Lock-down Day 29

The end is nigh! I feel much, much better - lock-down is coming to an end, starting Friday, 1st May. The ban on cigarette sales is lifted then! It feels like the nightmare is over! Yes, I know it isn't, and no, I have no clue when I will be able to go back to work - but I feel normal again!

I slept well, woke up to the alarm - but turned over, as it's still dark. I thought I could wait for daylight in bed, but mippies were restless ... I let them out just after six. And I'm making plans! Whoohoo! Happy!

The whole country will be rushing to the stores to stock up on cigarettes on Friday, I'm sure - so, I won't. I'm sticking to my current ration, and will continue to work towards reducing even further. I'm going to need that cost-saving in the coming months! 

I received mail from my landlady yesterday, asking I pay rent into a different account this month - she appears to be under the misapprehension, that I'm getting full salary. I had better dispel that delusion as soon as possible. Yes, I can pay rent this month, for May - but with zero income this month, I will NOT be able to pay full rent for June, maybe not even July, as I have no idea when I will be allowed to go back to work! I don't have some secret stash - nor a fat savings account hidden away somewhere. I had told her husband that I'm not getting paid, on several occasions ... 

It's now just after eight and all my mippies are inside - so I've shut the passage door. I thought Mini was out, but she just walked into the room - I guess she was napping on one of the kitchen chairs, her current favourite. She's missing her fortress - which is probably why she keeps trying to climb into the shelf, as that's where I've packed my work pants. Silly of me not to have connected the dots earlier.

Sigh, they're all looking at me with big eyes: "Why door shut? Mommy? We can go outies?" Ha Ha! It's a little too early to get milk, yet - I'll wait until nine. This will be a very, very long half hour! I've just given in to the pressure and given them a sachet ... I only have six left, now!

Mini is being very disruptive! The big ladies had just settled on the bed, washing themselves pre-curl up and nap ... when Mini jumped onto the bed and scattered them! Now they are waiting to get out again ... Ai, ai, ai!  This will be the longest half hour of the entire lock-down!

At ten to, I gave up and left! Shame, the farmer forgot to fill my milk, but he does have a few 2 liter cold drink bottles filled, so I took one of those and will get the other 3 liter on Tuesday. My landlord left at the same time, with his wife and worker - I guess he's lucky and got called to a job. It would have been nice, as I know they'll do shopping as well, if he had asked if I need anything ... but yeah. He also knows I'm stuck with refuse, again - no offer to drop it off for me.

That is one thing this whole pandemic has brought out: everyone's true colours! It has clearly brought out who, in our government, is about authority & dictatorship and who is about responsibility! I feel that the specific announcement that the ban on the sale of cigarettes will be lifted on Friday, was an intentional slap. Letting certain ministers know that they do not run this country. But that is just my feeling, and feeling isn't reality - so: I could be wrong.

However, the same is true with regards to employers, management. True colours have been revealed!

As I understand it, Level 4 lock-down is pretty much the same as Level 5 (full lock-down, as we've experienced it) - but now employers need to work on their Health & Safety! Every business must have not only a risk assessment, but an implementation plan to ensure that employees will not spread the virus. What this means for me is quite simple: Nothing! Wait to hear ... big boys are muscling to put everything in place :)

Yes, I'm feeling almost my old self again. Able to do, act ... not just sit and wait. Even though nothing has changed, everything has changed. There is light at the end of the tunnel, and hope is alive again!

Well, I've just mailed my landlady that I'll pay May rent, but can't guarantee payment for June. Now I have to hope she approves my intention to pay back the difference as soon as possible - all depending on when I'll be allowed to work again.

I just called At, just needed to have a sane conversation with another human being again. He's been keeping busy throughout this time - making me feel somewhat bad about my own inability to cope. Nah, not his intention in the least - just my own feeling. Like I said, a lot of true colours were revealed, and mine don't exactly shine. So, what? I never claimed to be perfect ... 

I received a reply from my landlady: no problem! Phew! That's a big relief! Apart from my credit card, that will be the only debt I'll incur ... well, simply because there IS nothing else I CAN 'put on account'. Because I do not owe anyone any money, I'm not credit-worthy - would not be able to get any loan approved. That's banking logic for you.

Oh, and speaking of banking logic: the 'relief' offered by banks is again: only applicable if you are paid up on all accounts, and all they offer is 3 months non-payment - during which they 'add' the non-payment to your loan, earning themselves additional interest. Which is no relief to any individual - except you don't need to worry that non-payment will incur legal action. I hope that I will survive without having to apply for that ... Oh, yes: you have to APPLY! They don't just let you off the hook without formal application ...

