April 1st 2020, day 7 lockdown.

There are a lot of lame ducks (metaphorically speaking) in this world right now, not knowing what the future holds for them as many of our choices are being taken away from us…

In the literal sense (of ducks) Limping Larry, on the other hand is doing all he can to survive… while I’m deemed to be breaking the rules,(Riverhaven rule number 159 – do not feed the ducks) why waste good food scraps in this environment when we can’t even buy flour! And the message out their is to be Kind….didn’t think this was species specific! Anyway, lonely limping Larry is very polite… does not venture inside…and appreciated my bean ends, outside lettuce leaves and broccoli stalk!

This is a great place to be with friendly hellos from a distance and people are learning to socialise (from a distance) and care for those in this community of Waiwera…if only it could remain like this…the beaches only have the footprints and paw prints of those that live here, the walks we take, if you see anyone, you know them….and no one is spying on you, calling noise control, counting the number of empties in your bin, or frowning at you if you have a ciggy,

We are adults, and we have invested in this place, (Riverhaven – the camp) and care for this place like anyone else that comes and goes, and when new “rules” are just thrown at you in a “newsletter” that point the finger at our life choices (the few we have left) makes one feel our holiday home will become a prison camp for old people and retirees and our young ones will no longer want to come! Next thing it will be no drinking in camp, no music or laughter after 8pm (bedtime) This should be the opportunity to open up some freedom in the place and ask people what they want ….. like take your boat out before 7am or bring it back after 7pm – evening fishing rocks! We will see what the future brings I guess…. ok rant done….just getting mail with petty new camp rules when we have been protecting our Riverhaven boarders (healthwise) in the absence of any of the board members was almost a breaking point of my love for Riverhaven…watch this space….

I was really going to share my story of scrambling over the hill with George…yes that one on the left in the picture above! All I can say is it must be a while since I went up and over as the track is vastly improved…no less steep….but an actual formed pathway and steps have replaced clay and tree roots.

From the top looking out to sea….usually on a day like this the sea would be littered with boats…crisscrossing

Back down to Wenderholm on the other side, childhood memories where Dad used to launch the boat and take us all out to Big Bay for the summer holidays (boat access only – like 50 years ago)

Before the decent…looking south….yesterday was a beautiful autumn day, the humidity has dropped, cooler mornings and evenings, but sunny 25 degree celcius days….when in lockdown and only using foot powered travel, the weather makes a big difference to our happiness.

The day progressed with book reading, a little work, happy distance hour and dinner! What will day seven bring!

31st March 2020, day six of lockdown begins and with a clean house, stocked fridge, no work to do, we become somewhat vigilantes…we are keeping an eye on this car parked across the road belonging to our story telling sneak (broken leg) from the previous evening, where a second car suddenly appeared that he took off in to dispatch children, who cannot come and go at this time. The original car has made its home on the street outside my gate.

However, Broken leg wanted to have the last word….he informed the directors he needed to return to his previous temporary abode at our safe haven…to collect medication. Time proposed 1pm. He duly arrived at 12.30pm, thinking he would trick the Miss Marples. Time of arrival noted and time of departure noted, half an hour to collect medication…. and a car load of gym equipment! Stopping intentionally outside Trudi’s cottage to inform her he was officially homeless, to which Trudi replied “no you’re not, you can stay where you stayed for the first two days of lockdown” (he had informed directors this was ex wife family home – his dual pod)….to Trudi he now replied “well that was a motel in kerikeri” The plot thickens, he certainly has been spreading himself around….and in contact with whom we ask? I somehow don’t think we have seen the last of him, but next time it’s the authorities problem, not ours….

