Corona isolation (4/7)

Corona. Home Office. Week 4 (out of 7) done (home office was extended until end of April…). Half time. Maybe. Hopeful anyway. Yeah!

We are healthy!

It’s Easter time. We are still in lockdown (our plans to be in Ireland for family visit were canceled). That didn’t hold us back from shipping Easter parcels to Ireland, China and within Germany.

Unfortunately some bunnies suffer from serious leg breaks… and 25 chocolate rabbits are not considered „hamstering“ (lucky you guys!).

Also our postman got a wee Easter gift. Best delivery man in the world (not only these days).

A 7-year old girl was writing a letter to the local police office, worried that the rabbit couldn’t deliver Easter gifts due to being locked down. Super cute.

Happy Easter to everyone!

We have been creating weekly food plans (that’s so not us…) & shopping lists to reduce going to the supermarket to once per week only (we are queuing to get in, only max. 20 people allowed inside at the same time).

We stayed at home for the past 4 weeks (wow, that’s a full month!!!). No drive to work. No meeting friends for dinner or a glass of wine. No wonder I was so excited about our girls „what’s up date“ at lunch time this week.

No more theatre visits (most shows were moved to 2021). No shopping (well, besides groceries and online). I am missing friends. And family. And colleagues. The little face to face coffee breaks and lunch times in the office are greatly missed at the moment! The discussions and the debates (I can’t believe I even miss the debates…). Yes, virtual coffee helps, but it’s not the same. I especially miss our assistance (in every Telekom from home she’s been asking in the past few weeks: is everybody dressed or in Pyjamas? Laughter. She’s hilarious).

We don’t mind the lockdown but it would be kind of nice to go out and enjoy a cappuccino in a real Café, surrounded by other people and friends and so… you know what I mean?

I don’t like the term social distancing. Keeping distance isn’t what we do as humans. We want to be close and not apart. I’m looking forward that this part is over (already having ideas for a “corona survival party”). Until then let’s think positive during these times and then we won’t mind watching the world through our windows. We are not the only ones watching out, “somebody” is also watching in:

People are good in controlling their life’s. If we can’t, we freak out. Not many things happen spontaneously anymore. At the moment I believe the worst for people is that we don’t know were current virus will lead us to. We don’t have a plan. We cannot clearly see into the future. Am I afraid? Yes & no. Yes, times are uncertain but at the same time I believe we can survive the virus somehow. And maybe things are different afterwards. So I decided to see this as a journey. A journey on which we can write our own stories, pretty much a journey through the new corona life.

Why like a journey? Because I love traveling. I love to take photos and write about it afterwards. These days I imagine we are on a discovery travel. Therefore we need to soak up all the new experiences we make. And be open for new things to happen.

Corona brings out some undiscovered talents: becoming a soup chef (that was always on my to do list): veggie soup, leek soup, asparagus soup… the choices are unlimited. And it tastes sooo good (favorite stays with the white asparagus, though and fresh herbs from the garden).

We are discovering our garden love. Time makes it possible. Finally our wish to grow veggies becomes true: paprika, chili peppers, spring onions, tomatoes, carrots, radish, potatoes, leek, mushroom, sunflowers & poppies. And they are growing. Amazing! And my creative husband built a raised planter (originally our TV was moved in that box overseas).

So there’s something about this time, while widely uncertain, that can bring us closer together – while standing 1,5m apart.

Continuously, lots of good things are happening around us:

After Angela Merkel’s Corona test result came back negative, Syrians in Idlib saying thank you with a graffiti.

Medicine students and retired doctors are offering their support & helping out in hospitals.

Thousands of Germans offered their support for the local harvest of veggies & fruits.

Our neighbors so sweet: leaving us fresh eggs from their hens.

Goose bumps while listening to New Yorkers singing Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York”. Wow! Fantastic how people stand together these days!

And the virus seems to help speed up the digitalization in companies (home Office & online orders). Impossible turns into possible (about time…).

U2 has donated several millions to Ireland to fight the virus.

Hubby and I are thinking a lot of how to support in current situation & loved ones (without being able to move… not so easy). So we started supporting the locals. Every Wednesday a different restaurant. This week: pizza & ice-cream to go from around the corner.

Baking & sharing a delicious apple tart (& cream) with the neighbors.

Buying a voucher from my hair salon to help keeping up their cash flow for the time of shutdown.

Supporting the Netherlands in decorating our home with beautiful flowers.

Offering & posting facial masks to family, friends & work colleagues (Xie xie to Mr Li).

Being loyal & shopping local:

It’s not a lot (and doesn’t feel satisfying) but at least something we can do in current situation. I hope and believe that after all this is over all that will have really mattered is how we treated each other.

Besides we are trying to do the best with and in current situation. You may think we are getting tired. Tired of being isolated. Tired of each other… well, we are not.

Instead we are enjoying the time together, roasting pekan nuts with olive oil & rosemary.

We are enjoying a Sunday breakfast in bed.

Production is increasing at Turley Bräu.

We appreciate having the time to notice the weather again. Wonderful, even it’s been a bit crazy: from +17C degrees and sunshine to -1C degree and snow the next day. Hello, April! Hello spring!

We (kind of) move slow and time moves fast. My mind has cleared up, time & space for creative ideas again. I loved preparing some creative Easter gifts for some kids… hope they are going to love it (including a break for the parents).

April is also the month when reduced work hours (and salaries) will start. Also in our company… “Worries don’t change the future but making the present difficult” – trying to not worry too much about it. And despite the reduced salary we are still in a comfortable situation. And maybe it sounds a bit naive but I’m convinced we can master current situation.