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.

[not_for_sale2025]

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@chameleon54 wrote:

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@not_for_sale2025 wrote:

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Have you conveniently forgotten the Ruby Princess debacle. That was incompetence personified. The Berejiklian government still holds the record in that department.

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"With Victoria now in its fourth lockdown, its time for some honest reflection about the competence of the Andrews government when compared to other states"

Seems like an opinion to me!

"Not forgetting anything, simply injecting some facts ( from a reliable source ) into the discussion, rather than opinion and political propaganda."

"No opinion there, just simple basic facts based on publicly available, reliable statistics that are untainted by political spin"

Not political? Is it possible that your negative focus on Andrews is because he is, wait for it, Labor?

Not political LOL.

BTW, did you see the Victoria Covid numbers for today - Zero. Pretty impressive work by the Premier hey?

[rogespeed]

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@chameleon54 wrote:

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@springyzone wrote:

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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.

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ABS figures show that for December 2020 international arrival statistics are as follows

NSW - 16,410

Qld - 6200

Vic - 5330

WA - 4580

Other states much lower numbers.

November 2020 statistics are as follow

NSW - 16,440

Vic. - 550

Qld. - 5780

WA. - 4490

NT- 1240

SA - 1090

https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/tourism-and-transport/overseas-travel-statistics-provisio... 

While NSW is undoubtedly carrying a much higher load than any other state and should be expected to face much greater challenges than other states, Victoria is not much different to Queensland and W.A. in December 2020 and in November 2020 both South Australia and the N.T. accepted around double the number of international arrivals as Victoria

With this in mind, it raises genuine questions as to why the Victorian government has had so much more trouble than other states in managing the virus. With Victoria now in its fourth lockdown, its time for some honest reflection about the competence of the Andrews government when compared to other states.

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 Nanny State politeness conflicting with selfish human nature ? 

[chameleon54]

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@not_for_sale2025 wrote:

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@chameleon54 wrote:

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@not_for_sale2025 wrote:

---

Have you conveniently forgotten the Ruby Princess debacle. That was incompetence personified. The Berejiklian government still holds the record in that department.

---

"With Victoria now in its fourth lockdown, its time for some honest reflection about the competence of the Andrews government when compared to other states"

Seems like an opinion to me!

"Not forgetting anything, simply injecting some facts ( from a reliable source ) into the discussion, rather than opinion and political propaganda."

"No opinion there, just simple basic facts based on publicly available, reliable statistics that are untainted by political spin"

Not political? Is it possible that your negative focus on Andrews is because he is, wait for it, Labor?

Not political LOL.

BTW, did you see the Victoria Covid numbers for today - Zero. Pretty impressive work by the Premier hey?

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NO COMMENT - I,ll let the undisputed facts and statistics do the talking..........

[domino-710]

LOL - but you did.

[chameleon54]

Happy to continue the discussion on the Corona Virus thread. I didnt raise politics here, only corrected a rather large factual error. Will respond to this discussion on the appropriate thread now.

[countessalmirena]

Not directed towards anyone in particular, as I have been thankful for everyone's replies here.

There is so much that we could say once we get into the sinking sands of politics... but I will admit to some degree of pleasure that we can gently steer back this thread a little.

(I don't mind the various political perspectives, mind you. We're a harlequinade of differing experiences and notions, and by "we're" I mean every single one of us.)

I would just say... let's give credit to ourselves, the people of Melbourne and all of Victoria, for going with the restrictions. I can't praise the hotel quarantine system without reservation, and it is exhausting to see repeated breaches and problems that I feel should have been addressed already... But never mind. It seems that we have got this under control, and I'm going to buy a bottle of Pedro Ximénez (Romate) with which to celebrate, with a bowl of strawberries and raspberries and a lingering desire for a Haws 4.5 litre watering can in brass or in green, so that I can don a long floaty dress and wander wistfully by the roses, gently watering the elements of the garden that need it. (Yes, it could be a burgundy watering can... but Haws seem only to offer that in plastic or if it's less capacious. I'm vehemently anti-plastic if it can be avoided.)

No, I'm not thinking of putting the sherry into the watering can! Are you mad?

[kopenhagen5]

Finally got back to my shoji screen, trying one first before i complete the others.

The proportions should be correct to traditions and keeping the number of openings to an uneven number.

(Japanese prefer uneven numbers of things to keep balance rather than 2,4,6 etc)

Still need to plane the outside edges.

And then to add my version of the rice paper backing.

(Can't get the pic the right way up for some reason)

Countess, So I know which one to try, is this the correct one ? - https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_911750/s-nchez-romate-cardenal-cisneros-pedro-ximenez?e_cid...

[countessalmirena]

That looks very, very nice, Kopenhagen. I would love to see the end result when you have your "rice paper" backing in place.

Yes, that's the sherry in question. It honestly smells and tastes like the best figgy pudding ever made.

[springyzone]

The lockdown's well and truly over and I have been flat out running around after grandkids but I've managed to make a start on a few covid chores.

The chocolate blocks have gone. Onto my hips I think.

I've made admirable progress through the library books, if I do say so myself. A couple were duds but others were good.

The scanning of old family photos, not so good. I am having trouble saving from the scanner.

I might try to sort it out today.

And I made a start on my own family history photo book. A year or two back i wrote a large one and gave a copy to all my children. This time I want to write 4 more detailed ones, limiting each to different lines. When I say I have made a start, I mean that literally. I have written an introduction. A notice of intent. Oh well, it is something.

I'll show you my start, if you have any suggestions on improving layout or spot any typos with spelling or spacing, tell me. I am constantly making typos, bane of my life.

[kopenhagen5]

Hi all,

Yet to renovate the room but tried the screen in one of the windows (sitting in temporarily) and I am pleased with the way it turned out.

With the lights on, cannot see any details from the outside at night which was my main concern.

Now to just make 2 more for the bigger window.  (It was more work than I thought, to get it right)