Day 52 - Family reunited....

Oh my goodness... It was the longest wait last night...

Finally they arrived at 7.30. Little guy was sound asleep in the ute. Agh sooooo good to see them all. Words can't explain it. We haven't been together since little guys 2nd birthday which is 81 days... It actually seems like a lifetime. We had a wonderful roast dinner together then an early night. 

WOW - the boys were off hunting at 4.30... and little guy was up at 5.30. So much of the day to enjoy when it starts at this hour. 

Day 51 - bursting out of my skin with excitement....

I woke up this morning, and pinched myself. Is it for real? Is today the day we really get to see J, G and L? YES IT IS...

So I have an incredibly full on day planned to keep me busy in the hope that we get to the time they arrive asap...

The morning started with an awesome team meeting. There were just four of us but it was a great sharing time. This week has definitely been calmer and it is GOOD.

In the lunch break I finished my sewing projects, just in time for Elyse's birthday. Oh my goodness it is soooooo good to have the dining room back. My sewing machine and overlocker have been out since the start of the time of ISO. I have to say that has been wonderful, I have loved every minute of my creations. BUT it is good to have it all out of sight. Even better, I have a great new space for storing it now, so will be so much easier to set up again. 

I am very proud of my creations. 

I had a couple of awesome meetings today... we really are poised on the precipice of exciting new opportunities...

So here I am blogging at 6pm, roast dinner in the oven, desperately awaiting the arrival of family.....

Day 47 - holding out for news of when we go to Level 2

Today at 4pm we will find out if we go to level 2. I am so excited about the potential of this. If we go to level 2 on Wednesday, as Jacinda has promised a 48 hour announcement, J, G and L will be able to visit this weekend. I can hardly wait. 

So, will this Monday morning be better than those of late? We will be back into the capacity tracker and accountability... not so much. This week was more about sharing and for that I am exceptionally grateful! This really has been an incredible time with some amazing facilitation opportunities. 

Great meetings again today with educators. How awesome to see teachers beginning to think through the opportunities for a more blended approach going forward. 

One of my purchases online - lamb steaks - YUMMO, but very expensy for how much there way. Maybe this is what portion size should really look like... which leads nicely to today's favourite meme...

How awesome is this... we really will look back on this time and the stages... so so funny....

So, gathering in front of the TV at 4pm, and the news... it made me cry. We are going to level 2 on Wednesday at 11.59pm. YUSSSSSSSSSSS J, G and L can visit this weekend, and K and S can buy flights and come down for Queen's Birthday weekend.... honestly... I have missed family soooooooooo much during this ISO. Tears of share joy and relief... 

JOY JOY JOY

Alert Level 2

Day 46 - Mother's Day in ISO

So here it is... my first Mother's Day without a Mother... I thought it would be overwhelmingly sad but NO... I awoke grateful that Mum is out of pain, unaware of the challenges of Covid-19, and at peace. I made an awesome breakfast treat of Smashed Avo, eggs and salmon... and of course, a latte. I really am sooo grateful for our coffee machine. I have enjoyed at least one coffee every day. 

I am thoroughly enjoying my own Mother's Day treat. Yesterday when I picked up the Sphagnum Moss from Nicholls, I was able to treat myself two chrysanthemums. 

What an awesome surprise to open the courier pack that arrived yesterday - such a delicious treat from J, G and L. Pomegrante is just such an incredible treat. 

Then an email from K with a voucher for Onsen Hot Pools in Queenstown... agh soooo spoilt. 

Then it was time to set to and create the dream I had in my head. Grant shaped the heart for me out of trusty old number eight wire.

I used fishing line to secure sphagnum moss...

Four visits to the bottom of the drive to select succulents...

And what a result. So happy with this in situ at the Allanton Cemetery. It was great to catch up with K and J at the cemetery. It is very weird to actually see people and be around people. 

We were driving home from the cemetery when K, S, J, G and L surprised me with an absolutely awesome Mother's Day facetime. WOW what a day. I had such low expectations and it has been one of the Best Mother's Days ever.... 

Back out to the garden and using an old mess orb I made years ago as the centre of a willow weaving ball, I created my very own succulent ball. Not too shabby at all. 

A couple of hours out in the garden, splitting up and planing. I have added a scillia row to the side of the path out the back. I hope there is enough sunlight out here to allow them to flower. Next spring is going to be somewhat of a surprise after the work we have put in this autumn. 

The sun sets on a stunning Mother's Day.... very very grateful!

Day 45 - Beach....

Saturday... Honestly, this is hard yards... I am so grateful to make it to another weekend...

Potsie and John are so in my thoughts and prayers. I am so very grateful to chat to you Potsie... I wish my arms could reach out a real hug to you and Lani...

So, tomorrow is Mother's Day. I have very low expectations for this day. I will not see Katie or Jason, and families, and this is my first Mother's Day in 56 years without my Mum. I have been brainstorming an idea in my head... I have no flowers in my garden, so I am going to try and make a succulent heart for the cemetery. I cannot get the sphagnum moss I need from Bunnings or Mitre Ten but Nicholls have the GOLD. A drive in to collect this and Grant and I went for a stunning beach walk from Middle Beach again. I LOVE the beach...

