Supermarket

Mum was dreading  going to the supermarket  under lockdown  today, but it was ok.  This was the toilet paper aisle - plenty of supplies with only  a few gaps.  Kiwis have been told to calm down and shop normally  to leave enough for  everyone, which I think they are doing.

Mum only waited in a line for 2 minutes  to get in and 5 minutes at the checkout.   There wasn't  much meat but mum got everything  she needed.

On the news there was a local bread company where all the  30 staff have stayed in lockdown  together, away from their families  so that they could make 20,000 loaves a day.  Good on them.

Day 5

We are in strict lockdown here on day 5.  No restaurants, no takeaway food, no online shopping except for groceries, no visitors, no travelling - nothing.  Stay home.  We are allowed to exercise by going for a walk close to home away from others,  go to the doctors (although you have to ring them and they are doing 99% of consultations over the phone) or go to the supermarket for essentials.  Essential workers only are allowed to go to work.  Mum and all of her colleagues carry their ID in case they are stopped by Police.

Mum was surprised to read some of the news from around the world about what other countries are doing.  Things she read overnight though made sense about how we have been able to move swiftly.  Here in New Zealand we only have one level of government, so decision making can be quick and decisive without a lot of arguing.  Every day at 1pm there is a nationwide press meeting, where the Prime Minister, Director General of Health and other leaders present the numbers of Covid Patients for the day and impart any new information for the public.  This is broadcast on television for anyone to watch. 

Mums cold has settled and she will return to her essential work tomorrow.  She is looking forward to getting out of the house for a while, and understands why some people have a touch of the cabin fever.  Mum is missing seeing her friends, but they all stay in touch with phone calls and texts to check on each other.

Tonight dinner for her is  a frozen cooked spicy  mince and veg dish from last week.  She is going to reheat it and have mince on toast to use up the last of her loaf of bread.  Tomorrow after work she is going to try to go to the supermarket, a task she usually enjoys but now is fraught with its own stress.  She doesn't have to get much, but some bread and fruit and veg will help boost out the frozen food and pasta.  She tries to be nice to the checkout team and thank them for the good job they are doing in these strange times.  Also a big thank you to the bus drivers who are transporting essential workers round for free.

Resting

I have been helping  mum to rest and she is feeling  much better with the cough finally beginning to recede.  It has been raining heavily since Fridsy and is much cooler than the weather we had earlier  in the month.   Ideal weather  for sitting  and watching the box.

Last night she watched Jojo Rabbit which was good, but mum is not sure that she was comfortable in the satirical  tone of the movie.  She loves Taika Waititi usually but found that it relied too heavily on too many stereotypical caricatures of many of the supporting characters.  Maybe she will have to watch it again when she is less distracted by the current issues occurring in the world.

Jurassic World - Fallen Kingdom  is on the television  tonight.  So mum is settling  down with a big vodka and orange juice (mums drink is about 1% vodka).  Me - mom let's me have 4 temptations.

Negative

Mum got her results back today and she is negative for covid 19 which is good news.  The results were back quickly and within 24 hours.  As she suspected it is probably just a simple cold, and she will be able to return back to work 24 hours after she feels better.

She got lots of texts from friends and made a couple of phone calls today, which is always nice to laugh with friends when they can't get together.  She made herself a tasty dinner of a pork chop with potatoes and salad, and mixed herself a vodka and fruit juice.  She watched JoJo Rabbit and thinks she will sleep much better tonight, as long as her coughing does not wake her up too much.

Thank you for all the well wishes - mum was very grateful for your kindness.

Swabbed

Mum had the day off today.  Yesterday her slight tickle had felt a bit more if a cough so she came home early.  She spoke with dr friends last night and came up with a plan.  Don't  panic my friends- mum just feels  like she is  getting  a seasonal cold.

This morning  she rang and spoke with her boss to say she wouldn't  come to work.  She then rang the gp.  She got straight  through and the gp rang her back at 8.30am for a quick phone appointment.   She agreed that it was probably  a cold but for mum to get swabbed as she is a hospital  worker, so that she can return when well.

