Our Grocery List Remains Normal

Ironically, any images being circulated of the actual virus, do happen to look like colourful torpedoes.

I’ve discovered that it’s hard not to literally feel pressed upon when a universal, planetary event occurs. As if your home’s roof and four walls are not enough to guard and protect.

The current pandemic generates a feeling that one needs to hunker down, go into survival mode as invisible bombs in the form of virus droplets rain down. Ironically, any images of the actual virus being circulated, do happen to look like colourful torpedoes.

At the same time as looking out for ourselves and those near and dear, we are also forced to look out even farther; out to those in our community. We become vigilant, asking ourselves how we might possibly, unknowingly, affect (infect?) others.

I’ve discovered that when something this calamitous and outside of my control surrounds my own formerly safe and private world, how creepy and weird it feels. I feel uneasy. I worry about family in Europe. Family in another city here in New Zealand. Friends overseas, friends just down the road. Friends and family in the North Island. My mother in law in a Rest Home. Family and friends with pre-existing concerns. Family working in hospitals. Etc. etc.

Even though New Zealand only has eight cases so far (I say so far, because it’s like waiting for the tsunami of cases currently festering to really hit) paranoia threatens to keep us house-bound. Maybe it’s more because I don’t want to be the one who is unknowingly infecting others … it’s the delay that gets me. It can be two weeks before a manifestation occurs from the little buggers.

I was down town two week ago. It was easy to deduce that a cruise ship was in port. Cruise ship passengers are easy to spot in cruise-ship attire, back packs and a general air of wandering couples gazing; that sense you get of people looking as if poised for flight and pending destinations. But I’m now wondering – how close did I get to one of the potentially infected passengers? I had my granddaughter with me and at one point during our walk along the street, she sat down on the footpath – she obviously had had enough of walking. This caused a passing couple of cruise-ship-passengers some amusement, and we shared a laugh. But did this formerly harmless interaction put both myself and my granddaughter in danger of possible contagion? (So far all is well.)

Don’t worry. I am keeping my paranoia under control. Basically I am a common sense type of gal. I am not hoarding. We haven’t even got an emergency kit. Our tinned tomatoes ration is the usual three-tins-in-the cupboard. Our grocery list remains normal.

Meanwhile, in the good news department, I am presently finishing final edits of proofs for my fourth poetry book. The cover has been designed and I love it. A title for the collection has also been decided. But they are – as are a lot of things at present – being kept under wraps.

Life goes on and thankfully, writing is something that can be done at home.