Jenny - urban retiree
When you first heard that NZ was moving to Alert Levels 3 & 4, what did you think? How did you feel?
At first, I felt the hype was over the top for a flu virus which usually accounts for hundreds of deaths annually. Then when the number of cases and deaths worldwide escalated, I realised Covid-19 was no ordinary bug.
How has your daily routine been affected?
Some things have changed but not all. To keep occupied I did the puzzles in the newspaper and read the news, made phone calls, checked my email and did some gardening every day. Living alone and being in isolation has made me care less about my appearance so I’ve had no need to wear makeup. I cooked fresh meals each evening or at midday. I kept in touch with my husband (who lives on our farm) via phone and watched TV to pass the time in the evenings.
What have been the best things/hardest things about the lockdown?
As the weeks have gone by, life has become slower and slower and I’ve had fewer cares. I’ve found the loss of social activities and lack of human contact the hardest, with no way to do aqua jogging as I usually do on five days out of seven every week. Phone calls with friends in retirement villages were not as interesting as usual because they had less news to share. The best days were those with the most emails with jokes from friends. The worst days were caused by the paranoia on the TV news with many contradictions.
What have you missed/not missed?
I’ve missed people and having an incentive to do jobs or get anything worthwhile achieved - I haven’t even looked at my do list. I’ve missed my local swimming pool which eases my body’s aches and pains.
What have you been thinking about more/less?
Very little of any consequence except getting in touch with old friends on the phone to check on their welfare. I’ve noticed that there has been no or very little traffic movement from helicopters flying to and from hospital - I live in their usual flight path.
Have you learned any skills or formed any new habits during lockdown?
I’ve learned to be patient with boredom. I got some pruning and cuttings done and spread some compost and pea straw around my garden. It was a big thrill to have access to these things.
Can you liken this time to any other time in your life?
When I was three or four years old, I recall being in isolation for about six weeks with scarlet fever. From my little bedroom in Leeds, UK, I could look out the window to see passersby, bakers, coal merchants and delivery people coming to the house with produce like milk.
What have you felt grateful for during the lockdown?
I’ve appreciated being lazy and not feeling guilty, and the many jokes and smiles shared by friends via email. Thankfully the weather has been gorgeous. The sunshine surely helped my attitude. My little dog Toto’s walker continued faithfully to collect him every day at a safe distance.
What, if anything, do you think might change in the world after Covid-19 is under control or eliminated? Any silver linings?
I hope people will remain kinder, more thoughtful and smile more often at passersby.
In a word (or more), how do you imagine describing this time when looking back on it in a year or so?
Too many lives have been lost to the pandemic worldwide so I feel very lucky that we live in New Zealand.