Photographed 4rd May 2020 - 43 days into lockdown
As I write this Karen and I have been here in the house for just over 8 weeks. Watching the worsening daily news back then, we decided early on that we should probably avoid going anywhere else for a while until things became clearer, little did we know.
For us all, being confined to Heydon day after day as an extended family has been a new adventure. As with many people, our lives before Covid 19 came along were a blur full of deadlines and appointments and the mad daily rush of work and fun; the opportunity to recalibrate has been a big positive to come out of all this. In my case being forced to slow down, to live a much simpler life and act my age for once has been a revelation.
We have shared our lockdown for the past 6 weeks with our son Joe and his wife Caro, for whom it must all be especially unreal being so far from her family in Bariloche at this time. The wonders of the internet have been a big help and also kept us up to speed on the far more draconian measures they are enduring in Argentina.
Above all else we have realised what a privileged life we enjoy living in this village with its hugely supportive community and we count our good fortune every day as we see the challenges faced by so many elsewhere. The chance to watch Spring and soon early Summer emerge in detail day by day in countryside that smells like it did when we were children has been wonderful. It is hard to imagine that all this will not change all our priorities and how we view life in the future. We all need a good haircut.
I leave the closing thoughts to Joe & Caro.
We have found that it is important to focus on the positives, which do exist within the overwhelming, eye opening and saddening impact which this whole crisis has had on our country.
Although a shock to the system at first, we have found that lockdown has enabled us to spend more time with our family than we ever imagined possible at this stage in our lives. Thankfully we have both been able to work from home for the duration and therefore make the most of the clean air, the clowder of pussy cats, the beautiful garden and the delicious home cooked meals! It has made us appreciate peace and quiet more than ever and is a period in our lives which we will never forget.
Written 11th May 2020
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