A week or so ago, I helped farmer friends marshal their cows and heifers into a crush so a veterinarian could pregnancy test them.

I don’t think the cattle I’ve worked with over the years have ever been willing participants in an operation that forces them into a long race and then into the ultimate indignity of a 40cm probe with camera being inserted into their back ends. (For those who once watched All Creatures Great and Small, the probe was always a vet’s long arm).

The heifers on this day were maybe easier to handle because they were smaller and had not suffered such treatment before. But they all emitted voluminous streams of urine and faeces, to indicate their extreme nervousness, as we herded them up to the race. Strangely they seemed more settled once they were in the race and could see their colleagues moving along it and eventually exiting its confines.

Armed with a plastic paddle to prod the girls into place - the paddles are designed to emit much more noise than pain - my job was to extract about 10 cows or heifers from a yard of say 30, into three smaller pens and ideally reduce that number to four, closest to the start of the race. That was a number that gave me room to avoid aforesaid liquid projectiles and the odd kicking hoof. Strangely I nearly avoided all that as we jostled the best part of 200 cows and heifers up the race.

Towards the end of four hours I knew I was getting tired and attempted to be even more careful around vigorous back ends. However, I eventually copped a firmly planted hoof in my left calf and not much later, one cow strongly objected to my urging and simply bowled me over as she charged to the back of the yard.

The kick hardly hurt and being knocked over, thankfully, affected me little, apart from my clothes being considerably messier.

Shortly after the second incident, while questioning me about my health, the herd’s owner asked me if I had noticed that the cow that knocked me over, had also jumped over me.
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On reflection, 'right here, right now', I'm most grateful for that, because if she hadn’t, it might have been more like a fairly gory moment from the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona.
 
David Palmer
August 2020

​Right here, right now, our world is in the grips of a pandemic known as Covid-19.  There is so much going on around our own state to keep us confused.  Rules and regulations change daily, how does one remember it all?  I am saddened to hear of so many deaths of the frail and vulnerable in nursing homes.  Others who live alone must feel so isolated from the world right now.  I can’t see any of my family as they all live across the border, yet we keep in touch the best we can.  I am patiently waiting for the day I get to see my children and grandchildren.

Coping in isolation has been relatively easy for Geoff and I.  We have both had many and varied tasks to complete, we also created extra’s.  Geoff spent many hours during the first lockdown cutting firewood for family and friends.  This he would mostly do alone, sawing the wood for others to collect in their own space and time.   He has since closed in two sides of our back veranda, creating an open ended laundry, so much nicer on cold wet days for the washer woman.  He has also completed the capping bricks around the house.  This was about 22 years after the house was built, it looks so much better now.  Geoff also made a lockable carry box to fit the caravan which holds a generator.  He is temporarily back at work near Mitre 10.

He and I have been helping a friend by feeding hay to 4 or 5 paddocks of cattle twice a week.  This gets us out of the yard for a couple of hours at a time.  Some weeks this is my only outing.

I have been completing many UFO’s (Unfinished Objects!).  Strip pieced placemats/coasters started in 2006; cushion tops x 5 almost done; a crocheted jug cover(too far back to remember); knitting beanies/ scarves for grandies and charity; making masks / pot holders; shopping bags;  lots of gardening.

The best part of lockdown has been Geoff and I spending much more quality time together, completing many chores in each other’s company. He reinforced Dad and Mum’s wooden box before I painted it.  He made a new step stool for the caravan, I painted it.  Geoff dug areas of the vegetable garden which I filled with seeds or plants.  We pruned every plant needing attention.  We have also enjoyed many hours in the evenings, watching his personal videos of music festivals, fishing trips, tractor treks, horse riding trips or general holidays.

I hope this pandemic ends soon so I can be re-united with my family and friends in NSW, re-join U3A groups, go to the library or out for dinner/coffee etc, get back in the pool, and no longer have to wear masks.

Maxine Gardiner
August 2020

​This continued isolation for Covid 19 is doing my head in right here, right now!!!!!!!!!

At times I have been talking to the walls. Any day now I swear they will answer and I will know then that I have really lost it.

Living alone with these restrictions is not for sissies and requires dedication Prior stage 3 lock-down I had no great problems with the restrictions. My project was to paint the inside of the house and that certainly helped fill in the time.

