a lost post

 

o0o

I have just recently come across a post that I obviously began somewhere in the first half of this year, but which for some reason I did not get around to finishing.
I think that it may have morphed somewhat and become a post on another site, but I have decided that I shall include it below anyways, and will then add anything else that I think might possibly have been intended to be added, from that time…

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I don’t even know where to start!

Here I was three months ago, lamenting that due to the chaotic start to my life-of-retirement, My Love and I had decided to put off assessing whether or not it was working for us, for another three months until early April.

Little did I know – little did any of us know – what was about to come, right around the very next corner…

Hellooooo Corona Crisis!

The world has been turned upside down in the most alarming way, by a virus with the very unalarming name of Covid-19.

What started out with a few stories coming out of China – which is notorious for the editing of any news that is released to the world at the best of times – quickly turned into a virus of concern, then the declaration of a world-wide pandemic!!

My Love and I had heard the rumbles in the early days, and thankfully we feel like we were ahead of many people, who initially dismissed the early reports and concerns of some as a beat-up, as media-hype, as something that might effect others but wouldn’t touch any part of their lives…

We felt like there was potential for this virus to create mayhem – and sadly, we were right.

We listened to relieable health and news sources.
We learnt what we could about the ever-changing landscape, that was changing not just daily, but almost by the half-hour.

By early February, the virus had made its way to Australia, there were cases in the USA; and Wuhan, where’s its thought to have originated, had well over 10,000 cases.
People were dying at an alarming rate, and each day the numbers were rising at rates that weren’t just alarming – but were downright terrifying!!

My Love and I sat down one evening, and had a frank and honest discussion.
We both knew that I was in the high-risk category due to the fact that I have chronic lung disease that is compounded by asthma, and I also have heart disease.

I was also the one who did most of the public-intensive household things, like going grocery shopping, doing our clothes shopping etc, trips to the hardware store numerous times a week, and trips to the nurseries.
I would go to the doctor quite regularly.
I also swam at the public pool 3-4 times a week, then showered in their facilities after my exercise, prior to getting dressed to go shopping.

Every couple of weeks I would meet a friend or two for a catchup coffee.

I would call back in to my old work place to touch base with ex-colleagues, and the Elderly that I used to care for.

My Love and I would have lunch out at a park on the weekend, or at a pub with friends every few weeks.

However – I wasn’t what I would call a ‘social’ person by any means!

I am quite an introvert, and for the most part I like to spend time on my own – but as I have also learnt in the last few months, it turns out I sometimes like to be able to go out in the world every now and then, just to say hi to someone different, or to feel the hug of someone other than my Love…

So – we had that talk, and toward the end of February we made some decisions.

I was to self-isolate at home, and my Love would continue to go to work whilst that was still an option
(many businesses by that point were expected to be closing soon; and some had already closed).
All of the shopping and anything else that we required, would also be attended to by my Love.

Prior to me self-isolating, we had already started topping up our pantry staples.
We bulk-buy a lot of our household supplies, including toilet paper – so we were already ahead, and we both felt a comforting level of security from that.

Over the following weeks, we quietly topped up with a few more staples each time the grocery shopping was done, and we’re glad we had done this, as once Australia decided to take the risk of Covid-19 seriously – the shelves at the grocery stores were quickly emptied of pantry staples, tinned goods, rice, pasta, potatoes, toilet paper, cleaning goods, mince and a whole range of other goods.

Supermarkets had to allot a special hour at the start of each day so that only the Elderly could shop, to ensure that they could get sufficient food just to survive – however, due to the fact that the Elderly are some of the most vulnerable in the Community it is a known fact that just by doing the simple every-day act of going and getting themselves some basic food items, they were also at potential risk of being infected by a killer virus.

Whilst no longer doing the out-of-house errands, my focus was now firmly on preparing our household the best way I could.
And one of the very best ways I am able to provide for us – is to grow more food.

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…and that is as far as that post got.

Over the last few months, I have ramped up food production in our garden.
I have been canning more foods than I would usually can, particularly things like chicken and mince – staple meats in our diet that we don’t want to take up precious freezer space with.

And if a scenario came about in which we didn’t have electricity, we would still have a good long-term stable supply of meat.

In Australia, there has been a new round of outbreaks since the time that I wrote the initial post.
Our southern state of Victoria is in dire trouble with the infection seemingly running rampant, particularly throughout the greater Melbourne area.

New cases are also being reported in New South Wales that have been directly related to the Victoria outbreak.

Other states are showing smaller numbers of new infections for the time being, but I fear that once society starts moving around freely again, that the cases will increase quickly and dramatically.

Many people in our local area are becoming complacent, because “we don’t have any case here”  and I feel like yelling at them that they have NO CLUE whether or not we have case here, and to stop being so damn selfish and self-absorbed – but I know that it would fall on deaf ears… 🤦🏽‍♀️

In the last month, I too have ventured out of home more – but all ventures have been very carefully planned – and have included much hand-washing, social distancing, contactless interaction and sanitising very carefully and mindfully following any outing / interaction etc.

If I plan to go into a shop and there are what I consider to be too many people in there, I simply won’t go in, and will either wait until its almost empty, or will go home and go back another time.

Maybe I’m over-the-top with my care, but ya know what? – its because I CARE!

Not just about myself, but about the elderly, the infirm, those around me whom I don’t know their health story – maybe they have a chronic illness, maybe they’re battling cancer, maybe they’re diabetic, maybe they’re immunosuppressed, maybe they have a sick child or an elderly parent.

There is no way I could possibly know…

And you know what else?
Maybe they’re a carrier of Covid-19, and they don’t even know it!!!

Thats enough – time to be done with this ‘lost post’.
Until next time – Take care folks, stay safe & Wash Your Hands!