A Nation in Isolation.
I am writing this post from a bed that's not been made in days. I've been isolated from all public for weeks. I am sweaty, snivelly, and fatigued.
Couldn't be a more normal set of circumstances for me, you'll all agree.
Excepting of course, the one massive difference, this time its not (completely) by choice and I am joined in my behaviours by not only the rest of the country but the the greater part of planet earth's population.
Yes, the self-isolation forced upon us by the Corona Virus Disease (Also referred to as COVID-19, 19 because it was discovered in December 2019), has become rather dire.
As it is so highly infectious, most governments have initiated a lockdown, which is as dramatic as it sounds. Only "essential services" are staying open and the public are not to leave their houses unless it is VITAL, or you're a healthcare worker/other worker like shopkeeps, rubbish collectors, etc. As can be expected, those that can afford it are buying out toilet paper and bread supplies, and a general feeling of mayhem and apocalyptic angst emanates from any device connected to the internet.
We humans love a bit of drama.
The situation in South Africa rapidly jumped from "have-you-heard-about-that-disease-in-China-oh-now-Italy" to "MEN. WE'RE UNDER ATTACK. ATTEND BATTLE STATIONS AND AWAIT ORDERS."
When I heard the above, I found myself enjoying a whiskey and looking out over the Breede River in the family holiday house. After briefly weighing up options, I decided to simply stay put, and now here I sit almost 3 weeks later, having been joined by 1 x Granny, 1 x Dad, 2 x (Almost) Step-Sisters, 1 x Brother, and 1 x (Almost) Step-Mum. Unfortunately the latter is to leave tomorrow as she's expected on the front lines at Red Cross Children's. I suppose we must all do our bits. My bit is to reopen this blog and attempt to record the frankly bizarre state of affairs in which we find ourselves.
For someone with a surplus of time, I have been wholly unproductive. This of course, doesn't come as a huge surprise. I have been inundated with brilliant ideas detailing projects to start, online courses to take and videos to craft, but naturally none have evolved any further than thoughts.
In a recent family video-call it was suggested by my brother-in-law that maybe a first step would be to revisit this old venture, so here I am revisiting. I've resolved to post whatever comes out of my fingers and continue to do so over the course of this lockdown with as little self-judgement as poss. Quite the exercise, but I've finished three books, and I was forced into choosing between this and dad's copy of Freakonomics so here we are.
What is concerning, and I must acknowledge this, is the health and stability of the majority of South Africans. Where I am lucky enough to be safely tucked away on the West Coast, avoiding all public, many are forced out of job security and into small, packed spaces: the perfect incubators for disease. One does feel a bit helpless, it must be said.
We're left to stand together (NOT literally, please all note), and obey instructions from Cyril, who seems to have quite a secure grasp on things, and hope that like most historical world disruptions, this will one day be in the past, referred to only in textbooks, articles, and remember-the-times.
In the meantime, lets all bake bread, plant herbs and veg, and listen to Harry Potter on audiobook.
Night all,
Jen x
Couldn't be a more normal set of circumstances for me, you'll all agree.
Excepting of course, the one massive difference, this time its not (completely) by choice and I am joined in my behaviours by not only the rest of the country but the the greater part of planet earth's population.
Yes, the self-isolation forced upon us by the Corona Virus Disease (Also referred to as COVID-19, 19 because it was discovered in December 2019), has become rather dire.
As it is so highly infectious, most governments have initiated a lockdown, which is as dramatic as it sounds. Only "essential services" are staying open and the public are not to leave their houses unless it is VITAL, or you're a healthcare worker/other worker like shopkeeps, rubbish collectors, etc. As can be expected, those that can afford it are buying out toilet paper and bread supplies, and a general feeling of mayhem and apocalyptic angst emanates from any device connected to the internet.
We humans love a bit of drama.
The situation in South Africa rapidly jumped from "have-you-heard-about-that-disease-in-China-oh-now-Italy" to "MEN. WE'RE UNDER ATTACK. ATTEND BATTLE STATIONS AND AWAIT ORDERS."
When I heard the above, I found myself enjoying a whiskey and looking out over the Breede River in the family holiday house. After briefly weighing up options, I decided to simply stay put, and now here I sit almost 3 weeks later, having been joined by 1 x Granny, 1 x Dad, 2 x (Almost) Step-Sisters, 1 x Brother, and 1 x (Almost) Step-Mum. Unfortunately the latter is to leave tomorrow as she's expected on the front lines at Red Cross Children's. I suppose we must all do our bits. My bit is to reopen this blog and attempt to record the frankly bizarre state of affairs in which we find ourselves.
For someone with a surplus of time, I have been wholly unproductive. This of course, doesn't come as a huge surprise. I have been inundated with brilliant ideas detailing projects to start, online courses to take and videos to craft, but naturally none have evolved any further than thoughts.
In a recent family video-call it was suggested by my brother-in-law that maybe a first step would be to revisit this old venture, so here I am revisiting. I've resolved to post whatever comes out of my fingers and continue to do so over the course of this lockdown with as little self-judgement as poss. Quite the exercise, but I've finished three books, and I was forced into choosing between this and dad's copy of Freakonomics so here we are.
What is concerning, and I must acknowledge this, is the health and stability of the majority of South Africans. Where I am lucky enough to be safely tucked away on the West Coast, avoiding all public, many are forced out of job security and into small, packed spaces: the perfect incubators for disease. One does feel a bit helpless, it must be said.
We're left to stand together (NOT literally, please all note), and obey instructions from Cyril, who seems to have quite a secure grasp on things, and hope that like most historical world disruptions, this will one day be in the past, referred to only in textbooks, articles, and remember-the-times.
In the meantime, lets all bake bread, plant herbs and veg, and listen to Harry Potter on audiobook.
Night all,
Jen x
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