Lockdown 2.0, Days 100 & 101

 Day 100 of lockdown!!! That feels pretty momentous. We talked about having a day 100 party but no one had any motivation to do anything about it. I celebrated by listening to a gorgeous song written about lockdown and shared on a friend's Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thebengsons/videos/724609064791616.

I spent a good chunk of the day proofreading. I was thinking I should get the dishes done before I got started on the proofing, then realised I often put off the things I really want to do by saying 'I'll just do this first' and then run out of energy or get called to something else and miss out on what was important to me. So I proofed first and had a very enjoyable morning in my room reading. I had some lunch and did yoga outside with Caitlin and Amelie. We turned on our mats at one point and one of the chickens had nestled into the ground just behind us - cool to have a chicken join us for yoga. I did some more proofing in the afternoon but was a bit distracted and didn't enjoy it so much. I decided to go in to Healesville to get some more bread from the bakery (my favourite place to get bread) and maybe buy myself a hot drink and go on my Artist's Date for the week. I was delayed a bit by a few things and left much later than I'd planned. One of my delays was my phone slipping out of my hand as I tried to put it in my bag - it fell face down on our cork floor and the glass smashed - not the tempered glass screen protector, it's still fine, but the glass of the phone itself is cracked all over. I was pretty sad and just couldn't seem to pick up from there. The bakery was closed when I got there, so I went to Aldi, bought some cool things from the middle aisles and got some Aldi bread, and a peppermint chocolate milk drink and some chocolate croissants for myself. I drove to one of my walking spots within our 5km and took my food and drink and book and sat for a while. I got distracted easily (and there were lots of mozzies) and the croissants weren't really what I wanted... It was nice to be out by myself though and I stayed for about an hour, listening to my audio book and playing games on my phone for some of the time.

Back home I did the dishes and took Luna for a late walk around the dam. Liam cooked banana bread. Tony had had a huge day at work and had a long evening nap. It became an every man for himself dinner because I was exhausted - I had slept badly again. I watched some Umbrella Academy (I'm loving it more and more with every episode and love the quality of my computer screen) and chatted to the girls for a while before eventually going to sleep.

This morning I woke at 5am so had several hours to myself in the morning. When Amelie woke up she brushed and braided my hair (the first time she's braided). I chatted to the kids and Tony as they emerged, tidied up inside and outside. We spent a lot of time looking at a list of the 10 largest birds of prey, and researching the range of animals that they eat. Our favourite is the Eurasian Eagle Owl. We interspersed that with watching the Peregrine Falcon livestream. In the early afternoon we all played Cards Against Humanity (Family Edition). It was hilarious and very relaxing, and fun to have all 5 of us playing. Tony, Caitlin and Liam went for a run. I did some more tidying then sat and chatted with Caitlin while she crocheted, and we played Kiss, Marry, Kill. The others joined in for a while with that as well. I went for a long, slow walk and listened to my audio book, then did some work on the computer, and played the piano for the first time in ages.

I'm getting ready to head to bed for an early night, and eagerly looking forward to tomorrow - there will be announcements about what is happening with the restrictions. I'm swinging between thinking nothing much will change, and that heaps will be allowed. We had 2 cases yesterday and only 1 today - so things are certainly looking positive for some kind of easing. I'm less antsy about it than I though I would be, but I am very keen to hear what the plan will be going forward from tomorrow.

Lockdown 2.0, Days 83, 84 and 85

 It's funny how quickly the days pass when I'm feeling content and happy. Last week seems like a distant memory, but this week has flown by and we're almost at the end of it. Caitlin's birthday tomorrow - I'm quite excited. Some of her presents have arrived and we've got lots of yummy food organised so it's going to be a fun day even though she's not able to see any of her friends.

I've kept fairly busy over the past few days (and been too tired to blog in the evenings). Tuesday was my usual shopping day, and this week the kids came with me. Caitlin and Liam went for a walk with Luna and met up with a friend, Amelie shopped with me. It was fun having some company. We ran into the big kids a few times, it was weird to see them out of the context of home, I haven't randomly run into them anywhere for many months now, we're always together! Wednesday I did a fair amount of work in our bedroom, clearing out everything on Tony's side of the room so that he can use the shelves and bookcases there for his stuff, and I can use more of the walk in wardrobe for my photography supplies. It looks good all cleared out, there have been boxes there for a very long time, it was exciting to finally take some action on them. Today Caitlin and I went to Yarra Glen to the post office, picking up a couple of her birthday presents and sending off some more parcels and letters. We browsed the lolly shop and popped into the IGA. 

In between those 'big' activities we've done yoga every day, been for a long walk every day, chatted about all sorts of things, spent a lot of time watching the birds around our house - there are 3 baby Welcome Swallows in the nest above our back door, sitting and watching the parents flit back and forth feeding them is really fun. The kids have played Among Us, Liam has spent a fair amount of time playing Terraria with friends, Caitlin and I have been cooking. This afternoon we watched Enola Holmes which was really really good. 

Numbers have stayed fairly low this week, the average is going down, it's feeling encouraging that restrictions might continue to ease.

Lockdown 2.0, Day 82

We had a disrupted night as the helicopter was flying from 2.30 for an hour or so. I had forgotten how loud it is - it felt like it was coming through the bedroom window as it flew over the house block of vines, and the walls of the house were shaking. Somehow Amelie slept through it all, everyone else was awake for at least some of it.

