Last day of Lockdown

April 30...day 35!   At midnight South Africa will go into Phase 4 when some regulations will be relaxed.

     Emile and Jana are planning to take the kids out tomorrow morning between 6 and 9 when we are allowed to run or walk outside... (2 sessions in the pram) But not further than 5km from ones home.

    A curfew is also coming into effect where nobody except essential workers may be on the streets from 8 pm to 5am.  That means I will have to put my food package out just after sunset  (usually hang it on the garden gate for the homeless or hungry at 8).

     Today was a superior Autumn day!   Spent much time watering, sweeping and pruning. Here are my beauties of the day...

 In Wellington Eon met a deer on his way to work. 

   And at the Blood Transfusion Service in PE, our friend Frikkie donated his 200th pint. 

I keep getting messages from my Government on SMS... How do they know my number? I suspect it is because I am a taxpayer. So be it! 

The Covid death toll stands on 93.  More than 3 000 people in SA are infected. 

    In Cape Town, the impressive International Convention Centre had been turned into a hospital.  The facility for the homeless in Strandfontein has been closed due to not meeting the standards.   

    What the situation with the PE shelters are not known yet.  The Nelson M stadion in PE has been converted  into a quarantine facility.    

       Crazy world. 

Day 12 of extended Lockdown

28 April: Eon went back to work in Wellington and from Johannesburg Emile reports that he is working 10 hour days in his home office.

        In Edward Street life is quiet and the air fresh after a sprinkle of rain. Kia volunteered to tidy the front garden while I was in the back garden taking pics and pulling weeds... 

On the virus scene, my good friend Veronica Fourie sent word that her COVID test is negative.  

      The wearing of masks are now on everybody's lips! It is compulsory when many people return to work on Friday  ( although it is Workers Day and a public holiday!). 

     The efficacy of various masks are highlighted in this morning's BURGER. 

 A graphic explaining the relaxing of measures in place for 45 days is also very informative:

     

  

       

Day 10 of extended Lockdown

Sunday 26 April... Another good Autumn day and extra quiet mostly listening to church programmes and music.

     Spent a little time in the garden to harvest cherry tomatoes and pull the odd weed. 

    Then a 4-hour opera treat with the Metropolitan in New York's At Home Gala followed. The logistics and technical expertees to get 40 operatic voices, the Met choir and members of the orchestra "together" - but mostly in their own homes across 8 time zones - was something to experience!

      I was so touched when SA born soprano Elza van den Heever sang HEIMWEE by S le Roux Marais from her home in Montpellier in France.  She proudly announced her Afrikaans roots. I just had to snap her on my TV screen.

  

    On the downside we heard that Emile fractured his small toe.  Fortunately Jana is at his side for medical treatment.

   Then there is the very upsetting news of the dire situation in SA.  Poverty is at our door... 

On the 11pm radio news... 200 Cuban doctors to arrive at Lanseria airport soonl. to assist SA in the Covid saga

   **  4 446 people are now infected and 87 deaths have been reported. 

 

Day 9 of extended Lockdown

It is Saturday, 25 April and a happy day as Yael is 6 months old.

     Jana and her assistant Ilan baked a chocolate cake and decorated  it with  6 candles.. which he blew out after singing Happy Birthday!

      

   I have been sitting on the verandah for two hours now listening  to the music the wind and dry leaves are creating.

     There are too many pedestrians and cars passing here... Seems for many South Africans the virus is a character in a fairy tale... 

     **. COVID deaths in SA exceeds 80.  With more than 4 300 infected people.

     **. 200 000 people died in the world. One month ago the total was 100 000

Day 5 of extended extension

A varied day started with watching the largest flag in South Africa on the Donkin from our verandah.

  

   Mid-morning Kia swept the stoep and then embarked on a cleaning spree in the bathroom.   Getting  my freshly washed ducks in a row again.

 News from Johannesburg came in the form of this lovely pic of Yael...and Emile doing some gardening... 

... and from NZ these special pics came in...

And from the government these messages...

