Before summer holidays in Belgium, we were asked to work from home because of the Covid-19 pandemia. Also the kids switched to distance learning. We all installed ourselves on different places in the house. It has a very open architecture, which makes it quite noisy when everybody is following courses, calling via Skype or Teams, etc.
I moved to my ‘atelier’ or workshop room. Normally, that's a place of creativity, to get loose with all sorts of materials, from clay to glass, stones, or just paper to create ‘things’. Books were piled up as I own a Little Free Library for the neighbourhood as well. I had to make sure to have a decent place to put my laptop and to work from home all day.
As I was cleaning, rearranging and moving around with furniture, I encountered a very old friend in a box. Kermit!
I was happy to see him back, as well was he. I must have got him from my grand parents as a Christmas gift when I was 6 or something, which is more than 40 years ago. He was in a very good condition. So, I decided to let him stay in my ‘new’ office.
The adventure began, which I shared with my Facebook-friends. They enjoyed the daily posts when everybody had to social distance and did not have lots of contacts with the outside world. And I enjoyed keeping a bit of creativity in my former workshop. Have fun!
#1 - Kermit found on August 11th
I found an old - very old, almost as old as I am - friend. Obviously he is as enthousiast as I am about our seeing again. So he can stay in my office and watch while I am working. And in the mean time, he can take care of the plants.
#2 - Be silent, K!
Alright, K! If you want to stay while I am working, you need to be silent for a while. Luckily there are plenty of mouth masks in the house.
#3 - Little meeting on my desk
On the third day that Kermit was staying in my home office, I found him in the morning on top of my desk. He was surrounded by all sorts of... dolls, little statues, things.
My friends started making assumptions what the meeting was about: 'They agree where to go swimming' (it was very hot during summer), 'National Security Coucil' (yes, that looks like a Muppet Show during Covid-19), 'No nefarious plans?',...
My friends started making assumptions what the meeting was about: 'They agree where to go swimming' (it was very hot during summer), 'National Security Coucil' (yes, that looks like a Muppet Show during Covid-19), 'No nefarious plans?',...
#3bis - Barbie fascinated by Kermit
I was not invited to the meeting, so I did not know about the content, but Barbie looked very fascinated. Was it by what he was telling, or just because of his looks?
#4 - Good job, K!
It was Kermit's job to take care of the plants, so I'm happy that he is watering them.
#4bis - Time for a break
People asked if Kermit could also do other household tasks? Well, after watering the plants, which took only a few minutes, he took a break and started croaking again.
#5 Caught sleeping
On Monday morning I caught Kermit sleeping on my desk. I really don't like waking up children... frogs. K, my mouse pad is not a pillow and that's not what a mouth mask is for.
#5 - Playing hide-and-seek
Come out, K, I know where you're hiding!
#5bis - Come out of the bin, K!
#6 - Still playing hide-and-seek
I am not counting to 100, but you can stay under my hat if you like playing turtle.
#6bis - Come play with us!
People responded that I had some good times with my new friend. You can come and play with us, was what we told them.
#7 - Story time
I found Kermit and some of his friends under my desk. It seems that he is a very good story teller.
#8 - Silver shoes
Yes, I'm watching, K! My silver shoes are looking great on you. They fit well, you say?
#9 - No frog kissing
Euhm, no, I'm not going to kiss you. (...) Yes, I see that you're wearing a crown. (...) What would I do with a prince, huh?
#10 - Coming out
I guess Kermit is playing hide-and-seek again. Let's see how long it will take before he comes out of the closet all by himself...
#11 - Gnomes are not for eating
Oh, no, K! You cannot eat the little gnome. It's not candy!
#12 - Meeting again
Again a littke meeting on my desk. Kermit is always very convincing to others. He's a natural born leader. I am wondering what they would come up with now.
#13 - Scared about Francis
The storm Francis has kept them awake all night.
#14 - How 'gone'?
How so, it's 'gone'? Who ate my chocolate over the weekend?
#14bis - What are you hiding, K?
Did you eat my chocolate, K?
#14tris - What are you hiding, B?
Did you eat my chocolate, B?
#15 - I'm ready
It's September 1rst. Schools are starting again. 'I'm ready!' Kermit says. I am very sorry, K, but you cannot go to school with the kids.
#16 - Come out, K!
Please come out of the school bag, K!
#17 - Shopping
Ow, that's very sweet, you guys went shopping and bought me some chocolate. Thank you.
#18 - Picture on the wall
I'm trying to work here, K!
#19 - Discovering the house
Kermit's forst acquaintance with the rest of the house.
#20 - Some privacy
I can understand that the bathroom is a nice place for you to stay, but I please have some privacy now?
#21 - Aaaaaaaargh!
I wanted to take a relaxing bath. Forgot to take into account my new friend.
#22 - Hold your breath
Playing hide-and-seek in the laundry basket is not a good idea,K. Please hold your breath for the next 2 hours...
#23 - Dizzy
Swung a little too hard in the washing machine...
#24 - Books
Of course, once Kermit started wandering around the house, it didn't take long before he found the library. He got struck under Stephen Fry's Heroes while reaching out for Mark Manson's The Noble Art of Not Giving a Fuck. He was in good company and surrounded by some big and smaller names in literature. So, that's where the adventure ended and new ones started.