How's work?

I have come to the end of a job that was meant to last two or three months and in fact, lasted a year. The job itself has been been fabulous and I've really enjoyed it but I won't lie - I'm tired - very tired. My analogy would be expecting to run a sprint and then said sprint unexpectedly evolved into a marathon - and not really adjusting my pace.

It's been such a totally crazy time in Melbourne - now officially the most locked down city in the entire universe - and we've finally been told we're being let out on Friday. Yippee! 

During the long lockdowns of last year, I didn't have a lot of work on so I did a course on Governance and Risk (yes, please don't judge - and worse, I really enjoyed it), started learning Spanish (hola!) and my house was very clean and tidy.

There's a lot to be said for keeping busy in a lockdown and for many, work - or a lack of it - has had a defining impact on their experience. That's because our world's have shrunk - to our houses and a 5km radius. The novelty of House Party and Zoom catch ups wore off long, long ago and even mustering up the bother to organise a walk with one other person has deteriorated. 

Other than COVID numbers, complaining about the government and what you've been streaming, there's really not much to say even when you do catch up. No-one has been anywhere or done anything - so there's no FOMO I guess.

For some, work has been a saving grace - a reason to get up in the morning and get going. I can only imagine how difficult that has been for single people who live alone. But I also spare a thought for those who have been locked down with small kids and a big job - home-schooling and zooming - just not sure that's anyone's idea of living their best life. I'm also slightly concerned about the impact of a generation of kids who've been homeschooled for almost two years by parent/s who are struggling to remember what an improper fraction is. 

At the other extreme, there are people who lost their job and had nothing to do. I can only imagine that motivation in that camp, especially for those living alone, was a daily struggle. And while the internet has been full of self-care and awareness of mental health issues, if you've lost the will to get up or shower, a meme with a sunburst and some snappy words is unlikely to provide it.

As someone who's had too little work in lock down and too much, I'm seeing the Goldielocks analysis here and am now hoping for 'just right'!!

The Endurance Quest

Have you ever toyed with the idea of an endurance quest? You know the type, walking from Brisbane to Sydney, riding your bike across the Nullabor, going it alone through Siberia? The type of undertaking that challenges your resilience and mental strength to just keep going?

Well, if you live in Melbourne, you can pretty much tick that box.

We have now officially had the longest, harshest lockdown in the world - and it's still going.

You may be wondering why I haven't used this time to post more. That's because NOTHING has been happening!! #isobored  In fact, I have ventured out so infrequently, I've only refuelled my car once since March - ONCE!!!

Way back in March, when this shit-storm started, there was some novelty to being locked down. I ironed, cleaned windows, sorted out cupboards, did some jigsaws, cooked a lot - the things everyone was doing. This was followed by a little reprieve; we had dinner with friends, I went to the gym, had my nails done - there was hope in the air. Now, I can't even be entirely sure of the sequence of events but next thing, we were back in Stage Three, which then rapidly escalated to Stage Four for six weeks, which has now only slightly eased for yet an additional two weeks.

Friends who I've always thought of as stoic, resilient and community-minded are losing it. People who have shown no interest in politics are screaming at the TV when further announcements are made and posting things on social media that is sparking debate on how this has been handled. This is officially a hot mess - and we're all on the Coronacoaster.

Various recent comments implied that people not living here don't get it. They ask the right questions but don't really comprehend the depth of distress Melbournians are experiencing. It reminds me of unpaid family carers - that passion of mine. I once described caring - the 24/7 high-needs type - as a 'perpetual ordeal'. And, like lockdown, it's not to say it doesn't have its moments of joy, but you're always hypervigilant, awaiting the next inevitable catastrophe or bad news event.

I know I shouldn't complain. People have died, others are suffering incomprehensible financial distress and front line health workers are exhausted. I often think of those shut up in tiny apartments with lots of small children, home-schooling and allowed out for only an hour a day (now two....). Many people are physically trapped in a crumbling relationship - the requests to lawyers for divorce is up 40% - and that doesn't even touch on the soaring domestic violence. 

So there you have it. I am trying to focus on the positive this week and stop my endless complaining. So far, not good. I'm cracking on with another jigsaw, learning Spanish and completing a certificate in Governance and Risk Management - but what I'm really missing is people!! Coffee, meetings, drinks, strategy days, workshops, dinners - I can't wait until I again have places to be, and people to see. 

Quinoa's ancient ancestor, Barley.

I just came across this and had to share!!

This is the amazing work of Melbourne photographic artist, Bill Gekas that's recently featured on Yellow Trace.

It reminded me so much of Quinoa! Aren't they just adorable!!!

Check out the Yellow Trace article here or go straight to Bill's website here.

'About a grand...'

When Geoff and I renovated about fifteen years ago, (well, Geoff renovated and I gave instructions) we were struck by how many things cost 'about a grand'.

How much extra for those different windows?
How much for that pond?
How much to get those lights put in?
How much is that oven?

Seriously - I was starting to say it before I was even told, 'About a grand.'

The air-conditioning packed it in a few weeks back (you can see where this is going can't you?) and the repair guy arrived moments after the cool change  - of course. Melbourne has had the longest heatwave on record and we had no aircon.

It needs a new part, that costs 'About a grand.'

We're currently having some drawings done for the next round of renovations and I have a sneaking suspicion that ten years later, that 'about a grand' will now be music to my ears. I'm very afraid....

The New Gas Dryer

As you may (or may not!) recall, back in May I posted about the dodgy dryer. How dodgy? This dodgy...

Yes, that's duct tape holding that thing together. It still worked, but the door catch had broken and had to be taped at the exact right angle in order to function. Sadly, even once that had been achieved, a bit of steam and heat usually meant a shift of a couple of millimetres and it'd stop. All during two weeks of continual rain in Melbourne. I could have broken it apart with my bare hands it was driving me so crazy!!

I'm not a huge dryer fan. I'd rather the clothesline any day and resisted even owning one until a lot of kids, a plumber and Melbourne weather eventually got the better of me. 

So my wish list was simple; a sensor so the clothes wouldn't cook and to have it flued or a condenser so it'd stop fogging up the laundry. The plumber decided it needed to be gas - which of course was a special order.

Finally the day arrived, the call received, the gas dryer had arrived. But they sent the wrong flue. Twenty wet days later the right flue arrives and the plumber and his plumbing bro finally get a day to install it. There's no just plugging in and hitting 'start' with this appliance, no - that's be far too simple.  To be wall mounted, they needed to put extra timbers into the wall cavity, then replastered, then install the brackets, then mount the dryer, flue it into the ceiling and then out the roof. Some hours later and mission accomplished. Until.....

'MWW, can you just come in here please,' he calls. 'Can you reach that?' Hmmmm. I stand on tippy toes in ugh boots (house wear - not my 15cm heels of outwear) and can just touch the bottom of the cylinder. I'm not even close to the filter. 'I'll use a stool,' I offer, deadly seriously as I'm sick to death of wet washing all over the lounge room. 'No,' he insists, 'we'll change it'.

Some hours and some days later it's finally in. It's amazing! It dries a full load in about 25 minutes instead of the old electric one that could chug on for a good 90 minutes and still be soggy. And the plumber was pretty happy with his handy work!

A pair of Jimmy Choo's should bring joy, but compared to a dryer that works and spares me the lounge looking like a Chinese laundry (another great shoe brand FYI!) I'm thinking they could be compatible...

Thoughts?