Still in second lockdown
Warning: this post is not about sewing or craft. And it’s very photo heavy. Feel free to skip if those things aren’t your scene.
It’s day fifty-seven of greater Melbourne’s second lockdown (even more for some suburbs). We moved from stage 3 restrictions (stay at home, no school for most, maximum one hour of essential exercise per day with two people maximum, no dining in) into stage 4 restrictions (all of the above plus masks and curfews and no school for almost anyone and only travel 5km from home and closure or restriction of almost all businesses), and that’s where we currently sit. The daily number of new covid-19 cases is finally going down, but not enough yet to loosen the restrictions. So, how is my family doing?
This second lockdown has felt very different to the first one, which started in late March. Of course, we’ve been living our lives under varying stages of restriction since then, but going back into remote learning and stay at home has been hard. I’m so nostalgic for those sweet days in early to mid June when we were able to gather in groups of ten at a local park, and have cafe meals in groups of less than six! Visiting friends in their homes! Driving up to the country to see my parents! Ah, those were the days.
I’ve been taking a morning photo every morning since lockdown began, usually the view across the city skyline from the window at the top of the stairs. I generally take it somewhere between 7.00am and 7.30am. It’s different every day. It’s a way for me to mark the passing of the days, while forcing me to pause and look and admire the colours and the clouds and the trees. I think about those city buildings, with their twinkling lights, and think about the people who would normally be gathering there. There are very few planes in the sky. I have become used to their absence.
The first few weeks were particularly hard. Dan and I have been working from home since March. Stella didn’t get to return to on-site school after the mid-year holidays. Clare had a couple of weeks back on site – she’s in her final year of school, with the final exams now looming – until we went to stage 4 and she was back studying at home as well. Every day we watched the number of new cases go up, and up, and up. The rest of the country watched it too. But this time it felt like ‘them and us’ as the remaining states (understandably) closed borders. And this time around we were tired. The first time around there was a sense of camaraderie, and novelty, and through the shock and the incredulity our adrenaline kept us going. Second time? SO different. So difficult. I really struggled emotionally for a few weeks. At one point I was incredibly angry. Then amazingly sad. Now I’m okay. I just take life a day to a week at a time. It sounds trite, but I am now much better at living in the moment, appreciating the simple pleasures, and really stopping to admire the wattle, the camellias, the banksias, and the magnolias.
It’s my daughters that I worry about the most, and feel that in my immediate family they are the most impacted. Not being on site in class for Clare’s final year of high school and Stella’s first year of high school have been huge. All the usual rituals and markers and special events that take place in those years are either missing completely or inadequately replicated via technology. I’ve been impressed by the school and their teachers, who are all doing the best that they can possibly do, but it’s just not the same. We’re all so sad about it. Clare and her friends do a pretty good job of staying in regular contact, organising fun online presentation and quiz nights. Stella is making the most of every opportunity to play MineCraft, and ‘chat’ to her online gaming friends, but hasn’t had much opportunity to continue to form and solidify the new friendships that go along with starting high school. Both girls have continued to do Zoom dance classes and instrumental and voice lessons. Clare’s still had online Girl Guides, while Stella is taking a break from it.
Dan is working from the dining table, which is not really ideal, but the shed is too cold at this time of year! His clients are mostly in the same situation, and are now used to Zoom audits where there are household sounds in theh backgrounds. That’s just life and work in lockdown. I was working up until a couple of weeks ago. The contracts for the work that could be done remotely have come to an end, and much of the other work that I do requires us to be on site – just not an option in Melbourne at the moment. And who knows when I’ll be able to go interstate for work again! I had so many trips away for work in my calendar this year; now they’ve all been deleted. I don’t know when I’ll have work again – maybe in a couple of months. The work is still there, waiting – we just can’t do it at the moment. I’m not eligible for JobKeeper, but fortunately we are in a financial situation where it’s not too much of a stress. I have to say that running the household is easier when I’m not also working!
