30 April: Today ends the strangest month any of us, probably on the plant, has ever experienced. The world seems to have become kinder, less frenetic and we have given nature some breathing space. We have been given a glimpse of a different world, one that is not dominated by commercialism. Don't get me wrong, I do not, for one minute, underestimate the traumas that COVID-19 has inflicted. Not just the deaths and ill-health directly and indirectly, though TG in New Zealand we have been spared the rates of the likes of the US, UK and others, or the social, mental health and economic issues that it has presented. But I just hope that we, as individuals, communities and nations, can take some learning from this. I for one plan hope to make some simple changes. I do not intend to hope in the car so often to 'pop' into Matamata, and I will be thinking twice before I make purchases. I have always tried to support local and small businesses and will certainly continue to do that. I have also enjoyed our evening walks. Eric has never been a great one for taking walks (well for the last 3 decades since he got shot in the thigh and has ongoing leg pain so I guess that's understandable!). Having said that, he does often go for one during his lunchtimes at work, just to get out the office really but, with being in the house all day every day he has been keen to go out for one after work. With the evenings are drawing in a little now we are having to leave earlier to get back before dark. They have been a real pleasure, if hard work on my knee. I have said repeatedly here that we have had stunning autumnal weather. This in combination with the time of day and no traffic (we cross a main, and in NZ terms 'busy' road) has meant we have really been able to enjoy the pastoral beauty of our surroundings. I have often spoken of the quality of the 'light' here in NZ. My sister-in-law on a visit from the UK described it as 'like viewing the world in HD (high definition)'. The evening, and sometimes setting, sun on (now green) fields and across the Hinuera stones has been breathtaking. One of those experiences that makes you feel like the most privileged person in the world, and unbelievably grateful for it.
This led me in to ponder on my year. 3-5 months stuck on my bum following the quad bike accident in which I broke my leg, many more months of limited mobility (ongoing at this point) and then the world turning up-side-down by COVID-19 has certainly made this one of the most exceptional ones to date.
Harriette returned to work today and was bored silly! At the coffee shop they are working on their own and for full days. Almost all of their customers are office workers and most are still working at home. Alice is job hunting. She saw her sister today but across the correct social distancing. On a shopping trip she stopped at Demi Urgos for coffee. Eric went for a drive!! He bought a metal lathe on Trade Me and went to pick it up from Ngarawahia (pronounced nara-wa-hea). I contemplated going with him but thought I could be much more productive staying here.
Today we planned out family reunion. Harriette was delighted with the brioche burgers she made recently and offered to cook them for us on Monday to have with the new Miss Fisher movie The Crypt of Tears. I know this was not strictly within the rules of level three but.... how can we extend our bubble to one daughter and not the other?
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Lockdown done. First Day at Level Three
Tuesday 28 April 2020 marks the day life for many New Zealander's took a step towards resuming normality as we moved from level 4 to level 3 of pandemic management. The basic difference is that businesses can reopen if they can keep staff safe and maintain social distancing. That means dealings with customers must be contactless. The rule is still, if you can work from home stay home. For Eric this means he'll continue at home but a few of the staff who have not been able to work from home will return to the office. At a personal level households can extend their 'bubble' to one other bubble.
Eric had to go into the office to just ensure staff had everything they required to meet their COVID-19 health and safety policy and pick up some files. He said town was as busy as normal except there was no foot traffic. The point at which it hit me was when we had our evening walk. The traffic on SHW29 which we cross was horrendous at 5pm. I totally resented this intrusion on my personal peace!! I think it was just a blip as it was quiet as 30 minutes later when we returned. No we did not walk that far, we got taking to a neighbour.
