Life in Lockdown

 

Life in Lockdown

This Coronavrus has caused mayhem to everyone,from disrupting lives at home, work and even at school. Lockdowns where we can only go 5kms from home to exercise and do essential shopping. Curfew 8pm til 5 am too. However there have been many lives lost and lots of illness amongst the community.All in all this sucks but as I lead a quiet life these days I am fortunate that the only impact is not seeing the family or friends.We would love to go out for a meal or a weekend away but will have to wait til this is over and we are free to move about again.There are people worse off, we are comfortable and able to fill our days with a home routine.  

I am saddened that we were unable to hold a funeral for my brother Jeff, as getting the family into Victoria was virtually impossible due to border closures and quarantine rules.It is also unfortunate that my son Jason and fiance Sarah have had to postpone their wedding to next year due to rules about numbers allowed to gather, and the wearing of masks. It is also difficult for my eldest son, Philip and his fiance Noreen to plan their wedding, as they want to get over to her family in Ireland to make their plans.. Michael has found being cooped up challenging, and not engaging in his normal activities difficult, as anyone with mental illness finds this at times overwelming. Hazel too has had to adapt to a different role but she is capable and knows it is only temporary and enjoys the freedom of working from home alternate weeks.

 The severe lockdown has been difficult on everyone, the homeschooling is stressful with the parents and students even the most capable have had trouble concentrating on zoom classes for 5 hours a day. I have been fortunate to gain more work as I help a family homeschool a 13year old with special needs. It has been challenging for everryone involved and he managed to finish the term's work and hopes to be back at school for next term.This has also meant I have been able to get out for a few hours each day. I don't know how I would manage if confined to the house all the time. I made a birthday 'cake' for him as no party allowed and he detests cake but loves chocolate and obssesses over the Simpsons. Fortunately he loved the cake and his mum appreciated it too. As we play Uno often I also gave him Uno Attack which entertained him and younger brother as it spurts the cards out with the press of a button.

I truly believe this pandemic has affected everyone differently. we all have a story to tell some are really tragic and heart wrenching others are selfless acts of kindness. I also believe its no use crying over spilt milk, We should just make the most of this difficult time and weather the storm so to speak.

Having said all this I feel I have done the go slow to life approach whilst in lockdown, even though I have had work but not full time , I chose to not take more clients at this time as to minimise contact and chance of being infected or carrying the virus and thus infecting others.Soon we will be able to move about more freely and then I will take up more work using all the precautions required. However I now am at a point where I feel I am in limbo and reflect on all the tasks I had hoped to do while spending more time at home.As it has been winter , it has been nice to stay home in the warm and even cosy up on the couch watching plenty of Netflix and get lots of knitting projects done. The cleaning jobs I now look at and think I had better do as it is nearly time for spring cleaning anyway. At least we went walking most mornings for an hour as exercise.Spring is here so I hope to more motivated to get outside and pull out the weeds in the garden beds. Photo projects have slowed and even this blog writing has lost momentum so I guess I have lost some of my mojo, which is a side effect of being in lockdown for nearly 6 months. We do need outside stimulus and inspiration.

Dad

 

                                           Dad, Gerald William Noble  (1925-2005)

 I have written about most people in my life. However Dad is the hardest of all, To describe his influence, his love for adventure, his compassion for those less fortunate than him, his determination, his fortitude, his resilience , his sense of pride, and his love, patience, gentleness and warmth as my father is extremely difficult. I don't know why it is we acknowledge and appreciate the trials and tribulations that our parents had until they are no longer with us. I have been reading Dad's memoirs and what a life he had, so different an upbringing to mine and I guess my life has been so different to my childrens.It is fascinating to read about times past, I guess that is one thing I have gained from Dad.

Dad lived a full life in times of hardships, living through poverty, the depression and serving in the second world war. He grew up in Surrey Hills and the family home is still standing although updated. He was an honorable man always determined to reach set goals he made for himself. At a young age he decided he wanted to better his family standards and go to university but that was difficult as his father made him leave school at 13 and work as an office boy.Ultimately dad determined to educate himself through night school and did accounting prior to signing up to the Air force and becoming a mechanic , stationed at Mildura, Adelaide and Darwin. After the war he acquired a job as a book keeper , helping to support his family as his father was ill. However he continued to study and eventually gained acceptance into University and thus begun his Teaching Career and later his lecturing and mentoring student teachers having gained his Ph D in Education.

Dad and mum always wanted their children to get the best opportunities in life and to pursue our own passions and thats what we all did after having a grounded education whereby we were expected to do well and choose a suitable career path, one which took me ages to work out.

However difficult my life was as a child, teenager, adult,later a mother and single mother Dad was my hero and I knew that he and mum were always available to help me through my good times and not so good times.There were plenty of fun times and exciting times together. We travelled together, they visited PNG to see me. When times got tough they supported me and brought me back to Melbourne and helped me rebuild my life again. Never a cross word spoken, dad was always patient, wise, caring and sympathetic to my cause.He waited for me to work things out and come to him for the necessary advice and insight.

I miss him terribly and wish he could see how I turned my life around and how well my children have grown up. I know he would be delighted and proud. I hope I am a chip off the old block.

Lockdown Project

 

Lockdown Project...... Blanket completed

As it has been wintery and we are in #2 Covid lockdown, I have been spending a lot of time keeping warm and busy doing my knitting projects. Between lockdowns I picked up a bag of knitted 'squares ' from the aged care facility that I usually coordinate a group at. I put them together for charity groups. All sizes and colours to sort through and because this lockdown is extreme I can't get out to pick more up so I have made up the shortfall and finally finished off a Queen sized blanket today. It is very warm and colourful and I am sure it will go to a person in need. The last lot went to the people who lost everything in the bushfires.