So, we had months and months of ‘nothing’……go nowhere – see nobody. Time enough for some to realise they really needed people in their lives…..time for others to realise this was how they liked it. Peaceful quiet homebodies who would venture out occasionally and as long as their basic needs (food home health) were covered were content to work with how things were.
I suppose we are lucky here in Victoria ….and other parts of Australia…..in that (apart from returning from overseas Australians who must do a mandatory 14 days) our long months of quarantine/restrictions are nearly over and our lives are slowly moving towards what is being called a COVIDsafe Summer.
We are definitely not back to where we were,…..45 days of no community transmission does not mean ‘it’s been beaten’, ….memories of 20,000 Victorian cases (700 a day at one point) plus over 800 Victorian deaths are still strong……we’re still ‘ruled’ by a combination of numbers and space/distance – there are some circumstances where The Mask is still required – but on the whole we can smile at others with uncovered faces 😎….
All that has meant that pubs, cafes and restaurants are doing a roaring trade again…..well those who have managed to survive financially or who are willing to try and trade out of their financial woes.
Also subject to new guidelines, leisure centres (gym and pools) have reopened – so more and more ‘retired oldies’ are braving the new world, exercising and meeting up with friends…..and most are enjoying it.
I now realise that because of a ‘we must get together’ need others had, after 2 (large, 12 people) lunches, 1 (small 6 person) coffee gathering, 1 book club meet plus 2 gym sessions in the last two and a half weeks I’m ‘peopled out’….
I’ve seen and been seen, compared experiences, reassured other’s we’re ok…
Selfishly, now, after such a short time, I want my quiet back…..
There are new things to do – books to read – maybe, just maybe places to go.
I’m working on some small waistcoats……similar to these HERE
Adding a band of fair isle means (just as before) I need quiet uninterrupted time.
plus pen paper and charts 😊
So what’s on my mind this Monday afternoon?
I know I had a couple of episodes during this time when everything just ‘got to me’.
It’s been hard to put my finger on the cause – I’m confident living a quiet life wasn’t it.
Rightly or wrongly I’m putting it down to the uncertainty of the way things were.
Maybe this ‘new normal’ life’ we’re being offered needs to be filled with a mix of fast/slow – quiet/‘noisy’ days ….just like it was before!
How about you……do you have any ideas on how you will approach your ‘new life’.
When you get the chance that is 😊
Joining Corinne for this weeks Monday Musings – sharing thoughts with others.
Joining Denyse for the latest edition of Life this Week
Still Waters 
It will get to me then I can feel uplifted by various things and get back in control. I need to start crocheting to stay busy. Love the little outfits you have made. What joy they will bring.
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Do show us what you make Annie. I knew you crafted with pen and paper but didn’t know yo you crocheted as well
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Here in Canada we are sinking in Covid-19 cases as we head towards winter. They are increasing rapidly and business interests hold too much sway here, so it is profits before people, at least in my opinion that is how things stand in Canada. We were locked-down last winter, when there were about half the number of active cases, and around the same number of deaths per day.
I love hearing about what the world might be like if we make it through to spring! Australians seem to have theirs heads on straight, an example to the rest of the world. It helps being an island I think, but the actions of the citizens are what matter the most.
I’ve been living in isolation for nine months now, and it will be continuing for quite some time. The first vaccine shots are rolling out today for front line workers, but it will be quite some time before there are enough for the general population to have access. In the meantime, Attila is as careful as he can be going to work each day in the crowded facility. The company he works for continues to take temperatures and require questions be answered before anyone enters the building, and immediately sends anyone with one of the major symptoms off to be tested before they can return to work. Already there has been one case at the facility, we’ve heard of no more, but we know the company would not tell the employees of cases unless they were mandated to by the health unit, as a result of an “outbreak”. An outbreak is when one person at a facility has passed the virus on to someone else in the facility. If the infected person contracted the virus outside the facility, it is not considered an outbreak, and the employees are not necessarily informed. It is all very scary. Right now we are hoping that Attila makes it through to the Christmas break without becoming infected, then we can breath easy for the rest of the holiday season, before returning to the high stress risk of working during the pandemic.
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Maggie we had very large outbreaks in ‘close contact’ industries here – infections passed from worker to worker as well as families. Many of the workers came from very large families, many of them related to each other so there were ‘family clusters’ tocontend with as well Some like meat works couldn’t close completely (classed as essential industry) so had to reduce staff, have temperature checks and as well as other directives were ‘ordered’ to wear full PPE.
Fingers crossed that both you and Atilla stay virus free.
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Ah those little knitted coats reminded me of my Mom. She just had to hear that someone was expecting and she’d started knitting a baby set!
Although there’s quite a lot of socialising happening in India, we’re just not up for it yet, because the pandemic is still raging here. I can understand the fatigue you feel. I’m not looking forward to ‘normal’ social gatherings when they happen!
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It’s taken an awful lot of effort to get us to this point Corinne. Hopefully once the ‘holiday season’ is over things will become less hectic. Also as it’s summer we should be gathering outdoors – we don’t tend to sit as close to each other outside as we do inside so maybe it’ll be quieter as well 😊
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Here in the US, things are closing down again. COVID is raging and killing more people than ever. My husband and I made the decision to forego holiday parties and even small gatherings with our closest friends. All travel has come to a help. Restaurants, gyms, and theaters are closed. It is a quiet, dark time of year for us.
I don’t know how I will react when the long-anticipated vaccine helps us to return to a closer to normal life, but at this point, I am ready to find out! 🙂
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Sending you and your family kind loving thoughts Laurie ‘cose I know you’ll need them 😊
I know what you are going through. It was hard – everything closed, only allowed out four reasons, exercise,food (one hour maximum) health/caring and work….if essential or unable to be done at home. Only one person allowed to shop, night curfew and a 5km radius limit….the list went on. Our state borders closed almost immediately as did our international one. Travel in any form was a distant memory.