I spent the morning doing housework (which I don't count as productive) before heading outside for 'proper' work. I paint a small section of the house (the areas that required the most prep a week or two ago, locked the Plymouth Bard and chicks into the chook house while I removed the chook tractor and turned over the soil before putting everything back. Just to give her the chance to scratch a bit more and, hopefully, eat the oxalis bulbs which are the bane of my life. I put down the carpet sections I cut up yesterday and starting pulling the largest weeds up on the drive before spraying, hopefully tomorrow, it was too windy today. Finally I went through my raspberries that I have in pots and a 'holding bed' a bit more. I really want to get these planted this week. I have decided to mix the summer and autumn varieties into one row. I'll probably regret that but will look at separate ones another year. I just want to get them in! Continued with general tidying up. I think a bonfire is one the horizon. Ban lifted and lockdown done!
As of 9am today: New cases 3. Recovered 1,118. Total 1,472. Deaths 19. Matamata cluster total 76 cases.
Tests: yesterday 2,146. Total tests 126,066.
Eric had to go into the office to just ensure staff had everything they required to meet their COVID-19 health and safety policy and pick up some files. He said town was as busy as normal except there was no foot traffic. The point at which it hit me was when we had our evening walk. The traffic on SHW29 which we cross was horrendous at 5pm. I totally resented this intrusion on my personal peace!! I think it was just a blip as it was quiet as 30 minutes later when we returned. No we did not walk that far, we got taking to a neighbour.
I spent the morning doing housework (which I don't count as productive) before heading outside for 'proper' work. I paint a small section of the house (the areas that required the most prep a week or two ago, locked the Plymouth Bard and chicks into the chook house while I removed the chook tractor and turned over the soil before putting everything back. Just to give her the chance to scratch a bit more and, hopefully, eat the oxalis bulbs which are the bane of my life. I put down the carpet sections I cut up yesterday and starting pulling the largest weeds up on the drive before spraying, hopefully tomorrow, it was too windy today. Finally I went through my raspberries that I have in pots and a 'holding bed' a bit more. I really want to get these planted this week. I have decided to mix the summer and autumn varieties into one row. I'll probably regret that but will look at separate ones another year. I just want to get them in! Continued with general tidying up. I think a bonfire is one the horizon. Ban lifted and lockdown done!
As of 9am today: New cases 3. Recovered 1,118. Total 1,472. Deaths 19. Matamata cluster total 76 cases.
Tests: yesterday 2,146. Total tests 126,066.
Monday, April 27, 2020
Lockdown Day 33: FINAL DAY!
Monday 27 April: As ANZAC Day fell on the weekend today is a public holiday. Eric spent it in the workshop moving kit around making Dollys to put the large pieces on so they were portable. All sounded very technical but kept him happy. Eric's workshop is so over-full of blokey 'stuff' that unless supremely organised (which it never is) it looks a mess. Hopefully over the next few months it will get a bit more organised!
The day was another stunner. Eric mowed the lawn and I spent much of the time 'organising'. Eric made some batons for me to secure the shelf unit against the side of the shed. OMG. What a palaver. I must have screwed and unscrewed various parts repeatedly. I think the spirit level lied intermittently! I eventually resorted to screwing the final screw into boot and shed in one as I could not get behind to unit to secure the baton. I now have to put some guttering up on the shed as water will pour straight on to my seedlings should it rain!
Behind this photo (make that behind the shed in this photo) is a slope that gets chewed up by the quad. I cut and laid down some old woollen carpet to protect the ground at the top where the quad bike makes a turn on to the drive. I measured up a couple of veg beds and cuts some pieces to cover them and used what was left for the slope.
I have been listening to different gardening podcasts. One suggested making a video diary to look back on your garden renovations so I started one today. First one? Carpet laying for gardens!
I have some echinacea seed heads that are incredibly prickly so have cut them off with some stem and now have them hanging up-side-down into a brown paper bag. The theory being that everything will eventually fall into the bag and I can sort the seeds out without shredding my finger tips. I have done the same with globe artichoke heads, one of which is the size of a dinner plate. I don't need more artichoke plants as I have heaps but just want to see if I can grow them from seed.
My hair, which I had cut short a few months ago was getting fluffy around my neck and, as getting a hairdressers appointment is impossible at the moment, I got Eric to trim the back for me. I must say he made a pretty good job of it.
