. Having told the family at
teatime I didn't have anything to be glad for we sat and ate almost silently (almost unheard of in our house!)  - and I realised that that wasn't true - even now there were things I was glad for and we could work through this. So we played the glad game over pudding, and whilst the children played in the garden, differences were resolved and a way forward found. It was a reminder that we constantly have to adjust and adapt, we need to forgive and move on, but mostly we need to keep talking - to keep those lines of communication open.

Home baked Hot Cross Buns

Home Baked Bread

Whilst sometimes needing to find time alone we are glad for company and friendship, and try to connect regularly with those who are on their own. A good morning to a neighbour - from a safe distance, a smile and a wave - helps to reduce the sense of isolation. There are so many things we are glad for!

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A year with the National Trust : A La Ronde

This property is about ten minutes from Keith's parents in Exmouth, but we have never been, we knew it was fairly small so we just went for the afternoon which was about right.

It is an amazing 16 sided house, which meant inside there were lots of interesting shaped room and hidden spaces, it would be a great place to live, especially for a child, hide and seek could go on for hours!

Posing for the proper camera!

Sophie wasn't too impressed with the facilities!

But the views were great!

Especially looking over the estuary.

The house was decorated top to bottom with crafts that the two girls who lived there had made, pictures mosaics, collages, on furniture, fireplaces, walls and ceiling. The decorations were made of paper, shells and feathers and though perhaps a little over the top very inspiring! The top gallery of the house is too fragile to visit but you can catch just a glimpse of its shell lined walls.

We headed outside to take part in an Easter egg hunt.....

Sponsored by Cadbury! .... now to claim their prize!