Immediately after that I found myself in hospital for 3 weeks and on arrival home found myself with little energy and even less motivation. That was when the rot started to set in. I thought jail might be an easier alternative. No housework, no shopping, no gardening and best of all no cooking!

After getting our of bed on one occasion I thought to myself “Why should I make the bed? No one sees it but me”. So I didn’t make it. I also figured with no likely visitors I could swan around for the rest of the day in my PJ’s ……...so I did. Next day I gave myself a really good talking to. I realised it would be really easy so slip into lassitude and daily monotony.

I asked a friend around for Devonshire Tea on a Saturday afternoon. The sun was shining and we enjoyed a good chat soaking up it’s rays. The sun really does lift the spirits even if the air is chilly. I also organised a Trivia night on Zoom for the Gliding Club. That was the most people I have conversed with in one sitting. It was therapeutic to enjoy the company of others even if contact was via a tiny photo on screen. It was great to have a laugh.

I now set myself a target of some sort for the day to give myself a sense of purpose. It may be something simple such as clean the fridge or tidy that cupboard. I find reaching those little goals allows me to feel happier in myself.

Like us all I miss family contact and hugs………..I really miss my hugs…………

​The fact that we know there is light at the end of the tunnel is a time to work toward.

The walls and I can’t wait

Claire Rudolph
August 2020

Listening to Dan talk about our incredible amazing time with this Virus has become a way of life for me. And I have to confess: Covid Isolation suits me nicely! I am an Isolate. During this worrying incredulous time in our lives has been a time of self realisation.

I moved to Strathbogie thirty years ago and lived a life with my Cavaliers and my Garden and my Tutoring. I only ventured into town for my work and shopping. The rest of the time I stayed tucked away in the Hills of the Strathbogie Ranges. I did not realise I was an isolate at the time; all I knew was that I loved living in my home tucked away beside the noisy creek; and across the road from the sheep lambing in the paddock. If I woke at night I would hear the newborns bleating for their first nurture from their Mum. I could hear the creek letting me know it was still moving and rumbling across the rocky base. And I could hear my Cavaliers snoring in their kennels. All I knew was that I was content. I never knew I was an Isolate.

Time to move out of the Hills and down I came. First Violet Town and now Benalla where I will stay. It was quite an adjustment. The mobile phone worked; the TV reception worked; my garden was smaller; I could walk to the shops and I did not mow for three hours a week. Cars travelled past the door and so did people. There was even a Supermarket and a Library. A vast civilised change from one General Store and four cars a night going past the gate.

Benalla has offered me; company, hobbies and wonderful people to share my interests with. Then I could scurry back to my home and be content that I had been out socially Active. I loved my time away from home. Society demands that we be social to some extent. Then Covid hit us like I have never experienced before. And self realisation set in.

The first thing I discovered was that I am a Vulnerable. Not just old but a vulnerable. And that was scary. The Virus is and has killed people with my auto immune problems in my age group. So I follow the rules to a T. This because I don't want to go out to any virus.

And I was fascinated with the development of this virus. The adaptations of the media and us general population people. I look forward to Dan's reports every day. I feel I am doing the right thing by listening and hearing other people's views. If I didn't do this I would be a true isolate who did not care; or an isolate who cared so much that life held nothing but fears.

​Privileged absolutely; I am comfortable in my multi roomed home with good heating and all my lovely memories around me. Plenty of food and Supermarkets within walking distance. I love the fact that no one is coming in the door. That I can plan my day without interruption and without feeling bad that I am not being social. Because I am not social. Lunches are my thing.

I just love to be invited as I have been socialised to believe that to not be invited is to reflect something wrong with myself. And I still love to be invited and I probably answer an invitation by attending but I am always an early leaver. Unless there is dancing and then I stay on to dance and enjoy the music. But that is not social. Just loving movement and dance and music of all kinds.

Did you know there are orchestral concerts on Utube. Did you know there is ballet on Utube. Do you know that you can feed in any artist or instrument and Utube tells you where to find them. I fed in OBOE the other day and I found great Oboe concerts to love. And listening to them in isolations is superb for me. Comfortable, warm and great music playing through the home. Magic stuff!