Started watching NT Live's Twelfth Night tonight but I had to give up as I was falling asleep (tiredness not boredom!). Oliver Chris plays Orsino and Tasmin Grieg is stunning as Malvolia. Chris is one of those actors you can only see as one character, which is no reflection of his acting skills. I just always picture him as Nick from Bluestone 42, one of my favourite TV shows.
As of 9am today: New cases -1. Recovered 1,180. Total 1,469. Deaths 19. Matamata cluster total 76 cases.
Tests: yesterday 2,939. Total tests 123,920.
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| Shelving unit added |
Behind this photo (make that behind the shed in this photo) is a slope that gets chewed up by the quad. I cut and laid down some old woollen carpet to protect the ground at the top where the quad bike makes a turn on to the drive. I measured up a couple of veg beds and cuts some pieces to cover them and used what was left for the slope.
I have been listening to different gardening podcasts. One suggested making a video diary to look back on your garden renovations so I started one today. First one? Carpet laying for gardens!
I have some echinacea seed heads that are incredibly prickly so have cut them off with some stem and now have them hanging up-side-down into a brown paper bag. The theory being that everything will eventually fall into the bag and I can sort the seeds out without shredding my finger tips. I have done the same with globe artichoke heads, one of which is the size of a dinner plate. I don't need more artichoke plants as I have heaps but just want to see if I can grow them from seed.
My hair, which I had cut short a few months ago was getting fluffy around my neck and, as getting a hairdressers appointment is impossible at the moment, I got Eric to trim the back for me. I must say he made a pretty good job of it.
Started watching NT Live's Twelfth Night tonight but I had to give up as I was falling asleep (tiredness not boredom!). Oliver Chris plays Orsino and Tasmin Grieg is stunning as Malvolia. Chris is one of those actors you can only see as one character, which is no reflection of his acting skills. I just always picture him as Nick from Bluestone 42, one of my favourite TV shows.
As of 9am today: New cases -1. Recovered 1,180. Total 1,469. Deaths 19. Matamata cluster total 76 cases.
Tests: yesterday 2,939. Total tests 123,920.
Sunday, April 26, 2020
Lockdown Day 32: A not-so lazy Sunday
Sunday 26 April: A glorious day. I am running out of outdoor space to put seed trays (bearing in mind that the ground it out because of chickens). I had a couple of boxed cheap galvanised shelf units in the workshop so put one together which I will put next to the potting shed. No matter how many times counted spaces on the uprights I still managed to get a shelf lined up wrong - twice. I planted the last, and therefore smallest, of John's silverbeet and lettuce into pots in small clumps just to see what happens. I can give them away if they survive. I had 5 bulbs of garlic in the fridge that had started to sprout so stuck them in my alliums bed. Doubt they'll do much but won't know if I just chuck them in the compost.
Some of the veg plot resembles a dead forest with Jerusalem artichoke foliage close on 10' high so I pulled the last of them up. Between cabbage leaves, dead JA stalks and general tree trimmings I really need to take the quad and a large trailer round the place and collect everything up. It's perfect weather and my bonfire is huge but I thought we still had a fire ban. However, on talking to Richard and Robyn in our weekly video catch up Rich said that the ban was over and several fires were lit around their area. I have heard nothing and even checked the appropriate website but there was nothing there. Apparently it was on the Matamata Community FB page. As a general principle of lockdown we should not be doing anything that could potentially generate 111 calls so I will be holding off fire burning until the winter I guess.
I watched a video on the Roots and Refuge YouTube channel on a sure fire way to germinate carrot seeds which I tried. Planted a fish crop and all my old seeds. Same principle as the garlic!
Bl**dy Alice and her online Scrabble game. Totally addictive! We stopped for a break and a cup of tea this afternoon. Usually about 15 minutes and I was an hour playing Scrabble! Between Eric, Harriette and Alice I have five games on the go. It would be OK if they were busy and did not take their go straight away but.....