Meanwhile, Limping Larry has obviously been abandoned by his family as an outcast and adopted the Riverhaven community as a safe haven in this hostile world. He is really struggling to walk and spend most of the afternoon curled up under the feijoa tree next door, looking somewhat sad (if ducks can look sad)…I know we are not to feed these guys, but this is one, and I think a not very well one…

So yesterday was cool in the morning, brought rain late morning and fined up to a beautiful afternoon and all the locals took to the streets for their daily exercise…

I tried to ignore that I should move, as I had finally got my Teeth into a John Grisham novel…and had decided it was my day five activity to read again (for the first time in 12months!) John(Grisham) and I did reach a point where one of the storyline’s was resolved and I felt I could step out of this world (of words) for a moment and take a stroll around the neighbourhood…it was lovely to see people out and about….keeping the 3-4 meter levels of separation but being able to say Hi to their friends…social interaction at a distance, a whole new world.

George and I put the cover on the boat, as we cannot use this while in lockdown, and ate our way through the big pot of vege soup I had made the day before!

Day 6 ahead, George has his homemade exercise plan well under way, I think I need to roll with the punches and ensure I get up and do some physical activity for at least an hour a day…so here we go on day six….

March 30th, 2020…..first Monday of the lockdown and what should be the start of a working week….

Sunday, saw our first casualty to the virus we are all fighting, but less confirmed cases of only 63 with a total of 514….it will continue to climb and sadly we may lose more…although we pray not.

That is Not if Everyone respects the lockdown rules!

Shopping is now an antisocial event, no point in putting on your best frock and lipstick or paint your nails for the only outing allowed at this time…

Keep your distance and focus on the cones, keeping your distance from the next person and only one way traffic at all times….this exercise now requires full concentration to remember everything we came for….and shopping for a week is a challenge…and at times overwhelming…still no flour!

The empty buses roll in and out of Waiwera on the hour. Public transport is a risk and an unnecessary resource at this time when we are all staying home apart from the odd trip to the supermarket. The council really should consider reducing this service drastically and allowing the bus drivers to stay home too…I’m sure Waiwera was a toilet stop for these guys but now the toilets are boarded up it is a wasted trip!

Life goes on, George eats!….watched by his new friend, Larry the Limping Duck, who patiently awaits the final crust….he sits and wags his tail feathers….just like a dog waiting for George’s offering…

The welcome to Waiwera Sign and

The warning to keep your distance sign….

Now it is all out there what the rules are and the signs are everywhere you look outside your door….the word of survival is “Stay in Your Bubble” we have six people in cottages (out of 84) with 1 or 2 shareholders staying for the lockdown, while the direction was to clear the camp, as it transpires we are lucky we have our spies in at each corner.

Ok here goes…..One of the other cottages has had a man, whom we don’t know, coming and going, but actually living there since last year, longer than me!!! But being very sneaky about it…the government order when the lockdown began was…where you stayed last Wednesday is where you must stay for the month!

Herein the issue began! As we (the five of us) are all in our cottages any unusual movement was obvious… in drives this man on Friday…Trudi, dons her ex prison warden hat and marches over and asks what he is doing….”Staying there of course, stayed at ex wife’s for the first two days and then on sunday was supposedly bringing his kids over for a week “hello” people do not come and go from a lockdown bubble!

Some people have the ability to tell everyone a different story and lie without blinking an eyelid! (This man is blessed with this gift) The Riverhaven bubble members were getting suspicious… the man was very sneaky and was advised by the Directors that he could stay(he is a brother of one of the shareholders) but no kids coming and going! As it is a privilege to be allowed to stay here for those of us who have no where else to go at this stage.

Sooooo…..last night……7pm….Trudi and Sue having a quick social distance drink behind my cottage and, bang, we heand the gate slam (this happens rarely in the lockdown and I Always check who) Ah Ha! “Broken Leg” (our name for this man as he runs around with a crutch in one arm) sneakily waves the family car (ex wife, boyfriend and yep…two kids in the back) to head around to the front beach gate where they can sneak in along the fence line behind a row of cottages unseen….I took my camera and Trudi raced off to get Len the caretaker… Super sleuths in action! Miss Marple x 2!

