Diary Entries

As we start the transition back to 'normality', I find myself torn. On the one hand, I want to have freedom of movement, be able to see my friends and family when I like and to eat a lovely meal where I had no part in the preparation. To travel. To drive up to the mountains and take in the view. There were days when I was incredibly lonely, where a video meeting with colleagues has been my only link to the outside world. On the other hand, I have had a freedom I haven't had for many years, if ever. I have created a wonderful, warm nest, where I am busy and productive at work, but have time to cook nutritious or decadent meals, time to sleep, time to walk and to read.....time to appreciate the little things. I don't want this to go away. Overwhelmingly, I feel grateful to have my health and to be employed, but I will miss lockdown.

I got the phone call yesterday, about 2pm. "Hello, this is whatever her name was, from the surgery. Your doctor wants you to make an appointment so that he can discuss some test results with you." I have just done a bowel screen test. Could it be that? Has the beast returned? Stay calm, stay polite, mind your language! The appointment is made and the call ends. Nothing available for two days so I wait until 2.30 tomorrow. I have just retired. My parents are old and need looking after. I have just planted out the vegetable garden. I have the new caravan in the front yard ready to go. I have SO MANY damn things I want to do and none of them involve this. I fought this fight. I won this fight. I was given the all clear to go where I want and do what I want and enjoy life. This is NOT supposed to happen to me, again. I put the phone away, sat back in the chair and tried not to give fuel to the demons dancing around inside my skull. There is no point worrying. Push it away. Whether it is or whether it isn't, worry isn't going to fix a thing. Good chance it probably isn't. He probably just wants to do a follow up test to make sure. It may be for something completely different. They didn't say it was urgent. I am sitting here pushing away memories of last time, ignoring the demons, forcing myself to stay positive, but the negative, the fear, the anxiety drip through my defences like water from a leaky pipe. Constant, steady, unrelenting. I can't ignore it completely but I can't submit to it either. What will happen will happen. The beast never really left me.

Covid Calls Covid calls for us to be Alone among the crowd. Untouching, kept away To keep us safe from harm. Some saddened by the isolation, Felt they were not free. But here among the canopies Adrift the passing breeze, I have been set free To listen to the melodies Of the quiet whispers Of paintings made in words. The call of creativity To set myself aside Reminds me what is meaningful In these dire times. Nature has her way Of keeping things in check. Nurture Mother Nature, Or she will have her way. Destruction is her power, Creation is her joy. What is it to be, For those who make her cry?

My name is Kate Murphy I live in Coogee NSW I turn 60 in September. My husband Martin and I became grandparents on April 27 our beautiful daughter Rosa and her husband Damien spent 5 days in a private room at Prince of Wales Private Hospital. We could not visit our grandson Lachlan. On May 5, I admitted my 91 year old mother Lloma into aged care. Mum had to be in isolation for 14 days not ideal for a woman with dementia. I think Covid 19 has forced people to slow down and take stock. My son Ed is more thoughtful. Australians have shown strength we’ve had a tough time of late but we’ll get through this we always do. After all we do live in the lucky country and it makes me proud to be Australian.

During coronavirus I find it important to stay optimistic and something I know that helps me during these difficult times is turning to the positive side of everything. I turn to the positive side of the news to look away from all the struggles in our society. I turn to what I can do in quarantine rather than what I am missing out on. I rejoice in the opportunity for sleep-ins and unlimited access to the kitchen. Finally, I am satisfied with the opportunity to connect more with my family and adapt together as one.

So today it occurred to me, thinking about all the new rules that are confusing and not aligned logically, that no one really knows the answers and are making them up as best as they can with limited and conflicting information, keeping fingers crossed that the number of deaths will be kept as low as possible. It's basically like staring into the abyss and deciding which son to sacrifice.

I think that it was a very stupid mistake to let people out of lockdown so early, now the corona is just going to start up again and than we are all going to be in the same situation again and again until they have found a cure for the corona

Hi again everyone if you read my last letter. Hello to everyone if you didn't. My name is Jasmine and i bring a message that will hopefully lift your spirits a couple of centimetres during this epidemic. You know the "corona virus" everyone is afraid of? it's not actually THE corona virus, it's A corona virus. Corona viruses are a family of viruses including Ebola, SARS and MERS. So humanity has faced corona viruses before. why shuldn't we survive this? Keep on, stay strong, and don't give up. That's how we will survive this. And also staying 1.5m away from each other, washing hands, you know the drill. Yours, Jasmine༼ つ◕‿◕ ༽つ

I was singing on the train home one-day watching Fortnite streams when my friend texted me that students were to stay at home from school. I started screaming out of joy and the whole carriage looked at me awkwardly. I was so surprised and excited that I could get a little break from the pressure upon us. But a week later I soon started getting bored from the same video games and seeing the same people every day (my family). I started having the feeling that the world wouldn't really feel the same way after this COVID mess was over.

I hate The coronavirus its like your trapped in a cage no light no freedom. There’s no vaccine yet but they are working on it and I just want things to go back to normal. It first turned out to be a fight for toilet paper I was creeped out. I miss my sports, swimming lessons, karate, basketball and nippers I miss them all. All I want is do it again I know the coronavirus is not going to disappear but I know it’s going to calm down.