Reset search
Holiday unprecedented-isolatedHoliday unprecedented-isolated
SatelliteEdit route
The story of our journey through the CoViD-19 saga - part 1 - isolation. Read more
  • 59footprints
  • 2countries
  • -days
  • 256photos
  • 8videos
  • -kilometers
Follow Calendar Share Bucket list
Date ascending
  • Janette and JohnHoliday unprecedented-isolated

    Day One

    March 28, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We are “self isolated” at home due to the “unprecedented” conditions we are experiencing due to the coronavirus. Whilst this does offer up more time home to catch up on the job list, the reality is that we are still farming so our life has not changed as much as it has for many others. The extra hours mean the housework is up to date but no-one can visit and it feels a little wasted on just us. Picked some roses and foliage from the garden but these can only be admired by others via pictures. When we enter the main room they do lift the spirits.

    Today I started painting the north windows - really fiddly job. Thankfully John helped with the sanding and erected the scaffolding we borrowed from the Zhoutouts. Wonder how long this will take?? Painting an old tin chest found in Lex’s workshop also.

    Food is of more interest (if that is possible) and we had smashed avo with poached eggs for lunch then went over to the cottage to watch a video Kathy Z lent us called “What we did on our holidays” - with Billy Connolly and some other good actors. I really enjoyed it as time out from all the Corona stuff on radio and tv. John .. well .. sat through it. Back home and a cup of coffee with neighbours Darren and Catherine - on the verandah with chairs spaced out at a legal distance! We looked out and admired the new gateway entrance to Tiger Hill Park that John has just finished.

    We had road surface laid on Tiger Hill Park driveway yesterday so John spent the rest of the day grading and putting drainage channels in. We had ‘tacos’ for tea (first time in about 30 years) and whilst we were eating Wayne came in to start trenching for the power which will go from the cottage to the shed. Still moving ahead here - how fortunate we feel.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnHoliday unprecedented-isolated

    Day Two

    April 1, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Quiet day today. Made an effort to get our weary bones into action and walked down to get the papers (we have three papers delivered Wednesdays). Day was warm and cattle grazing green pasture - things look pretty good. Lots and lots of ‘phone calls - knee replacement cancelled and John’s appointment with the surgeon is to be via telephone. It seems with email and the telephone we can cover most things from home. Expecting rain tomorrow so John did lots of road and drainage work.
    Checked on two cows injured last week when neighbour’s bull flattened the boundary fence to get in here. He kicked the older cow whilst I was there and seems to have done the same to a lovely little heifer. Both had anti-inflammatories and (just in case) antibiotics but neither have improved in five days. May have to cut our losses and get the butcher in.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnHoliday unprecedented-isolated

    Day Three

    April 2, 2020 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Another pretty quiet day. John had a doctor’s appointment to get some spots removed. Watched him go in wearing a mask and disposable gloves. Took advantage of being in town to do Bev’s shopping as she should not go out due to her COPD. Took her some rhubarb crumble and stew - good comfort food. We will all have to watch that the enjoyment of cooking doesn’t result in too many ‘Corona’ calories resulting in extra ‘Corona’ kilo’s.
    Picked up paper for the next Tatong Tattler and drove home via Tatong to drop them off to Mike Larkin and also to give us a change of scenery.
    After lunch I walked to the little falls with Molly (our dog) whilst John continued doing road work. We had 30 mm rain overnight and more today - great for this time of year.
    We are hopeful that the injured cow has shown some improvement after giving access to a small paddock. No change in the heifer. Apart from a little painting and everyday farm chores that was our day.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnHoliday unprecedented-isolated

    Day Four

    April 3, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Started the day checking cattle - our neighbour Darren’s and then ours. The season is looking promising and the grass is green and growing. Darren’s cattle are calving but no action this morning. A couple from Tatong were taking their dog for a walk along Odea Rd and it was so nice to see people that we chatted (or yelled) with them from a distance for a good 5 minutes.
    Our mob had moved from the top of Lex’s Falls to the back part of our house block. Plenty of feed there and we noticed the triple dams were all full.
    Took a drive to the bottom of the big falls but not much flow there so we drove to where John had stacked a lot of fallen timber and we lit a great bonfire. The morning was cool and standing near the fire was toasty warm.
    Home for lunch after which I started the dreaded GST (interspersed with a few calls - Adam, Lenore, Candice, Bev, and tried John Lee) and John continued with fencing the 30 acre paddock near the new gateway.
    Friday night is pizza night here and John cooks. He has perfected the best pizza and uses tomatoes and herbs from our garden.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnHoliday unprecedented-isolated

    Day Five

    April 4, 2020 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    Not a lot for today. Woke to rain - 11 mm overnight. - as green as May and it is not yet cold so we should get some good growth before winter.

    One of the best things about living in the country is your community. This morning we received a box of apples and a dozen eggs from friends Ian and Michele in Lurg (about 15kms away). Ian and Michelle also farm in Upper Ryan’s Creek. They left them at the gate last night - we are all good at following the rules. Candice has not been able to get eggs in Melbourne for over a month and we get them freshly laid and home delivered!

    Due to the wet day John thought he would light the fire. First fire of the season and it smoked so badly we had to let it go out and John cleaned out the flue. We now have a cheery fire in a cosy room.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnHoliday unprecedented-isolated

    Day Six

    April 5, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Felt like we had a lie in this morning - just daylight saving changeover. Wayne from up the road came down to complete trenching for the power we are having connected to the shed at Tiger Hill. Talked a little over the gate as I had to pay him. Great neighbour.