So chin up, stay safe, wash your hands and tell those you love just that 💕
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Far from normal here in that it looks like Christmas will be, like Thanksgiving, will be canceled. We are warned on a daily basis to stay away from gatherings with those you do not live with. Sounds like your part of the world has done something different to mitigate the virus. No so, here. The vaccine is being delivered today, though, so there is some hope in the future.
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Things didn’t always go our way…..We had a nationwide lockdown from the start (March) lots of restrictions plus state and international borders closed which seemed to work so states began to open up a bit but then things went pear shaped down here in Victoria. The virus ‘escaped’ from a quarantine hotel via a worker, and due to so many reasons was passed on to family members who then passed it around other work establishments (aged care facilities being one). Victoria was not in a good way, lockdown restrictions became tougher and tougher…not everybody was happy or complied..demonstrations happened…fines were issued even arrests but now all these months later we ‘seem’ to be on the other side. Only time will tell because international travellers in quarantine are still testing positive and you never quite know how things will go.
‘Our’ vaccine will possibly be available in the new year, hopefully it will be proven effective.
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Loving your knitting – as I always do.
Not only was Australia lucky (and sadly sensible in going down hard early) my city got off very lightly indeed.
I have (mostly) relished the quiet times while feeling for those who have suffered. The crisis lines are running hot and will for some time to come.
As we return to some semblance of normality I do hope that people will remember just how much kindness has mattered – and continue to give it a big part in their lives.
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Thank you EC – I enjoy making/knitting and am often making lists of garments I’d like to make. Notes about alterations to designs and maybe additions like the fair isle.
I can’t imagine the amount of hardship and sorrow that is related to you over the phone lines. I’m in awe of the time and effort you put in to help those in need. So thank you to you from me😊
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Here in Costa Rica we still have a vehicle curfew at night and can’t use the car on one day of the week…though the buses are packed….
Masks to be worn in shops which are all provided with sinks and temperature taking devices, but people generally have had enough of it all so distancing goes byt he biard and the parties have started up again..
I want to feel safe rummaging through the crowded shops again…but, just as in a ‘flu outbreak, i donlt until the risk is over just in case Leo catches it.
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Now that’s something we didn’t have – sinks and temperature monitors. I’d have welcomed the soap and water route rather than all the revolting hand cleanser in use here. Various places check your temperature as a condition of entry – like at my podiatrist and chiropractor….but not at the GPs surgery. The night curfew plus confining distance radius was lifted recently and all state borders are fully open….but not international. We ‘may’ be allowed to leave the country in March….but there again depending on the state of Covid cases in the rest of the world we ‘might’ not.
You’re right about protecting Leo…..it’s hard work isn’t it. Mentally and physically. Take care and stay safe
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I feel fairly relaxed now about being out and about but I was initially very cautious.
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I’m sooooo grateful to live in Australia (and in WA even more so!) I see my Canadian friends grieving over having no family for Thanksgiving or Christmas while we get to have our children and grandchildren share the day with us.
I’m with you though about being peopled out at times – I like my quiet at home time, and I’m working at keeping a balance between quiet home time and small gatherings. I won’t be doing anything with big groups – too noisy and too busy for my taste.
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Here in the US, a lot of us are taking it seriously and a lot aren’t. Our health care workers are being crushed.
On a happier note by far, what beautiful knitting.
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Here in NZ we have no community transmission but our Health ministers are now warning about “summer Christmas etc: festivities and holidays away from home” and what will happen if an outbreak should occur.
Up until late October, my mind was on getting away – but then my own health came tumbling down. Thank goodness that during our lockdown, I found I quite liked my own home/life. So in a way I’m not even interested about hoofing it out of town…
Love the knitting and seeing your “notes and outlines” that you are to follow…
And I agree, that “seeing everyone just because” is something that I too have put off…
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I have had four major events that made me experience new realities. My wife’s illness and the resulting caregiving, her death; my father coming to live with me during his last four years and his death. I had to learn to cope and manage though after the last event, things were much easier than before. As I look back now on those experiences, I know that I came out of them stronger.
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I’m in an area of NSW away from the big city of Sydney and it took a few months before I returned there and we only did as the govt allowed us. To my daughter’s for mother’s day and to see my almost 97 yo Dad after 3 months.
I admit there are times living where i do you wouldn’t know COVID had been around and that is because of complacency. We (both hub and I are over 70) were wearing masks to our GPs and yet no-one there was and it was the same at the local supermarket. I have had 3x tests just to satisfy requirements. It’s been interesting that flu rates are way down because of not being out and about so much.
I also hear you on some days of ‘blah’…I think it’s my age and stage…
Thank you for linking up for #lifethisweek on my blog. Next week it’s the final week for 2020. I have appreciated the bloggers who visit regularly to link up and to comment on my post as well. Next Week: 51/51 Own Choice. 21.12.2020
#LifeThisWeek Returns on Monday 4 January 2021. May the festive season be kind to you and yours. Denyse.
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I wish I was small and could have one of your Knitted creations, I am happy that in Australia life is slowly back to Normal
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I love those little waistcoats!
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Yesterday we learned that we have lost more Americans from covid than we lost in World War II. That was incredibly sobering. Even some dying people are attacking the nurses saying they don’t have covid. I am looking forward to the vaccine since I am old enough to qualify for one of the first rounds.
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To be honest…my lifestyle hasn’t/didn’t change. I live a reclusive lifestyle, by choice, at all times. I keep to myself…just me and my two furry mates. 🙂
I love your knitted garments, Cathy. They are beautiful.
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