Feather your Nest Friday, 20th November 2020.

 This week proved how fast things can change.  Last week I don't think our state had any Corona Virus cases.  Early in the week there were twenty cases and on Wednesday Mum rang me and said "Turn on the TV!"  The Premier was announcing a whole state lockdown beginning at midnight.  People had until 12 am to get where they wanted to be.  So there was a mass scramble of people heading home or wherever they wanted to spend the next six days in lockdown. It reminded me of Cinderella.   Be home by midnight!

The lock down included no school, shops (except essential ie fuel, chemist, groceries) offices, events... all funerals and weddings cancelled...  

The next thing people descended on the grocery stores to the extent that even in many country towns the police attended for crowd control.   The stores were emptied very fast.  Our local store was bedlam apparently. 

My plans had included a trip to the city so that was off.   What was so dramatic was the speed all this happened.   Some people had been waiting months to go to see family in Western Australia and finally that state just opened.  There were people in the air on the way only to be turned back to South Australia. People were crying at airports.   On the border near my daughters place the police have been camped for months.  They were there enforcing the rule that no one from Victoria could cross.  Now they are in the same place and have turned around in the opposite direction and no one can go the other way!   I am the only one who finds this ironic... or something?   Maybe there is no actual word invented yet that covers this?

So the week was re arranged.  I got on with other stuff.   I had roses to dry so I hung up little bunches around the kitchen...

I have projects in mind for these.

I finally finished a blanket I have been making for Sidney.  

It is pure wool (Bendigo Woollen Mills) and single bed size.  I hope he gets many years of warmth from it.

Next I have one for Thomas to make.

Last week I made a big batch of Sausage Rolls.  This week it was Pasties.   I make quite large meal size ones.  They are packed with veggies so they are a meal on their own and they freeze well.  This fed everyone including Chloe and Luke and I froze lots.  It is nice to have easy meals in the freezer.   Actually when we were locked down I considered how many meals I had.   This is why we prepare!   

All the things we do to get ahead add up!   While many people panicked we did not need to.  I checked in with the girls and both were fine without going to the shops.   Lucy heard the police were at her store and people were going crazy.  I said you do not ever want to be out in those circumstances and especially not with children!   Stay home!   And they were fine. 

Actually this week led to many moments and some questions.   "Mum,  how long do you think we need to be prepared for?"   And down to a discussion on salads that can be made from canned goods and garden odds and sods?    It was a week to review how we are.   We were asked to wear masks outside the home.   We all had plenty of masks on hand in in the car.    I went to the cupboard and got out masks made ahead and ready to give out. 

I was able to post masks to a couple of people who needed them.  So I am back on the mask making.

Mum gave me some meat for the dog, dry dog biscuits and a lot of food for the chooks.

I salvaged an old cage that I thought would be perfect for Bantams and chickens.  (Hopeful thoughts.)

Just to add interest to the week we also had terrible high winds and heat which revived a bushfire from a week ago. Once again we were in blanket of smoke and on alert.  Mum was packed and ready to evacuate to give you an idea of how things were.  I said earlier in the year that I am sure people (world wide) probably have crisis fatigue.  If that wasn't true before it is now.

But we came thorough the week and pretty well.  I was watering the garden three times a day to keep things going, especially my tomatoes.  So far the all look fine. 

I felt happy that my weeks plans could go bottoms up and I was completely happy and content to stay home instead.  I decided to sew, write Christmas Cards,  wrap presents and cook.   In fact it was lovely.   I loved that I could give masks to people who needed them.    If you have not made masks and can sew a stitch then make as many as you can.  They could save a life.  They could help your family, reassure someone, bless someone.   If you don't need them now then have them ready incase you have a week like this where everything changes in a blink.

And speaking of changing in a blink... now our lockdown ends tomorrow as someone told a story to contact tracers that was a lot of baloney.  Tomorrow is Saturday so many people would have had weddings cancelled.  Because one person lied.   

Along with masks I decided to make an extra effort to write letters.  I can't write a lot but I wrote a couple.  My thinking is that we need to do extra things to add joy and happiness.   I wrote two in cards I made.   One has chicken pictures from a magazine and the other is a picture I found of actual "making hay while the sun shines!"  How good is that!?  

How did you build up your home, feather your nest, add to your pantry or garden this week?   Are you working on Christmas and if you are in the US you might be working on Thanksgiving celebrations?   I feel that these special times are so important.  I am working a little each day towards Christmas. 

I have already THREE more letters from Laine!  I will post one over the weekend or on Monday.   If you know any followers of Laine's Letters would you please tell them that Laine is writing again?

Have a lovely weekend.xxx