Thursday 8th May 2020…..Monday and Tuesday zero cases but Wednesday one of the first clusters is still active. Two new cases and another death. Seems like this will not go away.

Meanwhile in the waiting room….

We are enjoying Autumn calm and…..

A perfect space to lift weights, medicine balls, laugh and cool off in the last of the summer wine! Gave the boys a couple of hours of eye candy to pass the iso afternoon!

No story yesterday and the day brought more late Autumn sunshine, cool breezes, thermals and puffer jackets. Another bi weekly trip to a very congested supermarket, work and a huge celebration! My oldest son has signed off his building apprenticeship (pending a first aid course that had to be postponed in the lockdown!) So proud and so would Russ have been! We knew you could do it!

So beach fishing is all go and my beautiful daughter in law is making the most of her teaching stand down….

A few hookups and throwbacks as the sun set in our little patch of paradise!

And to finish the day an almost full moon…

Bubble happy hour is now a small group and in the chilly evening, the moon heralded in the clear evening from our bubble vantage point.

Meanwhile, I asked our waterfront isolation buddy to snap the moon in the clear sky above sugarloaf island….while the walls are closing in, nature is providing us with beauty and hope!

Riverhaven (the camp) is a beautiful place, but unfortunately a place where there are rules for some and rules for others! There’s broken legs 12 month stint, and not forgetting the 12 months (or more) some stayed while they built a house, or worked up here! Now I’m being told that from the 25th of June my cottage cannot be used! Talk about keyboard warriors…

It is time for the free spirited to let the small stuff go and surround ourselves with positive motivated and beautiful humans, with BIG plans and lots of ambition! The Bonnici-Carter’s leading the charge, Russ and Mum right up front!

Roll on 2021 and a Covid free world where we can once again spread our kiwi wings. And the world will be a better place, because we have all learned to wash our hands (of any unkindness) while backing off on the random act of hugging! I think the art of conversation is making a comeback!

Tuesday 5th May, 2020. While the person next door may be feeling the pressure, and things are not what they seem in lockdown 3, it’s more important now than ever to show a little kindness…

The camera just snapped this one, but it kind of says it all, the jandals are waiting for the next journey and we are all facing uncertainty. Our plans, our dreams, our hopes for the future are all changed in a covid19 controlled world.

Yesterday, hit me with a flat white (packet variety), flat battery, easily fixed with the loan of some jumper leads from a kind neighbour. The keyboard warrior at work for most of the day, answering kiwis trying to make a dollar in the online world. The day was littered with sunshine, rain, warmth and chills from the sky’s above and the humans around us.

Just another work day in a world where only some things are certain…a dog will always want a cuddle and is always excited by food (left over mashed potato a hit). Some things will always be a surprise (not always a good one), but humans are humans and we don’t know their stories or their tipping point (sounds like a game show), so even if their unkindness is a surprise, we need to let it go and just be there if they need help or support.

The words all along have been, stay home, stay safe and be kind. I have done my best to help all those around me, but it certainly appears it is time to move on, and we look forward to the next chapter in the story.

NZ you have done an amazing job of not letting this virus take control(first day with zero new cases)!but the cost of the economy and personal freedom is certainly taking its toll on the mere humans……but this little bubble will not give up because the glass is half full, right?

Sunday, May 3rd….much awaited rain is predicted, and off to pack up more (hopefully all) showroom. Work is kind of a seven day thing right now as business days are any days!

Yesterday afternoon, Jaxon and Steph hit the sand and hooked a nice Trevally…for their dinner, meanwhile I made a smoked fish pie with our fish from the birthday haul.

The day slid by with screen time, face time, food time and bed time.

The drop from level 4 lockdown to level 3, lockdown is not a word you can use for level 3! Roads are full of cars, beaches are full of people, the McDonald’s drive thru is stil over a mile long and there are many unfamiliar faces in our local area! The stay home, stay safe essential travel only advice has washed straight over many kiwis heads – there’ll be a lot of bald kiwis after this….either from putting their heads in the sand or allowing crucial advice to sweep over their heads!

Today is looking like an inside day, perfect for packing and essential work as the carrier comes on Wednesday! Happy Sunday, at least the rain may limit the stupid humans to essential travel only!

