The week was not so frantic though I managed gym classes on Zoom and Pilates. They seem way more intense than my usual gym class and that is because there are none of the usual chit chat and walking back for a drink between exercises! It is full on for the 45 mins. After each class I am just bathed in perspiration and in all honesty I feel more energised too.
Alfie is getting used to me crowding out the lounge and he isn’t sitting on the mat chewing a toy or underfoot. We are all getting used to the indoor routine. One thing I have noticed is my body seems more upright again-no sagging in the middle. I haven’t lost any weight but I seem to look more toned. I have also taken to pacing around when on the phone to avoid sitting too much. There is still a lot of phone.
It is nice to have so much connection but that too is easing a little so I am not continually being distracted. The amount of social media, FB, Instagram, WhatsApp, as well as Zoom and Houseparty has been interesting. I have found myself spending so much more time on them that I am getting quite tired. It isn’t restful. So I am resolved to just check 30 mins in the morning and 30 mins in the afternoon. The day just disappears when you are on these all the time.
I have been walking around the local streets and because it is so familiar you start to really notice details. I love the way some people show their support for others. One front fence had these posters and tulle bows while others have teddy bears for kids to notice.
A sad thing for all the kids and parents is the closure of the playgrounds in the parks. Some people argue that if child care centres are open parks should be also, but I see the logic behind this. Child Care Centres can control who is there and the cleaning but parks are publicly open to everyone without any controls so of course the equipment is more likely to be contaminated. There are still lots of people out walking but now we are limited to groups of two and maintaining social distance as well. Even our lifts are restricted to two people at a time. I am getting callouses on my elbows from pressing buttons with them! I have had to actively massage cream into my poor elbows. Who would have thought? All our furniture in the lobby has been roped off too. No sitting allowed.
The restrictions are working here even though some people still flout the rules. The police are actually checking and issuing fines so we are really in a socially controlled state. We are compliant in the most part but now articles are appearing about how we must be vigilant to the loss of liberty due to new rules/laws. There must be action to repeal once the pandemic is over. I don’t think we would continue to accept these restrictions for very long once the pandemic has passed but we also can’t be complacent about the new laws. It will be a different world after this time and I hope we won’t forget some of the lessons learned.
I finished my scarf and then reworked it as it hadn’t quite turned out as I had hoped the first time. The second attempt has been much better and it is remarkably cosy. Now I am inspired to do some more and have sent off for more wool to make scarves for friends. Busy hands make for a happy heart and a sense of achievement. I picked olives from a tree in the park and I am now preserving them too. Quite domestic. All things I had no time for before our lockdown. I really should get into the cupboards and book cases but… The motivation just isn’t there yet.
The days are marked by our meals and I have got more engaged in cooking again. I did some Chinese braised 5 spice belly pork which was super delicious. I made a huge mess with the crisping of the skin initially but in the end all was good. Then I have cooked a cake with Hazel. That was fun. Hazel isn’t an experienced cook so it was a learning curve for her and we made a Jewish Honey cake. Smells awesome and tastes great with the spices and honey.
I have tried to get back to drawing or painting without a lot of success. The days go so fast. I feel inhibited about going to the studio even though I would be on my own. There is a very strong message about staying home unless absolutely necessary. My Spanish vocab. is improving and I have moved up a level in my French which is satisfying. Reading has slowed a little because of the other distractions plus the topics where pretty heavy for this time. No Friend but the Mountains was an arduous read. It is about being detained on Manus Island. Those off shore detention centres will be Australia’s shame in years to come. We must close them down. They treat people so harshly. It is psychological torture. No wonder so many have mental health issues.
There is so much concern about the Australian population’s mental health during this lockdown and we have the comforts of home, Internet, free communication, ample food and medical care! Those poor people are not on any agendas now but could very easily be stricken with the Corona Virus too and probably die.
I have been happy to see my son Jonathan finding some work and promoting his cartooning skills. He has done such great caricatures of his son Ziggy and his twin brother Nick. He has had the time to brush up his skills and started promoting them on Instagram. So there have been some advantages in being locked down. Nick too is working on his collages and venturing into bigger canvases.
While this is a trying time for everyone it has slowed us down and allowed us to find other ways to nurture our souls. Stay safe and inside.
fleetfootkath 