So a cold start to the morning which turned into an absolutely gorgeous sunny day.I sat outside and did my writing in the morning, and it was beautiful.  Caitlin and I did our yoga in the yard and I felt really hot. I sweated a fair bit doing my yard work. I had several phone calls in the afternoon and sat in the yard while I chatted to a friend then to Mum, and to the car salesman and my mechanic. While I sat there I watched the Welcome Swallows feeding their babies in their nest above our back door, and the Willie Wagtails and Blue Fairy Wrens flit around in the trees, and even a couple of lorikeets made an appearance. I haven't seen a magpie in our yard for a couple of weeks - I think the wind may have destroyed their nests. There's still magpies around the property but none hanging out in our gum or oak trees like they normally do, which is a bit disappointing - for them I guess and also for us, I was looking forward to seeing the babies. I had another phone call with a friend while I had my walk in the later afternoon - it was warm enough to walk just in a t-shirt. Weird that that's going to be below zero again tonight after such a warm day - then we head into much warmer weather for the rest of the week.

Only 5 cases today - the lowest since June 12. Such a relief although numbers are usually lower early in the week because fewer tests are done on the weekend. Everyone - well, most people - seem to be feeling a bit cheered by the potential bringing forward of the next step out of restrictions, we can hang on for another 3 weeks.

Lockdown 2.0, Days 72, 73 & 74

 Another few days with a mixture of busyness and social encounters, and some quiet time. I'm finding that my motivation is very up and down again, and I'm quite tired in the evenings and not feeling like writing. Tonight I feel ok though so I can do a bit of an update.

On Friday Caitlin organised to meet up with a friend who lives in Healesville - we found a road that they could walk along that is within each of our 5km circles. The kids walked ahead and I walked with the other Mum - it was a lovely morning, fairly warm and it's a beautiful place to walk (the same place I went and read my book the week before). We explored around the railway line and the old bridge and looked for wildlife and really enjoyed being with someone different. In the afternoon a friend who works at Tony's work had to drop something off to the vineyard guys, so she and I went for a walk on the property - I hadn't seen her since early in the first lockdown, it was so great to catch up.Tony and the kids went out to his work to chop wood yesterday and to have a walk in a different environment, they had a great time, and I enjoyed the quiet time at home by myself.

In between our social/out of the house excitements, we've done yoga every day, gone for a walk and/or a bike ride (well I haven't ridden anyway, but Liam has (and he saw a snake on the dam wall) and Amelie has been learning to ride her bike). I have done a heap of sorting through stuff in the house and cleared a few areas that had gotten quite congested. I've made a lot of progress on clearing out my wardrobe to make my own work space too. I've done work on my photos, work on my course, played games with the kids (lots of Among Us), had lots of cool conversations with them, spent time with Tony over the weekend, Caitlin and he and I did a heap of work in the yard - we unearthed some of the path to the shed that has been buried in dirt for years, and Tony mowed the rest of the lawn. The weather has been warm, although quite windy today. 

Still a week of this Stage 4 lockdown - sometimes it feels like the end is in sight, sometimes it feels like it's forever until anything will change. Numbers are getting lower each day - only 14 today! I guess we keep plodding along until things change and adjust to whatever happens next.

Lockdown 2.0, Days 69. 70 and 71

 The last few days have been quite busy for lockdown, and actually a little bit social! On Tuesday Liam and I went to Healesville for my to get the groceries and the milk, and met up with friends at Coles. I did my shopping with my friend, then we walked down the street to a couple of specialty stores, and the boys went for a walk down to the river. It was so great to see them and to chat while we shopped/walked. It was the first time Liam had seen his friend (or any of his friends in nearly 10 weeks, and only the 2nd time he's left the property in that time. 

Yesterday Amelie came with Caitlin and I to the post office - as usual Caitlin did the shopping, and Amelie and I went to the park. It was our first time there in over 6 months and it felt really strange. There were more people in Yarra Glen than I'd seen in a while, and there were a few people at the playground but it wasn't overly crowded and people were mainly keeping distance from each other (and all the adults were masked). Amelie's friend walked down and met us at the park - the girls were very happy to see each other again. I chatted to a friend on the phone then sat under a tree and read my book, it was a beautiful afternoon to be out. 

Today was quieter, just spent at home. I had a counselling appointment which was helpful as always. We played Among Us, I tidied quite a bit of the lounge room, Caitlin did a heap of cooking. We've done yoga every day this week, as well as our usual walks of various lengths. A few phone calls to friends, jumping on the trampoline, Caitlin and Liam practicing headstands, games on the computer. Liam and Amelie seem refreshed by their social catch ups, which hopefully will make the next few weeks easier.

Regional Victoria had many of their restrictions lifted today, so my friends outside of Melbourne are feeling pretty happy. They can eat at outdoor venues, go to people's houses, travel around a bit. The numbers in Melbourne are going down (only 28 today!) - and the 14 day average is currently under 50, which is good news.

Lockdown 2.0, Days 65, 66 and 67

 I've been very up and down emotionally over the past 3 days - although now that I think about it, that could probably be said for any 3 day period during this lockdown. I've felt happy and content and even excited about things, and I've felt anxious, and I've felt lethargic, and cranky, and bored. On the whole though I'm feeling ok. I've rested when I needed to, done nurturing things that I love, spent time with the kids and talking to friends, and when I listen to my body and don't push myself I always recover fairly quickly from the downward swings.