SNAPPED – can’t actually lie about this one, he was rude to Len – more lies, and then told Trudi to go away or she’ll get SICK….not even a joke in these times. So we called a third person in our bubble – Jacki the policewoman, while we watched from a distance as he drove one car out – parked on road and drive another car in (Miss Marple number 2 has photo evidence of both numberplates if he causes any more trouble) and proceeded to load children and luggage into to car to leave…roaring through camp at an unnecessary 30-40km speed, nearly putting an end to Limping Larry (George’s new friend) who had made his way over to see what all the fuss in his quiet camp was all about!

I think he (broken leg) was very cross with the Miss Marples, but these new rules laid out by the government and being enforced by our police and military are in for a reason, to save lives! We must stick to our homes and cannot allow anyone who has been in contact with others inside out houses or within a three meter space!

March 29th 2020 – 6.00am (early night last night)….and day four begins….it’s going to be a long day.

Yesterday, Saturday, blew in sunshine, rain, wind (had to pull in the awning before it took off) and many memories of my wonderful husband…

It was our wedding anniversary, and one of those firsts that I have to navigate without him in this twelve months…it wasn’t sad memories though, it was the good ones as we hunker down in this place that was a happy place for Russ!

Same bench, same cushions, same beer (no that looks like lion red)

Back to the lockdown activities….

Coffee…phone rings….chat….clothes out ready for long overdue shower….coffee…phone rings again…..chat….text….unlock gate….head to shower….Dan and Floyd on road….ready for beach walk.

Oh well, no shower, throw on shorts, T-shirt, and off for beach walk – 3 meters distance. A few people/dogs on the beach, so pretty much an on leash walk, or rather drag, as a very excited mastiff (50kgs) and determined master pulled against each other for half an hour until Floyd decided he wasn’t going to win and started digging (wet sand) on leash…needless to say they both probably needed showers when they got home.

The birds are very relaxed with little human activity and no outside our community visitors, the beach is feeling like it used to…a place of calmness

Walk done, it was time for today’s jobs…On my return, George was folding the washing and everything (clean washing from the day before) smelt like meat! Our delightfully busy neighbour had his outdoor fire and bbq cranking up in the afternoon before and given my washing that smoked bbq fragrance….tea towels in a bucket of Dettol and napisan to soak! And washing rewashed!

As George was sorting his clothes out, and unpacking some winter ones (that he was sure he would not need until recently) I did my makeshift yoga workout….with a bucket of hot water and dettol….windowsills, skirtings, and floors on my hand and knees (character building for my knees on the wooden floor) throughout the lounge,dining, kitchen and bathroom areas…I know this sounds like a huge achievement but the size of the cottage (very small) brings this back into perspective.

Lunchtime, banana fritters, and a “‘Brad Pitt” movie afternoon…pushing out and limiting the happy hour (beer time) to 5-6pm!

So the kiwi lockdown is fraught with activities, cleaning, home cooking a short daily walk and the catchphrase “social distancing”. Some folks don’t even want to say hello, their choice, but seriously we are not robots and standing four meters away on the other side of a neighbours fence (hands in pockets) should be ok! A five minute chat and human contact at a distance is safe??? I guess time will tell we are all in a bit of panic mode as to how this disease will progress in our country!

On that note, yesterday while USA skyrocketed over 20k cases, we only saw the same progression as the day before with 83 positive tests, a plateau, a total of 451, since the virus first hit our shores about a month ago…we will continue to go up, we are all aware of this, but the slower the better and we will all rejoice in sliding down the other side until we hit zero!

March 28th 2020 – as we wake to day three, 7.30am (beginning to sleep in) there is an eerie silence in our world…..yesterday morning started with a walk with Dan and Floyd ….. this video says it all, we keep trying to dig the water out from the hole and the more we dig the more water fills up the hole! So we dig more, and there’s more water…..and so it goes on!

