I didn’t have a very good start to Day 1. I was late for work, thank goodness I have a good relationship with my boss (me)  so I got away with a good talking to and reminder that I was lucky to have a job in these times. No excuse I’m afraid, I took a cup of tea into Papa Bear, who has no employment at this stage, and he looked so comfy tucked up in bed reading his iPad that I joined him.

Tuesday was hot so I negotiated a later start time  so I could go for my walk and swim before work. It was magnificent! In these times when our lives are bombarded with germs and unhealthy practices, to be out in the open air, the sun warming your face and the wind ruffling  your hair, makes your soul sing. And there’s something so normal about splashing through the shallows, even if it is to take a wide berth around a young family making sandcastles in the sand.

I haven’t done all that much, I tried tidying my office, it needs a good Marie Kondo. It doesn’t look too bad in the photo but its a bit overwhelming in reality. And yes,  20 or so blank exercise and notebooks  does spark joy in my heart. I did some Spanish, I will be fluent by the time I do my next Camino….. but I say that every time!!

We are keeping healthy, we’ve had some delish vegetable soup, sprinkled with green and red capsicum crisps,  fresh from the dehydrator.

 

Thanks to a friend via Facebook (everything is via FB now!)  I have renamed the rooms of our house. I’m sure you’ll get the drift.

Our afternoons have been spent down  in Porto Gardenas, cerveza (Spanish for beer, I want you to remember this)  in hand,  where we plan our vegetable garden.

Once we the sun goes down we adjourn to Costa del Balconia for our dinner.

Note – A pilgrim is grateful and I am so grateful for balmy Geraldton evenings watching the sunset over the ocean.

 

 

On Saturday we got an msg from D3 “……it’s time for you guys to hunker down……” So that’s what we are going to do. Since I won’t be doing any travelling this year I thought I’d record the experience, as much as for future Andersons as anything. But I hope ya’ll follow along, I’d love to hear your experiences .

Five weeks ago I was in Melbourne. I’d spent the weekend doing a volunteer course, I was going to go to Spain, do some walking and help out at one of the albergues on the Camino. All planned! And here it is just a few weeks later and Papa Bear and I have made the decision to self-isolate, mostly because the years of smoking  have stuffed PapaBear’s lungs. As soon as the great toilet paper saga began I started getting ready – buying a few bits and bobs here and there, stocking the freezer and pantry.

Well ok, we spent about $1200 over a fortnight at the supermarket  and Bunnings,  but who knows many weeks or months this going to last.  Note – A pilgrim is grateful:I am grateful that we were able to stock up on whatever we wanted, that we don’t have to worry about losing our jobs and having to pay a mortgage. We just have to worry about keeping healthy!

I’ve been drying, fermenting and pickling.

 

Truth be told I’m pretty good at this shit –  part of me, the Earth Mother part of me, is sorta enjoying it.   I’ve got the bullet journal working, making lists – to do lists, pantry lists, I have even renamed the Things to Do When I Retire list to  Things to Do in Self-isolation. They’re sort of the same except  I crossed out the things that mean stepping out of the house.

I have enough food for about 4 months meals and by then the vegetable garden should be kicking in!

So, this is it folks. I have two goals for each day

• Go for walk along the beach and have swim each day. Luckily our beach is long and wide enough that a walk in normal times is almost like social distancing anyway. I intend to walk the Camino along our beach
• Each morning I am going to go to work for three hours. I am coming out of retirement, it will be job my  job, albeit unpaid.  By 9:00am I aim to be sitting in my office doing project stuff – Spanish lessons, do something with the 40 000 + photos on my computer, write the family history, finish my novel……

 

And to say goodbye to our normal  life until we meet again, here is our Sunday lunch on the balcony enjoying the glorious Geraldton weather – crumbed sardines and salad, the tomatoes are from our garden….just saying!