At the moment our life has contracted to a 5km radius. The girls have barely been out of the house; I managed to drag Clare out for a walk only recently. I think that they quite like bunkering down, in a way. The excitement level when the doorbell rings is considerable – because it only rings when we have a delivery! Hair colour, oodies, books, leisurewear, eBay shoes, a dog poo composter! We’ve had specialty chocolate treat kits delivered, multiple meals from local eateries, wine (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and even ice cream. We’ve watched masses of TV. We were relatively late adopters of streaming services – now we have Netflix, Stan and Disney. Good grief. I can barely read books – I don’t have the concentration or the mental bandwidth. I’m back in the habit of doing home manicures, and the girls are working their way through temporary hair colours. Gee, I’m hanging out for the hairdresser to open again. I’m sewing sporadically, not according to any plan or logic whatsoever. I just make whatever takes my fancy, even if unseasonal. Dan has been going for bike rides or for a jog, and he’s meditating regularly. I wish that I found meditation a useful practice, but it’s never worked for me. Stella entertains herself with YouTube and with comic books and some novels – her English novel this semester was a huge hit; we’re waiting for the second and third books in the series to arrive. Shifting googly eyes around this house has also been a source of amusement. Clare’s been doing fancy manicures on herself on a regular basis. Her Literature class had a regular thing going for a while where they all dressed according to a theme for each class – hats, sunglasses, make-up, etc. Our dog Buzz has been unwell, which is awful. He’s fairly old at around thirteen years, and it turns out that he has Cushing’s disease. He’s just started on medication today, and we’re really hoping that this makes him feel much better for his last few years.
I get out for a walk a few times each week – we’re allowed one hour of essential exercise per day, with one other person (wearing masks, of course). I walk with one friend on Tuesdays, and sometimes with another later in the week. We are incredibly fortunate to have a creek and surrounding parklands within walking distance. There are always plenty of people there either walking, jogging or cycling. There’s nothing quite like the trees and the flowers and the sound of the water in the distance. Even on the walk to and from the creek we come across so many beautiful details in the plants and the clouds. My usual coffee catchups on Thursday and Friday mornings are now via Zoom. It’s not the same, but it’s all we’ve got. Monthly book group meetings are also on Zoom. We even did a Nojourn sewing weekend via Zoom. I go to the market or supermarket generally once per week, twice at the most. Everyone there is tense. It’s harder to communicate now that we’re all wearing masks. It’s easy for things to be misunderstood.
I know that this will end. We just don’t know when. And currently I am at the stage where for my immediate family, I can see that the glass is half full rather than half empty. We have a great deal to be thankful and grateful for. There are many people in much more difficult situations. It’s shit, this pandemic is absolute shit, and it’s not going away fast, but eventually it will be over and we’ll be able to move on with our lives. Stella said the other day ‘when I’m old I’ll be able to tell my children about how when I was a teenager I lived through a pandemic and we couldn’t leave the house for months and months’. Well yes, she will. But right now, we just take each day at a time. I hold on to the happiness of overhead conversations between the girls and their friends, to the deeper knowledge of what they are learning at school, and of their constantly strengthening personalities. They are resilient, and they are funny, and they are still seeing the joy whilst acknowledging the sad. I don’t think that I can ask much more than that. I know that I will miss them when they eventually return to on-site learning, while at the same time relishing the time to myself. I hold on to the things that make me smile each day – and it doesn’t actually take all that much.
I hope that those of you who have read this far are doing okay. We’re all riding the coronacoaster. I think of my parents two hours drive away in Shepparton, who I haven’t seen since early June – and they are 82 and 93. I think of my brother Ross who is in North Carolina, and wonder when we will be able to see him again. Then I stop wondering, and just wait. I wait, because that’s all that I can do.
Added graph for context on Melbourne’s numbers of new cases during this second wave, with projections. Further Australian data can be found here.
Thoughts are with you all. I am outside Cairns so am safe but my daughter lives in Fitzroy Melbourne so I worry for her terribly. She is safe at present but it’s taking a toll and we are so far away. Let’s hope we can get through this.
Stay safe.
Thanks Rosemary. Being away from those you love, and worrying about them, is really tough.
