Thursday, 16th April, day 22…At the three quarter mark of the lockdown period, yesterday reminded us that the vacuum we are currently living in may be nearing its end. For many of us a return to work is imminent, if we are the lucky ones who still have work! My workplace will certainly look different as remotely I will we joining George for morning tea and lunch! Hanging out at the bach for a bit longer than anticipated!

I took my shadow….new best friend….for a stroll between showers along a deserted beach

With a vicious offshore wind this image actually captures a Fiji like illusion. It was very cold and heat pumps were changed from cool to heat for the first time this year. However, the sand is white and clean and the water so clear…the fish were jumping a few meters offshore, clearly visible.

A relatively productive three quarter day was had…work is starting to get interesting, and the “Miss Marples” put on the “Miss Daisy” hats and Trudi and I set off, with about seven lists, to do the communal bi weekly supply shop! The policemen who stopped us didn’t want to see our lists, I guess we are believable characters!

Two hours later, after the grocery drop offs we rewarded ourselves with a 50cent Moccona latte coffee!

The last international flight back to Europe leaves our NZ shores next Tuesday, so for anyone who doesn’t make that will be stuck with a kiwi Winter..and for some time in true Kiwi fashion we will all be flightless.

Wednesday 15th April, day 21, 6.30am.

Out of the ashes we will rise, it’s been an odd few days, of inactivity, and with the declining weather pattern, motivation appears to have flown out the door.

We can’t get these moments back and ponder our wasted days…as we swallow our 2nd Speights and stuff our home cooked dinner into our well fed stomachs!

Some you win and some you lose, but for those with a second chance – grab it.

It’s a lonely road we walk with our shadow…they say in autumn the shadows get longer- just noticed.

Here in NZ there is much speculation that in a weeks time, we will be doing something…back to work, packing up work, lining up for the dole queue, looking for somewhere to live, putting gas in the car, rushing out to socialise, boating, fishing, etc….personally I am nervous, that with all of the above, the norm that humans have come to expect, we will lose sight of our shadow once again and the lockdown calm and safety we have enjoyed. No road fatalities this Easter….only the 2nd time in recorded history (last time was probably when the humans mostly rode horses)

It is a welcome peace with no mean, angry, demanding impatient, humans around….just our bubbles and we have learnt to be quiet when bubble buddies need quiet, and talk and listen….to those around us.

And when no one will listen there’s always the shadow, touching our toes and keeping our feet on the ground!

Tuesday 14th April, day 20!

Yesterday, A break in study, a stroll between raindrops, well almost…it was impossible to dodge a downpour if outside for longer than 20 minutes.

The beach circuit was deserted, just after the turn of the tide and sinking into the soft sand (at waters edge) has got to be good for some unused muscle..

The locals just don’t leave or move when a human appears, as this is not often and doesn’t interrupt the gathering!

There was definitely a conference going on around the point! Nestled in hundreds, distinctive groups of oystercatcher birds! Same size, same shape, same red beak….one gathering all black and the other black tops with white bottom half!

These feathered species did not flinch or give up beach space as the distance humans walked past….the black and white group was also littered with little brown Dotterels (an endangered species) but flourishing in the human void! Must have been at least 20 of these little guys at a glance! Very camera shy though…

Photo credit – google!!

The ever changing landscape with the high and low tide movements, currents etc. has produced a Sea snake pointing out to our Sugarloaf island!

Back into our bubble before the next downpour and looking at the already greener vegetation behind our boat shed, checking out the boat in lockdown. The birds have been having a field day with that too…sitting on the bow doing their business – will need a good clean before winter lockdown!

The rest of the day produced…rain, shine, wind and a roast dinner!

Monday 13th April, day 19 lockdown, and hunkering down for weather lockdown…

Yesterday rolled in cloud, a few rain showers and a promise of more to come.

A morning of cleaning and clearing and tidying up the loose ends around the cottage…rain and strong winds and a cold blast predicted for the next week…I think another BBQ spring clean is still on the list! The Morning finished with a 40 minute walk to the other side.

