Easter 2020
Easter 2020 turned out very differently than the plans we had had in place until about 4 weeks ago (Florence for Easter). Last year, we spent time with my mum while my dad assisted my sister in north Queensland. We motored around west of Bundaberg. This year, we stayed home, resting, reading, rather than travelling through Europe. We took a little time to make some future travel plans, considered some things we might like to purchase jointly to make the place we live in truly ours and sorted through some bits and pieces. It is an opportune time to do this but there is a healthy dose of apathy sitting behind our Easter weekend and weekends generally at presently.
Grocery shopping was an interesting contrast. Woolworths had a queue and was counting people in and out. At Aldi, there was no counting and barely any markings on the floor, telling us where we were supposed to stand. There were screens in each location but I ask again how the spread is stopped if the people handling the items still scan them and there is still close contact. That, I guess is a debate for another day. The week brought some more questions and discussions with people of knowledge and education in the field of medicine, about why we are where we are at. Again, a discussion for another time. Likewise, how it is “self-isolation” when people are absolutely required to be interned in hotels for 14 days, on their return from overseas. Anyways….
When we went out to purchase a desk (because I have been working from home for 4 and a bit days of the first week – Easter Friday rounding out the week) we did not intend to come back with the other items we had on our purchase list: an occasional chair, a lounge and a mattress for our bed. Our outing reminded me of something that occurred when I was a kid – we went out to purchase a coffee table but came back with an 8-seater dining suite as well as the coffee table.
On our return home we ordered the desk online because, for some strange reason, there is a shortage of most office furniture at the moment. It is brutally apparent as to the impact upon supply that the work from home arrangements have had. What we had was adequate, however, there is a time to change the furniture and make things more comfortable when you do not know how long you will be working under these conditions.
The only thing not to be delivered this week will be the occasional chair which will be made here in Australia. It is a delightful piece, somewhat traditional but comforting and comfortable, something I have always admired. The lounge is about colour and fun. The rest are functional items, one of which is made in Denmark (mattress) and I am not sure where else for the furniture. I admit to not checking thoroughly.
It is interesting how things can come together when you sit and work out what you are looking for.
So, whilst this is a relatively short post, the weekend has been constructive – it has been a time of revision and review, something that may be ongoing for a while because nothing is changing any time soon in terms of being able to get out and about. As Easter is now over, it is nice to have a short week to return to as I await some deliveries over the next few days. Let’s hope Easter 2021 is quite different.