Highlights of the last three days include

- having several beers with a friend over Facetime to celebrate his birthday

- going for a walk down the road I discovered that crosses the railway track (and is just inside our 5km zone)

- 2 hours alone at home - Liam asleep and Tony and the girls having a walk at his work. Can't remember the last time I was alone at home and it was wonderful

- a long evening phonecall with a friend

- doing yoga with the girls each day

- getting all the old clothes sorted, in labelled boxes or in bags to give away, and having more room now to create my own space in my walk-in wardrobe

-watching Umbrella Academy

- reading my book

- doing some work with my photos - more stock on Etsy and taking heaps of photos of new growth on the vines

Amelie is having a tough time at the moment, she is missing her friends so much, and finding it hard to keep occupied at home. She Skypes or calls a couple of friends on most days, and watches YouTube and plays games and jumps on the trampoline, but tears are never far away. I'm keeping her fed with lots of yummy food and we're playing and snuggling together, letting her feel what she's feeling - this is a tough time and I understand where she's coming from.

The virus numbers are staying fairly low, around the 40 mark. They need to keep going lower if we want things to relax in a couple of weeks, but so far the signs are looking good. I'm feeling ok about the extended lockdown at the moment, I'm at peace with not seeing my friends, and just making sure I talk to them or text them a lot, and I know they'll be there when we come out of this. I'm not so worried about the shopping or activities - I just want to see friends when I can.

Lockdown 2.0, Day 64

 I had trouble getting motivated to do anything today. It was cold in the morning but I was still able to sit outside to write which was lovely (it didn't drop low enough for frost overnight so the helicopter didn't go up, although I heard it leave around 7am (it woke me up)). After breakfast I was trying get enthused to do something, Caitlin suggested yoga - I didn't really feel like it but do want to do some every day, so I went outside with the girls and we did another session which was lovely. It was warmer by then and quite pleasant to be out in the sun. I stayed outside afterwards, hanging the washing and working with the compost, then took some photos of the new growth on the oak trees and fruit trees. I felt pretty happy while I was taking photos. I still didn't feel like doing much else so I lay on the trampoline and listened to the end of my audio book (The Wheel of Time (Book 1)). I rang a friend and we chatted for a while, and he helped me sort out some problems I was having with my internet. 

Caitlin and I popped into Yarra Glen to the Post Office and IGA (Caitlin wanted more hair dye). We both got some parcels which was exciting (mine was some thermomix accessories). I did some tidying then rang another friend, said happy birthday to her son, and chatted to her while I worked on cleaning out my cupboard a bit more. After the call I convinced Amelie to look through a couple of boxes of clothes that I'd been keeping for her, she picked out the ones she wants now or kept for when she's a bit bigger, and I was able to put aside about a box's worth that can go to op shop or other people when we're able to do that. The girls were watching YouTube videos while we sorted the clothes - a channel where they combine makeup to make new colours and styles, it was pretty cool. Late in the afternoon the girls and I went for a walk - it was so warm and sunny and a beautiful time to be walking. The girls climbed up on the end posts of a couple of the rows of vines (in some places the end posts are lower - Amelie fell and landed on the wire between the poles, so has some nasty bruising on her side. We kept walking out to Houghtons Lane, then Caitlin got a phone call and kept walking while Amelie and I came back home. I sorted out more clothes and talked on the phone again to the friend I'd spoken to in the morning. Tony cooked a great pasta dish with beans for dinner. After eating Amelie and I went out to look the clear night sky - the International Space Station didn't quite come above the horizon tonight so we missed that, but we did see Jupiter and Saturn, Virgo, Scorpio, and lots of cool stars. Liam and I had a game of Othello - he's getting better but still hasn't won a game against me. Tony and I watched more Tour de France, Caitlin is dying her hair while Facetiming with a friend who is also dying her hair (and I got to say hi to her Mum which was very cool - I love video calls!)

Numbers back in the 50s today, signs are promising.

Lockdown 2.0, Days 62 and 63

 I was exhausted last night after my fortnightly homeschool Zoom meeting and went to bed to read rather than writing my blog - felt a lot better today.

There was a beautiful red sunrise yesterday morning - very different from the clear morning on Monday. The temperature stayed quite warm overnight as well - it was lovely sitting outside on the couch to do my writing.. It was also very windy again, then calmed down later in the day. Really has been some crazy weather lately. The girls did some yoga, I spent time working on my photos. Amelie skyped with a friend. I finally finished the number puzzle I'd been working on! We had 7 people on our Zoom meeting, all the usual people and a couple of others, it was lovely to see everyone. I had planned to go to Healesville to get my milk and do the weekly shopping, but got a text saying that the milk wouldn't be available as the dairy had no power (delivery would be Wednesday instead). It was nice to not have to rush off and instead I was able to go for a walk with the kids (Liam rode his bike). Caitlin cooked nachos for dinner, I did some work on my course then read my book.

