{"id":98953,"date":"2020-08-18T15:25:46","date_gmt":"2020-08-18T14:25:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stories.qvcuk.com\/?p=98953"},"modified":"2020-08-18T18:06:45","modified_gmt":"2020-08-18T17:06:45","slug":"family-and-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stories.qvcuk.com\/presenters\/miceal-murphy\/family-and-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Family and home"},"content":{"rendered":"

So, I took the plunge recently and I went home to Ireland to visit my mum and family. I was trepidatious, to say the least, given everything that has been going on. My concerns were on a few levels. Firstly, travelling and going through airports and getting on planes. What would that be like? What precautions would airlines and other travellers be taking? Would people wear masks? How close would we all have to get to each other? Could I possibly catch the virus?<\/p>\n

Secondly, and most importantly, would I possibly carry anything home to mum and therefore infect her? She is 82 and has her own health issues already so this was a massive concern.<\/p>\n

Thirdly, would I get home and end up being quarantined there! I worried about this a lot and I debated and deliberated for the longest time. In the end though, I felt her desire to see me and my need to see her were too great and for all our sakes I booked the flight and off I went last week.<\/p>\n\"\"\n

I chose to fly into Belfast city in Northern Ireland rather than Dublin in the Republic of Ireland in order to mitigate against any possible quarantine issues. My family live in Northern Ireland, that\u2019s where I grew up, but I always tend to fly into Dublin because I have friends and family there too, so I can often catch up with them on a trip home as well and squeeze the maximum out of every trip.<\/p>\n\"\"\n

Having just returned from my visit I am so glad that I went. We had such a lovely time. The weather was perfect. It was sunny and warm with blue skies every day. I hired a car and we went out on day trips to local towns and villages nearby. We saw the sea and we talked and laughed. It was heaven.<\/p>\n\"\"\n

I got to see my sister and my nephews and niece as well as they are all in mum\u2019s \u2018bubble\u2019. It really couldn\u2019t have worked out better.<\/p>\n\"\"\n

Mum was in great spirits and I made sure we got out in the car every day as she had been trapped at home for so long. I could see the joy in her that she was able to get out regularly and she even commented before I left about how we had spent hardly any time at home. (We were mostly in the car, but I always made sure we had masks and kept safe distances from others were possible).<\/p>\n

\"\"We sat by the sea shore and watched the boats coming in, drove along the coastline with the seagulls flying alongside us and nestled ourselves at the foot of a beautiful mountain with the sun shining on is as we had hot mugs of tea and fresh baked scones. (Mum made sure she had on her Ultrasun<\/a> and wore her JPE Fitovers <\/a>to protect her skin and her eyes when we were outside in the sun!)<\/p>\n

\"\"Mum and I even lay down in the grass under the shade of a ‘fairy tree’ and had a little nap together as she used my arm for a pillow. We laughed so much about that later as I kept telling her we were like a couple of hippies communing with nature.<\/p>\n\"\"\n

It has done my heart good, both literally and figuratively, to have seen the family and spent time with them.<\/p>\n\"\"\n

I was concerned we might go into another lockdown soon and I might not get to see mum for a long time (it was Christmas the last time I saw her). My well of joy and gratitude has been refilled, so for now I have plenty of lovely memories to keep me going until the next time we see each other again.<\/p>\n\"\"\n

I felt so emotional leaving her. It\u2019s always a wrench at the best of times, but particularly so this time as we don\u2019t know when the next time will be. So, I am glad I made the decision to go and I\u2019m even more glad we wrung every ounce of fun, joy and laughter out of the time we had together. My cup runneth over. I feel like a very lucky man right now. (My trip home has done nothing for my Covid Belly that I have acquired over lockdown. Lol. This trip, however, was not the time to be worried about that!)<\/p>\n

It is as true today as when Judy Garland said it in The Wizard of Oz way back in 1939, ‘There\u2019s no place like home’.<\/p>\n

I loved every minute of being back in my homeland and remembering how beautiful it is but it\u2019s also true to say that I am always glad to get back to my own home. My home is truly my sanctuary. I am a bit of a homebody, as they say. I love being at home, making a home, decorating a home. It is my safe space from the world. I can be myself there. (The say it\u2019s because I\u2019m a Cancerian, apparently).<\/p>\n

So many of us are spending so much more time there these days that I feel it is really important that we feel good about the space we are inhabiting.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\"\"\n

There is nothing quite like a cosy home and if you feel the same then Cozee Home<\/a> is a must-have for you. I am going to be on air with Deborah Leigh on Sunday at 9pm launching a brand new Today\u2019s Special Value offer from the brand (available all day Monday) that gives us three separate throws for use around the home with a variety of colours to choose from.<\/p>\n\"\"\n

I tried out the taupe option and there\u2019s isn\u2019t a room I haven\u2019t used them to dress, they are great finishing touches to the aesthetic of the room but are also really practical for creating cosines and warmth.\u00a0 As a runner in the bed they add an extra layer of texturing and a feeling of luxury and indulgence and I have found them perfect for quick naps or as an extra layer. I paired the taupe throw with some taupe bedding from the Kelly Hoppen<\/a> range and the two work great together.<\/p>\n\"\"\n

What\u2019s wonderful about them is that you can play with them and experiment and move them around from room to room as your needs dictate. They also come individually bound in a thick grosgrain ribbon, so if you wanted to give them as gifts to people you could also do that!<\/p>\n

With Cozee Home there really is no place like home!<\/p>\n

Until next time,<\/p>\n

Miceal. X<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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