Life in the time of Corona – Captain’s log: Day 61

I had an incredible dinner today.

The neighbourhood chefs once again offered an incredible menu and I am happy to support them as well as my foodie tendencies.

I do however miss having nice dinner in a place that is not my dining room, with someone who is not my phone for company.

Be kind. Stay safe.

Life in the time of Corona – Captain’s log: Day 60

Today a friend asked me for advice on buying a sewing machine. As a proud owner of a sewing machine and as someone who posted on this same blog about it, I can’t really be surprised right?

What amazes me about the human brain, however, is how it is possible to hold and sort information that you didn’t even know it contained, and then give it back in a useful format, sometimes years later.

I will not pretend that it came out word for word in the way it will be written in a specification, but I could read the brochures if two or three models and quickly summarise the key things to look for. And this in a subject that I’m not busy with every day.

It is very likely that this is the case for most people: there are topics in which information is just there, and ready to use when called upon.

This is just one in the many ways in which I am amazed by the complexity and richness of human beings.

Be kind. Stay safe.

Life in the time of Corona – Captains log: Day 59

When I was a kid I used to make sums out of numbers. I see a number and think what is it divisible by, or what does the individual digits add up to etc. I admit it, I have always been a bit of a nerd.

The point is, when I wrote down the number for today, I realised it is a prime number! How cool is that? I guess there are an infinite number of prime numbers, so maybe it isn’t that rare, but I find it funny that I tried to play the number game with 59 only to realise it doesn’t have any real factors.

For those of you who are still reading, I promise I have other interests as well.

I was thinking on Monday, while sewing how some interests are seen as “uncool”. In a book I recently finished (via audiobook, because multitasking) the lead character loves sewing but her swanky husband doesn’t allow her to wear clothes that doesn’t have a designer label attached in case the world finds out she made it herself.

This leads me to think, why are some interests, like Skateboarding considered cool, but knitting not?

There were times in my life when I felt I wasn’t part of the “cool kids”, even when I was no longer a kid. One of the most liberating things in my life was realising that I am just as cool as I want to be. I can play quiz night and practice my surf pop up and sew and play guitar and it actually doesn’t matter whether other people think I am cool or not. I am doing things I love and that makes me happy.

Be kind. Stay safe

Life in the time of Corona – Captain’s log: Day 58

I am exhausted. Today I had meeting after meeting after meeting, and I had to remind myself to get up and get a glass of water. One moment it was just before 3 pm, and the next thing i know it was 6:30 pm and I was still going strong.

The result? I am super tired, but also a little bit satisfied. I enjoy the job I do and the company I work for. Like any job there are days and moments where I feel frustrated and like I could roll my eyes so hard it makes a sound, but other days i just enjoy cracking on with it.

I have mentioned this already, but I enjoy the fact that in the modern era I can have a video conversation with any person as if I am sitting in the same room with them. I guess this has been possible for a while with Skype etc. but it has never really been adopted to this level. I have to add that I have also worked in locations with a varied internet signal, so this may have affected the adoption of video chats or lack thereof in my experience to date.

What is really fun is that it is not limited to work things, but also friends and family are seeing the possibilities available with a video call. There is so much more communication in body language than there is in the words alone.

One of the awesome side effects of this video era is that things are getting recorded, and every so often I see a video that is so funny it really makes me laugh out loud. Some of it is staged by comedians or normal people who enjoy a laugh like the rest of us, and others are likely accidental and you cannot even script that kind of thing, its so funny.

There’s a lot of things going on in the world that makes me sad and down, and I am not ignoring it, but in order to be true to myself I also need something to lift the spirits every now and then.

Be kind. Stay safe.

Life in the time of Corona – Captain’s log: Day 57

I started week 9 with a day off. I realised last week I needed a bit of a break.

The plan for the day was to do something I haven’t done much in recent years and that I love very much: sewing.

In years gone by I have learnt sewing from my mom, from lessons as a teenager, and then again after my studies, I did a full course on pattern design.

On Saturday I braved the line of prospective shoppers to go to the material store and I picked up some gorgeous fabrics, so when today arrived I had no excuses but to get cracking.

To be honest, I did sleep in first, and man, it was good. But when I did get up I was ready to get the show on the road. From tracing and cutting the pattern, measuring and adjusting for the perfect fit, a few hours were gone! Just like that. In between I had to consult my mom a couple of times about puzzles that arose, and every time we found a great solution.

Mid afternoon I went out to get some groceries and get a bit of fresh air, and clear my head before carrying on with my pleasurable task.

