Today is Day 19 of our Lockdown so we are approaching the critical
third week. Listening to the Prime Minister
speaking after lunch today, the government is aware this will be a crucial week
as people are becoming tired of lockdown, confirmed cases are dropping, and yet
we are still unable to see the end coming.
She said it remains important that we do not give up now, as letting our
guard down could result in an exponential rise in community transmission.
We had our fifth death reported today, with another 19 new confirmed
and probable cases. Our numbers sound
low on a global scale, but we are only a small country with a population of
just under five million people.
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| My SIL shared this photo with me, of a beautiful Tui singing in their garden this morning |
Bringing Covid-19 closer to home, this morning I learnt that
a family member (an essential worker) has been tested for Covid-19 and will
receive the results back in a few days. The
person has symptoms, including a fever, and has been in close contact with
another confirmed case. I hope they will
be alright.
My son has friends who have recently returned home from
London and both are now quarantined as confirmed cases. They have sore throats but feel well in
themselves.
And yet, some people still do not take the situation
seriously.
Over the Easter weekend we received an unexpected visitor on
a totally unnecessary errand. They were
told to leave and return home. We know
that this person has already joined bubbles with another (in some situations
this is allowed, and such is the case here), but we are certainly not meant to
join three or more bubbles together. That
would defeat the whole purpose of lockdown.
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| I miss having this lily in my garden now, as it always flowered at Easter time |
We have had some lovely rain in the last 24 hours, and now
we are receiving strong winds with the occasional shower of rain. A taste of winter to come?
My vegetable garden is flourishing and we had our first meal
of silverbeet off it a couple of nights ago.
I am still waiting for my peas to germinate.
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| Lovely fresh silverbeet, picked for dinner |
Son went to the supermarket today and managed to get almost
all the items we needed, so we are set for another week. He is our designated shopper. I don’t think, in all my life, I have ever
stayed at home for so long a stretch of time and not gone out somewhere!
Stay happy J
Margaret.
We normally don't go out much, just walking to our local shops, so it's does not feel so bad, our issue is, we have a few supplies which are not being sold at this time, ie paint, and garden products, normally we would just pop out in the car to get them. So we have a growing list of jobs to do after. We are trying to avoid using Amazon for deliveries, there are 2 local garden centers who will deliver, but they are very busy at the moment, we might try next week to see if it's any better.
ReplyDeleteI am very thankful I also bought seeds before lock-down, for next spring. Son is missing the hardware store being open!
DeleteI think this period of enforced confinement may get to be the new norm, unwisely for many. My wife, normally always up for going for a walk, is increasingly preferring to stay at home. I go out every day without exception, but it's maybe only one out of five times that she goes with me now. I wonder in how many other ways people's habits will be modified in ways they can't imagine right now?
ReplyDeleteI doubt if things will ever return completely to how they were "before" - I, for one, am not finding it as boring being at home as I thought I would. It would be dreadful without technology though.
DeleteHello, this stay at home seems to be going on forever now. I am glad you have your son to shop for you! Your lily is beautiful! Take care! Enjoy your day, have a great new week!
ReplyDeleteYes, son is our designated shopper so he is the only one who goes out and then only to the supermarket. Have a great day, Eileen :)
DeleteWe are thirty days in and tired of it but know how essential it is. Our daughter, a nurse in a nursing home, just dropped off the dog because she is working nights this week. We spoke from across the garage for a few minutes before she left again. These are sad and scary times but we see what is important in our lives!
ReplyDeleteTake care, Margaret.
A lot of folk are finding these times difficult - especially when you cannot even give your daughter a hug. Stay safe, Marie :)
DeleteI pray for your family member and hope his results will be pleasant. That tui bird looks so dashing as it is alone. Please stay safe Margaret!
ReplyDeleteThank-you Stevenson. The initial result has come back negative, but another test has been asked for as the patient is still unwell. Apparently sometimes a test will come back negative if it is taken too early in the infection stage. Take care :)
DeleteWhat a joy to be able to listen to a tui in your garden. Lucky SIL.
ReplyDeleteWe have told all our friends and family not to visit us but some do not understand. Stupidity abounds
Stupidity certainly abounds! Most days I hear a story about someone "stretching" the rules, but none have yet annoyed me so much that I feel I must report them. And, to be fair, a lot of our restrictions were put in place with very contradictory comments - such as Stay At Home and Go For A Walk.
DeleteThat silver beet looks good. I do love my vegies.
ReplyDeleteEven grand-daughter enjoyed eating it, and she usually complains about her veg!
DeleteI was here earlier today and and didn't get to comment. It is good you have your son to shop for you. I ventured out to the store today to get a few things...
ReplyDeleteI hope your shopping went well. I heard shopping today described as a very strange experience, with people looking sideways at each other and making sure they were well apart - which made me happy that I can stay at home. Son is very good getting the things I want, even down to the the brands that I prefer and normally buy myself.
DeleteThe silver beet looks healthy. I've never heard of it. Oh, I will be so happy when things get back to normal. We have lots of folks around here that seem to not take this virus serious. Starting at 5:00 pm today only a certain amount of people can be in the grocery stores at a time, and must wear a mask, and keep 6 feet apart. Seems this should have been the rule two weeks ago. Glad you are staying home and keeping safe. My husband and I grocery shop together and are usually at the store when it opens. We wear mask and gloves and get what we need and get out. Take care.
ReplyDeleteYou might know silverbeet as Swiss chard - I am fairly sure they are the same thing. Recommendations here are that only one person goes to the supermarket, and they only allow so many into the building at a time - which often results in long queues snaking around the carpark as the shoppers all maintain their separation distances while waiting. Stay safe :)
DeleteI am glad that your veggie garden is flourishing. Ours is just getting started (and barely - it is snowing here now). I like the "bubble" analogy. we will get through this.
ReplyDeleteYes, we will get through. I look back at crises like world wars and the depression times that my parents used to speak of, and the world carried on again afterwards.
DeleteGood luck with your vegetable garden :)