​I am playing Bridge online and enjoying Demystifying Psychology and now I am writing again. None of this would have developed without The Virus/Covid. And I wouldn't have discovered that Isolation suits me. I am an Isolate and quite frankly I love it.

But my family is all Over the Border or in Melbourne. So one thing I am missing is them and HUGS. They don't mind me not being around all the time because I am an Isolate and some of them are too. But those HUGS will be looked for as soon as the Restrictions are done with. HUGS AND LAUGHS and then back to being a Happy Isolate again. Doing my own thing but making sure people know I Love Them.

Helen Duggin 
24/08/2020

​Judy Perry
August 2020

​Two wild ducks are slowly crossing the deserted main street in Goorambat. There’s no hurry as there’s no traffic. This is a regular morning excursion for them and portrays life in a very small country town in our second lockdown during this pandemic. They are going to the Hotel that is closed.

With the highly infectious Covid 19 virus worsening in Victoria a “State of Disaster” has been declared.  In regional Victoria we enter another six weeks of stage three restrictions. There are only four reasons to leave home; a medical appointment, brief shopping, work or study and exercise.  We can’t have anyone visiting our homes. On Sunday afternoon there were joyful cries as two women friends met accidently on the footpath.

Life on my corner block has become very quiet. I have only one neighbour who lives behind his seven foot fence. The park and the empty Hall are on the other side and the grain silos opposite.
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The tourists who thronged our small town viewing our silo art, no longer visit. There is no one admiring the bright eyes of Millie the barking owl who adorns the full length of a tall concrete silo. No eager tourists with cameras and drones record the lifelike painting of the three working draught horses on the silo opposite my house.

The New South Wales border is closed. The empty V/Line bus that now runs from Yarrawonga and connects with trains at Benalla swishes through the town six times a day without stopping. No one waits at the bus stop, no one gets off. The radio plays the rhythmic beat of the song, “Living in a ghost town!”

Passing the local cemetery I see the stark reality of the pandemic; a funeral where the only mourners are five men in navy suits standing distanced from each other around a freshly dug grave.

A rumble on a rough patch of road heralds a truck going to the silos. Any activity over there has become company. The sound of wheat being loaded onto the truck is of welcome manmade origin!

The most positive experience is collecting our mail from the post office.  Here those who are living alone have contact with other people. We smile behind our masks and greet each other with enthusiasm. Our postmistress radiates good cheer from behind her safety screen.

Bird life is restricted by human activity. With no one around varieties and numbers have increased and the bird song is beautiful.  Brightly coloured parrots lift our spirits. A friendly honey eater is already conning me to share the coming fruit harvest.

Now that we have “Time,” we have no excuse to procrastinate.  All those tasks that we have pushed aside can now be done.

In my quiet corner of the world, peace reigns. This day is mine to mould as I wish. There is no pressure, there’s nothing I have to do, but so much that can be achieved. Friends and family have become even more important. Although they are far away I can sit down with a coffee and the phone for a pleasant interlude.

When I was very young I promised myself that someday I would spend some time alone. In later years I completely changed my mind.  Be careful what you wish for! That time is here; right now.

We look forward to better times to come. 

Beverley Morton
August 2020

Right Here, right now I am working through my TODO list.  I am a bit behind.  My routine went out the window.

When our outside activities came to a halt in March, I set up a routine that roughly followed my normal activities.  Routine, I decided, would help me keep active.  And it would give me something to look forward to each day.

So my COVID19 routine was:

Every weekday morning walk around the lake.
Monday afternoon – something to do with writing.  This covered the two U3A writing classes – Creative Writing and “As Time Goes By”.  I added to that writing classes from the Australian Writers’ Centre.
Tuesday afternoon – watch a film.  This covered my BPACC volunteering.  It gave me a film to write about for the Film as Literature class.
Wednesday morning – Sit down and read in place of “Play Reading” U3A class, although the class was only once a week.
Wednesday afternoon – Knitting.  This replaced knitting at the library.  It could be knitting for one of my projects, or a knitting course to pick up new skills or improve old ones.
Thursday – Our normal routine was to go out exploring or go further afield for things we could not buy in Benalla, and always go out for lunch.  So we headed out to find some takeaway for lunch, supporting local cafés.
Friday – this was shopping and lunch with friends.  We still needed to buy food for the week, and for the afternoon I decided that I would try to make calls to friends and family.
 