I was up early again this morning, got my writing done, had breakfast and got going on the dishes pretty early. I managed to get everything washed - it's been a while since I had everything clean! I did yoga with the girls - such a beautiful sunny morning and very pleasant to be outside doing yoga. Amelie stayed outside lying in the sun, then lying on the trampoline, for quite a while. I enjoyed pottering around outside for a while, then spent a couple of hours tidying up inside. Mid-afternoon I headed down to Healesville- half way there I realised I didn't have my mask so back home to grab that. I did my Aldi shop (it was much busier than it usually is later on a Tuesday afternoon - not sure if it's normally busy at 3pm or if it was because it was Wednesday and the new specials are out) then a quick stop into Coles. I got my milk, and on the way home I explored a road a friend had told me about - it's within our 5km radius and it looks like a great place to ride bikes or go for a walk. Will take the kids back there sometime soon.

At home I went for a walk and talked to a friend on the phone while she walked as well. It was a great chat, will try to do that more often. The afternoon was gorgeous and Luna and I walked to the huge gum tree on Houghtons Lane. Just after I got home I heard a helicopter, fairly close - I quickly looked at the weather forecast and saw that frost is forecast tomorrow, so wondered if the helicopter was coming to us - it soon appeared over the trees near the shed and it obviously was coming in to land. Amelie and Luna and I watched it fly down towards the dam and circle around to land - I love helicopters and am always excited in spring when we have one here to minimise the impact of frost. It might be a noisy night if they have to use it.

The combination of yoga this morning and a long walk this afternoon though has meant my legs are pretty sore tonight - will rest up and try to get to bed early. I did a bit of work on my course and we had leftovers for dinner. I got a bit of piano playing in before Caitlin put the Block on. Liam is playing games online with a couple of friends.

The numbers were very low yesterday (low 40s) but back up in the 70s today. One higher day is not a problem in itself, as long as they go lower most of the time. We've been watching La Tour de France and been amazed that it's going ahead even though France is getting so many cases. Last night they announced that the race director has tested positive, as well as 4 team staff members. It will be interesting (and a bit scary) to see if anyone else is infected, and how that impacts on the Tour.

Lockdown 2.0, Day 59

 Today was unexpectedly quite interesting and varied - a nice change to most lockdown days. I woke around 7 and after doing some writing went out for a walk - I decided to drive down Houghtons Lane so that I could walk somewhere different without having to walk to the different place, it was nice to have a different view on my walk and explore a new area. I took my camera and got a few good shots too. It was also quite reassuring that my car started with no issues.

I planned to spend the rest of the day pottering around the house. Amelie had had a bad morning so I hung out with her for a while. Liam and I worked on a number puzzle that has me stumped. The kids and I all played Among Us for an hour or so. My earaches have been getting more frequent and Caitlin's throat has been sore for a while, so we decided to have another COVID test just to be sure. The testing facility at Healesville said it was open from 12-3 Mon-Sat so we headed down there (stopping briefly to see the Masked Lapwings and their babies on the way into town - we only saw one baby, he was quite well camouflaged so the others could have been hiding there too). The testing centre was closed when we arrived at 12.30 and remained so while we researched where else we could go. It looked like Knox Westfield was the best option, so we went for the longest drive I've been on in a while! It felt like so far away, but it's just down the road from Caitlin's Cheer gym - so I drive that far several times a week usually. The roads were steady with traffic but not busy - and when we arrived at Knox it was bizarre to see empty carparks - just cars near the supermarket entrances. The testing centre is a drivethrough one here so we stayed in the car and had our tests - mine was the easiest I've had so far, Caitlin's was more uncomfortable. Driving home I was confused a couple of times which was the best way to go but I soon remembered the way I usually go. It was enjoyable being in the car with Caitlin and chatting and listening to music.

At home I did some dishes and some of my outside work, then did some of my course. Caitlin and Tony went for a bike ride (Liam had gone while we were out), then Caitlin helped Amelie with riding her bike. Caitlin then cooked brownies, I played the piano, Amelie played on the trampoline and Liam on his computer. Caitlin went for another walk, and found a baby wombat with it's mother - she rang Wildlife Victoria and they were going to send someone out. We all went down to see it (it was on the edge of Houghton's Lane and so incredibly cute, and definitely alone. It kept falling asleep while we watched it). A volunteer rang and was still a while away and suggested that we take it back to the house, especially as it was nearly dark. Caitlin threw a jumper over it and got her hands on it, but it fought hard and slipped away from her and sprinted into the paddock and was on the far side of the field in less than a minute - there's no way we could have caught it once it went. It was reassuring to see that it didn't seem injured, and it was probably big enough to survive by itself.

While we were waiting for dinner we went outside to see the International Space Station pass over, unfortunately it was too cloudy to see anything. It was cool being out the front in the dark though, all 5 of us, so it didn't really feel like we missed out. We mucked around with torchlight and hiding in the dark, then came in for meatloaf and mashed potatoes. The girls watched YouTube, Liam did some maintenance on his computer, Tony and I watched Umbrella Academy. I didn't end up getting much done around the house at all but I did have a fun day and am feeling good.

The new case numbers are bobbing up and down either side of 100. Numbers of deaths are high - some of them are not recent, they are deaths that were reported to the Federal Govt and those numbers are just coming through. People are still dying though and it's so horrible to hear that each day. Looking forward (I think) to finding out tomorrow what the plan is from here - I don't think anything much will change for a while yet, but I guess it's good that we're at least at a point where we're starting to talk about it.

Lockdown 2.0, Day 55

 A busy day today - Tuesday is my shopping day so I get to go out! I always feel pretty tired afterwards though, it's more of an effort than I think it's going to be.

