??Whaletale Lockdown??
Dear Inmates, weeks of lockdown has turned into months of lockdown, and yet, still no end in sight! Public opinion regarding the pandemic or lack there off has also changed with the weather season.
As winter starts to settle over the Southern Hemisphere, the chill also took hold of our bones and our souls. How the human spirit can adapt to difficult circumstances keeps on surprising me.
With permission, I’m sharing Ingrid’s lockdown story as a ‘Shout Out’ to all the brave Mom’s and Dad’s all over the world that stepped into the shoes of a full-time caretaker, teacher, domestic worker, gardener and continued their professional job responsibilities.
Here goes:- ”From our side, so much to say and almost nothing to say. Each day of lockdown has been very much the same: The juggling act, (no balancing act possible) of trying to work as though I’m at the office, bringing in less money due to the economic situation, and trying to steer my girls in the right direction on their journey through grade 2 & grade 3 education has been an enormous task. Don’t get me wrong, rewarding, and what a joy and privilege to spend this kind of time with them, yet it is not so much family time as it is ‘School From Home’ time.
I have understandably let down my work, my kids, my husband and my (dusty) home as I just am not able to get through it all, not even close. Yet, if I look at what I have achieved, it has been by God’s grace! And I am forever grateful for this time as we have so much privilege during this time. It has been hard, but we have lacked nothing and gained so much. Willem has been amazing. A Dad who gets right into the thick of it all, supporting my ‘office’ work while I disappear to our room with all my online meetings, doing a considerable amount and fully participating in the school/home/food/etc. Stuff that most Dads would either not manage or refuse to do! God blessed me with the perfect man for our family’s needs! The burden has lifted somewhat as end May was our huge annual deadline, plus Maria came back last week to resume her domestic work three days a week. Getting a lift with her sister and her nephew, so no one catches public transport. Plus, school ‘holidays’ start next Friday for us, with school(so far!) beginning on 6 July. So the pressure is lifting hallelujah”! Love Ingrid?
On Wednesday the gates of heaven opened up in our neck of the woods. We received approx 85ml of rain in 3 days, accompanied by a 39 km/hr icy cold northern wind pounding our homesteads! The sea was roaring like a mighty lion covered with galloping seahorses. The downpour filled up our Salt Pan to the brim. It brought delight to the Flamingos and all other birdlife nestings there.
Kaal-Ou and Mr Mole are currently engaged in a standoff! The foul weather the last couple of days have shifted both their attention elsewhere. Mr Mole is digging faster and deeper to escape the sea of rainwater that just dissolves into the loose sandy soil and destroys, I guess, his network of tunnels and burrows. Shame. Kaal-Ou, on the other hand, dressed in his gumboots and raincoat, is lavishing our scanty patches of Kikuyu grass with bags and bags of fertiliser. He figures with this lovely rain, and his grass steroids concoction, the grass is going to spread out like crazy and grow into a ’mega thick grass carpet’, of such a kind, that Mr Mole will NOT be able to ”break free or breakthrough” on our lawn ever again! Hmm, we will have to wait and see.?
Meantime back in the house, the ”Waterblommetjies sop” is simmering on the stove, the fireplace is glowing, the movies are selected, biltong and popcorn are handy, chocolates are nearby and most of all, our glasses are filled with our delicious local Merloo. Next time you raise your glass of bubbly or wine, let’s say CHEERS to our brave Mom’s and Daddy’s, Ouma’s and Oupa’s for doing an enormous job during this dreadful lockdown season!
Outside indeed it’s cold, wet and windy. But inward we are filled with gratitude, peace and thanksgiving. Despite this awful humdrum season we can still find so much to be grateful for, and yes we are!!! ?
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