At 2.30pm mum put her jacket on and a face mask and went to the gps for testing.   She stopped at the pharmacy to pick up a prescription  that had been faxed.  Mum had rung them and they had it ready and mum arranged that she would call them as she arrived.  Mum stood way back from the front door, and the pharmacist  came out and left mums prescription  outside the door, so that mum could pick it up with no contact.  No id  or anything  was  needed - kiwis are pretty  trusting like that.

Swabbing took place in the deserted gp carpark.  The dr in ppe just took a quick swab from mums nose and throat.  All done in two minutes  - she said it was a bit gross and made her want to gag but, really not so horrible.

So dont worry, mum was home 15 minutes later avoiding the people out exercising  and getting fresh air.  She truly feels fine, just a cough and a bit like a cold.  The worst bit was the walking  about in the face mask, it made her a bit hot and bothered and was relieved  to get home and remove it.

She also has not been stealing supplies.  In the past month, she had kept her own gently used masks and put them aside in case this very problem arose.

So now she is waiting results and advice from her dr.  She us going to have to wait until she is well  to return  to work.  Luckily  I will assist her in getting better.ĺ

Social Isolation

I'm keeping  my distance  from my  mum.  2 metres  they say.  Mum got her flu injection  at work and the line snaked around the foyer like everyone  was waiting for a ride at Disneyland. 

Of course when the lights go off I'll jump up on the bed and spend 10 minutes snuggling  up beside her.

Lockdown

Here we go!! As of midnight  we're  on lockdown  here in New Zealand  for 4 weeks.  Mum ordered  a pizza for dinner tonight  before they all shut there doors.  She hasn't  had a takeaway  supper all year but knew she might miss them when you can't get them.  Essential  workers like mum  carry on like normal but mum expects the streets  to be quiet tomorrow. 

It is crazy to think that millions  of people  around the world  will be living like this for weeks but how lucky are most of  us to have warm beds to sleep in and enough food to keep our tummies full. 

Tonight  our country  also declared  a state of emergency  to give police the power to clear the streets and restrict people's movements.  So behave out there!! 

Tuesday

Mum was a little  annoyed this evening.  The bus company  will still be running over the lockdown so that essential workers can get about.  Hats off to them - they are making it free until June which is awesome.   However they are going to  only run it to a Sunday timetable  which means that the earliest bus only gets to the hospital  at 08.34am which is hopeless  for day shifts which start at 7am.  So mum will be stuck walking. 

She is lucky that it is only a 40 minute walk to work, but now with added id checks to get into the hospital  she will have to now  leave even earlier.  She feels  for colleagues  who live much further  away who will be stuck.  She has written an email to the bus company  and to the paper tonight to complain.

Plans

Today was  mums day off.   She took me for a senior  check which I passed.  I got  some furs clipped  which I wriggled  a bit for.

Mum dropped  me off home and then went to the printers.  She had made a couple if emergency  sheets for me that she had laminated.  In case she gets ill or an emergency  happens she wants to be prepared.   She knows that lots of our readers live alone  too.  She has all my health history  and phone numbers for mums friends on it.  There are feeding instructions  and info about my sleeping  and bedding arrangements.   She feels better knowing  I will be taken care of.

Mum popped to the supermarket.  There was lots of food  available  and no lines which was good.  The meat supplies were low but lots of toilet paper and mum didn't  even buy cat food.  The government  has been imploring  people to shop normally  and that seemed to be happening  today.

When she got home the Prime Minister  had more announcements for New Zealanders.   Schools close tomorrow  and we will go into lockdown  on Wednesday  at midday.  Mum is prepared and ready now. 

Great Idea

We found another great thing on Bored Panda today.   A Danish supermarket came up with a way to stop people hording essentials like hand sanitiser.  They are selling one bottle for 5.50 Euros, and two bottles for 134 Euros.  Sounds like a good work around to us.

Mum is trying to distract herself by watching Jurassic World on the tv tonight.   Suddenly dinosaurs don't seem so scary.

Stay Safe friends.

