It’s now been 5 weeks since my last entry but really, it seems so much longer. A lot has happened with this Covid-19 virus that it is hard to believe! 185 countries around the world have confirmed cases and as yet there is no known antivirus. I had to google how many countries there are in the world to find out there are 195 so that’s a frightening statistic. The world has pretty much come to a standstill with countries practically shutting down. (Read that last sentence again and let it sink in!)
The same restrictions that are affecting us here in Australia are affecting people abroad also. Everyone should be practicing self isolation and social distancing when they do go out and then for essential reasons only. Our government has thrown hundreds of millions of dollars at the problems facing everyone in the hope of buying us all time before a vaccine can be found.
We made the hard decision to stay here at the caravan park instead of parking in Jo and Phil’s back yard as they offered. We feel this was the right thing to do as this whole business could and probably will go on for months. Australia’s death rate is considerably lower than many other countries at the moment but it could get out of hand here and with Jo being a nurse and the boys both teachers, they are in the high risk category. By keeping our distance we would hopefully be able to step in to help if needed.
Life is very monotonous at the moment (as it is for everyone!) and we spend our days reading, watching TV, phones, IPads and social media. We’ve appreciated the humour of posts on the media making light of these terrible times. We were already on the WhatsApp app for our family group but are sharing more now, seeing what the grandkids are doing with home schooling and joining in their Easter egg hunts.
We walk around the park a couple of times a day and chat (keeping our distance) to the few other people still staying here on the park. Most caravan parks have been closed and only people like ourselves who live in their vans full time are allowed to stay here on this one. The weather is still beautiful and that makes a big difference as we make use of the small beach by the boat ramp, taking a quick dip every day. Our van is parked right by the river so we have very pleasant water views. We are lucky in so many ways!
Chris and I only go out to food shop every 8 days or so and it’s then I drop stuff off to mum. I ring her home first and the staff bring mum in her wheelchair to the front door so she can at least see me. Poor thing, she is so confused by all of this and every day asks me what side of the fence we are on, referring to all the closed borders.
Jo has brought the girls to see us a couple of times, staying on the other side of the high fence between the park and the road. We have spent a good while blowing kisses and throwing them over the fence to each other. A game the girls have taken much pleasure in! We even went for a social distancing bush walk with them as they walked along the fence line with us on Easter Monday.
That “bucket list” holiday we were so looking forward to is now not going to happen and we are trying to get our money back. At the moment we are being offered part refunds and credit notes but we are still holding out for a total refund. Watch this space!
Not sure if my next blog entry will be much different to this one. We can only hope that our lives will be just as uneventful as the alternative to this may be so much worse! Stay safe everyone, find the positive in life and let’s appreciate what we do have.

❤ Sending virtual hugs and love to everyone out there in this crazy world we are living in ❤

Below is something I read on Facebook the other day and felt was something we should all remember. I take no responsibility for the writing of it but agree, we should never forget.

Just so I NEVER forget..... 4th April 2020

👉🏻 Petrol price below $1
👉🏻 School cancelled - yes cancelled
👉🏻 Self-distancing measures on the rise.
👉🏻Tape on the floors at grocery stores and others to help distance shoppers (6ft) from each other.
👉🏻 Limited number of people inside stores, therefore, lineups outside the store doors.
👉🏻 Non-essential stores and businesses mandated closed.
👉🏻 Parks, trails, entire cities locked up.
👉🏻 Entire sports seasons cancelled.
👉🏻 Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events - cancelled.
👉🏻 Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings - cancelled.
👉🏻 No masses, churches are closed. Graveyards are shut.
👉🏻 No gatherings of 2 or more (except with people from within your household).
👉🏻 Don't socialise with anyone outside of your home.
👉🏻 Children's outdoor play parks are closed.
👉🏻 We are to distance from each other.
👉🏻 Shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.
👉🏻 Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill.
👉🏻 Panic buying sets in and we have no toilet paper, no disinfecting supplies, no paper towel no laundry soap, no hand sanitiser. Shelves are bare.
👉🏻 Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitiser and PPE.
👉🏻 All non-essential travel banned.
👉🏻 Regional borders closed.
👉🏻 Wa borders closed.
👉🏻 Fines are established for breaking the rules.
👉🏻 Police patrolling the streets.
👉🏻 Arenas open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.
👉🏻 Press conferences daily from the government.
👉🏻 The (Conservative) government throws money at businesses to try to keep the economy from imploding. Grants and loans. The government to pay 80% of employees wages where businesses cannot continue to do so.
👉🏻 Daily updates on new cases and deaths.
👉🏻 The dead are denied wakes or funerals and barely anyone is allowed at the graveside.
👉🏻 Barely anyone on the roads.
👉🏻 People wearing masks and gloves outside.
👉🏻 Essential service workers are terrified to go to work.
👉🏻 Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families.

This is the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic, declared March 11th, 2020.

Why, you ask, do I write this status?

One day it will show up in my memory feed, and it will be a yearly reminder that life is precious and not to take the things we dearly love for granted.

We have so much!
Be thankful. Be grateful.
Be kind to each other - love one another - support everyone.

�❤ We are all one ❤ �