We had a spa this evening, first of the season and it was gorgeous. The evening mild, the skies clear, the Milky Way in it's full glory and a GnT in hand - absolute bliss. The two cabbage trees over the deck I bemoan the leaves falling from occludes a significant portion fo the sky. Another reason to take them out!
Finished the second series of Liar this evening. God it was a good one with so many twists and turns. Loved it.
Some of the veg plot resembles a dead forest with Jerusalem artichoke foliage close on 10' high so I pulled the last of them up. Between cabbage leaves, dead JA stalks and general tree trimmings I really need to take the quad and a large trailer round the place and collect everything up. It's perfect weather and my bonfire is huge but I thought we still had a fire ban. However, on talking to Richard and Robyn in our weekly video catch up Rich said that the ban was over and several fires were lit around their area. I have heard nothing and even checked the appropriate website but there was nothing there. Apparently it was on the Matamata Community FB page. As a general principle of lockdown we should not be doing anything that could potentially generate 111 calls so I will be holding off fire burning until the winter I guess.
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| Three rows of carrots sown |
Bl**dy Alice and her online Scrabble game. Totally addictive! We stopped for a break and a cup of tea this afternoon. Usually about 15 minutes and I was an hour playing Scrabble! Between Eric, Harriette and Alice I have five games on the go. It would be OK if they were busy and did not take their go straight away but.....
We had a spa this evening, first of the season and it was gorgeous. The evening mild, the skies clear, the Milky Way in it's full glory and a GnT in hand - absolute bliss. The two cabbage trees over the deck I bemoan the leaves falling from occludes a significant portion fo the sky. Another reason to take them out!
Finished the second series of Liar this evening. God it was a good one with so many twists and turns. Loved it.
Saturday, April 25, 2020
Lockdown Day 31: Anzac Day
Saturday 25 April: This morning we would normally have been at a dawn parade. ANZAC Day's commemoration services are traditionally held at dawn to mark the time the Gallipoli campaign started on this day in 1917. It would have been a beautiful sunrise under which to observe it as we have had another gorgeous autumnal day. Really foggy mornings followed by lots of blue skies.
I cleaned our cedar wood spa and refilled it (bore water so allowed with current town water restrictions!) and had a general clean up of the pool deck. My collected pile of fallen cabbage tree leaves is huge so I must take them down to the bonfire, which we cannot light (national fire ban still in place). We have two big cabbage trees on the bank above the pool and I am fed up collecting the long this leaves they drop constantly.
Cleared some more of the veg patch and planted enough silverbeet and lettuce to feed an army if they all thrive, thanks to the small plants my neighbour John gave me. In return I gave him some of the cauliflower seedlings I have yet to plant up. I thought I had run out of potting compost but found a bag in the poly tunnel.
Alice is bored and has even resorted to online scrabble which we have been roped into. When we had sat for 30 minutes playing various games, long after I should have been back in the veg plot after lunch, I realised that whether such things are great boredom relief or time-wasters totally depends on your way of life!
I have too many chooks and do not plan to feed them all through the winter. The silky (I have two silky hens) chicks born in early January seem to suddenly be almost full grown which has virtually doubled the size of the flock.
Eric had to do a supermarket run as I forgot dog roll and a few other bits. Sinking Otto's tablets into a piece of dog roll is the easiest way to get his many tablets in him twice a day so managing a week without any was not an option really.
I asked Eric to do some washing up while I was cooking supper then found him swirling items around in the bowl one-handed. I had forgotten about his finger!!
Keto fathead pizza for supper. This is usually a favoured meal but was not my best tonight. First time I put the base in the oven then realised I had missed out two ingredients. It was a disaster so had to remake which still did not come out well. My plate finished up with lots of hard crust on but disgustingly Eric ate all his!!
As of 9am today: New cases 5. Recovered 1,118. Total 1,456. Deaths 18. Matamata cluster total 76 cases.
Tests: yesterday 6,777. Total tests 115,015.