Saturday, May 2nd, 2020.. No longer counting the days, I’m counting the memories…

Let’s Roll back to Thursday, As we are now allowed to fish in the sea, so long as our feet are on the ground, a couple of the bubble buddies decided to plant the net in the river at low tide Thursday evening.

Yesterday morning, they dragged it in with a haul of Kawhai!

The proposed first fish and chips takeaway meal (since March) as a birthday treat….now only needed to be chips. The birthday boy was smoking fresh fish!

We will leave them there dealing with the fish, as another trauma was unfolding in my bubble number two!

The babysitter, or dog sitter rang in a panic around 8am….Dan had gone to work and Floyd was missing! Oh oh, first thought was that he’d got out and taken himself for a beach run! But the property has 6ft fences and he never leaves without his humans. George and I hightailed it down the road to be met by a very panicked Jaxon. After another thorough property search, inside, outside and under houses, a frightened little head was spied peeping from behind the only bushed area (1 meter wide) of the driveway! Floyd had hidden there, after having trouble with his morning ablutions. Having not digested the grass and wood he had added to his diet the day before he needed his father (Daniel) to do the clean up job. Being something that couldn’t wait, yours truly got the honours in this case!

At least Floyd stayed home and stayed safe! Slowly calming down after a big drink of water and a couple of mandarins!

Time to start work! It’s sort of a seven day a week job at the moment….as retailers processing online orders just lose track of days and hours too.

I walked away from my screen about 3.30 pm. Trudi the undertaken the job of taking everyone’s chip, burger, sausage etc order, which was rung through before I collapsed at happy distancing hour with my bubble buddies at 4.00pm. George was the courier driver for the 5.00pm pick up Orewa. The fresh smoked fish waiting to be joined by the chips!

Early dinner, fresh smoked Kawhai, takeaway chips from Captain Kerr’s, and bubbles supplied by the birthday boy!

Bubble lockdown birthday, and no rules were broken! All outdoor, own plates, tongs used, own glasses, own fish, only our bubble and no extensions! This will be a birthday to remember, as many people have had bubble birthdays during this time..bet they didn’t have fresh smoked fish!

1st May, 2020, day 4 level 3, and a third of 2020 is done!

We are racing through this year without realising how many days we have used! As every day seems the same. Friday night drinks have lost their punch, catch up with friends is just a phone call…and crawling out of bed, two steps to work station, don’t need to get dressed….and bang it’s Friday night again.

Floyd loves George – you can see the family resemblance in the hair colour at least! Now Dan is back at work, Floyd is hanging out at Jaxs place…

And doing a bit of gardening – the grape vine needs chopping back.

George did the Orewa run yesterday, as I was glued to my work chair from 7.30am…with a 10 minute break to make a quick vege pie for dinner…..which as it turned out was lucky…

As the Sun goes down, and the band won’t play….all of Waiweras power went off right on dinner time!

Not being a candle girl, one of those folks who has those strategically placed smelly candles around the house, I had to hightail it home from happy hour (while there was still light) and dig around in bins for emergency supplies. Couldn’t find a torch, but…

Bathroom lighting was rather relaxing…

George had just finished his self exercise plan and wondered if we would have hot water. “Of course” I said, “our hot water is on gas”. Shower by candlelight!

I was about to dish our cold slab of vege pie and George emerged, in all his winter woollies, and told me I lied! No hot water! Ok, I thought, I need to change the gas bottle (same one for four months must be run out- mum logic)

Out I go with a candle, flick the switch over, there you go….still no hot water! Having exhausted all female plumbing knowledge, I called Dan, who was happily cooking hot food on BBQ and, blow me down….one needs electricity to spark the gas! How would the end user know that?

We were about to launch into our chilled dinner (which is actually much better hot) when boom – there was light! (Heat, hot water and all that goes with it)

Alls well that ends well, hot shower, hot dinner and warm cottage….

Thursday 30th April, day three level 3….my 114th day at Riverhaven for 2020, including an extra 35 days enforced by the NZ government- shoot me if I shift! Not quite, but the “sleep where you got stuck” mantra was, by Law, what we had to live by, with two days notice, from 26th March….way back in Summer!