Anyway. As I went to sit outside to call At, Mini launched herself at me in a cuddle frenzy! I'm afraid I mostly ignored her, as I had to concentrate to hear - MTN does not have a good connection here, at the best of times. She just kept bumping and pawing at me, and I - fairly absentmindedly - petted and stroked her. Afterwards, I picked her up for an intensive cuddle - but that's not what she wanted! She LIKES disrupting, ha ha ha!

Another good sign: for the first time since lock-down, I'm hungry! Actually hungry! Until now, I've put food in my mouth and eaten mechanically, knowing I had to - but today, I actually WANT to. Yes, I'm grateful that I have food, that I'm not going hungry - been there. My spirits are lifting ...

I've cleaned the basins and the shelves under the basin. I finally got to use the new bleach, which is simply soda ash with oxygen - no chlorine. Works just fine. I meant to place more stuff under the sink - but I notice that it's not 100% dry, so ... no material under there. I've cleaned and organised all my toiletries in the top shelf - some things I won't need to buy for a long, long time ... like deodorant. And body lotion. And sun protection. Even shampoo and conditioner. But other things, I'll need soon.

Now my fridge is leaking ... I checked the freezer, still frozen. But there's water coming out somewhere ... the door is properly closed, nothing is frosting up, and even the blackberries are still frozen. I guess I'll have to defrost it as soon as possible ...

Then I went to sit outside, happily Mewthos was nearby! He always worries me - the ladies are less accident-prone. Ziva came running soon, Mini rarely goes far, so we're just waiting for Janey. And waiting. And waiting. As we're waiting, Ziva decides to go for another walk - but I know she'll come back as soon as I call for indoors. Then Janey shows up and I start getting them all inside ... only ... as they all come inside, Janey runs off again! And doesn't come back! No mip has ever gone off again AFTER coming home for the evening! Ever! I even went inside and got her tinkle-ball and stood tinkling that outside - no Janey! I had a hard time not freaking out. This is a first: mip coming home, then running off when everyone is coming inside! I call and call and call, and tinkle the bell in the ball, tinkle, tinkle, call, call ... freak ... calm ... call ... call ... call ... light another cigarette, try to stay calm ... wait ...and at last Janey comes strolling up the path!

I'm very, very relieved, but also very not impressed with Janey! I gave them another sachet and settled down with them while they eat. When I don't, they don't really eat their food - it's about spending time together. Now they've all curled up in some spot, looking cute and innocent!

And now, I'm going to take a bath!

Ah! Lovely! I always feel a lot better after a relaxing hot bath! Even though I still don't have the patience to lie in it for long - I get in, relax a bit, then wash and get out.

On a different note, after his speech last night, the president put on his face mask and ended up with it over his eyes for a moment - so short a moment, I missed it, but lots of people didn't and right after the speech, memes were going wild joking about this little mishap. Nothing ugly or derogatory, just the whole nation laughing out our relief that things are looking up, and laughing WITH him, not at him. A lot of people got quite aggressive about it, some going so far as to call it treason ... but our president showed his strength by poking fun of his own mishap during an interview today.

I also listened to the DA's Coronacast today, and I was further impressed to hear that our president is listening to advice from EVERYONE qualified to give any - without discrimination. THAT is leadership! He's not dismissing suggestions from women, or whites, or members of a different, opposition political party.

In America, their president suggested drinking or injecting yourself with disinfectant! I've been looking for some proof that this is a hoax - instead, I'm finding reliable newspapers advising people NOT to try this, even explaining why it's a bad idea! I've heard a lot of things Trump is supposed to have said, but since I don't read or follow USA news, I've taken it with a grain of salt ... but this time, I looked for his actual words ... and yeah ... unbelievable!

I thought only Zuma was capable of that level of ignorance ...

Sweden is apparently trying the 'herd immunity' approach to the virus. I would normally be looking TO Sweden for scientific and reliable answers, but in this case, I'm afraid I don't get it. So far, there is no real indication that a body builds up lasting immunity against this virus. There has been mention of people having been re-infected, though also without proof.

I had taken out a steak and was able to eat about half of it. The other half I had to share with Mewthos and Mini!

I see that basic food prices have increased over the past month. The past two weeks, apparently. Not good. I've been considering making a trip to Makro to buy bulk and cheap - though I would be loosing quality, as they don't have my preferred brands. I only thought of Makro, because I also need lighters ... overall, not a good idea.

I think, tomorrow, I should work out a shopping list and look up prices, too. See where that gets me.

Now, it's time to dislodge a mip (Mewthos) and take my rightful place in my bed ...