My back is still recovering from taking Floyd for a walk about 10 days ago, he has to settle for free running inside his own property…until he learns that he doesn’t need to be a tow truck!

Today, one of our bubble buddies leaves us to head home to Croatia….and his family, after two cancelled flights and hours of planning for his arrival lockdown! Armed with sanitizer and safety equipment and a huge amount of determination!

The number of daily corona cases appears to be reducing, and we still have nine days of lockdown…eradication is the objective….with winter coming, we all wait with baited breath to see what the next stage is

Meanwhile….limping Larry has all but put an end to the feijoa harvest. He is very adept at drilling a hole in the fruit and sucking all the insides out!

Saturday, April 11th, day 17 lockdown….kind of exciting the supermarket is open today! Do need some greens!

The walk yesterday took George and Sue to the other side of the estuary…no humans and no boating. My Riverhaven buddies will be happy to see the whitecaps and know ‘twas not a good day for fishing, as they are usually here itching to get the boats out but…bubble bursting out is not allowed.

We decided to have some fun…in the sun

We have so much beauty within a stones throw that we never find the time to appreciate over the summer holidays!

George honed his stone skimming skills and….

Sue tried not to roll an ankle! The wind was cool but the sun warmed the day up and Easter Friday passed in a relaxed and pleasant blur!

No Hot cross buns this year…so threw together some cinnamon scrolls – nearly forgot the cinnamon (but last minute sprinkle before cooking did the trick)

May need to go on a Beer hunt today….three days of easter left – one Speights! (Bottle not box) and I guess some vegetables if that’s the case! Life right now is just full of exciting challenges! And time to smell the roses!

P.S. limping Larry did make his way from the beach to lounge under the feijoa tree for the rest of the day!

Easter Friday, April 10th – day 16 kiwi lockdown. Kiwi autumn to winter has hit us – the wind came up, the temperatures dropped and we had rain (like several downpours) on the day before the Easter break….although the long weekend looks very different to most Kiwis this year. The boys in blue (police) are setting up roadblocks all over the country and asking where you are going….holiday spots are a no no and you will be sent back to your bubble.

Yesterday, NZ had a mere 29 new cases today and while the economy is crippled, we are looking after our health…

On my walk to visit Dan in my double bubble, I encountered a weird man who asked me what I was baking today….ah yes dinner! He then proceeded to talk and yell to some unknown (and unseen) entity (he on footpath, me on the other side of the road). Mmm, our boys in blue sitting quietly on the deserted road had a good eye on him…and I briskly walked on….a deserted road is a little eerie.

No major walk yesterday, but a 5000 step total from local foot exercise keeps me on my toes….I have become the resident masseuse – George’s legs and Dans shoulders….maybe a new business opportunity!

Meanwhile in the Riverhaven bubble Larry is loitering…feasting off feijoas and hanging with the humans….he seems to be holding his own.

We are all living on the edge, will we be going or will we stay? When? No answer until 2 days before lockdown D-Day, so we try not to lose sleep or make plans that will probably be thwarted! It surely is uncertain times.

On a less positive note…the list has not been made and the jobs are not ticked off! Time stands still! And today is Good Friday….hot cross bun day, or scone day or whatever I can rattle up!

It’s 6.30am and the sun rises at 6.42am. I catch the morning waking up with birds and ducks (no humans) enjoying our little piece of paradise.

It’s a perfect morning and the ducks leave the water and guess who comes to great me…

Limping Larry has been taking his morning bath, the other ducks (en masse) head up the road to the herd and Larry limps over (alone) to say good morning, en route to the feijoa tree

Thursday April 9th, day 15 begins….

Yesterday mornings walk took me under the highway bridge and further up the valley, provoking memories of my sons early childhood, when we used to walk these roads from the other direction…not much has changed…..the road is still dirt and the corners still sharp. There are inlets at the riverside of the road where Dane (my nephew as a 3 year old) would fall in.

Nearing Dads old house I spy Jessica’s bridge where the boys used to fish off (or fall off)

Some things just don’t change in the country. One more big corner and there was Dads homestead…surrounded by big trees that Sandy and Dad planted.