You have described it so well Lara. My children are all in Melbourne and my husband is working on Norfolk Island so I am alone in country Victoria. I am not sure when I can visit my family again . No visitors are allowed so the isolation has been so hard. It is definitely much worse the second time around. I have done some sewing but find reading anything substantial beyond me and I am a voracious reader. It is one day at a time, no point in planning beyond that! Chins up we will make it, but we will be different at the other end.
Gee Barb, you’re in a really difficult situation on your own there. One day at a time definitely helps me. Hang in there!
So good to hear from you Lara. That this is so different from your ordinary posts about sewing and your latest creations is another signifier on our journey to realising the paradigmatic shift the world has undergone from the beginning of 2020. Best wishes to you, hubby and kids. I feel for your anxiety about the long term effects for your daughters… it will be tough…
Thanks Pearl. I wonder how much will have changed in our lives when we eventually come out the other side of this.
Thank you Lara, this is so beautifully written, explaining how so many of us in Melbourne feel right now. I look forward to your daily insta skyline posts – they make me feel connection with others looking out their windows waiting and waiting.
I’m alone with a 2 and a 3 yr old, hubby is stuck in QLD, a fifo worker who has to stay fly out if he wants to keep his job. We know it’s not forever but the days are certainly long sometimes! I too worry about the kids this year but they seem to prove over and over to be more resilient to change than me!
I hope work is possible for you soon and the girls get back in the classroom some time soon.
Wow Sarah, your situation is really full on! Kids that age are surprisingly resilient – but it must be a huge amount of work for you, both physically and emotionally. Take care xxx
Glad everyone is OK. Great photos Lara. Thanks for sharing. It does get better after lock down! DONT GET DISCOURAGED! We are finished with our second stay at home order in Phoenix AZ USA. They did not call it a lock down. Most schools are back in session online. We have just reached 5% positivity and continues to move downward. Schools are beginning to open for in person learning. Universities opened mid August and were locked down 2 weeks later. I think many of them brought the virus with them from other states. Restaurants have been open for a while at 25% occupancy. Bars, gyms and waterparks opened and then shut down again in AZ. They are now open again at limited capacity. Moving along slowing here. Most sewists I know have not done much sewing either, so don’t be so hard on yourself. I made a point of reading a book a week. We order from the city public library and have curbside pickup! City facilities are still closed but State facilities have opened. Go figure. Long lines at the pharm for flu shots! There will probably be record numbers this year. Your brother is probably ok. Here the google search for NC: https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&type=C211US636D20151206&p=covid+in+nc
Thanks Mary – the different approaches taken by different countries (and different areas within them) are quite iteresting. We’re hanging in there – I hope that you are too.
Loved looking at your photo log and reading about your situation for all in the family. Such a very different experience for all of at this time…stay in touch.
Thanks Laura. It’s difficult, and different, for everyone. Take care.
Oh Lara – I love your post and share (across the world your concerns). I’m a high school Home Ec. teacher in Edmonton, Alberta Canada and we welcome students back to school TODAY. I look at Australia/Melbourne and wonder if it’s a path we will follow as well. In Canada we locked down for March -May and have slowly opened. BUT cases are still rising and it’s hard to know what’s best. The next thing, I guess. I teach high school and nothing was sadder last year when my grade 12 (graduating students in June) lost all chance of all the parties, ceremonies and celebrations that we normally do. We managed something outdoor and online and while amazing it wasn’t the same. Like you, my family is safe and together. REALLY glad we moved my parents across Canada and in with my husband and I LAST September. But this experience is like no other. In Australia (Canada as well) school has never stopped. Never!
Thank you for your post – it’s good to see written the incredibly mixed feelings I think we all have about this. If you get back to reading, might I recommend, the Book of Essential Ingredients. It’s light (all I can manage these days) and I found it a good distraction. Take care and stay well. I’m off to school to do what comes next.
Virtual hugs from a stranger!
Sending hugs back to you Jodie! Good luck with on site class as you enter the new school year, and let’s hope that things continue to be alright in Edmonton. And thanks for the book recommendation.