I cleaned our cedar wood spa and refilled it (bore water so allowed with current town water restrictions!) and had a general clean up of the pool deck. My collected pile of fallen cabbage tree leaves is huge so I must take them down to the bonfire, which we cannot light (national fire ban still in place). We have two big cabbage trees on the bank above the pool and I am fed up collecting the long this leaves they drop constantly.
Cleared some more of the veg patch and planted enough silverbeet and lettuce to feed an army if they all thrive, thanks to the small plants my neighbour John gave me. In return I gave him some of the cauliflower seedlings I have yet to plant up. I thought I had run out of potting compost but found a bag in the poly tunnel.
Alice is bored and has even resorted to online scrabble which we have been roped into. When we had sat for 30 minutes playing various games, long after I should have been back in the veg plot after lunch, I realised that whether such things are great boredom relief or time-wasters totally depends on your way of life!
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| Silky chicks in January |
Eric had to do a supermarket run as I forgot dog roll and a few other bits. Sinking Otto's tablets into a piece of dog roll is the easiest way to get his many tablets in him twice a day so managing a week without any was not an option really.
I asked Eric to do some washing up while I was cooking supper then found him swirling items around in the bowl one-handed. I had forgotten about his finger!!
Keto fathead pizza for supper. This is usually a favoured meal but was not my best tonight. First time I put the base in the oven then realised I had missed out two ingredients. It was a disaster so had to remake which still did not come out well. My plate finished up with lots of hard crust on but disgustingly Eric ate all his!!
As of 9am today: New cases 5. Recovered 1,118. Total 1,456. Deaths 18. Matamata cluster total 76 cases.
Tests: yesterday 6,777. Total tests 115,015.
Friday, April 24, 2020
Lockdown Day 30:
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| Otto coming home from the vets |
expenses is unsustainable and we have to change our approach or he is going to have to be put down. I am going to have another chat with the vet about increasing his dietary sodium, and by how much.
Still planting out cauliflower seedlings but spent most of the morning tidying up/organising garden stuff. I have been dumping stuff in the potting shed I want to store there but not actually planned where I want things.
I checked on Mom and Daddy's neighbour Audrey to see if she wanted shopping and she mentioned that she would love some broccoli and cauliflower plants but that she cannot get them, so I will do some for her and plant them in a few weeks in her veg garden.
Did the shopping, collected Otto then dropped Mom and Daddy's shopping off. I actually sat on the deck and had a cup of tea with them, them indoors and me outside. Very pleasant in the late afternoon sun. It was a gorgeous day and there were so many people out walking/cycling/chatting across gardens. There was actually a lovely feel about the place. So nice to see communities engaging.
Typical Cedar Lodge Friday night, Thai curry, GnT and TV. Started on second series of Liar. Knowing Deal, I still can't get my head around the scene locations!
As of 9am today: New cases 5. Recovered 1,095. Total 1,456. Deaths 17. Matamata cluster total 76 cases.
Tests: yesterday 6,961. Total tests 108,238.
Thursday, April 23, 2020
Lockdown Day 29: St George's Day
Thursday 23 April: Had a terrible night driven mad by itching!!! Hand is swollen and itching goes all the way up my forearm.
Did a couple of hours work this morning.
Eric had to pop to the office (allowed now) and noticed that the cows, who are in the paddock next to the drive, had broken a fence rail so I fixed that. I needed to cut a piece of 6x2 which Eric would do with a chainsaw but I was reluctant to use one because it's ages since I last did and probably would do it wrong. With out current track record on injuries I'd probably perform a self-amputation! So, I attacked with a (blunt) saw as I could not be bothered to go in search of a newer one. While fixing it I as amused to watch a tiny, young Dexter bull mooning over a huge Hereford who is obviously on heat!! Trying to mount her must be like trying to leap-frog over a telegraph pole but that did not stop him trying. Bless him.
(Another) long chat with the vet over Otto as he is still unstable, intermittently, and a bit off colour. tried him with some beef broth to try and get more fluid and sodium in to him and increased both his steroids. Eric and I had another conversation about at what point we would put him down as this level of vet fees is unsustainable and we worry about his quality of life 😢
The cottage is overrun with daddy long-legs and cobwebs. I expect to see Mrs Haversham in there somewhere! Harriette emptied the bedroom and bathroom when she left but the living area is awaiting her return to clear out I have been collecting jars for preserving and these have just been stacked up I the kitchen. I made a start in the kitchen. I have never seen so many spiders!
