lockdown Archives - Living Our Sunshine with Susann Deysel

June 29, 2021 2 Mins Read

What if this wasn’t real?

Who else is in Gauteng? Who else feels claustrophobic again?

Covid-19 in SA: 1 941 119 cases and 60 038 deaths recorded
Source

Anger

I am angry that a virus is in the world just beyond my front door. I am angry that my world has become, once again, just this little space shared with 3 other humans and 2 cats. I am angry because I know that out there, these 2 weeks may be the final straw for other small businesses. I am angry that they still haven’t taken responsibility for sending death into this world when we all know they were experimenting with things best left alone. I am angry that 60,000 South Africans paid with their lives already.

Vaccine

My mind debates on not wanting a vaccine and wishing I already had it. The 1 in 1000s that have a negative reaction scares me – but I am also jealous of those that have that little bit of extra comfort knowing they have a vaccine coursing through their veins. I know I have to have it to in future be able to travel and have a normal life, but what if I’m that 1 that has a severe negative reaction? What if…

Wensdenkery

As ons net vroeër grenste toegemaak het of mense laat isoleer het wat teruggevlieg het uit Italië of meer mense dit ernstig opgeneem het reg aan die begin… dit kon soveel anders gewees het.

As jy erens sit en alleen voel, reik uit na iemand – al is dit oor die foon.

‘𝓷 𝓲𝓮𝓽𝓼𝓲𝓮 𝓿𝓲𝓻 𝓳𝓸𝓾
Net vandag, net vir jou
‘n drukkie in jou oor
‘n soentjie op jou hart
net jy sal weet, want dis net vir jou

June 1, 2020 2 Mins Read

Waiting to exhale

It’s still dark out and very cold when I start work in the morning. I usually snuggle up to a cat and blanket (my mom crocheted) with the light from my monitor streaming down over my hands and face. Somewhere between 6 and 8 the rest of the house wake up and then I take a short breakfast break.

It’s been a long time since the virus from China spread into the world and took our freedom away. For us it has been 78 days (on 1 June). Some days the walls feel too close, the kids too loud, the days too long and the future too uncertain. I’ve had writer’s block before, but this time it’s different, I just don’t have words.

The reality of the fallout to come is a bitter pill. On a daily basis there are retrenchments, businesses like mine close their doors, the infection numbers rise and the daily death toll consistently stays in the double digits. A move to level 3 may stop our economy from completely collapsing, but those daily numbers will snowball even more.

I’m a walking contradiction.
Jason momoa

I don’t know if sending the kids back to school in June or July is the right thing. I know that having them at home and us not being able to have that separate life/work focus is not ideal. Having the nanny coming in fulltime isn’t a solution either as she probably has the same issues with the added concerns of public transport.

I didn’t paint my room and office as planned. I didn’t reorganize my cupboards either. I didn’t win any mom of home school during lockdown awards. I didn’t save anyone. I didn’t go on a diet and posted about it. I didn’t have my freedom. I existed these million days in captivity with my family, holding my breath, just waiting to exhale.

May 18, 2020 2 Mins Read

Hello world, we’re wearing masks now

I’ve struggled with the lockdown, the constant rising numbers in COVID-19 infections and deaths. The fact that we don’t have a garden because we wanted to have the penthouse life, travel and be out and about made sense – but being cooped up in a 180m2 space with kids that can’t go out enough… has really hurt us. To top it off yesterday one of our neighbours yelled at us at 8:45 as we came up the stairs with giggling kids because apparently they effing wake him up every Sunday. (We’ve only been out 2 Sundays since lockdown level 4.) I kept my cool and told him to chill because kids will be kids, but just below the surface I wanted to yank him through his security gate and rip his limbs from his body. Going up against a parent that has had to endure what we have is maybe the worst idea this guy has ever had.

On a lighter note… The kids are wearing their masks during our morning walks and cycling time. In fact, when they see them in my hands they know we are going out and all you see is little bodies making a beeline for the door.

I’ve made a few masks for the kids and us, but I think I am proudest of my “colour your mask” with Sharpies invention. I think that was really out of the box thinking and a “I did it first”. Lexa loved doodling on it and I added some more black outlines afterwards. I plan on making her a few more as I found a stash of fabric that I never really knew what to do with because its white. One or two will obviously be Barbie-themed.

While trying out patterns and fabrics I’ve realized that T-shirt material (not the thinnest kind you get) work very well for kids with sports related activities. The 3-layer thin cotton ones also very comfortable and if you replace 1 layer with lining it keeps its shape much better.

I would love to see your self-made and bought masks.

If you want a few awesome patterns for masks you can find it on my pinterest board.