Thursday, March 26, 2020

DAY ONE LOCKDOWN

We awoke to silence, in fact we had slept in and it was after 7 a.m.  We decided to do our walk around the streets but wait until after breakfast as it was a little cool and we have all day.  While getting breakfast we heard music.  There is a Maori family next door - mother, father and son of about 14-15 and they have recently had a boarder, another boy of the same age.  The boarder must have returned home but whanau (family) have come to stay for the duration as one must stay where one was as of yesterday.

Now there are 3 or 4 adults, two teenage boys and two teenage girls and a toddler.  The music we heard was for exercise.  The whole family did exercises for over an hour.  Stretching exercises, running or walking around the section, steps, weights, you name it they did it.  The "class" was taken by Robert, the father.  I said to Doug that we should have joined in on our side of the fence but we do our own exercises (I must admit  Doug does more than me).  Later on the teenagers were sitting at a table in a tent in the garden presumably doing school work.

So, after we had our breakfast - the usual porridge followed by toast - we went for our walk around the streets and straight away after that we went out of the back gate into the park to walk Sophie through the park and back around the main road as our first walk would have been too much for her.






It is a lovely day and a very pleasant walk.  Then it was through the park behind us and back on the road




We saw very few cars or people on our walk but did meet a New Zealand Post Paxter delivering mail. I did not take a photo so this one is off the net.  

Image result for nz post paxter

Doug has been washing windows and venetian blinds and I have sown some carrots and broccoletti and potted up a couple of seedlings that have appeared in the garden.  We still need rain so I will have to water shortly. 

New Zealand has 73 new confirmed or probable cases of the virus today bringing the total to 283.

17 comments:

  1. I am so impressed by your family next door. It just goes to show what can be done at home for exercise and fresh air without heading for more public spaces as so many seem to be doing. I hope they keep up the good work of "stay home and save lives." Take care, Mxx

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    1. We were impressed as well. Still looks promising - shorter exercise this morning but still exercise.

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  2. I sowed Carrots yesterday too! I believe there are 'personal trainers' on the net who run (free) exercise classes. It sounds a bit energetic to me; I get enough exercise anyway.

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    1. I never seem to stop but still try to do some exercises.

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  3. What a neat family to have next door, ours are doing the grocery shopping, And do not mind having to wait in a queue.What kindness is displayed all over, our street is so quiet, and I have disciplined myself to get the lounge curtains finished before I can PLAY with any other quilting fabric. Such will power, I am not known to have much of that at any time, so maybe this is a good time to start and learn.

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    1. We have had offers to shop but hope to do it on line as we don't like asking people to go and queue but may have to. I have some ready made curtains that I must shorten.

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  4. The children of two neighbouring families near here were playing "tennis" across the garden fence - not sure if that's strictly within the rules but ten out of ten for ingenuity! For some reason the government here say we're only allowed one trip out for exercise per day - mind you they don't limit how far one walks or runs.

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    1. Here one must keep a two metre distance so the tennis should be o.k. Great initiative.

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  5. Good for your family next door. They are well organised.
    What empty streets, as it is everywhere of course.

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  6. It is really is incredible to me that this little virus has spread himself into virtually every corner of our world so quickly - let's send it packing, live within the rules, and keep our spirits up.

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    1. Yes, of course it is the speed of travel that is the problem. New Zealanders are still being allowed in today but will have to go into isolation. The majority of our cases by a long shot have been brought from other countries.

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  7. I am curious why you pointed out that it is a Maori family. Why not just a family?

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    1. I could just as easily have said an Italian, Greek or Australian family. I didn't even think about it when I wrote it. It was not racist as Doug is Maori.

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    2. It may just be me, but why would you even want to add that adjective to the noun? Whether Greek, Australian, Italian or Maori, it seems to me to single out the "other." A "nice" family, a "pleasant" family, etc would seem to me to be far more inclusive than singling out their ethnicity.

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  8. Hoping things get back to normal quickly. At least as normal as they'll ever be again. I have a feeling this will stay with us the way the Great Depression stayed with the older members of our family who lived through it. In no way do I think we have it as bad as they did, just think it will imprint on us and be forever with us.

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    1. Yes, we are told the lock down will be several weeks. To start with it was 4 weeks but sounds like it could be longer. Just hope it works.

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