Diary Entries

This isn't how I envisaged I'd be celebrating a milestone birthday. In isolation. The impact of co-vid19 has been world wide. "We're all in this together" has been my mantra. I have so much gratitude for the front line workers going way and beyond to keep everyone safe. Keeping in touch with family and friends via Facetime and Zoom has been a positive outcome. Mum looks well, sitting in her room at the aged care facility. No visitors are permitted. Counting down the days when I can hug her. The screen bounces to life with two giggling, leaping grandkids, asking me to draw, read and play games. One Facetime session shared with them went on for two hours. We blow kisses and scream "I love you". Counting down the days when I can hug them. I received a picture of Dante wrapped in the blanket that I knitted. My daughter's chihuahua/pug all snug and warm. Counting down the days when I can hug him (and her). My husband has just returned from being permitted to have a swim at Bronte. His daily ritual has been upended. We hug and feel blessed to be where we are right here and now. Turning 60 ain't all that bad! Cheers.

Social distancing You from me, or me from you? When will this all end?

Dear diary, This isolation has been rough, not seeing any of my friends, no sport and being mainly stuck at home. One thing this has taught me is to appreciate the good moments with my friends and the wins, even loss's of sport. Suprisingly I am not sick of my family yet, I'm actually quite grateful this happened as it has brought us all closer, we have had family game nights, everyone finally at the dinner table at the same time and my siblings and I have spent nights in each others rooms having fun and laughing to everything. It was hard to start off with, but now I am used to it and worked my was around things to help settle down a little. I do miss seeing my grandparents, considering we would see them and my cousins every sunday for family night I still haven't really got used to not doing it. One thing i will now know, never take anything for granted because one day it could all be taken away from us, for good.

Corona Virus' Moment in Time - By Monica Asimus The world is spinning out of control It is changing to a place that I know, Is not the same. Doctors and nurses on the front line Putting their lives at risk, Trying to save people who are dying, everyday Right in front of their sad and gloomy eyes. Scientists are seating, Their racing the virus. It is a global pandemic, And we are not quite there yet. Being in a global lock down Having to stand 1.5 meters apart. Sanitizer in your hands, Wearing face masks everywhere you go And washing your hands constantly Afraid of sore throats. Staying at home With the virus out and about. Just like a lion wait for it's prey. Week and weeks in isolation. I am like a little lonely bear. Tired of the screen, With online learning I just can’t get enough. Downloading the Skye app, Just to communicate with friends The boredom is endless. Watching Netflix, And lying on the couch. Pajamas are allowed Each day is the same. Nothing has changed. When this is over, We will never again, take for granted Full shelves at the store Conversations with neighbors Laughter and chatter with out friends Shopping at Green hills Swimming at the beach A full crowd at the movies Friday nights out, having fun Doing what we love. A routine full of activities Afternoon training sessions The rush to school each morning And the stadiums coming to live at night. With each deep breath we take A boring week goes by 6 weeks going on to 7 in isolation. When will this be over? I want to live my life.

I went to Bakers Delight to get my daily bread. A sign at the entrance - "Only three customers in the shop at one time". Three spots are marked on the floor to guide customers to keep Social Distancing requirement. I joined the queue of 5 outside @ 2m spacing along the curb. A huge fellow in the queue in front of me. We all wait patiently - the queue advances. The huge fellow is next to go in the shop. An elderly lady approaches and goes straight into the shop! In a booming voice (not nasty, almost apologetic) Excuse me Madam - The queue starts up the road! The elderly lady looks around to realise it's she that is being spoken to, shocked, mouth agape, she realises she has transgressed. Then all in a flutter she exits the shop and moves to the head of the queue. The booming voice - I'm sorry Madam, but we're all in this together. Still in shock and still in a flutter she doesn't join the queue, but keeps going down the street - probably missed her daily bread. :-(

I've been in lockdown for six weeks now, seems like a lot longer though. There hasn't been much to do, the shelves at the shops are empty, for some reason people are buying excessive amounts of toilet paper, strange I know. It seems like the world is going to end, the Australian government has already given out 3 stimulus packages, the three of them combined are worth hundreds of billions of dollars, pretty crazy. Millions of Australians are losing their jobs, everything is bad. I can't see my friends and family anymore, I can't go to the movies, the park, I can't even sit down once I'm outside of my house. Luckily the other day my household got their hands on an eight pack of toilet paper, seems like toilet paper is worth more than diamonds now. In my house, we are running pretty low on canned food, luckily the restrictions eased this week so it should be easier to get food. Online school is not as hard as it had sounded, you just get work set to you, have an online meeting and then do your work, not so hard. I have been getting my work done a lot faster than at normal school though, I just fly through it at light speed. I'm about to start going back to school once a week on a Tuesday now as restrictions ease because we seem to have flattened the curve, I don't know why but I have a feeling the curve is going to go straight back up after we start easing restrictions, that's all I have to say about this pandemic, see you later!

I'm not a big fan of the commercially advertised Mother's Day but this year is different. I am looking forward to hosting breakfast for 2 daughters and twin grandsons at nearly 7 and one grandson at 3 who I haven't seen for 6 weeks. Pancakes, breakfast muffins and croissants with jam and loads of coffee is on the menu. Pop has set up the Wii to bowl with the boys. It'll be a bit old skool for them but they are both sporty and competitive so it should be fun. I think this lockdown will change my mind about how precious time is and not to take it for granted.

It's been a week since restrictions have been lifted, although our situation isn't getting better. People aren't taking this seriously. But all I can think about is going back to normal. Will it ever be the same as before? Will I be able to go where ever I want without having to worry about keeping my distance or touching my face? Will my loved ones come out the end of this? It is the uncertainty that everyone is afraid of, because really, we don't know. I'm sure that nursing home in Penrith did not expect to be contaminated with the virus but et here we are, 15 innocent deaths. School is coming back soon, but I for one know it is going to be very different.

It's the small things... A hot cup of tea in bed every morning at 6, brought to me by a husband who bemoans his inability to sleep past 5am but makes good use of that pre-dawn time (to my way of thinking anyway) The view from my study window: showers of golden leaves when it's windy, watching the satiny plumage of a male bower bird foraging in the tea tree, tiny elegant honeyeaters amongst the lipstick salvia. A full pantry and time to make healthy, delicious meals. Knowing that my loved ones have so far weathered the viral storm. Taking chocolates to my 91 year old Mum in her nursing home (now I'm allowed to actually visit instead of talking through an open window), reading her one of the short stories I've written in isolation mode. The technology that allows me to see and hear my family, including two grandkids who I'm missing, and friends. Balancing all of these is the knowledge that so many others, all around the world, do not have these small, huge gifts. I am grateful that I do.

Rain 03/04/20 Day 12 of Lockdown Pitter patter, pitter patter On the window pane Pitter patter, what’s the matter? Nothing, it’s just rain. Pitter patter, will it splatter Where we need it most? Pitter patter, let it scatter Inland from the coast. Pitter patter let it shatter Drought seen not before Pitter patter, pitter patter Fill dams and rivers more.