Lockdown 2020

Our trip to Hawaii had to be postponed indefinitely. 4 days in Kona, 4 days in Lihue and 10 in Waikiki were cancelled. April would find us hunkered down in the inner Brisbane suburb of New Farm marking time while the world focused on finding remedies for the Covid-19 virus that is relentlessly, stealthily sucking the life out of unsuspecting humans.

The world was not ready for a pandemic. Vaccines take time. Governments were thrown in to crisis mode.  As my mother often quoted “The situation doesn’t make a person, it reveals that person”, and  Covid-19 is revealing the true leaders of our nations. The smoke and mirrors that may have worked for some in the past are no match for Covid-19.  

Fortunately, lockdown in April has not been harsh in Brisbane with autumn temperatures ranging 27-30 C (low 80s F). Exercise outside was always allowed. The local grocery stores eventually found their groove and are providing safer shopping experiences. The Brisbane City Council maintains a bevy of beautiful parklands and most of the inner Brisbane suburbs have easy access to the Brisbane River with its scenic walkways and bike paths. Holidaying at home with our music collections, craft collections and internet has been rather fun.

Here's a snapshot of our month in Lockdown.

Early morning walks at sunrise set the tone of the day.

Brisbane River, near Merthyr bowls club

It's autumn here, so while the abundance of the rose gardens in New Farm Park had passed

Rose gardens, New Farm Park

the brilliance and beauty of late bloomers cheered the soul

Pink Rose, New Farm Park

The downstream outlook from the jetty near the Sugar Refinery Apartments is a go-to view of the river that fills my cup and invigorates my mind.

Teneriffe river walk, Brisbane River

Upstream has a pretty nice view too. During WWII the government decided that sugar was an essential commodity that had to be reserved. Output at this refinery was doubled 1940-1945.

Sugar Refinery Apartments, Teneriffe

It was always good to see the city cats operating on the river. With plenty of outdoor seating they would appear to be the safest form of public transport at the moment.

City Cat near Sydney Street, New Farm

Scenes of dogs on leashes and kids cycling with their parents helped you feel connected to the rest of the community.

River walkway near Sydney Street City Cat Stop

Sewing fabric face masks for the people I cherish helped me feel connected to my family. My darling 4 year old grand daughter wore her mask to the Covid-19 testing clinic. She was required to have a test because she presented with a sore, inflamed throat (the test was negative thankfully). And grandpa wears his mask to the fruit and vegetable market.

Homemade face masks - using free online patterns 

Guessing in late March that hair salons would be closed because physical distancing while having a hair cut would be almost impossible, I ordered hair clippers online so we could do it ourselves. I  YouTubed how to trim a 7.5 cm (3 inch) undercut, encouraged my husband to watch the video too (kind of like homeschooling) and last week he did it for me. He did a superb job. It blends in beautifully with the rest of the 'do'.

Undercut trim at home

It was also fun to buy a ukulele online for my grand daughter who is turning 6 very soon. It has already arrived at her home address and she loves it. We are lucky her big cousin already knows how to play the ukulele because she can teach her how to do the island strum. The simple chords for Happy Birthday will be a good start.

Simple chords from Ukulele PuaPua, Waikiki

As of 3^rd May confirmed Covid-19 cases in Queensland, Australia total 1,034; with 113,601 patients tested. So far six people have died. For Australia as a whole there have been 6,801 confirmed cases since late January, with 95 deaths.

Queensland's collective isolation efforts to “flatten the curve” are now being rewarded with the lifting of certain restrictions. We can break out from our house arrest and go on a picnic or shop for non-essentials. But wait, there are three golden rules that must be followed:

1) Hygiene and social distancing (1.5 metres) still applies; 2) Stay within 50 kilometres from home; and 3) only household members, or yourself and one other person can attend that picnic

Schools are still open for children of essential workers or vulnerable students. This will be revised on May 15. Playgrounds remain closed. Queensland’s borders remain closed.

More updates can be found at Health.gov.au

Salonika Beach, Mackay, Queensland

Salonika Beach is about half an hour's drive south of Mackay.

Reddish sands and swaying casuarina trees give this remote beach an eerie beauty.

When wild weather strikes, king tides gouge the sand dunes and topple the trees

To the north, Salonika Beach overlooks the Hay Point Coal Terminal.

Empty coal ships queue on the horizon awaiting their turn to be loaded before returning to the other side of the world.

Tawny Frogmouth, Salonika Beach , Mackay

Is this a Tawny Frogmouth? This owl-like bird was perched on the edge of our balcony to welcome us when we arrived. With marbled grey feathers and a big hooked beak I suspect it is a Tawny Frogmouth.

Goannas under the Story Bridge

At the northern end of the Story Bridge, beneath the New Farm cliffs, is what's left of the derelect Howard Smith Wharves. The monitor lizards have claimed the fenced off area as home. In Australia, monitor lizards are known as goannas. Look very closely and you will see the large lizard surveying his kingdom.

The Wharves are an historical landmark with both Indigenous and heritage value. Brisbane City Council is developing a master plan to revitalise the 3.56-hectare area.

The site has stunning views of the Brisbane cityscape.

