Lock Down Update Day 76 – 78

Day 76 starts with an eerie silence outside, its one of those days where you wonder if you are all alone in this world with only the sound of birds. It was of course like this when full Lock Down came into force 76 days ago but has been progressively becoming a noisier place these last weeks as restrictions have eased. Today Sunday, I haven’t heard many cars around, no dogs barking or people chattering! I guess the main observation in the return to normality has been the noise pollution of machinery and trucks. Today there are no gardeners chopping and cutting, why on earth is grass cutting machinery so loud? There is no building work, street repairs or trucks, even small ones driving around all adding up to the unhealthy symphony of noise pollution, my hope is maybe the future will host quieter machines! We are back to gloomy weather, all be it warmer gloomy weather and it may rain to mark the opening of the beaches tomorrow but, I am actually enjoying this quiet feel once again and the heart is full thinking of nature breathing clearly today.

As if to confirm my joy I received an email from WWF with news of Maryanne the miracle Koala being returned back to the wild after healing from wounds sustained from the Australian Bush fires earlier in the year. If you remember we were bombarded with photos of the horrors of destruction at that time, which still lives on in many of our minds, so how nice to hear a follow up story with some happiness attached to it. I feel if news outlets reported good news and success stories, along with the horrors and suffering, then society may benefit from a more balanced state of mental health. Instead of being bombarded only with fear, horror and helplessness it should be made their public duty to show hope, inspiration and happy stories too!

Day 77 and we start to return to a greater degree of normality, shops will re open but many don’t seem to be in a rush to do so advertising opening by the weekend. Maybe they don’t expect a rush of customers or maybe the preparations to comply with distancing, glass barriers at checkouts and constant disinfection may be placing further financial strain on them. These smaller shops may struggle with paying staff, extra expenditure and the prospect of shoppers having less to spend or just not feeling the need to buy after we have become accustomed on surviving on only the basics. All of this adds to the struggle they are having to survive after 3 months closure, and no doubt still having rent to pay if not these last months then catching up in the coming months. Looking outside I can’t see people on the beach after the hype of opening them up once again, many will have gone back to work leaving only parents that don’t work to accompany children which is obligatory. To be fair we had horrible weather yesterday with storms, causing a few fires in the area as the lightening was intense. Today however is brighter although we still have rain forecast, so I suspect this weekend is when we will see an influx of people travelling from inland in the hope of spending a day on the beach.

This week I will try again our local market to see if any stall holders turn up, I have ran out of local honey and dried fruits and some local fresh fruit and vegetables would be nice too, oh the simple pleasures are what we have missed the most. I may try to take myself down to the port to see if I can have those scones and cream I have been promising myself during these last months too. Now we are in June the excitement buried away deep down inside to see my daughter is daring to surface a little, we seem to be closer to flights returning and once inter province travel restrictions are lifted the borders may open again. Of course this will depend on whether they let the Brits in if their infectious cases are still high, and if UK keeps the quarantine time for people who travel, but hey we are closer to looking forward to the visit than I dared hope for a while ago!

Day 78 and our little bay is still free of sunbathers and swimmers besides the odd one spotted during the course of the day, my neighbour however, has been to the beach but the main strip in the town which is unusual for her. She did say there were more people there but not crowded, maybe she felt the need to be a part of a bigger community and not sit alone on our quiet stretch after spending nearly 80 day in pure Isolation!

The outside world is still laying heavy within, which is conflicting my mind and emotions whilst enjoying coming through these unprecedented times and enjoying newly found freedom. I have tried to stay open minded to politics these last few years the best I can, staying clear of the many arguments and discussions of Trump, whether he is breaking the deep state and the system for a better world or adding to their power or even his own and corporations. He may be a puppet, he may not but I really don’t like him as a person, I feel it is time for leaders to act with honesty, humility and compassion to unite all their people to work towards a new system which is inclusive of all. Especially after his stunt yesterday threatening military action against protesters of police brutality, then a crowd of peaceful protestors outside the White House gates were dispersed with tear gas, flash grenades and rubber bullets. This was to make way for him to walk across the street to a church where he then held up a Bible that read “God is Love” as he posed for cameras outside. This is a moral low by any standard, a power move and psychopathic action, it has brought many clergy to condemn his publicity stunt and wanting to distance themselves from him with one saying “This is blasphemy in real time.”

We have racial tensions, power grab tensions and now invoking religious tensions, all of which cause division within society. I don’t hold any one faith, in fact I admire and try to live different parts of most faiths if I look at myself honestly, they all contain their good words along with some I cannot resonate with. Father James Martin, a prominent Jesuit priest and author, said: “Let me be clear. This is revolting. The Bible is not a prop. A church is not a photo op. Religion is not a political tool. God is not your plaything.” I will leave you with the Fathers response to Trumps statement and actions, as I see another statement from a Police chief to Trump: “Please, keep your mouth shut if you can’t be constructive” ‘Bringing me back to my own thoughts, many trust “leaders to show the way”, so they should act with honesty, humility and compassion to unite and include all people in constructive actions, deeds and discussion.

President Trump:
“We have the greatest country in the world”
(June 1)
Jesus:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit…
Blessed are the meek….
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…
Blessed are the merciful…
Blessed are the peacemakers.”
(Matt 5)

I will leave you by once again saying stay safe and take precautions to protect yourself and loved ones including taking care of your mental health. Remember to keep your head above the clouds to see things clearly and not get drowned in the chaos below💜

Keep your head above the clouds to think clearly in a world of chaos. And just because (cuteness)! Tiny Birds that Look like Flying Cotton Balls.