I got a lot done at home this morning, tidying and a bit of cleaning, chatting with the kids. Liam and I talked for ages about some of his games (Fall Guys in particular, he's getting really good). Amelie played outside on the trampoline. I put some soup on to cook - it filled the house with the most delicious smell throughout the day. In the afternoon I sat on the couch in the carport and chatted to a friend on the phone - it's a great place to sit on a sunny afternoon like today. I did some more research on a new car, narrowing it down to a few options - although inspecting a car might be tricky at the moment, I'm not sure how this is going to work. 

I headed down to Healesville to get my milk, chatted to the milk guy about his car, went over to Coles to pick up a few things (which, as always, turned into several things). I did my big shop at Aldi - a few more people there this time, but still not crowded. I really enjoyed my shopping time, I came home feeling really good and really peaceful. 

The girls and I went for a quick walk around the dam - it was much colder than I expected it to be, with a really icy wind blowing. The moon is very close to full and was rising as we walked, it looked pretty spectacular above the dam. Back at home we did more car research, ate our soup and some of us watched the Block. I did some of my course while I watched, and everyone seems to be settling down for an early-ish night.

70 cases today and 4 deaths. A relief to see continuing low numbers.

Lockdown 2.0, Day 54

 A good day today. New cases in the 70s (I remember how horrible it felt the first time we had over 70 new cases in a day - now that number feels like good news). A lot of deaths reported today, but apparently most of them occurred in recent weeks and have taken time to go through the reporting process. I am feeling incredibly sad each day though when I think of the families of those who have died.

I started my day watching the Tour de France highlights with Tony, then had a shower to rinse the dye out of my hair, and I'm very happy with my new purple look. Amelie and Caitlin both spent time brushing and styling my hair today, it was very luxuriant for me. I got bits and pieces of tidying down, talked to Mum and Dad on the phone (so glad I saw them last week), went for a long walk by myself (with Luna), cooked an apple and jam cake. The girls watched more Saddle Club, and some Dan and Phil. We played a bit of Among Us, although I was a bit vague today and didn't do very well. I had sore forearms and couldn't figure out why, then remembered I started trying pull-ups again over the past few days. I'm still a long way off but haven't completely lost my progress, I can pull myself up a tiny bit so hoping to keep working on that every day. I had my new backup drive delivered today so I can finally back up my MacBook and then start using my external drive for my photos. The girls went for a walk in the late afternoon while Tony split some wood. Amelie spent time on the trampoline, Liam played games with friends online. Caitlin cooked dinner and watched The Block, Tony and I watched some game shows on SBS. I'm ending the day watching the Tour de France.

Lockdown 2.0, Day 52

 Today was a good day. Pretty relaxing, although I got a lot done. New cases were under 100, woohoo!! It was sunny all day today too so that helped everything to feel cheery as well.

I got a fair bit done around the house, reorganising cupboards, tidying a few areas, dishes, outside work, in between doing number puzzles, chatting with the kids, checking email, doing some of my course etc. I helped Liam with some computer problems and admired the hammock that Amelie has set up under her top bunk - she's spent a lot of the day in there watching YouTube, she's also jumped on the trampoline and done some climbing. All 3 kids were awake and feeling good in the early afternoon, so we did our DIY chocolate spoon making - a whole heap of flavourings that we distributed amongst a heap of little cups, with different types of chocolate to melt and pour over, then stir in and leave the spoon standing. Once they are set, we can pull them out of the cups and stir them into hot milk to have flavoured hot chocolate. It was a lot of fun and it's going to be just as much fun to drink them over the next couple of weeks!

 Tony was chopping wood today with some of the other guys from work, they had a bit of a feast out there as well. He brought a load of wood back mid-afternoon, and Caitlin went with him when he went back to collect more. Luna went along as well and apparently had a great afternoon, running around the bush, getting pats, and getting bits of spare food. I went for a walk in the afternoon while chatting to a friend, then once we finished talking I crossed the creek (it was a bit tricky, it's still a little high) and went and sat for a while in a spot down near the back fence, in a stand of ti-tree. It was gorgeous there, seeing the wind rustle the tops of the trees and the reeds, hearing all the different birds, and feeling a long way from anywhere. I was tired when I got back so lay down and listened to music for a while. We had gnocchi with pork ragu from the restaurant again - SO delicious. Caitlin spent the evening playing an online game with a bunch of her friends, and I did some work on my photos.

Lockdown 2.0, Day 47

 After a weekend spent mainly sitting on the couch, I woke up (early - 5.20am) this morning with lots of energy and feeling keen to get on with some projects. I did a bit of tidying and organising and made some dents in a couple of areas of the house. I realised that I've been putting off the things I really want to do because they felt like wants rather than the necessary housework - but it's been leading to me not feeling motivated to even the necessary stuff. So today I prioritised those things - namely starting to clean out the walk in cupboard in my room to convert it into a little writing space for myself, and organising the files on my MacBook so that it's working more efficiently and I can work on my photos more easily. I made progress in each area and it felt good.

Liam and I went for a walk in the morning to see the water levels around the property. Everywhere is still very wet (we had 27mL yesterday, as well as 3-10 mLs each day for almost the last week) but there weren't so many rivers around the place. The creek level had dropped a fair bit but it was running fast. We saw ducklings on the dam, swimming away from the shore with their mum as we got closer. So incredibly cute! We had quite a few sunny patches today and it was slightly warmer - I even got the washing dry outside!