    Just noticed our screen time is up 48% last week!

    Decided to clear up some of the paperwork on the desk. Bit of a nightmare as the easy stuff had already been filed. Local newsletter (Tatong Tattler) amongst the paperwork. I realised I had not “dusted” the computer ... probably ever ... so got off the task at hand to do this as per Andi’s instructions on page one of the Tattler. Then on page three I re-read Carole’s recipes and decided I had enough of the ingredients to make the choc/almond/date torte (substituting prunes for dates which I didn’t have). Her chutney sounds delicious and easy but I will need more tomatoes - maybe tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow for the filing too.!!

    After lunch off to do some fencing. John’s back is a little fragile so we took turns in banging in the posts. I look like I’m having a lovely time in the photo but it is hard work.

    Had some torte for afternoon tea (with cream) - lovely. Just have to think of someone who would like half a torte.

    Called Jenny Japp in Hay who said her daughter and family in Canada had all had the Coronavirus. Apparently Dad brought it home from Denver but fortunately they all had mild symptoms but had to isolate.

    Kevin (son-in-law) sent pictures of Hugo making pancakes. Hugo is our youngest grandchild and is 13. With holidays at home it is probably the best time to hone the cooking skills. He has shown interest in cooking before - maybe I will have a foodie soulmate one day.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnHoliday unprecedented-isolated

    Day Seven

    April 6, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Went to Lex’s Falls first thing this morning. We have flow! Small but to have any flow in April is pretty good - even in the good old days we rarely had flow in April.

    Mick Pritchard dropped his dozer off with a view to starting a few jobs for us tomorrow. It may not look super impressive but he does a great job using this little machine. We need a site levelled for new cattle yards at Tiger Hill Park; a crossover at Sam’s Creek above the falls as we lost crossover access when we sold Blue Gums; a small water hole at the top of the fall’s area; and a pile of gravel to be dug from the gravel pit.Read more

  • Janette and JohnHoliday unprecedented-isolated
    1

    Day Eight

    April 7, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Walked a couple of kms today - battled with one leg towards the end. Still, a cool walk through the bush is a great start to the day. Injured cow seems quite good despite holding her leg at a slight angle. She is showing signs of desperately wanting to be back with the herd. Heifer improving a little too.
    Mick arrived early and really got stuck into the work. He should finish in a day or two.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnHoliday unprecedented-isolated
    1
    1

    Day Nine

    April 8, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Off to town early to take advantage of oldie’s shopping hours. Dropped Michele’s box back and filled it with a lemon cake and some proteas which have just come into flower with this somewhat unseasonal cool spell. Her kelpie has just had eight pups and they are gorgeous and the mother is so good. Sorry I didn’t get a photo as I was dropping the box and heading off. I was already running late as I took a wrong turn getting to Michele’s which took me 15 minutes to make up. Not sure that time really matters so much at the moment.

    Finally made the supermarket and saw someone I knew in every aisle! Bron & Geoff, Helen H, Gaye M, Kathy Z, Laurie & Marie, and then Sandy down the street. Caught up with all at a distance and with gloves on! Bev (my sister who has lung problems) emails her shopping list and today I got a couple of takeaway lattes and we sat at a distance on her verandah and had a chat. She is on her own and hasn’t been out for fourteen days and I thought she might be hanging out for a latte. Lady who owns Rustic Cafe is now just selling over the counter and was explaining she is managing due to local support for which she is grateful.

    Picked up bread from the bakery and Steve thanked me for supporting them during these difficult times. He seems to be working with only one staff member and no doubt the baking staff have been cut back too. It is nice buying from folk who are so appreciative.

    Home for lunch (Hide’s pies) with John and a few farm chores before checking on how the dozer driver Mick is going. Water hole looks great. Crossovers will be done after Easter to fit in with his other commitments.

    Picked up the mail to find a lovely Easter parcel of decorated shortbread biscuits from the Cole family. It seems a shame to eat them so we will look at them until temptation becomes too great.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnHoliday unprecedented-isolated

    Day Ten - Easter Thursday - 9 April 2020

    April 9, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Electrician connected power to shed - he loved the trench and John helped to fill it in after the cables were laid. Took a photo but it’s just a power point! Took a photo of some fairy martin nests in that shed. Annoying but very interesting. These birds are a bit like a small swallow.

    The thirty acre paddock can now be locked up as John finished the new bit of fencing. We bought some Umbrella Pine trees recently after seeing them in Spain. We may plant them along side the new bit of fencing. We have plenty of trees but need some more shade trees in that paddock.

    Started staining outside windows on the north side of the house as they have really weathered over time and are overdue some attention. Sanding was one thing but this painting is really fiddly so will probably take forever. Noticed the first Japanese windflowers are out - really pretty.

    Drove up to the back of the house block and found a really big dead tree over the fence. The tree is actually our neighbour's which fell over the fence into our paddock. As the neighbouring land is State Forest, and the owner is the Victorian Government, we won't wait for them to clean it up. Looks like great wood and should keep us in firewood for the winter.

    Finding it strange not having people drop in or even driving past.    Read more

  • 2024© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Blog
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Support
  • Legal notice
  • English