Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Day 34 of Covid19, Day 1 of level 3

What a funny old day. 
Here we are in the very first day of level three. 
I had such hopes that we would gently create a new world. Hmmmm, can you believe there was a queue at takeaway outlets before 7am. What is wrong with this picture? 

We have been bomb barded on social media and the news networks of people queueing for hours for takeaways.  I have to say I am feeling incredibly grateful for how well we have eaten over the last 5 weeks. I am certainly in no hurry for a takeaway. 

So, today, woohoo, I moved into my tidied new office. WOW walking in this morning with the sun streaming in sure was a different experience from the freezing cold office at the back of the house. 



Another day of working on my laptop, and my eyes are burning again. Hmmmm my optometrist appointment was cancelled three weeks ago, and I guess I realistically won't get another til we get to level two. My eyes really are annoying. I really do have to make sure I take plenty of breaks. A late arvo walk around the garden was awesome. The autumn colours are truly stunning. 


It sure was weird with Grant away at work today. He came home for lunch which was great. I really can hardly believe we have had 33 days home together. It is just such a luxury. I have loved not travelling and hope it is a long while til we start up again. There really is no need at the moment. Distance facilitation is working just fine. 

Now that I have finished sorting for a while I took time out tonight to do some sewing. I really am keen to get some more little merino tops and pants on the way for little guy for winter. I am so very grateful to Rebecca for sharing patterns with me. One pair of pants completed tonight. 

Now, to cast on some stitches. I want to get an alpaca beanie in the post with Gabi's birthday present. Teehee, there just aren't enough hours in the day for me lately. 

Today's lesson: Take more breaks. 


Monday, April 27, 2020

Day 33 - nearly 11,000 steps inside...

WOW, day 33, and the eve of a move to level 3, Covid19. 


So, the rāhui relaxes a little, just a little. For us though, it is HUGE, it is the end of our time home together for now. 

We have survived 33 days of us!  Been a little bumpy at times, but generally a stunningly, wonderful time. 

And finally, today, we put the house back together. Most of the house has had a complete clean up and sort out. And we have been privileged to surface a squillion memories along the way. In fact I would go so far as to say the house is the most organised it has every been, apart from when we moved in perhaps. 

To have the rumpus room sorted was the biggest deal, with all of the treasures and memories nearly stored in plastic containers in the roof, we have a great space back. I have moved through to this room for my office, now that I am going to home for the winter. It is just so much nicer to be in here with the sun coming in early in the day. 

I have also organised piles of photos, so the next steps will be to put them all in albums. I am actually looking forward to that, but am going to take my time and get them all in order, so might be over the next few months. 



Over the last while, we have just kept adding to the piles in this room, so it really has been an awesome sort out. All of the cupboards and wardrobes have been sorted. Agh what a great feeling. 


How awesome does that look. Really looking forward to getting it carpeted to match the rest of the house, but for now, it is looking awesome. And what's more, it gets all the early morning and midday sun, so I have moved my office back across to this side of the upstairs.  I sure am looking forward to a warmer working space now that I am home for the winter. WOW that is a great sentence! "HOME FOR THE WINTER."


Its a tiny desk, but we'll see how it goes...
Stunning view, and even better now that Grant has cleaned the window. 

See you on Tuesday, level 3!

Today's lesson: good things take time, and are SO worth while doing.




Sunday, April 26, 2020

Day 32 - Sunday... another Sunday at Level four

So grateful for a sleep in, and for a HUGE reduction in the nightmares. I wonder WHY they have stopped??? Was it finding out that it is perfectly normal to have cray nightmares at this time, that made them disappear?

Anyway, it was another 'pancakes for breakfast' kind of a day!  YUMMO


Straight back into the sorting, and I got kind of distracted. I love how I set out to sort in the rumpus room, and end up tidying wardrobes and shelves... It is all part of the big plan, to bring everything together once and for all. 


I still find it hard to believe that I made all of these bears. 'Gladstone' the largest one at the back is hand made from fur and full of beans. The other five and all felted with wool and a felting needle. I can just remember the pain of the blisters on fingers from this... An amazing stage in my craft over the years...


This was another awesome find today. Mum was a teacher, and when I left my last class back in 2012, she really struggled to understand my new role of facilitator. She decided she would call me a 'facilitator of happiness'. I am so grateful to have this written in her beautiful handwriting. I think I will enlarge it and make a sign for my office door. 


Today I picked the last of the chrysanthemums. They have been stunning and I am determined to get more of these plants. 


The sun came out so we headed off for a walk around the blog. Day 32 of level four and we finally ran into our cousins who live down the road. We have been biking and walking and it has taken us this long to connect. Such an awesome catchup.


We walked around the block, down through the lane. It sure is weird looking back across to our house from the lane. We are very spoilt to live amongst the trees. 

We had an awesome FaceTime with little guy. Oh how we miss him. I found a lot of books in the sort out, so read him a couple of new books. I really can't wait til level 2 for us all to be together again. 


