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
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
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