Corona Diaries #2

I still can’t believe how quickly everything has happened. These posts are more for me to keep a journal of what is happening in our world right now, sorry if they bore you to tears but lets get into it… I am going to start with a quick run down of what has happened. (You can read Corona Diaries #1 if you missed it).

Basically I returned home from our Wild Spark event on Sunday 15th March and that may be the last time I leave the station for god knows how long. I know we are used to going long periods of time on the station but usually I have something to look forward to, something to keep me going. Instead I am going a little crazy but we will get to that soon.

When we were in Mt Isa, Ed – my Wild Spark partner and good friend – would put the TV on in our hotel room and watch the corona news. I was in such denial and honestly thought it was all getting blown way out of proportion. I told her to turn it off, the media are such drama queens. But you see Ed is a Nurse and her daughter was in Madrid, Spain – no biggie. Obviously she was quite anxious but i was stuck in denial land.

We got through our event and the girls flew back to Brisbane. Ed then managed to get Charlotte on the last flight out of Madrid – can you even believe it. Thank goodness. I think that was the Monday – I was safely back at the station. So once Charlotte arrived back they had to go into Quarantine for 2 weeks, they are both ok.

Next was the email we received from the company we work for on about the 17th March, saying they suggested we think about brining any boarding school kids home. I am so glad they gave us that nudge because we probably would have just left the boys at school given the schools were still open. It all happened very quickly, I spoke to Tom on the Wednesday night, the 18th, and he asked if we could book them on the flight home on Friday morning – geez, that’s a bit quick isn’t it? Once again, I am glad he suggested that, I jumped online and booked their flight, done!

I was still a little airy fairy about things and didn’t think they were that serious, but I was glad they were coming home. I said I would go in to town to pick them up but I wasn’t doing a day trip – 10 hour round trip – I would stay the night. Mr Chardy was a little more sensible (thank goodness) and said he didn’t think that was a good idea. So our headstockman – Georgie – went in to get them, she was keen for a quick town trip so it worked out well.

Ed suggested when they get home that I make them go to the washing machine, strip down go and have a shower, not touch anything and wash their clothes. I felt really silly and Tom argued no end with me but I made them do it and – once again – I am so glad I did. Turns out Ed really does know her shit, ha ha ha. I made them sit their bags out in the sun and I wiped their phones and laptops (and door handles) over with pine-o-clean. So that was still Friday 21st March.

Things escalated from there – we were getting regular Covid-19 updates from our company. There was a lockdown on the stations – no-one allowed or off, so that was it – settle in Dan, you are not going anywhere for some time. Then on Tuesday 24th March the NT closed their borders at 4pm. On Wednesday 25th March QLD closed their borders at midnight. So that was it, even if we did want to go anywhere (which I didn’t, because we are pretty safe here on the station) we couldn’t.

Now I know my personality type and I know that I need to get off the station every few weeks. Sometimes that is just an SOS call to my best friend next door – Shelly, telling her I am coming for a visit. I am starting to feel those feels, I can feel myself getting a little short and a little cranky and soon I won’t be fit for human consumption. But I can’t even duck over to Shelly’s because her house is 8km over the QLD/NT border!!! I am considering asking her to come to the fence and have a wine with me, her in QLD and me in the NT – I am not even kidding.

My friend, Leigh, was about 2 hours late crossing the border coming home into the NT and is now in Quarantine.

Ok where were we, I think it was last weekend, god only know what date – maybe 28th March that they announced the last week of school would be pupil free days – so glad we got the boys home. Who knows when school will go back – it seems that the whole world has shut down – in the space of a week they have closed (and this is just off the top of my head): pubs, clubs, churches, restaurants, we are down to public gatherings of 2 people – 1.5m apart, only 5 at weddings and 10 at funerals, beauty salons. They are urging everyone to stay home if they can. Small businesses are struggling and the economy is up shits creek.

And guess what book I started listening to the other day – Anne Frank – The Diary Of A Young Girl. The story of a family forced into hiding in Amsterdam 1942 to escape the Nazis. For over 2 years, they, another family and a German dentist lived in a ‘secret annex’, rearing discovery. All that time, Ann kept a diary – she was 13 when they went into hiding.

Their story really resonates with what is happening in the world right now, and even though it was 1942, and a totally different situation, their struggles were very similar to ours – Anne would often put on a pretty pair of shoes and a nice jumper, she just wanted to feel good. She whinged about petty things, just like us right now. They dreamed of the day they would get out and that they would have a long hot bath. Anyway, I just keep thinking how strange it is that I decided to listen to this book now.

Now, because there is no chance of me getting away anytime soon I have decided to take matters into my own hands. We had 2 new little cottages built last year. No one lives in them yet and I have set one up – bed all made etc. So I have decided to call this my “Beach House”. I have told everyone I am going “away” on Saturday afternoon for the night. A little night away. I might pop some of tonights Thai Fakeaway into a takeaway container, pretend it is home delivery, pop some wine in the mini-bar and settle in with some Netflix. See what my life has become, playing little games. But whatever keeps you sane, right. I might be a new person come Sunday! Mr Chardy said he might visit, no no no – I am going away by myself! No. I told everyone I won’t have mobile reception so they won’t be able to contact me, ha ha ha, god I need to get a life.

In other news my hair toner from the Tint Department didn’t arrive on the mail plane yesterday, so my root situation will have to wait another week. When I do tend to it I will be sure to take lots of pics and tell you how I did it. I have been popping some make up on each day which makes me feel really good.

Once again – I can’t believe the whole world is finally living our lives. I used to think we were just normal, living out here, but it seems maybe we aren’t, maybe our life is a little unique. Because I keep hearing people on podcasts talk about all the time they are spending with their husbands, the homeschooling of their children, having their kids around ALL THE TIME, not being able to get to the hairdressers, not going anywhere for days and weeks on end… hello welcome to our world. They have me thinking now that maybe we are made of stronger stuff than we realise.

I had one reader ask me the other day for tips about homeschooling – my tip is to step away from the schoolwork and get into it next term, actually my exact advice was: “drink heavily, hard liquor is the only thing that will get you through”. I am no good in the school room, that is why we have a Governess. My high school boys have apparently been doing their work but I am such a slack Mum that I am just taking their word for it – no seriously they really have been. As of next term they will have a routine and be doing their work each day. I have one piece of advice to give you: don’t stress, because seriously, has anyone ever asked to see your year 4 school report? No. The whole world is in the same boat. If it is causing stress step away from the year 4 fractions! They will be ok.

Right, I have blabbed on for long enough, sorry, this blog post is a bit like Covid-19, it escalated quickly!

Ok, it is Thai Fakeaway here tonight, how about you guys?

Please add anything in the comments below about what is happening in the world, we are a little like Anne Frank – keeping our diary of what is going on. How are you going? Tell me everything! Have a great weekend.