Lockdown Guide to Not Going Stir-crazy

[countessalmirena]

Just when I had already hit a bit of a doldrum... we've been hit with another 5-day lockdown in Melbourne.

Fellow Melbournians, I hope we can listen to each other, even if what we want to say is "Something is rotten in the state of Melbourne" or "Curses upon this COVID" or merely a wordless whimper.

I hope we can encourage each other if we're ready to be encouraged. (Sometimes a cheerful "Chin up" is salt in the wound, and all one wants to do is snarl "NO! My chin is not going up.")

I also hope we can give some ideas of what we can do during this snap lockdown AKA circuit-breaker, to not be overwhelmed when we've already had a rotten year.

• I have a new Toro edge trimmer. I'm going to trim the evil grass by the fence and in all of those places beyond the lawnmower's reach, and I'm going to do it while singing "Der Hölle Rache" at the top of my voice.
• I'm going to bake a sugar-free German cheesecake, cut it up into neighbour-sized portions, and leave the portions in front of neighbours' doors while I scoot off and text them to check their door.
• I'm going to write more. Nearly there.
• I'm going to perm my cat's fur. (Not really. He'd not stand for it.)
• I'm going to buy some Tojiro shears from a Japanese seller.
• I'm going to set up totem tennis in nearby garden/park and whack the begoodnessgraciousme out it.
• I'm going to re-read all of the Discworld novels.

It's not a very impressive list, I realise. It's just a start.

Please post with your own suggestions or comments or worries or complaints. I hope to see this thread go a little crazy, or else [in menacing voice] this fly which I've just abducted and am holding hostage is going to get it.

[davewil1964]

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@countessalmirena wrote:

Oh my holy Toro...

Did I say I'd be doing the whipper-snipping/edge trimming? I did, didn't I?

Well, I think I managed to complete half of the property before melting into an exertion puddle of carbon and fizzy perspiration.

The rest can wait until tomorrow.

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A not so wee dram of 21yo Glenfarclas will fix the fizziness. Or older, if affordable.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

countess, we are in this together, even though I do not live in Melbourne.  If there is anything I can do to help just let me know.

As many here know, I live in N-W Victoria.  While I was waiting in line at Aldi today there were shoppers whinging and whining about regional Vic going into lockdown as we have no cases.  Not sure that they listen to the premier when he announced the lockdown when he explained why the lockdown was statewide . . . so I explained it to them.

If the regional areas did not have the same restrictions, except for the 5km from home rule*, then it is possible that many from Melbourne would have rushed out of Melbourne before the midnight lockdown start . . . with some of them potentially taking the virus to regional areas with them.  They would mix with regional people, eat at regional cafes, shop in regional shops.  Then, in a week’s time there starts to be cases popping up all over the state.  That’s the reason why we have statewide restrictions . . . and I support that 100%.

(* exception to the 5km rule due to longer distances needed to travel in regional areas, my nearest supermarket is 6km away)

[katistrophik]

Springy,

I honesstly jus't don't understand ?

I have tried and tried, but  nothing makes sense to me, don't know how it could be possible, but you said it, so I guess it must be true

**mind blown**

Spoiler

There are 2 massive chocolate blocks in the fridge

[davewil1964]

There would never be 2 blocks of chocalate in my fridge. Unless I had bought 4 in the  last fortnight.

[countessalmirena]

I have three favourite chocolatiers in Melbourne - Ganache Chocolate, Haigh's Chocolates, and Chocolatier/Chocilo.

I can cater for the chocolate needs of family member with diabetes (sugar-free real chocolate), lactose-intolerate family member, coeliac family member (gluten-free chocolate), and now with some members having gone vegan.

I can sense or smell chocolate, even when it's hidden. I know it's there. It has been that way since I was a little girl. I KNOW IT'S THERE!

[katistrophik]

I think we must be related LOL

Everyone knows you don't get between Kat and her chocolate

[nicnacs_4u]

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@countessalmirena wrote:

I have three favourite chocolatiers in Melbourne - Ganache Chocolate, Haigh's Chocolates, and Chocolatier/Chocilo.

I can cater for the chocolate needs of family member with diabetes (sugar-free real chocolate), lactose-intolerate family member, coeliac family member (gluten-free chocolate), and now with some members having gone vegan.

I can sense or smell chocolate, even when it's hidden. I know it's there. It has been that way since I was a little girl. I KNOW IT'S THERE!

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Countess I enjoy some every night....whilst in bed..

[springyzone]

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@rogespeed wrote:

crazy through frustration - if Victoria can not manage returnees safely, for the rest of us,  then is clearly time to end accepting arrivals in that State 

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Wake up and smell the roses, roge.

Just about every state over the last few months has had quarantine break outs that have caused quick lockdowns of one kind or another.

It ain't just Victoria.

Instead of just banning arrivals from here, how about we do what Dan has at long long last suggested and have a look at the whole quarantine arrival program because that's the root cause of the trouble everywhere.

Now Dan has his faults and the early quarantine days were not handled properly, we all know that. But Dan's actual ideas are good.

It was his idea to introduce hotel quarantine instead of relying on people to self isolate.

Mind you, he was a bit behind the general population in thinking of that but all politicians are a bit behind that way.

Now he has given voice to what a lot of us are thinking-cut the returned traveller program down.

I know there are sad tales about stranded people but basically it is time to put the 6 million people of this state first. The cost of hotel quarantine is too dear (everywhere) when a whole state or city has to lockdown for even a day.

People whose weddings were cancelled with less than 24 hours notice. Caterers for those weddings who would have bought all the food by that stage, students who are missing 3 days of schooling, businesses that cannot open and are being pushed closer to the wall.

If Australia as a whole won't restrict returned travellers to compassionate cases only, then Vic should go it alone, stop the program here altogether and let the other states handle it. The reason we have the breakouts is because NSW & Vic are copping the bulk of it.

[springyzone]

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@countessalmirena wrote:

The scanning of the photos sounds interesting. So many old memories can be preserved.

Oh, yes, you're so right. It's time for Toilet Paper battles.

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Now if I can just get the scanner to work!

Also time to start writing.

And more sleuthing into the past!

Guess what happened to me the other day? A close friend told me of one of her church friends, someone she is quite close to, whose maiden name was Coath and she made the joking comment maybe we were related. (Not that Coath was my maiden name but it was my paternal grandfather's mother's maiden name, if that makes sense). Anyway, we met at lunch a week ago because yes, we are 3rd cousins. How is that for coincidence?

And in her research she discovered we are-now wait for this-16th cousins-of Lady Diana, the dead one.

So *only* 16 generations back, we shared the same great etc grandparents.

I guess if we go back far enough, we are related to almost everyone! I wonder who on this board would match with others if we had the data? You never know.

PS I feel the diana spencer coath link nicely balances our other (much closer) Coath link to a grt grt who was hanged on Bodmin Moor for stealing a sheep.

[davidc4430]

surving just