I watched Liam play Fall Guys for a while and we chatted about strategy. I had a good talk to a friend. Amelie and Caitlin played games on the House Party app, then Millie spent a good part of the afternoon using it to talk to a friend. They played Pokemon games and she jumped on the trampoline and was so excited to be able to see her friend on her phone rather than just hear her voice. She also started to make some more YouTube videos, and Liam is looking at recording some of his game plays. Caitlin watched YouTube for a while and finished crocheting her next little creature. She and Amelie went for a late afternoon walk then started to watch The Sound of Music. I talked to Mum and Dad on the phone - Dad hasn't felt well enough to talk the last several times I've rung, it was really lovely to chat with him. Tony watched the Collingwood game and the kids watched The Block - I saw bits while I tidied the kitchen and got ready for bed. Liam told me about some of the history of coffee that he'd been learning about - it was fascinating. 

Numbers were low today - only 116! Although 15 deaths. I feel that the new cases will go up a bit again later in the week, hopefully not too much though. It feels maybe slightly possible that we could come out of Stage 4 in another 3 weeks - that would be so great.

Lockdown 2.0, Days 45 and 46

 It's been a very cold, wet weekend - I have never seen so much water at our place, the path at the bottom of the hill is a river and there's puddles of water everywhere that the ground isn't completely flat. Except for a short walk today I basically stayed inside all weekend, let go of any expectations and had a pretty relaxing, warm, fun and quiet time.

Yesterday morning Tony and I actually found ourselves in the kitchen together with time to have a cuppa and we sat and chatted and drank our tea and coffee, it was really really lovely. We created some patterns with a pencil and compass and then coloured them in while we chatted. This inspired me to get out a wooden spiral puzzle that Amelie couldn't really remember playing with - she and Caitlin and I made lots of patterns with it and had a lot of fun. I had a phone call with an old friend from Leeton - we can't remember the last time we talked, but she hasn't met Amelie so it's a very long time since we've seen each other. We knew each other's kids as toddlers, it's so funny to see photos of them now as teens (or older). It was wonderful to catch up. 

The kids and I watched Howls Moving Castle - Caitlin and I had seen it before, the others hadn't and they loved it. Tony was in and out watching bits of it, it was great to be inside and warm and cosy and enjoying a movie together. We ate popcorn, and some the meringues the girls had made the night before. Caitlin and I then watched slideshows of my photos, and experimented with different soundtracks. I planned to have an early night, so headed in to bed to read. The girls came and joined me and we chatted and laughed, and watched the cat chase her tail up on the railing above my cupboard. I went to bed much later than I'd intended but I really enjoyed the time with the kids.

Today was not quite as cold, but only marginally. Liam and I played War (card game) while he waited for Fall Guys to have enough players so he could show me the game. I really enjoyed watching it and had a go myself later on - I am terrible at it but really enjoyed it. Tony made pancakes while I did the dishes and the kids came to eat, so we were all in the kitchen together, it was fun. Caitlin and I went for a walk during a break in the rain, we waded through the river at the bottom of the hill (almost ankle deep) and went to check out the creek - the highest I remember seeing it. We thought about walking down the back of the property but the track was completely underwater and by then it was raining again so we headed home once we got to the far side of the dam. Tony went for a walk a bit later with Caitlin and Liam - Luna ended up on the other side of the creek (they think she fell in) and was too scared to come back over, so Tony went across to get her - an unexpected winter swim for him! I worked on my photos for a while and on a craft project I'm trying - it was frustrating and not working the way I'd like, so I will need to rethink it a bit. The kids watched some Try Guys and Danny Gonzalez on YouTube on the TV - I was enjoying the humour and suggested watching Schitts Creek because I'd heard it was pretty funny. Amelie loved it, the other two weren't sure and I enjoyed it but really didn't laugh much. I don't know if we'll be rushing back to watch it. Amelie spent a lot of the day chatting to a friend on the phone, managed a bit of a play outside in between rain sessions, and went into her room to watch YouTube when Caitlin put The Block on this evening. Caitlin brushed and braided my hair while she watched, then I came to bed early because I'm feeling a bit flat and figure a restful evening will always be helpful.

We had just over 200 new cases today, after a few days of under 200 - I really hope people keep getting tested and keep following the restrictions so that we have an accurate picture of the data and can hopefully start to ease things (just a little) in a few weeks time.

Lockdown 2.0, Day 44

Feeling very tired tonight even though I had a fairly relaxing day. I was up early (it poured rain around 5.30am and I think that woke me up) so had a relaxing morning, did a bit of work outside, came back in and chatted to Liam and Amelie. Liam and I had a long talk about early 20th century Russian history - one of my favourite time periods, with lots of people who really intrigue me. He'd been watching some videos about it so it was interesting to compare stories about what we knew. 

Liam and I then played Othello - he very nearly beat me, I only won by 2 tiles. Closest game I've played in a very long time. He went for a bike ride and I tidied up some more. He bought himself a new computer game (Fall Guy) and spent a lot of the rest of the day exploring that. I did some work on my course and with my photos, chatted briefly to a friend who popped by to drop off some supplies, went for a walk before it got too wet - it was cold and it did sprinkle on me a bit, but I had time for a long, slow walk around most of the property, and talked to Mum on the phone for about half of it. I got the washing off the line when I got back home, and just as I brought it inside we had a sudden heavy downpour that turned to hail. The wind was icy all day and we were very grateful for the fire.