We need to stop the flow, and as we are in our bubble we are all diligent and must be aware of any new waves infiltrating our bubble and we shut them down…

So the day began, with a beach walk and the dog showing us the world we live in is not such a bad place…

And social distancing is easy when you ignore all humans around you…

A hesitant trip to the supermarket was needed – yes we are allowed to get food. The roads and the town of orewa were eerily quiet, like being in a communist country, and we were waiting for the road blocks…. no one at the supermarket (well only us and a handful of other folk) no one spoke, we entered (george and I) donned with gloves and face masks , list in hand for us and Dad….he and Sandy are not leaving home, rushing through, keeping our two meter distance from the other few shoppers and out as quickly as we can, gloves off and sanitising before driving off! Sort of felt like a robber but paid for our food…

Then a chemist pickup for Sandy, prescriptions only, and a path taped with thar orange emergency tape to follow, threw the $10 in the basket and off, like a robbers dog!

Drop off at dads, table outside front door with our mail and supplies for them deposited….. a chat from inside to outside four meters apart (no hugs) and hightailed it back over the hill to our safe pod at Waiwera!

This is like a war zone and George and I have enough food for the next week….don’t want to be doing this on a daily basis….the first day was littered with walkers, police, smiles and hellos (from a distance) today was weirdly devoid of life…

Moving forward, we need to smile, smile at everyone you see, laugh at anything, a dog is oblivious…he will never beat the sea when digging the water away…and we must look out for each other, enjoy the quiet, listen to the birds, and SMILE at any human you see…..from a distance. Your smile may be the only human contact that person has.

So in summary, no Police events, public toilets on the beach shut down, our safe little Riverhaven pod looking out for each other, chasing away strangers, and keeping in contact….possibly 5 o’clock has become 4 o’clock beer time, not sure this is a good idea!

So….day three begins….

March 26th 2020, 6.00am, day two…..we all survived day one surprisingly, although it felt weird that we felt guilty if we were outside or might be too close to each other..

Early morning walk for Floyd, Dan was walking past the gate about 7.30 am, dogs still only allowed on the beach before 10am. I thought about whether I would be allowed to walk at the same time…of course so long as I am the mandatory two metres away…half an hour stroll, freezing feet, happy dog and the tension slightly released.

It was then coffee time, Dan gone back to his house, check computer time (work) and job for the day….sheet changing! This filled up most of the morning, in between phone calls from friends and family to see if all was well, and an overdue catch up, as we all now have time out from our busy schedules to chat!

All morning I had been threatening to bake…a hobby, I used to be very active in, but for many years have had little interest….

So bake I did, most of the cookie dough got in the oven, some of it stayed in a little long and varying shades of cookies were produced….there, I can still do this!

This activity prompted my second walk (albeit small) of the day…..to drop a freshly baked bag of cookies to Dan….thinking again…am I allowed? Stop being silly, we’ve seen each other every day for the last two weeks…

Even quiet little Waiwera was quiet…I walked in the middle of the road, no cars, so I avoided the footpath where the rest of the community had been pounding up and down (with required space apart) all morning. The native flowers (and dogs) continue to bloom and play…oblivious to this new way of life.

I scuttled into Dans drive way, feeling like a criminal, to the end of his deck, placed the bag of cookies on his outside table and he came out his door stood other end of deck (three meters)….quick chat “hiya you ok” answer “yeah all good you ok” then “better go can be seen to socialise when we are social distancing“…. And I scuttled back to the cottage almost feeling guilty I’d spoken to my own son!

The Ducks also taking over the area….oblivious to human activity. Breathe Sue…ok that’s the morning done.

New chapter new image, or a month between haircuts is plenty of time to make a radical change….almost done!

And a beanie was worn for most of the day thereafter!

So we scratched through the afternoon , checking work, lunch (that’s a new experience for me), afternoon nap, 72 pages into my book…and boom…here we are 4.30pm. This is were the fun (?) began!