This post really resonated with me. Things have been so mishandled here in the U.S. that we should be on the type of lockdown that you’re experiencing in Melbourne. Instead, we have many people who believe various conspiracy theories and selfishly refuse to do their part to reduce transmission. So my husband and I put ourselves in lockdown in mid-March and here we stay, 99% of the time. I haven’t seen my Mom, 3 kids, 4 grandkids since September 2019 as they live 2200 miles away. I try to stay upbeat, with some days being easier than others. I so appreciate this post and the fact that you didn’t gloss over all the conflicting emotions that we’re feeling right now. Though we’re on opposite sides of the world, I can empathize with you. I love the way your family is handling things, especially googly 👀!
You capture the way I feel too Coronacoaster sums it up really well, it’s up and down all the way.
I borrowed the work from someone else, and agree that it sums it up beautifully!
Thanks for your perspective Kris – we have people who beliebe conspiracy theories here too, but not in the numbers that you appear to have in the US. As hard as it is being in lockdown, I truly believe that the majority of people here agree that it is necessary. Short(er) term pain for long term gain. We still have the chance to get numbers right back down, and most people are prepared to do it. But it’s hard for everyone!
Great post. I live in New York, and a second-wave lock down threatens for later this year much like the coming of winter in “Game of Thrones”. You have given me hope that it is survivable – thank you.
It’s definitely survivable, as long as the community works together. Good luck as the winter approaches.
Wow! This blog post is incredibly meaningful to me. I am in Wisconsin, USA. I have been wondering what life is like in countries where they are taking the pandemic seriously. I live my life taking it seriously, but, it feels here in the US, things are so confusing at times. I wish we could all come together in our country to help control COVI-19, but, it is a bit crazy now. I wear a mask if I go anywhere, but, I am too frightened to leave home.
I really app what you have shared about your life right now. Living the way you must to keep healthy must be so difficult, especially for your daughters. Know that you are doing the responsible thing and are incredibly patriotic to care not only for yourselves, but, for your neighbors, friends and family, and your country. I feel pride for how you are handling the pandemic. You are doing the best you can and are in a much better situation than I am. Please keep posting about your feelings and experiences. I would much rather be where you are than here.
I am in my sixties with health issues. I walk everyday and live in a rural area, so, in some ways I am fortunate, but, the situation here is high risk and many people around here don’t take the pandemic seriously. We are spiking. Hang in there! Know that at least one person in the US appreciates all you are doing. Thank you so much for being responsible. You can feel proud! 💜 sending love and hugs from my little corner of the world to yours. I love your photos. I love your hope! Smile.
Hi there TRose, thanks for your comment. Everyone is in different situations, depending on the paths that their governments have chosen to follow in addressing this disease. As tough as it is living in lockdown here, most people know that it works, and that if we work together it will have obvious health benefits so subsequent economic benefits as well. Good on you for doing the things that you need to do to look after your health – every little bit helps.
If I have learned one thing in life it is the Serenity Prayer works for me… If I know I can only change myself, I have very little influence on other folks. If I take care of myself and care for others by wearing a mask and practice as many of the guidelines available, I feel I have at least a bit of control in my little world. It is the little things in life that come into focus at times such as these… Such as you have shown through your photos. Those googly eyes on that “Willow” figurine made me bust out laughing! A sense of humor is key to remaining grateful! 💜
Hi there from San Francisco. Thank you for this wonderful and awful post. My heart goes out to you and your family. Here in SF we are still in our first Shelter in Place since school closed on March 12- coming up on 6 months. We had no break, but cases rose. So we redoubled our efforts as a community and are gradually dropping cases. California is starting to ease restrictions and I am concerned we have a 3-day National holiday this weekend. Nature in our city is spectacular with the ocean, the bay, fog and a thriving plant world. On the very downside we have been surrounded by raging fires, with smoke filled air. Catastrophe helps us be grateful for what we have. Agree with glass half full. BTW thanks for all your fantastic sewing posts.
Thanks Wendy – six months is a very long time. The community really does have to work together and cooperate in order to reduce those numbers. We have heard about the bushfires there; extremely scary. Take care, and enjoy the beautiful physical environment that is immediately around you.