The girls continued watching The Dragon Prince and I made a citrus cheesecake. I had a long hot bath while I read my book and drank some of my caramel brownie tea. Tony stayed back at work for a while organising firewood, and picked up pizza and pasta on his way home, then headed to bed for an early night. I watched the end of Season 3 of The Dragon Prince with the girls - there's obviously another season coming, so we're all looking forward to that.

Numbers are the lowest today they've been since we went to Stage 3. A sense of relief every day as they go down - I really really hope it's because there are fewer new cases, and not that people are just not getting tested.

Lockdown 2.0, Day 42

 I had a look at the charts of Covid numbers in Australia for the first time in a while - the daily new cases graph has a nice downward looking trend, and the graph of cumulative cases looks like it's starting to flatten out. The number of deaths are still saddening, I really hope that changes soon (I know I keep saying that, and that's because I keep thinking it).

Amelie and I had a lovely time in the morning looking at stuff on the computer - a fox in Berlin who has stolen over 100 shoes (mainly crocs) from people's gardens, recordings of different fox sounds, the squirrel ninja course built by Mark Rober - she hadn't seen it before, and although Liam and I had, several times, we excitedly watched it again with her. Check it out here She's having a hard time at the moment - she has a few friends who she talks to and plays games with online, but she's finding that it's not the same as seeing them in person, they are clashing more and there isn't so much of an opportunity to work things out on the phone. Normally if they have a disagreement they'll change what they are doing and that will clear the air - not so easy at the moment. 

I made waffles and researched oreshki - Aldi have a waffle maker that can also make other things, oreshki included - they sound delicious although a bit fiddly to make, I'll definitely have a go once I buy the waffle maker. Looking at them inspired Amelie and I to turn a tin of condensed milk into caramel. 

Caitlin and I went to the post office - well, I drove and she went in, as only 1 person from each family is allowed to shop each day. She posted off some care packages from herself and from me, then grabbed a few things from the IGA. My car started each time but it was reluctant about it, I really need to get it fully charged, or replaced.

I went for a walk a bit earlier than usual - it had been raining, heavily at times, on and off so I went around 3pm when it was kind of dry. It rained a little on me but not heavily. I had a long walk, through lots of mud, and it felt good. My muscles were all hurting a LOT from my strength training the day before, and I was feeling a bit lethargic, so a walk was great. All day I felt like I was trying to do things and I couldn't quite get to them, other things kept happening that I needed/wanted to do first. I felt like  some weird combination paradox of Zeno's paradoxes, that I'd never reach my target, because I wasn't actually in motion and/or I had to keep catching up and could never overtake the obstacles. After my walk I was going to have a bath - the girls were watching Avatar: The Last Airbender and it was the final couple of episodes. I was really drawn to the final battle scenes and found myself sitting and watching instead of heading to the bath - I'm glad I did, they were pretty amazing and even though I have only seen bits of the series it was exciting to watch it all wrap up. Tony came home then and we chatted a bit and he had his shower then finally I got in the bath and soaked away some of the sore muscles (although there wasn't as much hot water as I'd have liked so it was less relaxing than I'd been imagining. Lying down and reading my book was good though).

After dinner Caitlin and Amelie and I played Monopoly on the Xbox (and ate some of our tin of caramel. Caitlin suggested adding salt to it, so we all had ice cream with salted caramel and it was delicious!)

Lockdown 2.0, Day 38

Another restless night, but no real time awake, just lots of tossing and turning. I woke up early and had a lovely few hours by myself, doing some writing, checking my email, getting the dishes done. My energy feels almost back to normal and my back is much better, so I was able to do a bit of work with the compost and patch some more holes in the driveway, nice to get back into it.

I made a batch of waffles and Tony cooked some bacon and eggs, so we all ate well this morning. After lunch I spent a few hours sorting stuff that we'd dumped into boxes, and clearing a few areas that had built up piles of stuff over the past couple of months. It was fun and I feel like I made some progress. Caitlin and Liam went for a bike ride, Tony joined them for some of it, Amelie played on the trampoline - she's almost got her front flip, her feet hit the tramp just before her bum, so she's SO close. She also spent time chatting to a friend and playing Roblox. Caitlin started crocheting little animals, and Liam played computer games with a friend. I worked on my course for a while then went for a walk in the hour before sunset. There were heavy grey clouds in the east, with an orangey tinge to them, it was very moody and atmospheric, and very pretty. Luna was tired after running with the kids on their bike ride so I walked completely by myself - I haven't done that in a long time and it felt quite liberating!

I cooked a curry for dinner - vegetarian, but there was chicken in the fridge so those of us who wanted meat added some to our bowls. The girls watched Avatar: the Last Airbender on and off throughout the day, so I saw bits of that too and continue to really enjoy it. After dinner Caitlin and I watched Top End Wedding. I started a new blog where I'll review tv shows, movies and books (https://readingandwatchingjoyously.blogspot.com/).

I briefly saw the numbers this morning and it was around 300. Feels steady, although it also feels like a long way until things feel ok in Melbourne. I don't even know how long we've been in Stage 4 lockdown, but there is a long way to go. I'm not feeling down about it, more resigned (and a little bit bored - but I can still have good days, like today, so we'll be ok).

