This year was, obviously, a complete write off with the Coronavirus pandemic. On the back of 2019 which was already isolating for me, a year of enforced self-isolation couldn't have been further from what I needed...
The year initially started well. Back in February I moved house to an apartment in South Yarra between the botanic gardens and the Yarra river. It's a much lighter, brighter, cosier apartment than the South Melbourne place, and I really like it here. The gas fire was a highlight during winter. The gardens and the Tan running track have become my backyard (the fire escape stairs don't really cut it for outside space!).
I had a really fun weekend away on the Mornington Peninsula drinking much wine with Dave & Piero, Pauline & Stephen, Jayde and co, and Dave briefly stayed with me.
But a matter of weeks later, Melbourne went into lockdown. For ~7 months in total. The first was March - May, with June back to normal. A June highlight was having a birthday dinner with Pauline & Stephen at their place. The second lockdown was from July - October and was a lot harder. The novelty had worn off, the rules stricter, daily patrols of police and army in my neighbourhood, mandatory wearing of masks, one hour daily limit allowed for exercise (up to 2 hours towards the end), never leaving a 5km radius, and watching European summer unfold without being there.
I worked from home - a two-screen set up on my dining room table - from March 16th and didn't go back into the office. My favourite life-enriching pursuits - travel, culture and pilates all disappeared. It was a trying year in so many different ways. The loneliness of course, but coping with the boredom and mind-numbing routine of work, walk, eat, grocery shop, clean were among the hardest elements.
Life started to resemble normalcy from November. Celebrating Melbourne Cup Day with a picnic in the gardens with Pauline, Jayde and Jane was very exciting!
Going to Queensland for all of December with 3 weeks in Noosa, and seeing friends and family was exactly what I needed after all of that.
Despite that year there are still some things to appreciate and be grateful for...
- Keeping my job
- Living in my apartment
- Having a coffee shop (Lawson Grove) a short walk from my apartment
- Walking & running around the Tan nearly every day
- Catching up with Jane (my only friend in my 5km radius) for the odd socially-distanced Tan walk
- Constantly keeping in touch with friends in Brisbane and London
- No-one I am close to being diagnosed with Covid-19
Fingers crossed for a better 2021.
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