A little further and the lockdown activities are evident – firewood for sale!

One way up and one way back, 9 km round trip (all flat) and the day was set for…work from home and another day of lockdown.

The daily report from the government was optimistic that we have this flat lining, but a newsflash last night indicated two more Auckland clusters have emerged. The big question on everyone’s minds is whether four weeks will see the end of this. Day by day the world around us gets quieter (human sightings) and noisier (birds and wildlife)…is this so bad after all?

And finally, every walk is a bear hunt (even though we don’t have bears in NZ)

A game we are all playing – hiding bears in gardens and windows. Reminds me that I would have been in Texas right now and going on a bear hunt with James! (My surrogate grand baby)

Wednesday, April 8th day 14 Lockdown, half way there!

As the sun set last night, we recap on the days activities. The Miss Marples became Miss Daisys – the community shoppers….As I had an early follow up appointment with an XRay machine, Trudi and I very kindly collected the lists and headed to the Supermarket after!

Trudi had three and I had Four….after the wait outside, trolley length apart (the new norm of shopping), we launched into it with our gloved hands, separate trolleys and lists lined up! The process, while not pleasant, is relatively stress free with fewer people in the shop…you do, however, always get the odd one that wants to “tut tut” or roll their eyes…..bet they are only shopping for themselves!

Car loaded, orders packed separately, we headed back to the hills to begin the courier drops! Dan first, then we circumnavigated camp and did our four drops! Being the Miss Daisy Role models, delivering a few treats for our bubble buddies!

So a walk was out of the question yesterday…and just realising the lockdown is halfway through, it is time to seriously work on the home maintenance list!

Happy hour has been brought forward an hour (with the end of daylight saving last weekend) and before we know it, it is 4.00pm….time to enjoy the last of the afternoon sunshine!

Beer (Sue) and wine (Trudi), were in desperate need of a change….our only other drink of choice, Rum and Coke….

None in our cupboard, but determination brings results, our friend John had a few shots in the back of his cupboard and kindly shared with the Miss Daisys! What goes round comes round, a very worthy swap for some Pastry!

While the rule breakers…fishermen, boaties, beach sitters and out of community visitors have all become noticeable by their absence, our little community bubbles are reaching out to help each other and keep us all sane in this “Whole New World”…we are all settling into a pattern and I, for one, will feel a little sadness when it is time to break out of the bubble! Maybe we all needed this reminder of what we really need in life!

Tuesday, April 7th, day 13…NZ you are doing well, all signs are looking good that the reigns may loosen after the four weeks.

In the meantime life in the bubbles continues…yesterday’s round up..

An early morning walk under the bridge, certainly cooler in the mornings, and steps a bit quicker to get the blood circulating…see our fat woolly friends in the foreground…all of nature is emerging to play.

Further up the valley a reality check that winter is actually on its way, the deciduous trees in the bush across the river fading to a lighter shade of pale, ready to undress for the cooler months…while us humans get out our winter woollies!

Walk done body warmed up by 9.00am. Then I got the call that bubble number two was cooking bacon and eggs for breakky on the BBQ! Yes please, I’ll be there in 15 minutes….an hour later we sat down to a very delicious pan cooked BBQ after spending said previous hour up to elbows in grease and cockroaches….moral of the story don’t lend your BBQ without doing regular inspections! Upper body workout complete…back to bubble one for work time…looks like a few of our online customers are firing up for action this week, with government approval!

So that’s the Bubble, bubble, toil bit….Trouble? The army helicopter flew low over the social distancing happy hour team….oh oh we are in our bubble, far apart (like 4 meters in a crop circle) but may earn a mention in the news as we may have been having fun! and were out in open!

Anyway we waved….we are sure he was just keeping an eye on our little seaside community as we have had so much police (and Miss Marple) action since the lockdown and was heading out to sea to look for rule breaking boaties.

Today sees me venturing out of the bubble for a medical appointment(essential service) and food shopping for the masses(another essential service)…three lists so far….