We had another awesome catch up with Val and Frank, and Annette and Dave. Driveway drinks sure has been a wonderful outcome from ISO. I think this is guaranteed to be something we will continue. 


Then, at 7.30, thanks to Cam for organising, we had school virtual drinks. How awesome to catch up with these guys again... Zoom has really changed the world for so many people at this time...


Today's lesson: People matter - they matter a whole darn lot!  Make sure to tell special people that they matter. 

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Day 31 - ANZAC Day

ANZAC Day 2020 in Isolation!

Up with the alarm at 5.45am, and celebrating ANZAC Day on the balcony, listening to the broadcast on Radio NZ. What an incredibly surreal start to the day. For the past four years we have been in Ranfurly for ANZAC Day.

Back to bed for a bit more sleep then up and away on a little cycle adventure. Let's cycle round the block I said... If we must he said... maybe we should have discussed the size of the block... teehee


We left in the sun, biking into a nasty head wind... and I have to admit, it did look threatening...


We were only down Gladfield Road when the rain hit and it sure did get cold. Fortunately we packed jackets. 


With the walkway bridge closed, we had no option but to go through the ford. 



It sure is awesome looking across the plains, back to Saddle Hill. 


So many memories of this stretch of road. This is where we taught Katie to drive... not all of them totally pleasant memories either... teehee.


So after only a few rides this week, look at the progress, after 23km we manage to cycle up our driveway, which is no mean feat. 


That little block we biked around... 23km.... wowser. 





A walk around the garden, a great opportunity to capture shots of the amazing colour of the maples. 


Delicious blue cod for dinner. I am truly so grateful for the large box of blue cod I bought back from the Chatham Islands. We have had so many delicious meals. 


Tonight I headed back into the boxes of photos and oh what a wonderful find. This is Mum, sitting on the seat, beside her sister Eileen. I am just so excited to have found this, and incredibly surprised that I have not seen it before. It was sort of stuck to another photo and I noticed Mum's handwriting on the back. What a true treasure. 


Another treasure was finding this part of Dad's history.... 


And can you believe I still have three packs of poha crackers... I don't think I will ever let these off, but somehow I keep them as a link to our past.... 

Lesson from today: Treasure memories, sort carefully, and make sure these are kept forever.

Next steps for me are to create a google folder and upload some of these treasure photos, for future generations to enjoy. 


Friday, April 24, 2020

Day 30 - furry eyeball

Yesterday ended with a sore head and fuzzy eyes.

This morning I woke with a big furry, fuzzy white patch in front of my left eye, and a constant tick...

After an hour it was obvious this was here to stay so I took the day as sick leave, I simply can't work on a laptop today. 

A very quiet day followed, reading, looking through photos and relaxing. I was so excited to find a whole lot of treasures that I hadn't seen for the longest time. I was especially excited to find my books. So many memories from my childhood are tied up in the books I was read by Mum over the years, and the books I went on to read independently. 


Later in the day, after a feeling of being totally cooped up, we headed out for a walk.  Wow, it has been years since I have walked right up Friend's Hill. It really does have stunning views, and a steep climb. I was quite surprised how busy it was. And I was also acutely aware of how annoying my eye is. I definitely am not feeling the best today. 











I giggle when I look at the Fitbit map of our walk. That gives no indication whatsoever of the steep climb, and steep descent.  A search online shows it is 360metres above sea level... 

That saying sure is true: these best views come after the steepest climbs. 


Tonight I got a FaceBook message asking about how I had created my profile pic with the bubble. I shared the link, and made this one of little guy... This is just how I feel... he is safe and well in his bubble, but it is sooooo hard, that he is out of reach. What we would give for a cuddle. It really is cray to think he hugs the phone and kisses the phone now as we communicate online. Agh that first hug is going to be so good...

Today's lesson: be very grateful for technology that allows us to connect... 



Thursday, April 23, 2020

Day 29 - the throbbing head is real...

My head is throbbing, my eyes are blurry... I think a have Cui.... 
What you ask is Cui... 
COVID + ISO + Zoom + Hui...
Day after day after day of zoom meetings is taking its toll. Don't get me wrong I am loving the work. I am completely and utterly in awe of educators who are working, thinking and preparing in completely new ways. 
I am also in awe of teams who are working, collaborating and sharing. 
So what is the cure for Cui?
For me, for today, it was escaping at 4.45pm out into the best of the day. My bubble buddy and I walked and explored. Agh, the pressure in the head is lessening but the fuzzy eyes remain, so a short post tonight. 



I guess it won't be long til work resumes and this end of the subdivision will reopen and I will be able to do the walking loop again. 



It really is quite incredible how far up the hills the scrape outs are going... It won't be long til we see this filling up.


Looking back across to our place up in the trees. It really is hard to believe that 18 years ago when we bought, none of these houses existed.... 


 Up at the water tanks as the sun drops on the horizon... Day 29...

Lesson from today: BUILD in breaks between all hui and schedule time away from laptop in the middle of the day