My Fear Share

The ceiling was raised back to the original 3.0 metre height and the window replaced. The heat pump is 8 kw and this can heat all of the house. The old wood burner has been relocated outside.

The window seat was constructed using two kitset Kaboodle draws from Bunnings and framed to support the weight of multiple adults. The 75mm squab was made by Wayne Morris Upholstery using imported fabric from the UK.

The verandah was reinstated to its original position therefore making the kitchen area smaller. The bay window was rebuilt. I also designed and installed the window seat…

All of the house has been reclad with Hardie Linea Weatherboard. The side of the house had the French doors added as well as insulation too. The electricity line has been shifted from the front (above the bay window) to the side of the house and the fibre replaced too.

I recently created an Instagram account (itomowo) and last week I uploaded my first image. It was actually a short video of the steps that I was constructing to improve the access to my house. Over the following couple of days I received almost 300 likes and/or comments and that really surprised me because I didn’t know most of these people! As a result of that success I’m going to try to upload regular photos on both this blog platform as well as Instagram to show before and after photos and/or progress images and on the blog I’ll include a short blurb if the needs to be extra detail added. Today’s image will be of the front of the house…

Every day I am reminded about just how peaceful the world can be, just by looking at the view that I get to admire on a daily basis. Every morning I am in awe of the sunrise, Also at night when there is a full moon the reflection on the water is something to behold. It doesn’t matter what the conditions are (and we have had some very adverse conditions recently) there is always something to look at. I spend more time with binoculars in hand than I ever have. This blog could (and might) just feature photos every day of the view and if it brightens another person’s day then I’m good with that.

It has been almost 48 hours since leaving MIQ and it’s hard to describe the changes that you go through when you leave an isolation facility.

Once you are cleared to leave the hotel you walk out the door and you’re not allowed to return (as if you would desire to). Once outside you can be seen with your mask off for the first time in 14 days, smell fresh air and know that you’re no longer under intense camera surveillance. You look around and see some of the other guests from our intake and get to see their faces for the first time. Interesting experience because these are people that you have seen often but only now do you get to see what they look like. Some look like you image and others completely different. Some were best served by keeping their masks on.

Getting back to Dunedin was quick and I was home by tea time. There was an element of glee in knowing that I was home before the Auckland destined travels had even left Christchurch.

After settling in and catching up with family, I unpacking most of my gear before it gets too late. Surprisingly overnight I’m finding that my sleeping patterns are all out and despite only traveling a short distance I feel kind of jetlagged and I’m up by 5am doing more unpacking and thinking about the day ahead – school.

It’s now Monday morning and I return to school for the first time this year. I’m there by 7.45am and within minutes it feels like I haven’t been away. The afternoon featured a mini assembly to celebrate a wearable arts parade and to also farewell one of our students who is moving north the following day. She is special needs and has brought a wonderful dynamic to our school during her 2½ years with us. It was nice to make her departure memorable for her and her parents.

Even though it’s day one for me it is week 9 for everyone else. That means that things like professional development has been organised that involves all the Dunedin Catholic schools and therefore I have a meeting/session to go to immediately after school. I went, and it was ok, but it was hardly the way I wanted to spend my first day back. At least it’s a short week with the Easter long weekend only three days away.

My last hours in MIQ and I get released at 2.35pm this afternoon. I’m just going to treat this morning as if it is business as usual. I found out that those from our intake who are returning to Auckland fly out at 6pm and therefore are not allowed to check out until 4.30pm. I’ll be in Dunedin by the time some of them are still being processed at the Sudima. That makes me smile.

One thing I won’t miss after I leave here is the fact that for the past 14 days I have been very little more than a number (5117) and identifiable by a blue wrist band which was allocated while at the airport in Auckland. You can imagine the joy of cutting this bugger of soon.

I woke up this morning after a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately breakfast arrived at about 7.20am and the first rostered exercise session for our intake was to start at 7.30am until 8.50am. I decided to have just the banana and some water and wait until I return before I eat. Nothing exciting is on the breakfast menu as it is only a muesli cup with yoghurt. Before I head out the door I add additional milk and let it soak while I’m walking.

Afterwards I eat and spruce myself up. Morning tea consists of a large savoury muffin with butter, therefore that, plus the last of my coffee stock, will cleaned up at about 11am. Lunch is going to be an angus beef burger, chips and salad. Hopefully there is a can of coke to wash it down too.

I have one last exercise session, between 1.00pm and 1.50pm, and I’m going to celebrate it as my final act while in MIQ.

One thing I won’t miss after I leave here is the fact that for the past 14 days I have been very little more than a number (5117) and identifiable by a blue wrist band which was allocated while at the airport in Auckland.

If I overlook the situations that have annoyed me, overall the experience has been positive. When I was confined to my room for too long I can accept that it was just an unfortunate oversight and minimal harm was done. As for the two morons who are in our intake group (who do not understand social distancing) if they were trying to put me to the test then I can say that I have shown 95% restraint. A previous version of me would have caused a shit storm so great that the sky would have turned brown. I must be mellowing.

Dunedin here I come…

It’s Saturday. I’m waiting for the results of the second COVID test and probably won’t have this until about dinnertime. All going well I’ll be negative and hopefully allowed to go home tomorrow.

I woke up really early this morning after a rubbish night’s sleep. The alarm needed to be set for 5.50am because unfortunately the first rostered exercise session for our intake was to start at 6am until 7am. I don’t mind that because less people from my intake are keen to be up and exercising so early in the day. Afterwards I am able to do my ablutions before breakfast arrived at 7.30am. It’s bacon and egg pie again and yoghurt again. I don’t mind. Morning tea consists of a fruit salad and a muesli bar. You don’t need photos of my food anymore.

The menu for lunch and dinner is here too. I’m having Cajun chicken Caesar salad for lunch and dinner is beef schnitzel with garlic mash. Last’s night’s butter chicken was everything it was meant to be. There is a Little India restaurant in the mall next door and I’m wondering if there is a connection at all. 

The morning has been quite slow, probably because of the early start. I feel tired and bored, so I watch a movie called Anna on Sky. It’s KGB and CIA double agent stuff and quite enjoyed it. During the week I watched all of the six episodes of Coyote on TVNZ On Demand. Great to watch and I’m looking forward to the next series to be made. Cricket and rugby have been alternative screen time activities but overall I have not relied on TV as much as I thought I would. Playing music, exercising, writing this blog and planning house alterations have all balanced out my time about right.  

The process of packing and planning for tomorrow reminds me of two weeks ago when I was leaving Sydney. I’ve ironed the pants I’m going to wear on the flight home tomorrow and I’m sorting out the cases. It would be nice to not be living out of a suitcase for the first time in 10 weeks.

Update: The COVID test result has come back quite quickly and I am still negative. It’s probably one of the only times anyone would want to be called negative…

Today everyone from our intake have received a treat in the form of a packet of Pineapple Lumps. It a shame that I have no one to share with…