We are now rolling into our 6th week of lockdown, with not much changed from day one, except we are being asked about our future…at Riverhaven! Its a bit like being asked what my future plans are to travel!!! We will just park both these questions.

Social distance drinks last night included Larry and his GF hanging out with us…a bubble of four was increased to six when these guys joined us. The social bubble (activity) limit is 5? Larry might need to ditch his GF if he wants to join.

Broken leg, came back to collect stuff, watched by the Miss Marples on arrival ( he is allowed a visit but no staying) and spotted by the Miss Marples on departure!

Dan is back at work, Jaxon still working from home, and George and I are permanently working from home….the last two days have seen some really positive action in the Carrybag / box industry!

On that note, time to get up and get at it, so nice being able to stay in my Jammies for half the work day!

Wednesday, April 29 day 2 – lockdown level 3 – or is it?

Yesterday, while I stayed home and worked all day, one of the busiest days I have had for a while, the humans all decided level three meant get out and get going! While some had to travel to their workplaces, you can’t tell me that queuing for 3 hours at Macdonald’s or KFC was a pleasant experience!

Carless streets are over, there was a constant stream of traffic to and from and parked up at Waiwera…with walkers, swimmers, kayakers and fishers arriving and settling in….the directive of, “you can drive to your nearest beach and exercise” seems to have been translated into “go hang out at your favourite beach and set up camp”.

From my work window, I felt safer inside my gate..watching a raft of unfamiliar faces and vehicles come and go, it appears many have decided to break out of their Bubbles and push into other bubbles, I do hope that this unnecessary activity doesn’t push us all back into lockdown 4 again as the second wave hits!

On a more positive note, there are a large group of people changing the way they work, firing shots and emails from behind the “screens” working up a storm with online sales enthusiasm….after yesterday’s keyboard contacts, I am proud of the innovative and fighting spirit of our small Kiwi business operators, many a one man band! Those who come out richer from this experience will not be the ones lining up for McDonald’s or spending the day at the beach in someone else’s bubble!

Riverhaven bach owners who have been unable to come to their Bach’s for five weeks are now able to come and check them during the day, I’m guessing there will be an influx of humans around here over the next few weeks….we will need to be diligent with public areas and keep the gate locked, so many hands are not touching!

The playground is taped to deter the temptation for day visitors to share their bubbles, can’t really do a sign in book for children so we can be diligent with contact tracing! That’s a thought – if the McDonald’s food deliverer (at the window) tests positive – how is the govt going to contact trace just one hour..let alone one day? I am so not going….home cooking has become a good habit!

Today will see a trip to the supermarket, as it is five days since last stock up and we have munched our way through everything green!

After an undisturbed night and a good sleep, I can hit the keyboard early and the supermarket at opening time. Let’s see if the humans of AUCKLAND can behave today and show some respect for others who actually don’t want to undo all the good we have done!

Tuesday April 28th, day 1 lockdown 3…7.30am sleep in after disturbed night! There will be a few tired kiwis around Waiwera this morning.

So it has come to this…images of cooking…yesterday afternoon welcomed the Anzac biccies, quiche and meatball prep in one hit. Time out from my work keyboard catch up, rather an inside day on such a blues sky, warm, winter is never coming, day!

The darkness now falls early around 6.00pm and dinner is no longer a 9 o’clock event, often by this time we are already counting sheep (sound asleep).

This was the case last night for yours truly, only to be rudely awakened by my flat mate (George), this time not for snoring!

There’s cops everywhere!!! Yes he was right, four cars at the beach roundabout, and a black unmarked one right outside my gate (still running). About 20 boys and girls in blue running around in all directions. Lucky Miss Marple had put the padlock on the gate, Riverhaven was safe.

Ok, from 50 metres it was hard to ascertain what all the fuss was about, and the police did seem a bit more relaxed, but waiting for the paddy wagon…so no answers with the big van now blocking my view from the gate. It was time to call Johnny on the spot. Evidently a 20-30 something, chemically induced man (and possibly a couple of female offsides) had decided to drive to Waiwera and have their domestic differences out. The locals alerted to the disturbance called police, who in turn called more police for the sideshow that unfolded…pants down, pants up, abuse and extreme agitation….needless to say, they were removed from the area relatively forcefully!