I thought ok, haven’t seen Trud all day and she is isolating with us, so I took a beer and strolled over, I had no sooner sat down, me on bench, her on chair 3 meters away, than in the front gate of Riverhaven marched 6-8 police…full kit and into camp. Their presence has been more obvious over the last few days and they ensure people are staying in their pods, isolating, and maintaining social distancing…

Instant thought, they are checking we are all (all three of us staying in the camp) in our own houses behaving ourselves..we have watched too many movies of the Germans tormenting the Jews in the war, and it sort of felt like I needed to run back to my cottage and stay inside like a well behaved human, not sit outside and have a beer with my mate! (Who I am isolating with). So until I knew what the action was I did….run….gasping for breath and downing half a beer in one swallow!

However, the grapevines act quickly in a small seaside community, and it soon unravelled that the police had identified and found a person, with a warrant out for his arrest, isolating himself in a property backing in to our quiet little Riverhaven community, and decided it was time to remove him. Did they really need 6-8 police for one man and scare us poor uncertain individuals on the first day of lockdown.

So in summary….time to catch up (by phone) with friends and family, bring out old hobbies, make new ones, clean your house, and smell the roses! (Or in our case hibiscus 🌺 flowers)

Do not panic, and keep your 2 meters distance, it is Ok to talk to people! Oh and don’t scrub the skin off your hands….hand washing is a biggie….keep a good supply of soap! And don’t think you have done something wrong if you see six police marching in….

It is March 25th 2020, 6.00am, day one of a National lockdown in New Zealand, to try and stop the spread of the untamed “Beer” virus. Covid19….total cases hit 205 with community infection….no death

It has been a few days of very strange emotions, panic, calm, anticipation, intrepidation and preparation, generally a little anxiousness as we all step into the unknown for a month (at least).

Step back to the weekend…

Beer pong on a Saturday night – a whisper of social distancing – beer pong table distance apart.

Fishing on Sunday Dan and his mate finally hooked onto a good spot, and now coastguard has said no boats out for the lockdown month. Where we slept last night is where we sleep for the next 30 days.

So on Monday…(today is thursday), before the PMs announcement that we would be locking down on Wednesday – I needed a shop after the weekend….No Speights in sight in the beer fridge….but managed to procure a box at the liquor store! They had plenty. That was about to change within an hour of my somewhat busy shop, the word was out we were heading for a lockdown…..and then the panic buying really started…the queues to get in supermarkets were along the street, not even a lonely box of “lion red” and the liquor shop sales increased by 1800%. By Tuesday not a Speights or Heineken in sight! One solo box of”Corona” totally isolated in the beer fridge with no one within a 2 meter radius! While this is not all about beer, I guess what I’m saying is that here in NZ we are seeing a human behaviour that we have never seen before – a desperation and reaction to what we can only imagine it would be if a war was impending.

Ok so working through final stages of lockdown, I received an email on Tuesday (a days notice) that Riverhaven, where I am staying in my cottage, is now a holiday park! (And all cottages must be vacant for the lockdown) The “Holiday Park” being the lastest catchphrase in an attempt to say we cannot stay here for 3months in one hit! Actually my share certificate and docs signed years ago do not tout the words “Holiday Park” in any form. It is no secret I was due to leave next week and head to USA and george back to UK. Apart from the fact there are no flights, I didn’t think everyone here disliked me that much that they would rather send me (and George) to places that are rife with this virus, than show a little compassion and kindness at these unpresidented times and maybe speak to me face to face and offer the days in lockdown….as an extra. However, it’s where I slept last night …. so be it “Jacinda” has spoken!

Social distancing begins…can’t see neighbours, family or friends, only those in your pod….that’s me, George and Trudi!

We are allowed to go for a walk by ourselves – had a small practice yesterday – beach was isolated – we are lucky to have this in our walking zone, as one of the rules is don’t get in the car and drive to the beach – you must stay in your community – and as infection cases doubled in the last two days our government declared a state of emergency, not only will we see police in numbers we will experience millitary enforcement control!

