Author: TscTempest

We are now in a Controlled Quarantine. The compulsory, “Stay At Home” orders are being relaxed and the various, “concierge” services, (“direct to, and from, your door…”) are being wound down. The last rubbish collection from the entry door, we now have to, separate and sort, our own garbage and dispose of it ourselves; “Everybody Out!”…

There is a shift in our Lockdown Status, a glimmer of light on the horizon. We are now a designated, “Controlled” Area. This means, “highly recommended,” home isolation with daily self-health assessment. Some statistics from the last 52 days: March 8-15 Compound Lockdown (8 Days) March 16 Community access restored (1 day) March 17-27 Compound…

This morning I get up late, there is not no noise. I look out the window, there is nothing to see, just the planter box and bars;  From the kitchen; I see some volunteers walking in the laneway; A little bit later some old ladies are standing outside… curious that they are able to there…

Bleary eyed I arise, dress, and stagger downstairs to join the line, I feel like a shadow of my former self; There are volunteers everywhere, one volunteer checks his phone; Another hold a bottle to sterilize the air; Still more move and control the head of the line; And… eventually wave me forward, when it’s…

Can I even call it, “Lockdown” anymore? Other compounds in our community have moved into lesser restrictions but we just can’t seem to take a trick.  It is said that the darkest hour is always that, just before the light of dawn. Let’s hope that, “dawn” is not still days and weeks away. A volunteer…

April 25th is, for some, a day of celebration, and for others, one of remembrance: I was awoken this morning by the urgent calls of a loud hailer; People line up building block by building block- the people are nervous, why are we testing again? A sugar glider is an unusual pet, it accompanies its…

This morning the cart comes… we have another delivery, what is it this time? The bag on my door fell to the floor, the adhesive hook is lost, inside the bag is a box of 10 tests; This new series of tests includes QR codes; A surprise inclusion in the test kit is a little…

The weather has turned, it’s raining and cold. The damp air chills my bones: This morning, it rains non-stop and puddles form; We are testing today at centralized locations, because the rain interferes with mobile testing; A stray cat stops for a scratch, it cares nothing for my presence; A volunteer takes a moment to…

This morning, it’s already 22 degrees… the days are getting warmer; I am on my last Barrel of water, things are starting to look desperate; Crumpets… For some reason I woke up this morning,  fancying a bit of Crumpet; The volunteers come again. Today with a delivery of bread; Food goes bad, I chop a…

45 days…six weeks… one and a half months… half a season… 1/8 of a year… Interesting how one’s perspective changes, depending on how we measure the time… but I digress. Today, outside the window deliveries come again; This time eggs, that people have ordered; The volunteers take the eggs from the cart to the door,…