Writing In A Time of Corona Virus: NZ Lockdown Week 2
Two weeks ago when I did my first Writing In A Time of Corona Virus* post, NZ was on its way into full lockdown in an effort to get ahead of the Corona Virus curve before we went down the same path as Italy or Spain. Although we have a public health system, as a small country we faced a very real risk of that system being overwhelmed once the first cases of community transmission began to appear.
So the government made the decision to go into full lockdown and we’re currently in Day 12, Week 2 of a four week period—along with around one quarter of the world’s population by one estimate I heard referenced.
Lockdown, the Christchurch Rear Lines Style
In terms of how it’s going, as noted two weeks ago, the surface conditions of lockdown don’t look that different from normal everyday life for a writer, i.e. I work from home anyway so in that sense it’s business as usual. I’m supposed to keep my walks to within two kilometres of home and that’s also my usual routine, although the options I use to mix the routine up by going farther afield are out.
Probably the main difference is that trips to supermarkets are now an exercise in strategic and logistical planning as many have considerable queuing in order to manage numbers in-store and maintain social distancing. (By all reports there’s no substantive issue in terms of supply.)
Another change is the burgeoning of Zoom meetups in my life, as this is now the new way for family and friends to touch base and interact. π All of which, I imagine, is pretty much the same for most of you who’re also on some form of lockdown, wherever in the globe you live.
It’s impossible not to be aware of the magnitude of the situation the world is facing, with so many countries struggling to cope and the juggernauts of life and health, social and economic wellbeing all under the Covid-19 gun. Yet I also felt, in going into lockdown, that it was important to try and take whatever positives I could from the situation.
Firstly, that it’s a great opportunity to go even harder on the book—to which end I’ve marked the first week in lockdown by dealing to one of the three-to-four major plot points in The Wall of Night series. I won’t say it wasn’t a steep writing curve—because it was—but it’s also a significant milestone and a great feeling to say, “Yep: done!”
It’s also autumn here right now, which is the season for starting to get the garden sorted ahead of winter. With other pastimes offlimit I had no excuse for not getting out there this weekend, and spent quite a few productive hours repotting and replanting, as well as pruning and deadheading, and sweeping up the first piles of bronze and gold and crimson autumn leaves—with the promise of plenty more to come as autumn gathers speed.
Although it sounds like a lot of work, I also find it relaxing at a deep level, which I think is to do with working with the cycle of life and nature. I often find my thoughts turn toward what’s happening with my writing when my hands are busy in the dirt as well, and new ideas and fresh insights often shake loose (along with the dirt, lol!)
One thing that took quite a hit in the runup to lockdown was the baking aisles in NZ supermarkets. As one person on Twitter put it (I paraphrase): “Clearly NZ is going to bake its way out of Corona virus.” π Regular visitors here will know that baking is something I do anyway, but my first lockdown scones (that’s griddle cakes, btw, for North American readers) were not a success, emerging from the oven as flat as the baking tray they went in on. π
However, there always is a silver lining somewhere, in this case for the birds that got to feast royally for the rest of the day. Fortunately, too, scones are quick, so I whipped up a second batch which turned out fine, and breakfast was only a little delayed. Although there “may” have been intervening curses…
One thing I decided from Day 1 was that I was definitely not going to mooch around the house in my pyjamas, or wear my oldest clothes, just because it was lockdown and I wouldn’t be seeing anyone most of the time. Instead I decided to take the exact opposite approach and dress up a bit, just for the fun of it. So I broke out a couple of new sweatshirts and have been making sure I sally forth in style for my walks. (Although maybe not quite so much of the lockdown chic when hard at it in the garden. π )
Being autumn, the weather’s been quite mixed between grey and cold, sunny and warm, so my first lockdown appearance being on a very cold windy sort of day, I had to rug up for my walk. And although I’ve been dubbed “Helen in Black” for many years, I decided it was a time for La Vie En Rose as well as ‘in lockdown.’ π I was going to try and work in a Raspberry Beret as well (yes, I do have one!) but the chill wind dictated a burgundy version instead…(Because it snugs down over the ears and never blows away: very important!)
And yes, we have put out soft toys for kids to spot, when out for their lockdown walks. π
More Seriously…
As above, looking for silver linings and being determined to make the most of the enforced circumstances doesn’t mean I’m not aware of their seriousness. I do keep up with the news—but my (very small) job is not only to keep the lockdown and so try and stop the spread of corona virus in NZ, but also to keep up my own morale and not give in to fear and doubt. So actively working on the positives is an important part of that.
Otherwise, as I said in that first post, wherever you are, I know youβll be trying to do your best in whatever the current situation is. So please keep being as careful as you can be out there, and as safe and well as it is possible to be.
He waka eke noa — we’re all in this together.
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*Yes, I am riffing off Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Love In A Time of Cholera.;-)
I agree about the trips to the supermarket requiring serious planning.
I am avoiding doing baking because of the downstream eating. I am working from home so have plenty to do during the day for 5 days of the week.
I think your post does describe in very general terms what most people are doing in NZ. The autumn has been very pleasant so far which has permitted going out for exercise near our homes.
I heard of one supermarket locally where the queue was most of the length of the (lockdowned) mall, but that was also on the Thursday immediately before Easter. Although on the same day I walked into a local supermarket without queueing at all. Very much the luck of the draw…
I’m glad to hear you’re still working, albeit from home. Only today I spoke with a friend in Germany who had lost their job as a direct consequence of Covid-19.
And yes to the autumn weather: it really has been fabulous so far, although it would be nice to be able to go farther afield than the 2 kilometre lockdown radius.