Exercise after a long flight

International flights to Brisbane get in early in the morning and you cannot check into your city hotel until after lunchtime. Leave your luggage at the hotel and go for a walk or a jog along the Brisbane River walkways. This photo was taken around 6.30am this morning on the floating walkway - the Story Bridge is in the backgound. It's summer time in Brisbane December through to February and the UV rays are extreme from about 7.30am onwards so remember to wear a hat and slap on the sunscreen.

Turtle watching, Queensland

Watching a giant, ancient sea turtle emerge from the ocean and slowly make its way up the beach to nest is an amazing experience. November through to January is nesting time for the endangered loggerhead turtle. Turtle hatchlings appear from January through March. I have seen turtles nest on Heron Island, Curtis Island and Mon Repos Beach, Bundaberg. I have watched the hatchlings scurry down to the waters edge. Some of them make it across the sand, through the surf and out to sea to return years later. Others don't survive the first half hour. Disorientation, birds, sharks and all kinds of fish are waiting to claim them.

Mon Repos Beach is the most accessible location for turtle watching. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service provide ticketed beach access to allow turtle watchers to view nesting and hatching under the guidance of trained wildlife staff. For more information visit Queensland Environmental Protection Agency.

Frangipani flower with six petals

My frangipani flower has six petals, not five like all the other frangipanis in southeast Queensland. This has to be as lucky as finding a four-leaf clover in Ireland.

The frangipani remains my favourite flower. It doesn't stay on the tree for very long before it floats to the ground where it becomes accessible to the passerby. It's not unusual to see a frangipani adorning the hair of officer workers in the city of Brisbane....it's the perfect natural hair accessory.

Jacaranda tree, Brisbane River

Jacarandas were in full bloom when we returned to Brisbane in late September, 2006. New Farm was awash in the purple-blue flowers of these pretty Brasilian rosewoods. The Jacaranda tree must be hardy because Australia has been gripped by drought for several years now. Water restrictions are in force to help conserve the dwindling water reserves.

Australia is an arid country. Water is a scarce resource. Water trading at market price is in our future. As the drought conditions continue, the limited supply will have to be rationed between urban and agricultural areas.

What will become of the beautiful Jacaranda trees in years to come?

Pink Ribbon Breakfast for Breast Cancer Research

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month world wide. The pink ribbon symbolises hope and awareness for those affected by breast cancer. The Australian National Breast Cancer Foundation is having another Pink Ribbon Breakfast campaign this year. Friends, family and workmates will gather together in homes, offices, pubs and parks, to celebrate the achievements of breast cancer research and raise funds for further research. The pink theme gives a sense of festival. Pink eggs, pink clothes, pink hair and pink decorations.

My friend Leigh is hosting one of these brekkies on Sunday October 23 at the Breakfast Creek Hotel in Brisbane Queensland. Her all-female jazz band BZAZZ is set to entertain from 8.00 am. Some of the band members have had breast cancer and their music is an inspiring celebration of survival.

Leigh thought that one of my pink crochet bucket hats designed especially for chemo patients would make a good raffle prize. I finished it yesterday and entrusted it to USPS and Australia Post to get it there safely and on time. The hat features a white frangipani.....it's my flower of choice. I still call Australia home and beautiful frangipanis abound in sunny Queensland.

Stop Violence Against Women

Amnesty International Australia, Freedom Festival 05 - If you are visiting Brisbane this coming week get along to the Globe in Fortitude Valley (The Valley) on Friday, September 3oth for the Freedom Festival. Enjoy international artists Ursula Rucker (USA), Ben Mono (Germany), Jah'licious (NZ) and local Australian artists and support the campaign to "Stop Violence Against Women". Amnesty International Australia is bringing attention to women's human rights abuses at home and during war. The Freedom 05 campaign defends women's rights for freedom from violence, freedom from fear, freedom from discrimination and freedom from torture. For more information go to http://www.amnesty.org.au/freedom/brisbane

Frangipanis in bloom, Brisbane

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The sights, sounds and scents of a tropical summer are everywhere. Brisbane is a beautiful river city; the smooth, fast City Cats (Catamarans) can take you from one end of the city to the other....stretching from the University of Queensland in St. Lucia to Brett's Wharf (last stop downstream). Young women adorn their hair with fresh, fragrant frangipanis. Frangipani flowers have five elegant rounded petals with bright yellow centres; they have a soft, pretty scent. Though Frangipanis come in several colours, the creamy white Frangipani (Plumeria obtusa) is my favourite.

Surviving the long flight

I still call Australia home - Georgia USA is a long way from home but I get to fly home about 2 to 3 times a year. It takes up to 30 hours each way so I know all about jet lag, exhaustion, dehydration, itchy skin, sore back.....and a myriad of other woes. I've always preferred an aisle seat, long before DVT became a household word. Air travel makes me restless. I like to move around as much as possible. I rarely sleep for very long but I do get some rest. I take my lessons from the turtles that visit Mon Repos, Queensland in nesting season. While the laying process is happening the giant turtle goes into a trance. I cope with a long flight by going into a travel trance; I tune out from the noises and movement around me. It helps to have a cotton bandana to tie around my eyes especially when there are movies back to back. Flickering light from airplane movie screens can be a real annoyance when you are trying to rest. A lightweight bandana is an inexpensive travel accessory with 101 uses.