Highest daily COVID-19 stats in South Africa (7Jan21)

The latest update on daily COVID-19 statistics in South Africa shows an increase of 21,832 positive cases and 844 deaths!!! I can't even begin to express how I feel - I have a heavy heart - a deep, deep sadness. Hospitals are so full of COVID patients, that they're postponing non-urgent admissions. All I know is we have to move to a stricter lockdown level, as a matter of urgency, in order to stop the alarming rate of infection. This is the highest ever set of daily figures, since COVID hit our shores, in March 2020. I think that the only reasons the government has delayed the inevitable are that it was the festive season (and there's sentimentality around Christmas and families being together, which includes travelling between provinces and to neighbouring countries) and that the economy had taken such a hit, during the first wave, that they were giving companies more time to try to recover, before re-imposing a higher level of lockdown. I seriously hope the latest statistics show that this alarming loss of life merits Level 5 lockdown. I am painfully aware that it could mean further job losses, and that very few people who are mere employees are safe - including me. 

My daughter and I were doing diaries, earlier, where we share our plans for the next week or two and record the details in our respective diaries. At this stage, I'm still the only driver, we have only one car, so I'm always involved in her trips outside of the house. With my job starting up again in 4 days and my daughter due to start her final year at college about two weeks later, I can't help wondering what we're really going to be facing, this year. So much uncertainty.

I was appalled at what happened in the US, yesterday - pro-Trump protesters stormed Capitol Hill, entering the building and causing havoc, as they tried to stop the final signing of the acceptance of Joe Biden as the new President. Four deaths resulted. Fortunately, the politicians involved got together and signed the document at a subsequent sitting, but what happened last night surely has to be the all-time low of Trump's presidency. Consistently inappropriate to the end, in his televised address to the protesters, he gave oxygen to the fake news that there had been huge irregularities in the recent elections and that he had in fact been cheated out of a landslide victory. Instead of admonishing them sternly and letting them know they'd broken the law, he told them that he loved them and that they were special. At least we agree on that - they are, indeed, special.  

I think I'll stick to playing my guitar and crocheting blankets.    

Thoughts of gratitude, on New Year's Day / Lockdown Day 281

We all talk about how challenging this year has been, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we're generally aware that some people have suffered much more than others, either because of their socio-economic circumstances (i.e. historically and politically disadvantaged, predominantly based on 'race'), because they incurred hardship as a result of loss of income, or because their families were affected by illness or death.

As I type this post, my thoughts are with a dear friend who lost her beloved husband to COVID, in the early hours of this morning. No words can adequately express the feelings one has when this happens. Earlier this year, another dear friend of many years also lost her husband, after a heart attack. In both cases, these were happy couples - people who loved each other deeply and celebrated being together. My heart breaks at the thought of their loss and sadness. 

Gratitude

Today I am grateful that my entire family survived 2020. My mom turned 90 in May and we couldn't have the planned family gathering, because of lockdown. But she's fine - despite having Alzheimer's, she's quite well, physically. 

I am grateful that my children continued to work towards their goals. My daughter completed her third year at college and has one year to go and my son changed his original plans entirely and seems to be on an exciting path of his choice.  

I am grateful that I remained employed throughout 2020, at a time when many companies were forced to retrench staff or even shut down, owing to the pandemic. I've had two periods of unemployment, in my life, and know the havoc it can wreak, including the psychological impact. 

Along the same vein, I am grateful that I have had a safe and comfortable place in which to live, for another year. I've been renting this house for almost 24 years, the longest I've lived in one place, and it's my safe space. This is home. I understand that change is a big part of life, especially when you're renting, but I'll deal with that when it's time. For now - thank you, Landlord, and thank you, Universe.

I am grateful that working from home was not only possible, for me, but that it made my whole life work more smoothly. I am definitely one of those people who discovered the joy of working from home.  I found that, as someone who runs a home, working from home meant I could manage my time in such a way that I fitted both my job and home commitments in, throughout the day, completing both without stress. It was such a difference to what I'd done before - getting up at some ungodly hour, going through a whole morning routine, before leaving the house to sit in peak traffic for at least an hour, to drive to my job 20km away, sitting in an air-conditioned office for at least 8 hours, and then sitting in peak traffic for at least another hour. After all of that, I'd get home, exhausted, and have to start cooking the evening meal, as well as fit in any other housework I could manage and try to squeeze in any personal things, like journalling, or playing my guitar. At the start of lockdown, I think I'd just heard people mentioning Zoom, but had no idea what it was. Now, I'm comfortable on a few virtual meeting platforms.

I'm grateful that in the many free hours at home, when we couldn't leave our homes, outside of working hours, I rediscovered my love for crocheting and knitting, and completed quite a few items during the year. I also rediscovered my love for gardening and have been planting small flowering plants,  lovingly nurturing them and enjoying watching them thrive.

There's so much more I could write, but I'm watching the time, as my daughter and I have today all nicely planned, so that we can fit in a few important things. Two items on today's agenda are some driving practice for her and an exercise workout for us both. Today we'll dance and do yoga. Two days ago, we did an outdoor training session with our fitness trainer. Ooh, that's another thing I'm grateful for - despite how low I felt, a lot of the time, I kept exercising. I didn't quite reach my goal of 120 workouts for the year, but I think 109 isn't bad at all, right?! Early in October, we started working out with a trainer, which has been wonderful. We train on a big, open field, with beautiful trees along the perimeter. When we don't train there, we do workouts at home. I love dancing, and in 2020 I started doing yoga, as well. 

I have ten more days of annual leave, so I'm sure I'll be doing more writing.

In South Africa, we've moved back to Level 3 of Lockdown, as the second wave has hit us much harder than the first. It's been declared a criminal offence to be in public without a mask, so please make sure you mask up. And don't forget the other two - wash/sanitise your hands and maintain social distance.     

Stay safe!