Diary Entries

The sun is shining but the wind furiously slashes into the trees in my garden - all overgrown (are they getting into my old sewer pipes again?) I'm heading towards 80 years old and suffering from co-morbidities as they call the diseases of aging these days. I don't feel old, or sick, but there you are. I know only too well that I must stay cocooned in my house and garden and take care when I go out to shop. It's not COVID that I fear so much, as the after effects if I recover from a dose of it. It's been fun finding interesting Webinars and participating in discussions with participants from across the world. A wonderful woman jazz pianist that I'd never heard of who is in her 80s now but has this oh so soft touch on the piano. Her "Happy Hours" are a lovely mix of feeling like a friend one minute, but maybe a voyeur looking into her private sitting room at the same time. A trip into town for a legal appointment early on in this pandemic was somewhat alarming for me. The City of Sydney has changed in so many ways. Familiar buildings have disappeared all over the place, supplanted by hoardings, but what was wonderful was the lack of traffic and crowds of people. I await a new skyline.

I thank God I live in this wonderful country of ours. It may not seem it to a lot of those not lucky enough to own their own home or have a secure roof over their heads, but our statistics tell us that to date, we have escaped the full force of this surreal pandemic of COVID-19. At first I was scared, really scared that I might not survive. I have a heart/lung condition that means my outlook would be bleak if I contracted the virus - but - one has to eat, and visit the doctor, and chemist, so my wonderful partner and I, donned up with good masks and white cotton gloves, venture out to our nearest supermarket, as infrequently as we can. Problem is that fruit and vegetables only last so long. The streets are so quiet - so few cars. The noise of jetplanes flying overhead so infrequent as to be novel now. I stopped listening to the news on radio or watching the endless TV programs - all about coronavirus - ages ago. I get a quick update every now and then. But it is just too sad. I had planned a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the UK for the middle of 2020, but as it became more and more obvious that this wasn't going to happen, I 'bit the bullet' and cancelled everything. OK Qantas, when do I get some indication of a refund? I have changed from being scared for myself now, to worrying about my loved ones. I just hope everyone is taking the good advice to wash their hands, keep your distance and wear a mask if you need to (I do!) even though it seems a lot of experts say it's not necessary. Ya' reckon?