We are in lockdown again... One person found with Covid19 and because of it's exponential behaviour Aotearoa went immediately into lockdown.
Now a lot of us find lockdown nice, yes nice. We are lucky enough to not have to go into it for too long, not like other countries. We have an enforced holiday, get things done at home, rest up and are able to survive with help from govt funds. Of course that's not how it is for everyone, I feel for those who live with people they don't get on with... for those who are waiting proceedures in hospital etc.. businesses finding it very hard, especially small ones. We've been in Level 4 which is don't go out except to the doctor, to be swabbed or vacinated, or to the supermarket. No going outside your own neighbourhood when exercising. Next Wednesday we go to Level 3 which is a bit more freedom, Auckland and north however will stay on in Level 4.
We are back to being alone in our home. My son and his family have moved into a house in Ngongotaha to wait out the build time for their new house. There's good and bad to this, good = it's quiet, bad = it's quiet. I miss them all a lot.
We've been busy doing a few very small things during lockdown. Kent working on his ute and making a rack for our riding gear in our garage. Me sorting a cupboard upstairs and repairing a curtain rail, doing things out in the garden and sweeping the yard. Yesterday I followed a YouTube tutorial and did a painting of a woman dancing in an awesome yellow dress, it came out well.
Terrible things are happening overseas, other than Covid. The Taliban taking over Afghanistan and suicide bombers killing people trying to get out at the airport, famine in Yemen and people starving there, floods and fires in USA. The world seems to be going through a bad time. Bad things have been happening in our family also, it can be hard to remain positive and feeling happy and I find I'm having to work on this in order not to feel down.
The housing market here has gone crazy. An ordinary old house in Papakura sold for a million dollars. Our next door neighbour sold his for $815,000 and another 2 houses down went for $870,000. It's just weird, who ever has enough money to pay that for a home! How could you pay the mortgage? People are also having to pay high amounts to rent houses too. So we will all get on the merri-go-round again where prices will go up for everything and wages have to rise in order for people to even eat.
We had just gotten to the point where travel overseas was so easy and cheap. Last year I had 3 trips planned, all cancelled, it almost seems unreal. Will we ever be back in that position again... I can't even imagine wanting to travel to most countries because of Covid19.
This is seeming like a very black post, he pouri nui, but it's just how things are. We are not low, we are very lucky to be living on this island and mostly Covid free over the last 18 months so able to live normal lives. We are looking forward to summer, to bike rides and camper trips, to sunshine and swimming, to barbys with friends and adventures with family.
We hope all is well with you all
