It feels like we have been in isolation/lockdown for more than a year...... The boys and I haven’t left Windmills (our gated community) since the 10th March and we are really starting to get a bit of cabin fever. We are not allowed to leave our community unless we have a special pass, and to be honest, the drama's associated with getting anywhere is really not worth it. And, where would we go anyway, nothing is open !! Absolutely nothing !!
We have everything we need to survive but the delivery of food has started to become very hit and miss with massive shortages of basic items. We are very grateful for our chest freezer that I stocked up fairly early and we are working our way through that. Unfortunately, there is no option for buying alcohol, so for all those parents out there at home with children and partners, please feel for Mike and I as we are now rationing gin and rum - beer and wine supplies have all dried up.
On the point of children at home, comes the inevitable discussion of homeschooling/virtual learning. We are doing ok - we are definitely not smashing it out of the park but also not failing miserably. The school is keeping up with the curriculum as best they can with some Zoom classes and lots of independent learning. We have had a few online assessments this week, so we will see how much we are taking in when those results come through. We are lucky enough to have a few people allowing us to use their swimming pools while they are not in India - so that is the daily incentive for the boys to get the school work completed. We are all spending way too much time on technology but I don't think we are alone there. I will happily not be sitting in front of a screen when this all ends. The boys are also trying to learn some new skills each week - football skills, juggling, exercise techniques, so not all screen time.
What other things are we doing to keep busy? I am churning my way through a friends jigsaw puzzle collection - I am on my 4th 1000 piece puzzle - it is the only thing keeping me sane. The boys are helping out with cooking each day which has been fun. They are starting to get much better around the kitchen and adding some new favourites to their lists. There are a few meal deliveries available but we were not very keen on them before the lockdown - so not a 'go to' for us, except for pizzas once a fortnight.
How does the community look now ? Quiet ! that is about it. There are not many 'expats' left but quite a few locals. I am up early each day to go for a walk and then collect the milk delivery from the front gate before it gets too hot, and I see the same people out exercising each day. The daily nod of the head and 'namaste' are a welcoming sight. The usual issues of living in the community have arisen during this crazy time with opinions, demands, passive aggressive comments and general rule breaking all occurring daily. There have been issues with garbage collections being cancelled all together, then it being closely monitored with a man checking what is in our garbage, and now we are back to limited garbage collection - all because some people are struggling to segregate their waste when they do not have their maid to do it for them. We are sure some people are still in the same clothes from before lockdown, due to their inability to work the washing machine !! The standard Indian reactions and responses to many of the ongoing issues is still happening - there was a comment made about the 'china virus infection' - racist much, the demands for things to be repaired, things to be cleaned or taken away, and demands and shock as to why the Veggie delivery guy can't bring leafy greens and green papaya each week….. we are in a countrywide lockdown people !!
Anyway, Mike and I are still both working from home and we are juggling it all, dropping balls left, right and centre but managing to stay semi-sane and not get on each others nerves too much.
So to finish off, in the words of my not so accepting husband, 'the world has gone to shit!'
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| The government are disinfecting the streets |
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| This is the street outside our main gate - this is usually PACKED with cars, bikes, buses, trucks and people. It is so weird seeing it completely empty. |
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| This is the view of our community, Windmills, from the sky. These are the villas - our is over to the left |
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| Another view of the community - the clubhouse and pool is in the foreground |
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| empty streets |
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| The lake is starting to look much cleaner |
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| No one else out and about - usually so busy in our community |
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| dress-ups in the garden |
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| Max learning to make chapati's |
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| I even gave Jack a haircut |
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| tech tech tech |
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| Working on technique |
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| More dress-ups |
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| some routine for Spring Break |
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| one of the 4 jigsaws |
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| Yahtzee time |
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