Self-isolation Day 13

It rained during the night and for an hour or two this morning. In contrast to yesterday, the outlook was grey. I woke to a call from my brother.  There was lots to talk about from our respective self-isolations, mine compulsory, his by stay-at-home directives. My sister-in-law is doing an extraordinary job of creating video resources for her online physical education classes of 24 or so junior primary school children. She and my brother can still play singles tennis on their apartment courts, making videos along the way.

We chewed over some big issues of our parliamentary democracy. We are united in our hope the problem-solving cooperative model of policy-making apparently being achieved at the moment can carry forward to at least modify the ideologically-driven adversarial model into which we seem to have fallen in recent decades.

Just after we finished our call, I had a FaceTime call from my friends  released from the Costa Victoria. It was so fantastic, not just to hear their voices, but to see them in their quarantine in a Perth hotel. They are both well and cheerful,happy and grateful to be back in Australia. They have no idea how and when they will be able to return to Adelaide. but they are not complaining. They had nothing but praise for the crew of the Costa Victoria.It was, in the end, the ship's captain and the company who organised the flight from Rome to Perth. Their health needs were at all stages considered and  accommodated, including a wheelchair. Their Perth hotel room accommodates this. They have a jigsaw puzzle, knitting, embroidery and Kindles, in addition to television, to keep them occupied - and decent Internet. It was just marvellous to see and talk to them - and to know we can do it again.

The Adelaide airport Corona virus cluster identified yesterday has raised the possibility of the Airport closing, as it did for a few hours yesterday. It's operating again today, but 100 baggage handlers have gone into isolation. One news bulletin today suggested anyone who has collected or handled luggage from the airport in the last 14 days should get tested. That would include me. The driver who picked me up from the airport took my luggage off the carousel and carried it to the car. I however, wheeled it into the apartment and unpacked it. The government website, however, is still very specific in saying only to seek a test if you have symptoms, which I do not.

A sad announcement today was that The Bunyip - the local Gawler newspaper, which was, I think, the only privately owned local newspaper left in South Australia, is to close 'indefinitely' from today. When we lived in Gawler from 1973 to 1984 the purchase of The Bunyip from it's office, each Wednesday was an unmissable ritual. It was a reliable and thoughtful source of local news and community building. I have found no local newspaper since that was worth reading after The Bunyip. It employed 12 people, now suspended, with little prospect of reinstatement. It would be brilliant if it were to recover.

By the afternoon it was a little bit brighter outside and the rain had ceased. I had another FaceTime discussion with a Guild friend with chronic health issues who is fighting off an infection not Corona virus related. This is an even more difficult time than usual for people with chronic illnesses. Their risk escalates and options narrow. Hopefully her doctor's intervention will affect a recovery by the weekend. We had plenty of things to talk about other than her health, but it remains a concern.

We were able to have our discussion because, by lunchtime the Woolworth's website indicated my delivery would be between 5 pm and 6 pm. At 2.40 pm this was amended to 5.03-6.03!



At 6.02 I heard the truck door opening! The same driver as last week rang my buzzer - and, after having the same issue with the lift as last week, I heard him unloading his trolley on the other side of my door

I watched him leave and waved my thanks before opening my door and pulling the bags inside.

It contained the milk I was waiting for, fruit and veg and minced lamb. I have undertaken to make moussaka for the friend who has been keeping me going with pasties and osso bucco. If this works, I will try making another one  in the weeks to come for my Adelaide family. I haven't be able to get kefalograviera cheese - but I'll manage!

I'm very happy to have this service.


I tried to have a phone conversation this evening with my Sydney friend recovering from her eye operation, but the connection kept dropping out. I managed to ascertain she's doing well and happy with the operation - but that's about all. She tried changing phones, to no avail, which might suggest the problem was at my end.

I also made a couple of phone calls to members of the World Embroidery Study Group members to see it they were OK. One was fine, for another I've left a message.

My stitching did not progress much today as my attention was on conversations.







I have managed the first set of acorn leaves.


It doesn't seem much, but it takes me a while to do the first, outside, layer of each leaf with double thread. I need to go over it with a single thread to get it smooth. It works, though.

Although tomorrow is my last day of compulsory self-isolation, I do not think I'll be going anywhere much beyond my letterbox and garbage disposal for a while. It will certainly be good to do that. We have, as a community, put a lot of effort into recycling systems, and I think these are really important. We should not go backwards.

Beyond these small excursions some solo walks, until I know for sure I am not carrying the virus, it seems  there are too many risks to others, as well as myself.

Need to stay at home.

I hope to do more embroidery tomorrow than I did today - but friends come first.