There is so much kelp on the beach... wish I could take this home for the garden...

One of the very many highlight of this time of ISO is driveway drinks. We are really lucky to have such an awesome set of neighbours. 

Day 44 - engulfed in sadness

Late last night I got a call from Potsie, John has passed.... agh I am just so engulfed in sadness, and overwhelmed. 

I am really struggling to be on my A game working today. How is it possible to move into a headspace that makes this ok. YES we knew time was limited but it is never the same as the end. What I would give to be able to teleport to Perth. Virtual hugs just don't cut the mustard. 

I tried so hard to stay on my game til I was in meetings with people I know and work closely with... then I just lost it... yes I cried in Zui.... agh....

This is sooooo hard... 

Only photo to share today is the super moon... I stood on the deck for quite sometime, reflecting on loss... big hugs Potsie.... Just like the moon, during the day it is out of view. John you may be out of our view, but you live on in our memories, our thoughts, and in our recordings of your stunning voice... 

Day 43 - YUSSSSS we are going to be allowed domestic travel at level 2

Up and started the day with F45 Panthers. So so grateful to the team for keeping this going. 

Stunning light on the hills today...

Another working day of almost back to back Zoom hui. So awesome to see how creative and innovative educators are getting. We have moved through the coping phase and are now seeing real opportunities for cross curricular DEEP learning. 

Oh my goodness, shopping to report... yesterday my merino samples arrived from Fabric Store and today I phoned in my order. Imagine my surprise when they said it would be ready at 1pm today, so I went for a drive in my lunch break. I actually went into Dunedin, into the CBD... how very weird to be out and about. The scary thing is it was busy, there was a lot of traffic on the road and cars everywhere. I got the store, phoned that I was outside and they put my order outside the door... how cool is that. Oh imagine my delight when I looked in the bag... delicious pieces of merino... in golds, navys and greys.... It now all out on the line, having been washed and preshrunk.  VERY generous cuts too thanks Fabric Store. 

After work I took time for a quiet walk around the garden. I am in awe of the progress Grant has made getting rid of the piles of garden rubbish, he has worked tirelessly for days... I really can't wait to get back in the garden this weekend. I can also hardly believe the change this week... a couple of windy days and most of the leaves have now fallen...

Loving the flush of new growth on the miniature kowhai Judith bought me when Mum passed. 

Agh the leaves are falling so quickly as autumn slips towards winter...

Delicious dinner... vege fest.... 

Showing how quickly the leaves have turned and fallen over the past two weeks... 

NOW to the MOST EXCITING news... today at 1pm Jacinda Ardern announced some of the detail of a move to level two, and we can resume domestic travel... honestly, tears snuck out my eyes... our family can come together again.... 

Oh my goodness, we are coming through this... one day, one step at a time, NZ, led by Jacinda Ardern and team... #amazing

Today's lesson: trust, believe... now for making sure we stay safe... 

Day 42 - heading up over another speed bump

Day 42, WOW that is now marking 6 weeks... I keep thinking about something I watched very early on about it taking 60 days to establish new habits. We are 18 days away from this. What habits have I established? I certainly am loving being home and working from home. I have quite well established exercise routines. As long as I am up early enough to get it in before the start of the day. Today I headed out for an awesome bike ride. It was very cold out there and it was into a head wind heading out, so it sure was nice to turn for home. 

Today was interesting. I am working with schools who are heading up and over a new speed bump and are into a 'worry phase'. We cannot change what will happen with level two, we do not know when it will happen or how it will look, but for many educators this is not halting the concern. 

We are working to change things up a little and move into a creative space for next week. As we create innovative, creative taskboards for next week, we are allowing for an emergence of a truly blended learning experience - exciting indeed. 

A real highlight in my day, was notification that a birthday parcel was delivered south by the courier. How grateful I am for any connection with little guy at this time... we miss him sooooo much. 

Happy Birthday Gabi, third family birthday in isolation. We sure do have a lot to celebrate when we are next able to all be together. 

Naw, look at that gorgeous little face....

The day sped by, and I cam downstairs to prepare dinner. WOW look at the progress they have made on the wall today... before long there will be a house next door....

Day 41 - two zeros in a row

Today started with F45 Romans. I really do enjoy these sessions and wish I made the effort every day. 

The true highlight of the day was heading up to the office to my proper desk, which Grant moved through last night. Agh, so good - right height, no more sore back or neck. So much space and just felt so good. 

...and check out that view. I really am so glad I shifted back through to the front of the house. As long as there is a little sun, the room warms up rapidly. 

So the day flew by with a mare minutes for bathroom stops and drink and food stops. I finished just after 4 today. So so good to finish at a reasonable time. I am loving watching the progress of this new build across the paddock... or what was a paddock, rapidly filling with new neighbours. Today is only the second day the builders have been back on site and the concrete block wall is really building up. 

Tonight I got back to my sewing. Quite happy with my creation tonight. Photos to come at a later date, after the birthday. 

...ooh nearly forgot to mention, today is the second day in a row with zero new Covid 19 cases. I love the memes that come up - such clever people.

Today's lesson: Comfort is important. My back and neck feel so much better with the right height desk again.