Sending love to you and your family. It’s very difficult. I live in Iowa and we currently have the dubious honor of being number one in the nation for new cases.
We are very lucky that my husband can work from home and that we haven’t lost any income. I practice gratitude. I feel so terrible for what others are going through.
It doesn’t change the fact that I am incredibly bored. I miss my family and friends. It may be historic, but you are correct. It’s also shit. ❤️
Thanks Christine – that is a dubious honour for Iowa! Practicising gratitude is helpful, but you’re right – it’s boring, historic, and also shit. Take care xxx
Thanks for this post. I was interested to see the contrast in how it’s been handled in Australia (the spike you’re seeing now is very similar in total numbers to the one my state had in June/July, but my entire state is half the population of Melbourne).
It really feels like so many people I know have basically gone back to normal and I feel like the crazy one for still trying to be cautious. My husband is in retail so he still goes to work every day, but I’m wfh and going a bit stir crazy.
I have to say that extending working from home, when you don’t have a separate office, and it isn’t really your choice, becomes really wearing. There are upsides, but there are plenty of downsides! I think we all need to continue to be cautious until there is widespread take-up of a vaccine – you’re being sensible. Take care.
I feel for you Lara. There was a bit of a them and us mentality here too when Auckland were allowed out of lock down and able to travel. Fortunately at this point the virus hasn’t travelled… yet! The Auckland outbreak was quite worrying for me personally as my family had a close association with that outbreak. Fortunately for us we were in the clear. I am under no illusion there will be more especially when some have no intention of following rules. One good thing to come out of all this is we will build resilience. It is 10 years today since the start of our earthquakes and studies have pointed to the fact that Christchurch people are dealing with the current situation emotionally better than the rest of the country due to drawing on previous experiences. Every cloud has a silver lining.
Thanks Andrea – particularly interested in those studies about the resilience of Christchurch people! You’re a pretty amazing lot there. Let’s hope that NZ can continue to keep the numbers as incredibly low as it has. Your country has done a superb job of handling this – that first lockdown, as hard as it was, was incredibly effective. I think we’ve all seen that the sooner we address this virus, the better.
Another Melburnian here who can identify with your feelings of anger and sadness during this Stage 4 lockdown. We are missing out on seeing our first grandchild who lives interstate and also being around to give our daughter a helping hand. Mostly I am resigned to it, and we have a lot to be thankful for, but occasionally the anger and sadness creeps in. I hope your girls will soon have the chance to enjoy some “catch-up” celebrations.
Thanks Polly. So many things that people are missing out on, and so many mixed emotions during this time. Even though we know the lockdown is for the greater good, it’s still okay to feel the way that we do!
Thank you for your post, telling it like it is. We are in stage 3, over 100km from Melbourne. Luckily we can see -‘care’- for our daughter and her new baby but it has been nearly a year since we have seen the other grandchildren in Qlds. Taking one day at a time has helped as has planting a vegetable garden. Hopefully in the not too distance future your girls can ‘experience’ the freedoms we have taken for granted for way too long. Sam the Aussie
Hi Sam, we’re definitely all practicing our coping mechanisms! I bet that your vegetables are really taking off at the moment. Take care xxx
Lara your perspective on the pandemic is so different to mine, even though we live in the same country. My heart goes out to all the Melbournians who are doing the right thing, following the government guidelines in a combined effort to bring those case numbers down. Maybe Premier Andrews stuffed things during lockdown 1, but he has done his best to reign the numbers back and help Victoria return to a way of life which allows more freedom. Your daily photo connects me with my sister in Melbourne who I haven’t seen since October last year.
I do feel sad for the children who are missing out on important milestones such as Clare and Stella, but they sound like they are handling it in a very mature way (which is a credit to you & Dan). My daughters zoomed their Melbourne cousins today and somehow they played hide & seek with each other?? I’m thinking it could’ve been a pretty easy game!
A group of us are having a sewing weekend soon, so we will raise our glasses and needles to our sewing friends in Melbourne and know that their turn will come soon
Hi Alice, thanks for your comment. Missing the milestones is one of the hardest things about lockdown, I reckon.. I do feel though that as tough as this is, it’s completely necessary. We need to get those numbers down so that we can manage things like NSW and Qld and have a closer to ‘normal’ life. We’ll get there, but have to grit our teeth a little longer!