Lockdown 2.0, Day 36

 I slept badly - although I got up and did some writing which helped pass the time and I was much more relaxed when I went back to bed. My back was a bit twingy during the day but an improvement on the past couple of days. I had hoped to do another strength training session with The Compound - wasn't quite up to it today, hopefully I'll manage one next week.

I got a good handle on the dishes today, they've been mounting up a bit, as our dishwasher still isn't working - I significantly reduced the pile today, listening to my favourite music and chatting to the kids, and it felt good. Caitlin and I had a loud and fun game of Spit - I thought she was going to beat me in only 3 rounds, but I fought back and we played for ages. Amelie and I did some number puzzles, and Caitlin brushed and braided my hair. I spent some time sorting stuff in Amelie's room - we were looking for her DS and eventually found it, after finding a lot of other things that we'd been looking for as well. The girls and I watched 10 Things I Hate About You, and I made roasted almonds and a Raw Paleo Fudge. I went for a walk across the creek - a beautiful sunny afternoon although a little windy. I chatted to a friend on the phone for a while then listened to my audio book. Caitlin dyed the bottom of Amelie's hair purple - it looks fantastic!Caitlin and Liam went for a bike ride. Amelie watched some Avatar: The Last Airbender and we all watched bits of it with her. I did some work on my course and Caitlin cooked nachos for dinner - delicious.

I had a look at the graph of new cases for the first time in about a week. It looks better than last time I looked at it - the trend does seem to be heading down. I started to worry though, it feels like we'll be in lockdown for a good while longer and even once restrictions ease, the virus is still going to be around, there doesn't seem to be a good options for the future. I got a bit down about it all, then felt really bored and restless for the rest of the evening. I've been feeling really good for a while now, so a bit of a slump isn't too bad. I'm hoping a better night's sleep tonight will help.

Lockdown 2.0, Day 24

Just under 400 cases today. It’s alarming the first reaction I have is one of relief. It’s still so high, but it’s not six or  seven hundred, so I feel relieved and then disheartened. It’s a long way back to normal from here.

I slept badly (had Amelie and the cat in my space for most of the night) but woke up feeling pretty good. I had some more alarming bleeding but talked to the doctor and she has a bit of a plan for going forward so I feel like there might be an end to this at some point. I’m working on the emotional side of it - trying to let go of control a bit and relax into what is actually happening in my life and hopefully that will help. 

I was able to do a bit more today, a bit of work outside and organising a few things inside. Still spent a lot of time on the couch, watching tv with the girls, or on my bed chatting on the phone to mum and to a friend. Tony was home (because it’s Saturday) and it was nice to have him around to chat to as well. My mood was good for most of the day then I crashed in the late afternoon. Had a shower then did some writing and photo stuff in bed. I feel a bit better now, hoping I get a good night’s sleep.

Lockdown 2.0, Day 9

428 cases overnight. That's alarming. Really not good news. The next few days will be an indicator I guess of whether the lockdown measures are starting to have an impact. It's really quite scary.

I'm pleased though that despite the bad news I stayed in a good mood all day (I'm tired now and ready for bed - I'm in the middle of making yoghurt though so want to wait up until that's ready to put in the jar. Everything else is done, so I can write here for a while then I guess I'll read my book until the yoghurt is ready).

I woke up a bit before 6 after sleeping all night (from 11.30. That's later than I'd normally go but the football was in Perth last night so finished late, and Caitlin was lying in bed chatting and laughing with me while Tony watched the end of the game and the press conferences etc. Amelie joined us for a while and by the time the girls headed off it was quite late). I love being up early and I'm usually in a really good mood if I get an early start to the day. Liam was still awake then so we had a good chat about his game and the animals and other stuff and had breakfast together. I pottered around all morning, chatted to my mum, helped Amelie find fabric for some sewing she's doing, helped Caitlin get the lego out (she was inspired by watching the Try Guys doing a lego challenge on YouTube), ticked some things off my to do list (admin type stuff (including ringing to see if Amelie's phone is ready - it might be back by Tuesday. Or Thursday. Next week.)). In the afternoon I did some work on my creativity course, then the girls and I walked to the end of Houghtons Lane and back. It was an absolutely gorgeous day for a walk - everywhere I looked was so beautiful. We talked to some cows, saw wattle trees in a whole range of stages of blooming, admired our favourite gum tree, looked at reflections in puddles of water - it was fantastic. Tony came and picked Amelie up when she got tired and Caitlin and I walked the rest of the way home. She had some food and I re-dressed her burn (it's mainly looking good, except for her middle finger, it's still very red and sore) then took her to work. I then took myself on a date - I bought some boiled lollies from the new lolly shop in Yarra Glen, bought a spearmint hot chocolate (SO delicious) from the ice cream place, then drove down to the showgrounds and found a place to park near the river. I hopped out and took a few photos, then sat in the car and read my book until it got too dark to see easily, so I played on my phone for a while. I picked up pizza on the way home and felt very relaxed and recharged - but really really cold! I had a lovely hot shower then spent the evening tidying things up and making yoghurt, talking to a friend and rescuing a very large huntsman spider from Liam's room.

Hopeful for a drop in numbers tomorrow and hoping that people really start to do the right thing and stay home as much as possible.