As I said earlier it is day one! Anxiety levels have been high over the last few days as we close all non essential business, many lose jobs ( for the short term at least), or face the prospect of not having a job as their workplaces may not reopen when this is all over. I pray my family and friends get through this time in good health, both mentally and physically….possibly a bit more phone and FB action!

Yes, we in New Zealand are also locked into a looming kiwi winter, surrounded by family and friends. The government and the airlines cementing our decision not to travel at this time has put our immediate plans on hold!

And we wake up to this each morning, one could almost believe the worldwide pandemic to be a hoax! Sadly it’s not and Kiwis, like the rest of the world, are emptying the supermarket shelves, drinking less coffee, cooking more meals, not watching any sport (as none is being played), not partaking in cultural events, working from home and generally keeping our distance…..not a natural way of living for the gregarious, outgoing kiwi culture. On a brighter note, it costs less to put gas in our cars!

We returned from Whanganui on Sunday, same route, more delays and another seven hour trip!

Sues turn to use the powder room at Otorohanga, with the mandatory 5 minute hand wash.

A leg stretch up close and personal in the makatote gorge….toi toi in the foreground!

For those of you who have been enjoying the life of Russell Rose, I do need to clarify that in fact the name is one of our making, being our name for this cute little miniature yellow rose given to us as a memorial to Russ….

He is in fact a beehive Gold….Graeme, Russ’s brother has ordered a Russell Rose to plant in his garden from their local centre! So it will be interesting to see what he is presented with. We all had a good laugh and Russ would have enjoyed this miscommunication too. Just goes to show, we shouldn’t always believe what we read in the media and social pages! ….. And just an update, Russell Rose is not liking the cooler mornings and evenings, it appears he is preparing for winter hibernation, as we all are destined to do in the foreseeable future.

Our planned trip to Whanganui began at 11am on Friday…motorway all the way to Hamilton, so far so good. Then the turnoff to head south west…bumper to bumper traffic, and we had set the first stop at Otorohanga..

Was a much needed one, and while George had been snacking on our packed lunch for the last three hours, I took a break and ate my roll!

Ten minute allocation and back on the road…bumper to bumper.

Another 10 minutes stop at Te Kuiti to peruse the monument and story of one of our Rugby greats, Colin Meads, who hailed from the King Country..not many make George look small.

Heading out, bumper to bumper, yes again! Then the turnoff to head to the Ruapehu area, and finally we realised the world was going to New Plymouth to a music festival, and we had the road to ourselves! We finally felt we were out of Aucklands traffic madness.

The Matatoke viaduct, where our first maltese ancestors (Sam My grandfather) worked upon their arrival to NZ early in the 20th century

Then a few miles south the site of the last spike, where the railway from Wellington met the railway from Auckland in 1908…oh and where’s “Wally”?

Last historical stop and a quick Bush wee (some of you may know what this means and it was through the Gorge on the homeward strait to Whanganui…landing time 6pm. Due to the slight delays encountered with concert goers a seven hour journey!

A great dinner was prepared, a couple of Speights and a good nights sleep after a long day!

Activities today included a stroll along the Whanganui city boardwalks

A mid morning food stop at the food and craft market, after walking about two kilometres to find a money machine as the market was a cash option only….then the highlight of the day…

A little volunteer activity, cooking and selling sausages at the Whanganui Mitre 10, a fund raiser for “singing for the brain”…. needless to say the Aucklanders slayed the local market and fed the masses…. one tradie even did a drive thru and could resist a stop in front to get his “sausage”

A little thirsty after all this activity….

A drive to castle cliff beach, a cold coke for me and a milkshake for George for $5.00…

Home to Brenda and Graeme’s, the real reason for our visit, to settle in for a nice cool Speights and roast dinner….