25 August 2021

What I've learned from lockdown 2.0

| Kim Treasure
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Molly the mare fast asleep

Lockdown 2.0 has given lots of us time to slow down and learn more about ourselves. Photo: Kim Treasure.

One of the few good things about the current pandemic is how it teaches you so much about yourself.

For instance, in lockdown 2.0 I’ve discovered that it’s not that I don’t have enough time to do the housework, I simply don’t have the will. I can be locked down 24-hours a day and still find ways to avoid folding the washing.

Those windows that need cleaning? What’s another couple of years?

Then there’s my feelings about work. You know what. Seems I actually love going to the office.

Sure, we are just as efficient working from home in our PJs, and I don’t miss the two and a half hour commute, but I do miss those crazy heads and the banter and buzz that comes from working with a bunch of smart, driven, talented individuals.

And my shopping habits. Well, check-ins show I spend an inordinate amount of time at PetStock and far too little actually buying people food. Guess that explains why I eat so much canned tuna.

My “panic buy” in lockdown 1.0 was a horse. In lockdown 2.0, so far, it’s been a new saddle – detecting a theme?

READ MORE Entering the ‘nightmare-ish’ world of the horse owner

Others I know have lashed out on new wetsuits, air-fryers, bread-making machines and garden supplies – we seem to be reconnecting with the simple things that make us happy. Outdoor activities, cooking, and gardening rather than clothes and other possessions.

There are other good things that have come out of lockdown too. Some say the pressure to be everywhere and do everything is now off. You don’t have to make up an excuse not to go somewhere, or drag yourself to a social event when you are feeling tired and rundown. There’s an opportunity to recharge and reassess.

And there’s a lot to be thankful for. For most Australians, our homes are our sanctuaries. We can’t even begin to imagine the horror that is Afghanistan, where people don’t feel safe at home and face daily dangers that surpass even a deadly virus.

We have the luxury of missing the little things – the freedom to visit friends, go out for dinner, enjoy a weekend away.

READ ALSO You hoarded what? Dear Charli, let me tell you about when you were born …

In terms of travel, I reckon it will be surprising where we will want to go when life returns to its new normal. Instead of the bucket-list trip to some exotic destination, I bet many of those poor bastards facing at least nine weeks of lockdown in the greater Sydney area are dreaming of heading out for a haircut or even an eyebrow wax.

For me, it will be a trip to Cowra and reconnecting with my family.

I miss my Mum.

I miss my Mum, Dad and my eldest daughter, Zoe.

Sure, I didn’t see them as often as I would have liked before COVID-19, but the option was always there. Now it’s all phone calls and wondering when we will catch up for proper hugs.

Please don’t think I’m complaining. I know only too well how lucky I am to be “locked down” on a piece of land with all my animals, most of my children and my granddaughter, but COVID-19 gives you plenty of time to think.

So I’m wondering, what has lockdown taught you about yourself?

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Pet related stories? for us two and our adult sons? Mostly cats – until we decided within the last decade – to see if we could travel. Cats are selfish? BS!
Lockdown has led me to consider writing my story down.
Ex Prof’s of Politics and English at RMC, encourage me.

‘A Hard Life?’!?

Yes?!

Sally Hopman9:00 pm 25 Aug 21

love this story

liberalsocialist7:04 pm 25 Aug 21

It’s true about the home stuff. I am enjoying being able to do my work when I need to (office worker) and have bits of the day to set my own timetable. Sure, we all have deadlines, but for the rest I can actually do something useful rather than pretend to read a document – I do that later when I am keen to do it (kids are in bed).
What an opportunity! Whether in a unit or a house, rented or not – we can all do the small things that can advance what we want to do during the day now. Get a bee hive. Look at some artwork. Look at Gumtree or Marketplace and buy that cheap thing that you can then dress up. Re-arrange a study for work, so that it does work. Replace lightbulbs with energy efficient ones, plant a row of vines (for Vino) later… If you have a unit, there’s stuff you can buy that if you want to eventually move into a house you can get – a potted blueberry bush in a large pot, pictures, saucepans, linen – whatever.
I think we can all turn this around to be an absolute positive. We know it’s limited, so crack on with what you wanted to do.
If you have lost $$$ from it, as many have, then perhaps do an online course in something else that takes your fancy? A business course? A course in law? Learn sewing? there’s heaps.
I’ve so far learnt a lot about servicing my own car – from oil/ filters etc (the basics) to re-greasing wheel bearings, installing battery systems – and put a solar panel on my garage connected to a small battery. All off YouTube…

Must be parody. Learn to code 2.0.

Kim Treasure8:55 am 26 Aug 21

Fantastic ideas!

That I’m not coping with it as well as I thought. But I am coping.
Miss having pets.

Hang in there Tim!

Kim Treasure4:39 pm 25 Aug 21

Hi Tim, sorry to hear you are struggling a bit. Hopefully some of our pet-related stories will at least give you a smile. Take care.

Here’s one from US!

We two had cats, mostly while the boys were at home.

The last two?

This is on ‘ Cats are Selfish’ – the position of a ‘winger’ & racist Repugnikken of THE DEEP SOWF! If he’s still on Inmate Central at the Audio Asylum as Inmate51 – you can find him, if you can be bothered.

It mightn’t hurt my ego if y’all agree!?

Since my 50s I’ve had 4 abdominal procedures/surgeries.

Permanent-Seed Barchytherapy – for rapid-onset highly-spready Prostate Cancer.

The last three for hernias. Despite being a keen walker, which is good for the abdominals and etc.

Each time I was given Oxycodone*, and scripts for!

I’d be lying on our DB, dozing and just coping & with the pain. Being ‘good’ about not taking more than prescribed. As you/we should do. ….

George (handsomely grey) would come down and make a little hullo ‘mew’, and climb up and gently find an area that didn’t hurt, and then doze, comfortingly.

At some later time, Dondi-Trollop a tiny Calico orphan – with bandy back legs to prove she’d been a stray – would come down and find another pain-free spot. They are GOOD at this.

They’d stay until I had to get up. And, if it was just for the loo, they’d come back!!

Selfish? BS!

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