So how did I do?  And why am I behind on the TODO list?  I am still trying to do all the things on the list, just not necessarily with the original timing. 

The Yarn Bombing event “Benalla Rugged Up” came along.  There was a lot of organising required – applications to prepare, planning under the current restrictions etc.  At least it was knitting related.

I am still watching a film at least once a week – just not on Tuesday afternoon.

Writing seems to happen as and when I feel the urge…or when I need to get some writing done for U3A writing classes – like now, Saturday afternoon.  And I have done some Writing Courses, including one this month that has a daily challenge…mmmmm…not meeting those challenges every day.

Reading on a Wednesday morning – well that is not happening.  But I am reading every day if only in bed at night.

We are still buying a takeaway lunch once or twice a week.

Friday calls to friends or family tends to happen whenever convenient rather than Friday afternoon.
 
I am still doing everything at some stage during the week.  But this does not explain why I am behind.  “Benalla Rugged Up” activities are on hold until it is time to remove the decorations.  That no longer is taking up time.  The reason that I am behind is that we are in the process of purchasing a new car.  A lot of time on-line for insurance quotes, arranging a temporary increase on my daily payment limit to pay for the car, paying for the car, cleaning out my car so that my husband can move things he needs into it – I get the new car!

But I am nearly there.  I have written some emails.  I have sent off the U3A Newsletter contributions for the two classes that I convene and have kept running.  I have cleared my things from the car ready for my husband to move his things in.  And I have written my “As Time Goes By” contribution for August!  Now for the daily writing challenge and I am up to date.

Joy Shirley 
​August 2020
 

​The current infection status for Benalla is that we have had three cases reported in March/April so far this calendar year. We currently have no reported cases, or patients in hospital, all due to the diligence of our community members. Our township, and surrounding communities are complying with the regulations, however many of our businesses have closed, or are on limited trading programs, due to the restrictions.
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Our service, community and social organisations have closed down their regular meetings and events with most being managed by their executive via the internet. Our senior citizens rooms, which are also utilised by over 300 members of our U3A, have been closed. As a result, almost all of the 47, U3A courses on offer this semester have been cancelled, or are being conducted remotely. The art gallery was to be opened for limited days and hours, but is still closed due to tighter restrictions. Our sporting clubs are doing what they can to retain interest in their activities, particularly for the junior members. Most of the regional leagues have now cancelled the 2020 season because of the uncertainty surrounding the restrictions easing.

Almost every day I hear of yet another regional event being cancelled, due to the uncertainty of restrictions being imposed and the current reluctance, given the risks, of many volunteers to participate. Why would people go to all the trouble to prepare these events only to have them shut down due to a sudden change in regulations, or by a reported case of COVID19? It should also be noted that insurance for these events is now almost unprocurable due to the uncertainty of compliance, or the sudden changes in regulations. In Benalla Rural City we have seen two large historic motoring events, SCRAP, Wall to Wall, various other community annual events and the Benalla Festival, cancelled because of uncertainty. These events are generally held annually and provide funding for local businesses and the not-for-profit community organisations to continue their community support work throughout the year. With these events now cancelled, substantial funding and program support will be lost to our community, for at least one year.
On a personal level we all need to wear masks whilst out and about. Please remember that when you smile at a person they cannot see you!!

Whilst on Zoom or Skype, remember to comb your hair and put a clean top on, it does not matter what else you are wearing, the others cannot see it!!

Have you gone through the cupboards to clean out all of the ‘stuff’ that you have not used for decades? What are you going to do with it? Vinnies is a good option, but please ring beforehand to check that they are still open. RedB4 bookshop is currently closed due to restrictions. Benalla Buy, Swap and Sell on Facebook, is a good option, because people do not have to travel far to pick up the item/s. The alternate is to store the items in a safe place until Vinnies or the RedB4 bookshop re-open.

Have you started writing that book you were always going to write? I have been busy and expanded on the background of our family trees, with three books that are almost complete.

Stay alert for the next episode of “Are We Having Fun Yet?’


Barry O'Connor
August 28, 2020