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….
All who wander are not Lost girls 