I barely leave the house at the moment. It's a joy to take the rubbish down to the bins or have a coffee with my downstairs neighbour - Lea sits at the bottom of the stairs, I sit on the top landing, and we chat.
You have conversations from two metres away. Jay and I have had to tell Yanni, another gym body, not to get too close. Yanni, of course, is Greek. Not touching is about as foreign to him as not being loud. He looked despondent when we asked him to keep his distance.
For me, it's the small changes which are remarkable. Nothing changes in my flat, other than the new work chair purchased yesterday. I spent a bit, but I can sit for most of the day and not get a back ache now. I see it as investment. It's tax deductible. We'll leave it at that.
The only other change in the flat is everything is now everything is covered in black cat hair. All of my bed linen is white. I really didn't think that one through. Mind you, his intermittent cuddles during the day are keeping me sane. It's lovely waking up next to the critter - even if he does snuggle in for a cuddle when he wants his breakfast.
But it's the outside which has changed.
My unit block has changed. The guy in Number 19 is selling up. Off his own back he's painted the back fence, got the body corporate to lop the trees out the front and miracle of miracles, had the broken down car, which has been there for as long as I can remember, towed from the property. I'm not sure who would try and sell a house in this market. Auctions have been stopped for the time being.
My place of refuge has also changed. My local shopping centre has the gym and a cinema attached. Both are shut. You can't sit at the food court - this could be seen as a good thing. Half the shops are closed. I went to the supermarket to get a couple of essentials - haven't been in there since last Sunday - and I was pleasantly surprised. There was toilet paper, eggs, pasta and tissues available. People kept their distance. It was a bit odd but it was good to see a bit more stock on the shelves.
I think I was just happy to be out of the flat. I walked there and back in the gorgeous late March sunshine.
You have to take the good where you find it. I'm cherishing the little changes - like meeting people for coffee or lunch over Messenger off the cuff. Social media is a godsend - at least I feel somewhat connected with people, even if the interactions are peppered with news of friends losing their jobs, places of business closing down, livelihoods wrecked, dreams smashed.
Some of the stuff on the internet also helps. Remember the BBC Reporter who was working form home and was interrupted by his family. He came back. The kids are still feral. It's great.
I'm getting to meet people's pets and kids. You see inside people's houses. You get to connect with people in other ways. That reminds me, must set up a Zoom meeting for book group.
I'm okay with being locked away in my flat. But I can't wait to get out again. I think that first hug after social isolation will be a doozy.
Today's Song:
You have conversations from two metres away. Jay and I have had to tell Yanni, another gym body, not to get too close. Yanni, of course, is Greek. Not touching is about as foreign to him as not being loud. He looked despondent when we asked him to keep his distance.
For me, it's the small changes which are remarkable. Nothing changes in my flat, other than the new work chair purchased yesterday. I spent a bit, but I can sit for most of the day and not get a back ache now. I see it as investment. It's tax deductible. We'll leave it at that.
The only other change in the flat is everything is now everything is covered in black cat hair. All of my bed linen is white. I really didn't think that one through. Mind you, his intermittent cuddles during the day are keeping me sane. It's lovely waking up next to the critter - even if he does snuggle in for a cuddle when he wants his breakfast.
But it's the outside which has changed.
My unit block has changed. The guy in Number 19 is selling up. Off his own back he's painted the back fence, got the body corporate to lop the trees out the front and miracle of miracles, had the broken down car, which has been there for as long as I can remember, towed from the property. I'm not sure who would try and sell a house in this market. Auctions have been stopped for the time being.
My place of refuge has also changed. My local shopping centre has the gym and a cinema attached. Both are shut. You can't sit at the food court - this could be seen as a good thing. Half the shops are closed. I went to the supermarket to get a couple of essentials - haven't been in there since last Sunday - and I was pleasantly surprised. There was toilet paper, eggs, pasta and tissues available. People kept their distance. It was a bit odd but it was good to see a bit more stock on the shelves.
I think I was just happy to be out of the flat. I walked there and back in the gorgeous late March sunshine.
You have to take the good where you find it. I'm cherishing the little changes - like meeting people for coffee or lunch over Messenger off the cuff. Social media is a godsend - at least I feel somewhat connected with people, even if the interactions are peppered with news of friends losing their jobs, places of business closing down, livelihoods wrecked, dreams smashed.
Some of the stuff on the internet also helps. Remember the BBC Reporter who was working form home and was interrupted by his family. He came back. The kids are still feral. It's great.
I'm getting to meet people's pets and kids. You see inside people's houses. You get to connect with people in other ways. That reminds me, must set up a Zoom meeting for book group.
I'm okay with being locked away in my flat. But I can't wait to get out again. I think that first hug after social isolation will be a doozy.
Today's Song:
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