Caturday

Jacinda  was on the news to tell us an update about  the virus  today.  We have 54 patients  and community  spread now.  70 year olds have been told to stay home and people are being told not to travel around  the country.   Libraries  and swimming  pools are closed now.  Mum has a large pile of books as she sensed this was coming.    She has a kindle but likes the feel of a real book.  We are surprised  that restaurants  and bars are still  open - we see they are closing in the uk.

We sense that a lockdown  is not far off.

Mum is working  tonight but then has two days off for us to spend quietly  at home. 

PLEASE

PLEASE

                                   photo from bored panda

                    

                                      
                                     
                                     

My Mum works in a hospital - and as she wrote last night she thinks a lot of the public don't get it.  They don't understand.  She found these posts on Bored Panda last night including the picture above.  It explains the importance of what is going on right now.  We know the news is confusing and scary.  PLEASE STAY HOME.  If you have to go to work or the supermarket we understand.  But cafes, and meet ups and church can all wait.  Protect yourself and your neighbors.   PLEASE STAY HOME.

If you need more information to read this is a good link https://tincture.io/dispatch-3-dr-shlain-reporting-from-the-front-lines-a86bca27847b

PLEASE

Serious

Boy it's getting  serious  out there in the world  isn't  it.  Tonight our borders close so only New Zealanders  can come into the country.   Only 100 people can be in one place.  Mum was surprised  to see on the way home that there were  still lots of people  were at the swimming  pools and gymn.  I think that people  just don't  get it and the only way to make people  stay home will be to close everything  down.

For mum she is happy to come home and sit with me in the autumn  sun.  The best place  to be!

Wordless Wednesday

Chilling

How are you doing friends?  The temperature has dropped  today, mum has the heaters on as she was cold.  Lots of changes here.  The streets were emptier on mums way to work and on the way home.  I think the schools are having some years stay home, and we won't  be surprised  if they close entirely soon like many other countries.

So far not much of mums routines have changed,  as during the week she usually  only goes too and from work, with stops at the supermarket  and library.  She saw most of her friends  at the weekend  which was nice. 

How are you all doing?

Pretty

Tonights sky was super pretty.  Mum managed to get a couple  of shots standing in the garden  in her dressing gown.  She has an early start tomorrow  morning  so will have a big shower and do her hair tonight.

Mum made a simple  supper tonight with leftovers  to eat for her lunch tomorrow.   She is grateful  that the library  is still open and she stocked up.  She worries  that they may close  the libraries  and mum loves to read.  Does she sound crazy having 18 books out?

Busy

Mum got sucked into  looking  at the internet  to the wee hours last night, and woke  up early as it was a lovely morning.  The landlord came round and pulled apart the table and benches that were rotten, did some gardening and took the rubbish to the dump.  Mum has realized now that I have nothing to jump out of the window onto, so might have to buy something  for me otherwise my escape route has gone.

As she was up early  she went to the supermarket  to get some chicken/mince/bacon and vegetables for the freezer.   People  were looking  a bit tense but the shelves were full  looking.  She is feeling confident  now that there is not much else she could run out of.

We had a nap before dinner.  Our nights are cooling quickly  and it is dark early.  Autumn is now underway   - we hope that our friends in the Northern  Hemisphere  are feeling  signs of spring.

Ode to Joy Caturday

How are you doing friends?   We had a lovely sunny day in the city and mum went and met a bestie for brunch and a wander.  She bought a few treats, a candle, some hair products and a fluffy cushion.  there were a few people in town, but lots of the cafes were not as full as usual and mum was happy to get home with me. 

Tonight she made an early supper and has frozen half the leftovers so that she has a couple of easy meals ready to go.   She is going to get up early tomorrow to fill a few more holes in her supplies and then spend the rest of the day with me. 

She watched this video on another website tonight and thinks we all need a little Ode to Joy at the moment.  So beautiful.

Friday

While the world is spinning  around, mum went and met up with 6 friends for a gin tasting  at a small local  distillery  in town.  Even though the tastings were tiny, mum does not like dpirits unless they are mixed with lots of fruit juice or soft drink.  Mum dislikes tonic or soda water.  She didn't come home with any bottles though as she has 3 bottles of gin  up in the cupboard  already.