No new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours 😃
As of 9am today: New cases 0. Recovered 1,065. Total 1,451. Deaths 16. Matamata cluster total 76 cases.
Tests: yesterday 6,480. Total tests 101,277.
Did a couple of hours work this morning.
Eric had to pop to the office (allowed now) and noticed that the cows, who are in the paddock next to the drive, had broken a fence rail so I fixed that. I needed to cut a piece of 6x2 which Eric would do with a chainsaw but I was reluctant to use one because it's ages since I last did and probably would do it wrong. With out current track record on injuries I'd probably perform a self-amputation! So, I attacked with a (blunt) saw as I could not be bothered to go in search of a newer one. While fixing it I as amused to watch a tiny, young Dexter bull mooning over a huge Hereford who is obviously on heat!! Trying to mount her must be like trying to leap-frog over a telegraph pole but that did not stop him trying. Bless him.
(Another) long chat with the vet over Otto as he is still unstable, intermittently, and a bit off colour. tried him with some beef broth to try and get more fluid and sodium in to him and increased both his steroids. Eric and I had another conversation about at what point we would put him down as this level of vet fees is unsustainable and we worry about his quality of life 😢
The cottage is overrun with daddy long-legs and cobwebs. I expect to see Mrs Haversham in there somewhere! Harriette emptied the bedroom and bathroom when she left but the living area is awaiting her return to clear out I have been collecting jars for preserving and these have just been stacked up I the kitchen. I made a start in the kitchen. I have never seen so many spiders!
No new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours 😃
As of 9am today: New cases 0. Recovered 1,065. Total 1,451. Deaths 16. Matamata cluster total 76 cases.
Tests: yesterday 6,480. Total tests 101,277.
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Lockdown Day 28: Four weeks done, a few days to go
Wednesday 22 April: Today marks the last day of the planned lockdown before it was extended on Monday. On reflection, and ignoring the tragedy that coronavirus has been for so many people, I have quite enjoyed the last four weeks! We are privileged enough to have been able to enjoy the break from 'normal life' in stunning surroundings with space and fabulous weather, in a country with incredibly low numbers (because of a strong and transparent government that locked down and closed borders early) confident in a continued income. My worries are more long-term; how will Eric's firm weather the inevitable global recession and how will case numbers pan out in the post-lockdown/pre-vaccine era. We are also coming to terms with the fact that social distancing is going to be the norm until we get a vaccine.
Continued work in the veg garden. Started preparing a bed for raspberries. I have a rambling overgrown and neglected patch of raspberries so want to move suckers from there and plant the canes I have bought over the last year into one or two sites. On putting a glove on from a pair in the poly tunnel I was stung on my pinkie by a bee that was in one of the fingers. God I hate bee stings! Despite antihistamine tablets and steroid cream I know it means 48 hours of intense itching through the hand and arm. Arrrggghhhh!
Otto's gait is wobbly again this evening and he is staggering. Also lost his appetite which probably means upping his steroids. Will speak to the vet tomorrow. Eric had to pop into town to get more ear drops for him.
A real doss evening. I was pooped. Another beautiful evening for our walk and had a chat with neighbour John. Watched and episode of Liar on TVNZ On Demand. Very unusual for us to watch TV on a weekday evening.
Coronavirus numbers not available for today (I am not writing this contemporaneously) but they are dropping significantly here in NZ.
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| Read in order! Thanks to sister-in-law Ava. |
Otto's gait is wobbly again this evening and he is staggering. Also lost his appetite which probably means upping his steroids. Will speak to the vet tomorrow. Eric had to pop into town to get more ear drops for him.
A real doss evening. I was pooped. Another beautiful evening for our walk and had a chat with neighbour John. Watched and episode of Liar on TVNZ On Demand. Very unusual for us to watch TV on a weekday evening.
