During this second Lockdown I have been served a bit of a Catch 22 situation. As a self employed person I don’t get Furlough payments – but the nice people I spoke to at the Revenue And Customs did help me out via Working Tax Credit. That was very nice of them, it’s not much but it’s better than nothing. To qualify for the Tax Credits I have to work 30+ hours a week. My landlord does not permit any working from home … none at all … zero tolerance …
So, I have to go to the studio to work. “Work” means running photography workshops … which are currently not allowed as people are not allowed on the premises. This leads to a situation where I have to go to work, and when I get there I can’t actually work. The mice need feeding, watering and cleaning out so it is “essential travel” for me to go there, so that isn’t a problem … but after the half an hour or so it takes, I have to find more “work” to occupy the right number of hours.
This gives me a lot of time to spend working with Team Mousie to fulfill my 30+ hour requirement. Now … usually we buy flowers and other things for my furry little co-workers to scamper all over looking for food – but all that costs money and we are trying to save money. So it’s a case of making do with what we have, and over the years we have collected all sorts of things hidden away in various boxes at the studio.
So things have been going a little “off piste” as they say … Mice taking photos with their own little camera …
Which led to them editing the photos on their laptop …
And of course there is a dolls house Grand Piano in one of the prop boxes …
And some Plasticine as well as some black wire so Missy Mouse could try her paws at juggling …
And ending up with them all having a drink together at the end of the day …
All good fun for both me and the Mice … All they have to do is look for the Millet Seeds hidden in various strategic places! Sometimes it takes hours for them to find it … but I have the hours to spend and the patience to spend them.
Stay safe and control that virus!