Covid-19 Diaries - Lock down Begins

No rush to get out of bed. We ain't going nowhere.

After I posted my blogyesterday (Saturday), I listened to the Spain's president announce that the country was going into lockdown for 14 days.

What does this mean?

No one can leave their home unless for the following reasons:

1. Acquisition of food and medicine

2. Access to healthcare centres

3. Travelling to work (the few that still have jobs, these are economically disastrous times)

4. Return journey to residence

5. Walking a pet

Among my whatsapp groups there was confusion over when the lockdown was starting. Tonight? Monday?

If you could walk a dog, did that mean you could also walk a toddler? And if not, where would I be able to buy a dog from if we were only allowed to buy food and medicine?

- Dad, I'm hot...
- Shut up, we're going out to the street!

My calm husband fell asleep straight away that night. Meanwhile my mind was overwhelmed by a million different scenarios. Imagine facing lockdown with a partner you were about to leave? Imagine lockdown in a tiny flat with four kids?

In the morning I learnt that walks in the mountain or beach were not allowed. The dream of having a dog faded too as my brother in Alicante announced the police had stopped him and his wife as they were working their pup. 1. They were only to take out the dog for efficient walks to do its necessities 2. They were not supposed to be out together

That's the thing. Trips to the shops or to walk your dog must be done alone. One family member at a time.

Remember that chicken we ordered in my first entry? Well, we bought it because we had friends coming over. The same friends we had agreed to become 'exclusive' with during these contagious times. They were coming over because they'd had a leak in the kitchen and a builder had taken up the floor. The idea was they would eat with us while the builder fixed it.

I confess, our friends came over to have a meal despite the lock down. We didn't embrace. We washed our hands. It was like a last supper. Our toddlers laughed and played and had the best time ever. We chatted and chatted and chatted, knowing we wouldn't meet for a while.

From tomorrow there will be fines for anyone caught not following the rules. I guess it's the only way to keep everyone in order. In the end it's for the greater good and I'm pleased action is being taken. In fact, I'm trying not to worry about the lack of measures in place in UK where my parents are. They assure me they are staying inside.

Gallows humour is in full swing and there are a lot of funny memes going around, mostly involving toilet paper. Today one was a questionnaire:

How will you be at the end of this quarantine?

A) 10kg overweight

B) Pregnant

C) Alcoholic

D) Divorced

E) All answers are correct

Hahaha... oh sh*t.

This morning my husband got annoyed with me for not returning the washing up sponge to its home in the sponge holder. Not once, but three times he told me off. I suddenly felt so furious that he was annoyed about such a stupid thing. I wanted to tear the sponge up and jump up and down on the sponge holder.

At the same time I also thought: What's wrong with you, Emily? Why don't you just return the bloody sponge to the holder?

I reasoned that I didn't put it away because the washing up was never ending. The real reason though is because I'm thinking and not paying attention to what I'm doing. There are so many thoughts going through my mind all the time because of this incredible new reality. I AM NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE MY FLAT.  

This sponge is going to provide a wonderful exercise in doing things more consciously.

There is nowhere to go. Every detail of the day is to be lived fully.

If I can stay mindful, every book I read to my toddler will feel like the first time I've read it. Every game as fun as it was that first time we invented it.

I will taste every meal.

I will stand outside on my 8 metre square terrace and be grateful we have some outdoor space and we have trees in the distance and one day, when life has returned to normal, we will value it all even more.

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