Your photos are really beautiful. I think, in 20 years when we’ve all moved on they will be a great record to look back on. I really sympathise with just hating this whole thing and wanting it to be over – I found all the cheery ‘look at the positives’ stuff really insufferable the first time round. I hope you get to see your parents soon.
Thanks Emma, I agree – all the ‘look at the positives’ doesn’t help when you are right in the grip of the negatives! We feel the way that we feel! I still sway between glass half full and half empty on a daily basis. Take care.
Thank you for this beautiful post.
Thanks to you Lillianese.
Thank you so much for this post, Lara. Sending good thoughts, understanding and best wishes from the other side of the world; the UK. Things haven’t gone great for those of us who inhabit this small island, right from the start of the pandemic. We had one country-wide lockdown earlier in the year which lasted several weeks for most and many more for older people and those with serious health conditions. Schools closed completely for face to face learning and went online for just about half the school year.
We now have “spikes” here and there, resulting in local lockdowns; schools have just resumed and autumn is upon us with a vengeance. We have probably never moved out of the “first wave” of the virus, how the second one will go, no one knows. We have seen our children and our six grandchildren (who live at some distance) just once since January.
But despite all that, we are doing OK and like you, valuing the small, everyday things and our surroundings. We are lucky to live in a small rural county, in a little market town, where people are friendly and look out for each other. We’ve been walking, writing, gardening, sewing, cooking etc and we’ve watched a lot of videos and TV like everyone else. Thank goodness for technology which keeps us connected with those with love. As you say, this will end and I keep telling my grandchildren how they are living through history.
When you (and anyone else) feel inclined to sew again and are looking for something new you might enjoy a look at Sew Me Something, a UK website with a really lovely host. I only just discovered her. She designs her own patterns and holds regular FB live sessions on fabric and techniques and does it very well. There’s masses to see on the website and some lovely patterns.
Hi Sue, thanks for commenting. I think that most of us here feel that it’s worth the lockdowns to keep the virus cases down – the overall health emergency trumps the individual difficulties, and we’re almost all working together as a community. We’ve seen too that in the longer run managing the health emergency will help with a faster recovery of the economic situation (in comparison to how things are going in many other countries). Thanks for the website recommendation; I will check it out! And you hang in there too, it’s really tough when new cases keep bubbling up all around you.
The restrictions and not knowing when it will end are so hard on everyone. Our restrictions have eased somewhat over the last few months but inclass school is starting next week, so it’s wait and see what happens – will infection rates start climbing- I think it’s onlly a matter of time- too many intersecting “social bubbles”. Teachers, parents and kids understandably are frightened. Infection control/ physical distancing measures vary by grade. Thankfully our federal and provincial goverments listen to the public health experts,for the most part – we haven’t had the terrible infection rates like in the US but our health inequities have been exposed through the terrible losses in communal living settings.
My gym re-opened but I don’t feel comfortable going in yet; virtual exercise classes are not the same. Hoping my knitting guild meetings will restart by virtual means for a change from too much Netflix.
In Canada we hear about the lockdown in Melbourne but no context about infection numbers.
Good point re context about infection numbers. I have added some info to the end of my blog post. Thanks!
I’m glad that everyone in your family is safe and finding ways to take care of what matters. I’m an educator who’s spent the last two weeks completing intensive learning for new safety protocols, as we open our schools to in person education. Some families have opted for online learning, so our class sizes are very large! Masks are mandatory for all staff and students. Our rate of infections is less than 10 in our province. I’m glad to be able to see students in person. I’m thinking of your lovely daughters with milestone years, hoping they’re finding everything they need with online learning. I enjoy your photos!
Take care Tammy as you return to on site teaching. I think that face to face schooling is super important, and am looking forward to the virus numbers being low enough for my daughters to be back at school in person. Having to mask up for school is a minor annoyance compared to the joy that being back with their friends and teachers will bring. Good luck with the new school year ahead.
