Diary Entries

My whole life has changed since COVID-19 lockdown started – physically and mentally. My once very busy retired life was abruptly halted in March and even though COVID-19 restrictions have eased in the last few weeks I am still unwilling to resume my former life. A sense of unease about being around other people keeps me at home. I have adjusted to my altered lifestyle and although being in the company of others has always been something I had liked; I am now coping without most of those social outings. I have ventured out for coffee mornings at cafes with friends but my phone and iPad have become my lifeline to keep in touch and entertained most of the time. I really missed the regular contact that I had with my friends and family. Hopefully that will gradually return once more restrictions are eased and the grandchildren’s sporting activities return. Even though I am less busy, the days go by quickly as I have a regular routine - walking each morning, an on-line exercise class, household chores and gardening fill the morning and the afternoons are generally free for reading, jigsaw puzzles, another walk, or spending time in the kitchen preparing meals or baking. This may sound quite boring, but for me it is a leisurely lifestyle that now suits me. Keeping fit has been important and I thank my lucky stars that there are so many options on line to satisfy my needs. Exercise not only keeps my body fit it also assists my wellbeing as a whole. It is so important for me to stay optimistic during these difficult times so I focus on the positives in my life. I’m grateful for each and every day and am thankful for the support of family and friends.

A big thank you to all the frontline workers who are going to work while I am in isolation. Being one of the vulnerable – over 70 and with an underlying health issue I am very grateful they continue to go to work during these very trying times. You are very much appreciated. Thank you also to the government who has worked tirelessly to inform us and put in place measures to keep us safe. It has been heartening to see the politicians working together for a change. STAY AT HOME - the message was clear and while fear kept me at home others were completely disregarding the message and carrying on as usual. This made me very angry, how dare they put other lives at risk with their selfish disregard! My life has changed – I am now doing menu planning - when I shop I know exactly what I need, I am in and out of the supermarket in record time. No time to browse. Underlying the anxiety and fear is the sadness at the huge loss of so many lives as the death toll rises and governments try to deal with the economic and health crises. It has been interesting to see the business community diversifying and adapting in an effort to keep their businesses afloat. Aussie creativity is alive and well. There have been so many acts of kindness that have brought tears to my eyes and eased the sadness that I have felt through out this last few months. We are all adapting to our new way of life and ANZAC DAY was a prime example of how we can do things differently. It was another moment of joy to see so many of my neighbours standing on their driveways honouring the fallen.

I am 72, female and live with my husband in Salamander Bay. We have been self isolating for 6 weeks and I have found a new sense of calm. Instead of having busy mornings rushing off to the gym 5 days a week I now go for a walk before doing an online class with our generous gym instructors who are keeping us oldies fit by doing classes on Zoom. Easy! We can all have a chat after which keeps us connected and we are very grateful for this. My daughter had forbidden me to go out to shop and said she would do it for me while working from home, keeping her household running and home schooling 3 children AND driving the 30 minutes to deliver my shopping. I declined her offer and said I would do home delivery, but I never did! The only other times we leave the house is to walk twice daily and shop for groceries. We have discovered so many beautiful walks in our area that we would otherwise not have found. Medical appointments have been by phone. After leading very busy lives socialising, attending the gym (me) and playing golf (my husband) I have been surprised how accepting I have been at staying home and actually enjoying my time. I am reading, doing craft projects, tackling jigsaws and my house and garden are now clean and organised. Having 6 grandchildren who live fairly close I have missed seeing them on a regular basis but thanks to facetime and phones we have been able to keep up to date with how they are coping. In April/May we have 5 birthdays and thanks to modern technology we have been able to celebrate via Zoom, such fun! It is all good!