Supper was served by Kia...

   On the Covid-19 scene the tragic news is that 58 deaths have been reported. Sadly one of those is a dear ex-colleague from my newspaper days, Christo Kilian. 

Day 4 of extended lockout

Monday : April 20 : Another superb Autumn day... Cooked oats for breakfast and drew up shoppings lists.

     Volunteered to make grocery hampers for needy people in our municipal ward.  So the 2 cars also needed and outing for battery and tyre maintenance and our first stop wiyh Getzi was Checkers Newton Park.  Kia went via Linkside and we were absolutely alone on that route.

    Remaining  in the car reading and people watching, it was alarming to note how many people were without masks. 

     Our second car trip (the Red One) was to Walmer and when Kia could not find my coffee ( Educho, red pack), she took her bike for an outing to Checkers at Greenacres.

     Amazing how the tables turn for the generations.  This photograph has been displayed on the fridge for a very long time.  One-year-old Kia sitting on the kitchen table needing parental care.  34 years later she takes care of me in the "time of Corona" 

   And in Johannesburg another generation is growing up...  Yael in her feeding chair and Ilan creating a chalk drawing near the wash line (graphic touches by Kia) 

     

Day 2 of extended lockout

April 18 : A glorious Autumn Saturday!  

    So quiet in the garden that my ears had to adept to James' music in the garden next door.

     Kia took the weedeater into the front garden and I cleaned up a bit. Saddens me to see hungry people passing in our street. We try to help where we can.   Even Vasco sent a message saying they were running out of food.

     Twelve days to go to April 30,  but that will still mean hunger and misery amongst a multitude.

      But as I keep on saying,  nature does not stop. Just look at these beauties...  (also at intro...) 

20th day of Lockdown

 15 :  It has rained during the night and the garden has brought me a surprise.

       I was given a small planter filled with a variety of succulents 3 years ago and this is the first time ever that it produced a flower.

      Covid-19 is making me more aware of little moments of joy.  And to look at it from a different angle...

   

.      Lavender bush is alive and well and so is the Song of India...

But the day goes on and the news is updated constantly and the warnings pour in from various directions.

Seems I could be in lockdown until September.  My hair will be unruly  and grey by then. Cavewoman style!

    News of the day included :..                            *  129 000 Corona deaths worldwide *. 

180 schools in SA vandalised   * 45 000 prisoners released in Turkey to help with overcrowding * voting goes on in South Korea despite the virus.  Masks and sanitising of prime importance * Trump cuts aid to WHO 

Lockdown on day 19

April 14 : The brown leaves are falling audibly from the plane tree in front of the house.  The street has a ghostly quiet presence.

     Hendrik Mpande exits the Cornerstone Church with parcels for the needy while I eat my Cornflakes on the stoep.  We talk about the hungry people everywhere.  We do not have answers but we believe every bit helps. 

     Nature does not stop. The last summer sap nurtures the plants and in the back garden the Jimson Weed is flowering.   What a beauty its flowers are. Like finely sculptured porcelain... 

...one of my favourite female (American) artists, Georgia O 'Keefe, painted them almost 80 years ago 

      In Kyalami Ilan and Yael are also "flowering"

  

      Yael had her  very first taste of solid food (avocado!) yesterday and we went down memory lane searching for pics and videos of Ilan's experience in May 2017.   How delightful to have family time via the internet. 

Extension of Lockdown announced

9 April:   The Prez announced a further lockdown period on the eve of Good Friday. 

       30 April  means another 14 days!

And I am thinking of the misery it will bring to millions of already poor people in this country and pray for the "flattening of the curve".. . Words on so many lips at the moment.

      I was fortunate to experience a perfect autumn day in the garden.  Kia made a fire for my chops and her cheese braaibrood while a load of veg was roasting in the oven. 

     

Elderberry cordial was the ideal drink on this beautiful day.

     We had Kia's "muffin and custard" pudding and then I had some serious gardening tasks as the plants were begging for water and repotting.   I even turned part of the compost heap.