Feest Isolation Days – 2 May
There are some days when you wake up and forget that there is a pandemic in the world and go about your morning as though nothing is different than it ever was. Terry and I went for a walk together in the early afternoon’s pouring rain and not too many other people were out and about. On our return we had a bowl of leftover nourishing chicken soup to warm18 us and then did the sort of normal house things we would do on any rainy day.
Who am I kidding? Normal has gone out the window and suddenly I remember that the day is far from normal and wonder what that will look like when it arrives. Several friends have been reporting that they don’t sleep very well these days and I marvel at the eight hours I get most nights. A certain resilience is required during these times and cultivating a spirit of acceptance, not to mention routine, does help.
It also helps to stop looking in your diary. I was supposed to be in Bath having lunch with a friend next week. Another friend tells me she has a host of wedding and party invites sitting on a shelf and she is letting them stay there as a sort of shrine to her old life. She has cultivated a whole new way of being in the world at home, as we all must. In with the new and on we go. Life on hold? No! Life isn’t on hold, it’s changed and changing. Apparently, we are past the peak of infections. Let’s see what that will mean. What will the next phase of “new normal” look like. We shall find out some of the steps the government have in mind next week.
At my regular Zoom yoga class (yes there is a new way of doing things!) one of the women said she heard we were all going to be allowed to choose two people that could join us and come in and out of our “bubble”. She knew exactly who she was going to choose – her hairdresser and her cleaner! Love it. I may follow suit if that plan comes to pass.
Unusually, we decided to share a bottle of Champagne on a midweek night – Thursday. We toasted first our son who was celebrating his birthday in London, and then Captain, now Colonel Tom, who makes us all feel positive, and then another friend whose birthday it was. I then discovered that our next door neighbour’s daughter turned thirteen and became a Quaranteeny! Champagne and the dining room go together so we lit the candles and held our glasses aloft. I made one red pepper that we shared before we tucked into the previously prepared food that emerged from our overflowing freezer. Those of you who join us in Auckland for the annual January summer party will know that Feest red peppers are always a given for that special lunch date when we see all of our kiwi friends together for the first time each year. This year was summer party number eight! It was strange making just one pepper as I normally make at least two dozen. I stop myself from thinking about what January next year will look like. One day at a time!
Tomorrow will be fifty days of lockdown and Terry will become the guest writer for Feest-Isolation-Days. Every twenty five days he gets a go. I wonder how many he will have to do? Or me for that matter! I have said I will keep writing as long as the lockdown is in place. Thank you all for continuing to read my musings. It is such a comfort to know that even though I can’t see you all we are still in touch and I am able to share my feelings, thoughts and activities about all of this with you.
Life has certainly changed, but our close connections have not, we won’t let them! We are in some ways even more connected to each other than we were in the past and that’s very special.
Amidst the personal trials some of you are facing, we each have a splendid place to live, plenty of food, the odd glass of champagne and each other. The final toast we made on our special Champagne evening was to each and every one of you. We are fortunate indeed.
“Always keep a bottle of Champagne in the fridge for special occasions. Sometimes, the special occasion is that you’ve got a bottle of Champagne in the fridge.”
― Hester Browne
And something to brighten the day……..
Wishing you carefree days and Sweet Dreams!
With Love
Kathy x