Well here we are at the end of June 2020, and like most people, lockdown is still my way of life.

I am still on furlough (I haven’t been to my workplace since mid-March). In normal life I would be winding down at work now, getting ready for the term to end next week and looking forward to two weeks to myself before my children would finish school for the summer.

Now, though, I’m still managing my children’s home learning and I won’t get any time to myself until…well, until when? I have no idea. I am crying out for some me time, but it is not forthcoming.

In some ways My Mashed Up Life is my me time.

So anyway, what have I been blogging about this month, then?

First up: Music

June has been Black Music Month so I highlighted some of my favourite Black singers and musicians, including Omar, Mary J Blige, Soul II Soul, Grace Jones, Frankie Knuckles, Janelle Monae, Terence Trent D’Arby, Chaka Khan, Ephraim Lewis, Laura Mvula and Monie Love.

Phew – what a list!

Oh, and as this was Pride month too, I complied a list of some of my favourite LGBTQ+ artists here including Josef Salvat.

Next: Books

Earlier in the month we reopened our Little Free Library book exchange in the village, after it had been closed due to lockdown since March. It is a much-loved community asset and gets used a lot.

I finally finished reading Hilary Mantel’s masterpiece, The Mirror & The Light. It is a very long book, but every page is brilliant.

I talked about how BAME children need more books that represent them, and then bought Young, Gifted and Black for my kids to read (they are bi-racial Asian & White).

Next up: Travel

Obviously we haven’t been able to travel anywhere this month, but that didn’t stop me looking back at memorable journeys from my past. So I took a trip back in time to the summer I spent in Sapporo and then to Jerusalem when I was 18.

And finally: Parenting

For Father’s Day I highlighted some of my best blog posts about parenting. Read that list here!

See you in July!