Coronavirus numbers not available for today (I am not writing this contemporaneously) but they are dropping significantly here in NZ.
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Lockdown Day 27: Where there's livestock there's deadstock
Tuesday 21 April: OK so chicks are not 'stock' but I was saddened to find 3 dead silky chooks this morning. I know I said one was looking ropey but all three! I have no idea why. The mites may be a factor, I just don't know. Released mom from her captivity. The PB chicks look bright as buttons, and very noisy!
I did my second shift on the 0800 IMMUNE phone line today. Well, after a series of pretty easy questions last week this time the first question had me searching for assistance. The child's history was very ambiguously documented and included vaccines not available in NZ at the time (the nurse clearly did not know her stuff. I am pleased to say the level of nurses knowledge around vaccines has improved hugely on the last 15 years). I ran it by colleagues who said I should refer to our medical officer for the day, a Starship paediatrician (Starship is our paediatric hospital in NZ) who I had not spoken to for ages so was good to catch up. All in all this took 4 phone calls, a team chat and two hours to sort out. The curly questions are great!!
Had a productive few hours in the veg plot planting up a small section of the poly tunnel with brassicas; pak choy, silverbeet and cabbage. Attended a Zoom Rotary meeting early evening. Great to be joined by some International exchange students we have hosted in recent years. One from Chile this week and a young Matamata Rotarian living in the UK. We must take our Tuesday walks at lunchtime as I keep forgetting about Rotary meetings!
I did my second shift on the 0800 IMMUNE phone line today. Well, after a series of pretty easy questions last week this time the first question had me searching for assistance. The child's history was very ambiguously documented and included vaccines not available in NZ at the time (the nurse clearly did not know her stuff. I am pleased to say the level of nurses knowledge around vaccines has improved hugely on the last 15 years). I ran it by colleagues who said I should refer to our medical officer for the day, a Starship paediatrician (Starship is our paediatric hospital in NZ) who I had not spoken to for ages so was good to catch up. All in all this took 4 phone calls, a team chat and two hours to sort out. The curly questions are great!!
Had a productive few hours in the veg plot planting up a small section of the poly tunnel with brassicas; pak choy, silverbeet and cabbage. Attended a Zoom Rotary meeting early evening. Great to be joined by some International exchange students we have hosted in recent years. One from Chile this week and a young Matamata Rotarian living in the UK. We must take our Tuesday walks at lunchtime as I keep forgetting about Rotary meetings!
Monday, April 20, 2020
Lockdown Day 26: D Day
Monday 20 April: I am sure the nations conversations today were dominated by "Will she. Won't she" until 4pm and then discussion of the consequences thereafter. I am referring to cabinet's lockdown decision announced today. My money was on a two-week extension at level 4. I was half right (almost!). It has been extended for 5 days. Monday is a stat holiday (for ANZAC Day on Saturday) so only 2 working days but it extends our protection for another 5 days.
Life at Cedar Lodge will, in effect, be no different. Level three says that business can re-open as long as they can observe the 2m rule and instigate health and safety measures to keep their employees and clients safe. But "If you can work from home, continue to do so". For Eric, that means they can go to the office to collect things etc (they could not up to now) and indeed a couple of them can work there (those that cannot work from home) but otherwise working arrangements will remain as they currently are. I have him at home for another three weeks which suits me. I am really going to miss him when he goes back! I think the girls might come home for a few days which is OK as some social engagement is allowed, in effect extending our bubble. One of the most interesting points was that in the random testing undertaken in cluster areas (including Matamata supermarkets) no additional cases had been found. Wow!
I am happy with all that and I think it is the right decision. New Zealand has some of the lowest rates/100,000 in the world and a transmission (R0) rate of 0.48. Anything below 0 means the disease is waning. I think in the UK it is around 2.5 currently. Jacinda has elimination in her sights and I think we may well do this. NB elimination does not mean 0 cases, it means zero spread.