She was glad to get home to me.  The roofers had been back again.  Mum left the curtains closed in the bedroom  which was better for me as there was no strange men looking through  the windows at me.

Thursday

Mum has been surprised  that I have not been too stressed  this week.  Yesterday  there were the painters  here, stripping  the paint off  our little  grey house.  Today the roofers were here and it looks like they got the old roof off and replaced in one day, although  the gutters will need to be done. 

I am pretty  keen to see mum when she gets home and ready for some sleep too as all those workmen have ruined my day sleeps. The workers  weren't  around  last weekend,  so hopefully  we can have a weekend  to ourselves.  We haven't  had anybody  here in the mornings  either so mum can sneak  around in her dressing gown without  giving  anyone a fright.

Wordless Wednesday

Ready

Mum has been buying  a little extra each week  to stock up our cupboards.  She has about 50 cans if fancy feast and this week she will buy some more of my biscuits.   Mum is thrilled to have 20 rolls of toilet paper, 4 boxes tissues and a couple of boxes of paracetamol and a digital thermometer  in the cupboard in case she gets ill.   She has had a bad flu a couple of years ago and knows how sick it can make her.  She also works at the hospital, so the chances of coming in contact with infected people is raised.

 She has lots of rice and pasta and canned soup available -  and plenty of chocolate too.   This week she wants  to reassess  what is in the freezer, and make some space for some more bread, vegetables  and chicken.   Mum wants to have enough of what she would buy weekly, so that if she was stuck at home for a month there would be enough to survive on.  She only has a small pantry so it is nice to see it well stocked.

Mum is happy  that she is prepared for most possibilities.   She has been watching  the news and the lockdown in Italy, and if she gets sent home from work tomorrow  she would be ok.  Because mum lives alone she wants us to be prepared. She is not considering it as pain buying but more as being stocked up.

How are you all doing?  Got enough  toilet paper?

Lovely

Mum was exhausted  today after her  weekend  shifts.  So she turned  the alarm to off and we slept until 10am.  No workers came until 1pm and they did an hours scraping some paint and went without disturbing  mum.  So she will get up earlier tomorrow  and get some jobs done.

Mum binge watched a UK series called Back to Life, watched 2 episodes of another  series called Breeders and read some of her Elton  John biography , which she is enjoying  a lot.  I slept in the little  chair, on mums  bed, beside  mums bed, on my bed and snuggled  next to mum for 5 minutes.  A perfect day.

Spied

Mum spied the other neighbor  cat sleeping  on the scaffolding  this morning  and naughty  neighbor  was back on her chair  too.

Neighbor

Look who made themselves  comfortable  on my mum's chair!!!  Super cheeky.  When mum went out at 7am naughty  neighbor was there and stayed until midday.

Scaffolding

Mum got to go to work tonight and I spent the afternoon  looking at the scaffolding.  At least I have not been interested in climbing  up onto it.

So it is midnight  supper tonight.  Mum is off to have some treats and to relax before  bedtime.

Thursday

There are some  last glances of summer flowers on mums walk home.  The nights are darker and cooler and the morning s too are losing their light. 

It is a bit busy at home.  The landlord has organized scaffolding,  builders, painters and roofers.   How stressful!!  Mum made sure that I can hide in our bedroom  but I am glad when mum gets home.  The painters  have been busy, the paint is just about all of the house  after one day.  So wish me luck for my days at home with all the noise, cos if I get too stressed mum says I have to go to the cat hotel.

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday

Mum got herself  a new phone  at the weekend.   She smashed the screen  on her old one and the battery  was  dying.  So now I am rudely subjected to more intrusive  photo  sessions  that  interrupt  my snoozing. But they show my lady whiskers  off nicely.

Music Monday - To Help You Sleep

Aww sweetness.  Enjoy!!

Sunday Sunbeams

The sun is subtly  moving, making it's way round for the next few seasons .  Still I'm going to enjoy it while I can.