Long time reader, first time commenting. From way up here in Queensland, it has been hard knowing that Victoria is really copping it. My bestie lives in Keilor East with her family, and they are struggling. The uncertainty up here is negligible compared to that faced by you down south, and not a day goes by when I’m not hoping that Victoria turns the corner very soon. Dan Andrews and Brett Sutton have done an amazing job despite the whiteanting attempts of the conservative political parties.
Thanks Kate. We have our fingers very crossed. I also feel that Dan and Brett are doing the best that they possibly can in a situation that no-one has ever faced before, and are showing strong and consistent evidence-based leadership. As long as everyone works together and cooperates, we know that we can get things under control again and keep them there (I think we’ve learned from our mistakes!)
Let’s hope stage 4 does end after the 6 weeks are up – who knows after today’s numbers! I am struggling with home schooling a year 1 and a year 4 whilst working full time from home in an essential service. It is just so hard doing the same thing every day. I really feel for your girls – high school is such a social time but thankfully they are able to be more connected now days. Thank goodness for technology and phones! My kids are coping ok but it is hard to connect a 6 and 9 year old using phones or zoom – they just stare at it. Nothing to be done but soldier on and know that we are actually doing ok. I will steal your googley eyes and smiling fruit bowl. We will all get a kick out if that! Take care.
Hi Claire, I often think about how hard it is with those who have primary school age kids at home – it’s pretty much impossible to work and supervise! Hang in there, and know that you have the support of the rest of the community. Now find some googly eyes…..
Your lockdown is extreme and the cure now seems worse than the disease. The infection numbers are not that big. Every country has a different approach. Hope you are released soon.
Hi Helen, our lockdown is extreme, but we know that it works. As much as we hate being in lockdown, we hate the idea of the virus taking hold even more. We’ve seen from elsewhere in the world what happens to death numbers and the health of the nation and it’s economy if the infection rate rises – and we don’t want that here. We’re really lucky that we’ve still got the opportunity to get the infection numbers right back down to 20 or less per day here in Victoria. Then we’ll be able to live almost normally as they are in most of Australia. We can hang in there through this lockdown with that as our aim. Short term pain for long term gain.
Thank you Lara – it is good to read a very honest perspective from a family. I feel for you all, and hope you stay positive and it will end. I’m in Canterbury, NZ, and am very glad that we had a tough response as a nation – I’ve had (other) health issues and they have been able to be dealt with because our health system could cope. You should be very proud of your daughters, they impress me with their ability to smile. Although other things will be missed they will remember the family time for the rest of their lives. Lovely to see inside your home – love the books and comfy chairs. 🙂 Stay well and keep noticing the small things. 🙂
Dearest Lara, Thankyou for your beautiful post. Yes it’s grim, and today’s news deflating but what shines through in your post, and what keeps me going too, is the obvious beautiful strength and connection your family has with each other. We too are trying to take pleasure in the beauty of early spring around us, the obvious delight of Max to the simplest of things and reminding ourselves we are safe and we are actually OK. Can’t wait to see you and check out some seams IRL as soon as we are allowed.
beautiful photos.
I have been following your morning photos on IG and now have read this post to the end, it’s left me in tears. I have so many friends and family in Melbourne. We don’t know when we will see our granddaughter again as their Aussie work visas run out soon and they have to somehow get back to the UK.
I’ve been sewing and doing lots of knitting but can’t feel the impetus to blog. And haven’t felt the urge to read any. This is the first post I’ve read in around a month!
We keep thinking of you all there. I keep getting a recurring dream that on 1 January 2021, all will suddenly go back to normal. If only it were true. Keep safe and Kia kaha
I am glad, that I found a link to your blog today, dear Lara. The way you’re writing about your family is wonderful. And it is very rewarding, to look at all your beautiful photos! Thank you so much for sharing.
I think, huge changes in our lifestyles are ongoing and probably more or less permanent. – You are such a great family. With your resilience, I am sure, you’re going to survive all this and are going to adapt to a different, but still very fulfilling life in the near future!
Aunty Uta 🙂