Back on a micro-level, I had a productive day today. I had experimented with wool carpet, covering one veg bed several months ago and today pulled some of it back, loosened the soil, added fertiliser and planted some strawberry plants from a bed I am planning to de-commission. I also planted some strawberry runners in pots a few weeks ago which I will put in a block next to this one to see which produces the most strawberries next summer. One of the three silky chooks is not looking too flash, lethargic and not bothered when I picked her up.
I have multiple old medicine pots lying around with saved seeds in and have been meaning, for just about forever, to make some proper seed packets. Well I actually got round to this today. After several hours of playing with Word formatting this is what I have so far. I tried cutting brown paper to A4 but, as expected, it would not lay flat enough to go through the printer most of the time so need to buy some in A4 size. Next to experiment with sizes.
The smaller cows are getting through the electric fence, they are currently in the three front paddocks and doing that 'the grass is always greener' thing. On investigation I found that the wire fencing all laying down (I was renewing some fencing in the week before I broke my leg last August and the old fencing, which we thought was powered by a separate portable unit, now disconnected) was in fact powered by the main unit and so we were loosing power into the ground. This meant a huge leak in the system. So, Eric inserted a circuit break. Hopefully the buggers will stay where they are put now.
While working there we found some liquid amber saplings which I will go and rescue tomorrow. Looking around that area it's a real mess, the yucca has gone mad, olive stumps have regrown, the elephant ears is taking over as are some other unknown but unwanted plants. I really need a massive clear up down there. Just another area to add to the list!!
As of 9am today: New cases 9. Recovered 974. Total 1,440. Deaths 12. Matamata cluster total 76 cases.
Tests: yesterday 3,081. Total tests 86,305.
Life at Cedar Lodge will, in effect, be no different. Level three says that business can re-open as long as they can observe the 2m rule and instigate health and safety measures to keep their employees and clients safe. But "If you can work from home, continue to do so". For Eric, that means they can go to the office to collect things etc (they could not up to now) and indeed a couple of them can work there (those that cannot work from home) but otherwise working arrangements will remain as they currently are. I have him at home for another three weeks which suits me. I am really going to miss him when he goes back! I think the girls might come home for a few days which is OK as some social engagement is allowed, in effect extending our bubble. One of the most interesting points was that in the random testing undertaken in cluster areas (including Matamata supermarkets) no additional cases had been found. Wow!
I am happy with all that and I think it is the right decision. New Zealand has some of the lowest rates/100,000 in the world and a transmission (R0) rate of 0.48. Anything below 0 means the disease is waning. I think in the UK it is around 2.5 currently. Jacinda has elimination in her sights and I think we may well do this. NB elimination does not mean 0 cases, it means zero spread.
Back on a micro-level, I had a productive day today. I had experimented with wool carpet, covering one veg bed several months ago and today pulled some of it back, loosened the soil, added fertiliser and planted some strawberry plants from a bed I am planning to de-commission. I also planted some strawberry runners in pots a few weeks ago which I will put in a block next to this one to see which produces the most strawberries next summer. One of the three silky chooks is not looking too flash, lethargic and not bothered when I picked her up.
I have multiple old medicine pots lying around with saved seeds in and have been meaning, for just about forever, to make some proper seed packets. Well I actually got round to this today. After several hours of playing with Word formatting this is what I have so far. I tried cutting brown paper to A4 but, as expected, it would not lay flat enough to go through the printer most of the time so need to buy some in A4 size. Next to experiment with sizes.
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| Seed packet template |
The smaller cows are getting through the electric fence, they are currently in the three front paddocks and doing that 'the grass is always greener' thing. On investigation I found that the wire fencing all laying down (I was renewing some fencing in the week before I broke my leg last August and the old fencing, which we thought was powered by a separate portable unit, now disconnected) was in fact powered by the main unit and so we were loosing power into the ground. This meant a huge leak in the system. So, Eric inserted a circuit break. Hopefully the buggers will stay where they are put now.
Tests: yesterday 3,081. Total tests 86,305.
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