Thanks to the long European evenings, I had so many hours of daylight and even when the sun finally went down, I managed to continue in the bright light of my dining room, until my eyes stayed burning from tiredness and my brain screamed at me that it is time to rest.

I am happy with my progress. Since minor tasks of finishing off is outstanding and I look forward to wearing it soon. What do you think?

Be kind. Stay safe

Life in the time of Corona – Captain’s log: Day 56

Mothers day.

I guess that even without a worldwide lockdown I wouldn’t have been able to cook my mom a Sunday lunch, but 8 weeks ago I was in possession of a flight ticket home and now I have a voucher, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to use it again.

Still, I got to phone my mom today, more than once actually. Once to wish her happy mothers day and a second time to show off my sewing project and asked for advice.

When I was a kid my mom would do the most amazing needlework. I remember countless hours in the room where her machines were, having breaks with five roses tea. I remember stories from her student days, how she could make a dress from one meter to of fabric or sew a pair of pants in an hour.

My mom is an inspiration to me, not just because she is everything you could say about a mom, and my best friend as well. She has the most amazing capacity to care about people, and not just her family but also friends and people in the community. My memories are dotted with people who were in our lives because my mom brought a bit of extra love into their lives.

A few years ago on mother’s day we had a big family lunch for mother’s day. I cooked a pork belly, pampoen koekies and made a dessert worthy of a Christmas feast. I didn’t think I would be living abroad for the 3rd mother’s day in a row. I definitely had no idea that movement would be restricted for an extended period and the world would come to a standstill.

I hear more and more stories of businesses going under and I feel so powerless about it all. Its hard to keep the hope alive, but without hope, what do we have?

Be kind. Stay safe.

Life in the time of Corona – Captain’s log day 55

The weather was amazing so I went to the beach with a friend. We drove all thy way there but there were signs saying that the parking areas were closed, so we parked further away and walked the last few kilometers to get there. It was so worth it.

It has been 7 months and change since I’ve seen the sea. Just standing there, feeling the cool water on my feet and looking at the waves as they come, was an energising experience.

I will keep faith that things continue improving. I hope they find a vaccine soon and we can return to some sort of normal everyday life. I hope small businesses can start up again soon and people’s livelyhood improves.

Be kind. Stay safe

Life in the time of Corona – Captain’s log: Day 54

Last week I found a flyer under my door. A couple of streets over, in my neighbourhood, lives 3 chefs who are trying to keep the neighbourhood fed with some good food while we are all in isolation.

I reacted, but since I was a bit late, their allotment of orders was full and I decided to try again this week. I waited for the new menu to be uploaded and I placed my order on Tuesday in good time for it to be prepared and ready for pick up this evening.

Maybe it was my some stroke of luck, but the meat option today was ribs with black garlic, sesame and rhubarb, and I’ve been thinking of ordering ribs for the last few weeks.

I had a wonderful meal and I loved being able to support my neighbours. While I was waiting to pick up my order, the people across the street was playing some music from their second floor window and the atmosphere was positively festive. I think it is a great reminder that we are all in this together, even if we are working in isolation at home.

Please remember to support your local suppliers in any way you can. Everyone is having a hard time and have to find a way to make ends meet.

Be kind. Stay safe

Life in the time of Corona – Captains Log: Day 53

Things I have learned in the last 53 days:
I have learned that I really like working from home. While I miss interaction with some of my colleagues and the social aspects of things, I enjoy the freedom to work uninterrupted for certain hours, or to have a mini break that involves something I like doing to take my mind off before diving into the next conference call. I like the time and rest that is afforded me due to the lack of commute.

I learned to play the guitar. I can’t say I am good at it,not yet anyway, but I have learned that I like learning. I like the mental challenge of finding the physical position of my fingers. I like learning the sounds, trying to rectify it until I can play a chord clearly. I like learning how to make the rhythm, ow to feel it and then try to fit it into that.

I learned to enjoy cooking and eating meals for one. I learned to plan my meals so I do not have to eat the same thing 3 days in a row, but to add a bit of variation that can transform it the next day. I learnt which new ingredients I like, and which I don’t.

I have learned to install boundaries to avoid getting overwhelmed. There are many times when it is easy to get sucked into a passionate discussion about something, and although I sometimes enjoy discussing things, there are other times when I am simply at my capacity or simply not in the mood, and that is OK.

I have learned to separate work hours from relaxing hours, because if your workstation is in your house it is tempting to just stay at the computer for a little while longer, to sort it out.

There are many things I still need to learn, or want to learn. I hope that I continue to learn now and even after the time of Corona has ended.

Be kind. Stay safe.