So with event one over, I had just lain back down to return to my nighttime slumber, and Jaxon rang, very concerned about our Steph…stomach pains…call the ambulance for medical advice…who advised to take Panadol and call back if worse, next thing I see an ambulance circling past and over on the grass opposite looking very lost….I was up again and back to the gate in time to see them stop by Dan and Jaxs houses! Oh oh within ten minutes they came! So I donned the birks, sweater and puffer jacket and walked to my second bubble….yes there they were and loading Steph up to take to hospital, no one can go with her with the Coronavirus thing, and it was hard waving off your loved one knowing there was no point in following as you can’t be with them.

Anyway, I wandered back up the deserted street to my bed for the third time, now after midnight and officially in level 3, which kicked in at 11.59pm last night. Jaxon went in and collected Steph around 4.30am, tests all done and pain managed and not life threatening events about to happen. So there will be a few tired kiwis in Waiwera, but all safe in our bubbles for another day! An uneventful one I hope!

Monday, April 27…day 33 lockdown level four.

In 24 hours we will be waking to level 3, when we can graduate from a moccona packet latte to a contactless cafe takeaway. Along with online shopping, which actually may get delivered, closed shop manufacturing, contractors working and Macdonald’s, KFC and Burger King drive through. A slight bubble extension we may add 1 or 2 people…but still maintaining a two meter distance and only getting in the car for essential travel within our area or to and from work, if we are the lucky ones who can return.

For the rest of us it’s work from home if we can. Leisure activities will include beach fishing, swimming local (although the water temperature may limit this activity) and more of the same walking exercise.

The last two days have seen George and I travel into the city (venturing out of our local 5k radius) to pack up my workplace and begin my new career (same company) as a relentless remote keyboard warrior!

The motorways were deserted and a journey that used to take up to two hours in Auckland traffic was just inside 30 minutes…not a policeman in sight either day, just a bit of revenue collection going on……a couple of vans decked out with speed cameras to catch the odd motorist who couldn’t resist the temptation to leadfoot it, just because they can!

As I said goodbye to a workplace, in the vibrant hub of ponsonby, that has been my go-to for five years, a little sadness crept in with the reality that the world is so changed in such a short few weeks.

We returned to our Bach and safe bubble, and a few more “moments” as reality struck that this is soon to change….

After the last six months of losing first my wonderful Russell and then a couple of months ago, my beautiful Mum, and now the fragile plans made to keep going this year have been thwarted and job changes ahead…the thought of being a gypsy at 59 kind of loses its attraction! I’m sure it will gain some momentum one way or another. There is kindness in the Waiwera community and people are willing to help and support!

In the meantime, Floyd is learning to skateboard, Jaxon and Steph have settled into their house, Dan is working on his renovation plans, George is having a week off and the “Great Speights Sports quiz” is looking to be a major event! (earmarked for when we can all gather at the cottage again). As each day goes by the bowl is filling up with happy isolation hour bottle tops (all with pertinent sport questions and answers)

Saturday April 25th, day 31…Anzac day

6am at the waterfront with Russell’s boom box, we listened remotely to the dawn service….there’s always one in the crowd, Trudi couldn’t quite get the heart!

Jax and Steph in their bubble…waiting for the sun to rise….and

Waiwera bubbles came out to share the service on the waters edge, with small waves crashing, 1ZB live podcast, we could almost feel the shores of Gallipoli!

However, now back to yesterday’s activities, work and Miss Daisy shopping expeditions and…

Larry our limping duck, still hanging out under the feijoa tree (which is now rather lean on the ground for fruit), has finally found a friend. This one other guy has been hanging with Larry for the last couple of days, while the other 100 in his family hang out down the road!

Stranded in Waiwera, we felt some kindness from the locals and looking for a forever home for the next few months may be solved! Time will tell…

And as we are all up early (very early) George and I are heading to the showroom (my work) to pack up and collect supplies to work from home for the duration.

And as the Sun comes up, we will remember those who fought for our country and those who are fighting now, albeit in a much different arena.