SPIRIT OF PLACE: TWO WEEKS INTO LOCKDOWN

I’m not sure that we will ever get used to the noise again. The last two weeks of lockdown have been so beautifully peaceful - no cars, no loud music, no voices. We have had so much time to do little things that have been neglected - to contemplate - and to really look at the beauty of this place that surrounds us.

I’ve had to do one trip to buy food - first in Bathurst, and then through to Rosehill Mall for what I was unable to get here, and in both cases was very disappointed by the attitudes I encountered regarding Covid19. The local butchery was quite a bit busier than usual and the lady at the counter said it was like Christmas all over again - but aside from the two ladies behind the counter and myself, nobody else was wearing gloves or masks, and only one of them a mask. Money was being passed around freely over counters for banking and other purposes with nary a concern for the possible spread of a virus and no sign of disinfectant anywhere. One would not have believed for a minute that as a nation we had been asked to take certain precautions to try and prevent the spread of the pandemic. Question mark, question mark.

At Rosehill Spar I was quite impressed by the measures that had been put in place to protect both public and employees, yet was astounded to see at least fifteen or more obviously middle class couples over 60 (I thought we had to shop singly), happily walking about without masks or gloves, and looking at me and the one or two others who were trying to obey the rules as is we were stark raving mad. I really do hope with every fibre of my body that this thing doesn’t take hold here in the valley of the many retired, but if it does, a great many people are going to have only themselves to blame, and a great many innocent bystanders could end up taking fatal knocks because of a blasé few. Question mark, question mark.

I shall probably get a lot of flak for bringing this all up - but to use Kevin Bloody Wilson’s famous turn of phrase …………. DILLIGAF!

Towards the middle of yesterday afternoon I decided to tackle the compost heap, it needing to have two cubic metres of fairly well rotted stuff on the one side turfed over the wall onto the other side to make room for a whole lot of new stuff which needs sorting and layering. Well, all I can say is that “it ees relly hadd wek”, and that this morning both my rotator cuffs made it quite clear to me that they were totally stuffed and that I should desist from any more work of this nature in the future. Wish I could agree, but then it just won’t get done. After that there was another 45 minute stint on the lawnmower - time well spent according to my telephone which tells me that each of these stints adds up to around 2.5kms worth of valuable exercise.

With both the compost and the grass cutting I had two very beautiful Starlings within a metre most of the time - waiting for me to feed them grubs out of the compost, and catching all the little jumping bugs around the mower as it moves along. A really handsome and friendly couple indeed.

Thereafter Jesse and I took a walk around the property and I really took the time to consider what Pat has achieved in a little less than two years in this garden, so today I scanned through all of the pics taken over the period and have decided to put up a few comparatives for posterity’s sake ……….. lest we forget!

Until next time ………… please everyone follow the rules - stay safe and stay well.