Poppa M wasn’t good a lot of things, he was very good at some stuff, when he put his mind to it. He was a clever man, but he wasn’t a finisher and was lazy when it came to the home, not work, I remember his 5am marking mornings…

Our house used to be full have half finished projects and botch fixing jobs that were meant to be “for now” but years on there was still masking tape holding something together or string wrapped around something. Because what he was brilliant at was doing nothing, just chilling, reading the Daily Express whilst smoking a cheap fag and watching the cricket or football. He could laze away the day watching really crap True Movies or Judge Rinder. He was happy just pottering.

I really need to take a leaf out of his book. If Poppa M had have been here now, he’d have bossed this lockdown. Providing he had a plentiful stock of John Smiths and seriously cheap, foul tasting Merlot (urgh) he’s have been happy.

He’d have loved his daily walk, taking himself off everyday to walk into our local village, pick up the daily paper, some backy and filters for his roll ups and some of the red stuff. Then only wander back and potter about not really achieving anything just tending to his half finished projects and list of jobs making a crappy half arsed attempt at keeping things in working order.

He’d have been chilled, he’d have totally taken it in his stride. Ok Poppa M in his true nature would’ve driven the rest of us mad as we went stir crazy, making comments about not knowing what we were moaning about or suggestions of what to do to make us feel better that actually would annoy us even more. He’d have driven us crazy but actually we’d have needed to take a leaf out of his book.

Poppa M was a troubled and unhappy man in a lot of ways, but in a strange way he was also very good at being content a lot of the time. He wasn’t the most sociable of people, he didn’t have a wide friendship circle and was rubbish at making the effort to see people and socialise, he was a bit of a lone soul and would just potter at home by himself. The lockdown wouldn’t have really impacted his day to day life much at all. He’d have been fine, shrugged his shoulders and got on with it.

There’s a lot to be said for it really, maybe a few of us need to just shrug our shoulders, tinker in our tool box for a bit, drink a brew, turn on the tv and flick through the paper whilst munching on dry roasted peanuts.

Poppa M, you’ve taught me a lot about how not to live my life just you’ve also demonstrated to me some things to do as well. You’d have accepted that you cannot control the current situation, you’d have just ridden it out and not let it get to you so much. You’d have found plenty of jobs to half complete in between your daily walk, fag and tea breaks. So when I’m getting cabin fever and missing my friends, I’ll try remember your shrug of your shoulders and acceptance of staying home and staying safe.