I was overseas with my mother from the 2nd of March 2020, to the 18th of March 2020. A lot happened with coronavirus in Australia during this time, and when we returned, we were legally required to enter self-isolation. This is my brief diary to document my experiences. (For other posts see: Prelude. Part one. Part two. Part three. Part four. Part five. Part six. Part seven. Part eight. Part nine. Part ten. Part eleven. Part twelve. Part thirteen. Part fourteen.)

Morning

I watered our lawn. It’s looking good. This encourages me to maintain the lawn-watering habit.

I felt sad about being at home instead of work. Another day of leave without pay.

I made sure my phone was loud so that I would answer if I was called with Coronavirus results…

Results

My husband and I were playing chess when I got the phone call that my test result was negative. It was midday and we looked at each other and said, “We can go out!”

It took us forever to work out how to leave the house. We were busy loading car, moving dogs around, and I don’t know what else. But then we left the house!

We went to Gawler. My husband’s car was full of recyclables that we ‘cleaned up’ when we reorganised the shed. We dropped all of them off. Then we went to post office. Apparently communal pens are now banned. Then we went to the bottle shop. And then we went to Bunnings.

It seemed like everyone else had worked out this social distancing stuff, and hubby and I were novices, bumbling around, trying to conform to new norms.

We came home and both complained about being tired. It’s hard work leaving the house, it seems.

The end!

So that concludes my fourteen days of mandatory self isolation! Plus 12 hours as I waited for coronavirus results. A summary of my fortnight includes:

• 13,059 words edited of ‘When Darkness Speaks’
• 25 different podcasts listened to (and countless more episodes)
• 17 episodes of Married at First Sight watched
• 10+ meals composed of Cherry Darlings ingredients
• 10+ hours writing
• 6 trees planted
• 6 games of Agricola
• 5 dog training sessions
• 5 walks with dogs
• 4 gym sessions
• 3 quotes for solar panels
• 2 games of Terraforming Mars
• 2 games of Star Realms
• 2 games of Hive
• 2 games of Bananagrams
• 2 phone GP consults
• 2 batches of banana pancakes
• 2 blueberry and lemon cakes
• 2 restless nights from chronic pain
• 2 rearranged cupboards
• 2 deliveries of food
• 2 online purchases
• 2 attempted online purchases
• 2 reports from beta readers on novels
• 1 cancelled work schedule
• 1 cancelled volunteer schedule
• 1 epic bobcat day
• 1 trailer load of paddock rubbish
• 1 batch of scones
• 1 game of chess
• 1 sale on Facebook marketplace
• 1 dog surrender
• 1 dog adoption
• 1 rearranged shed
• 1 episode of Chenoybl
• 1 episode of Tiger King
• 1 novel semi-plotted (‘So, Your Son’s A Serial Killer’)
• 1 novel edits complete (‘The Changing’)
• 1 new lawn
• 1 dead brown snake
• 1 coronavirus test
• 16 blog posts!

Thank-you to those who have commented to me, on the blog and privately, that you’ve been following along. It’s nice not to talk to yourself.

This blog will now return to its intermittent schedule, posting on topics that are actually interesting, like tourism and writing.