Kia ora katoa! Kia kaha!

Today is Friday April 24. Tomorrow is Anzac Day. Given the lockdown, New Zealanders are being encouraged not to attend a Dawn Service, but to stand at their gate or in their driveway at 6 am.  I am not usually up and about at this time, but tomorrow, we shall see. I did not lose anyone close in the Great War, or World War 2; my folk would have been conscientious objectors, but I feel very affected by those who did lose their lives, and the dreadful conditions they encountered.

I have to begin by quoting the US figures, since they will no doubt be worse by the end of the day. The US has over 842,000 cases of Covid 19 infection, and has had just under 47,000 deaths. Over 20 million Americans have filed for unemployment. Senator Elizabeth Warren’s eldest brother, who served in Vietnam, has died of Covid 19.

Back here in New Zealand, there is enormous support for the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s move to instigate a severe lockdown. In this  morning’s paper I am introduced to JOLO, or the “Joy of Letting Go”. Rosemary McLeod’s column is always interesting, too. I feel I share some values with her, although thankfully I didn’t go to boarding school.  Although I was born in the 1950’s, my parents were deeply affected by the Depression of the 1930’s, and World War II, followed by the Korean War and the polio epidemic of the 1950’s.  Vaccines were discovered for diseases that had previously killed many children – polio, tuberculosis, whooping cough and diphtheria.  My parents  had a very different view of life from today’s parents, and that coloured my perceptions too.  Now the mend and make do/recycle/don’t waste anything vibe has become fashionable again, although views of food (what one should eat) and health have changed enormously.

I watch Dr John Campbell’s update. There is very little news of the UK these days, but Dr John gives some figures: there have been over 20,000 deaths in hospital, but these no doubt fail to represent the actual number, seeing as they don’t include numbers of deaths in care homes, or deaths at home.  They have been struggling to buy PPE, but a picture is emerging of rich countries buying PPE at poor countries’ expense.  He notes that testing has increased in the UK, but not to the level claimed by the Tory government. He also notes cases of animals being infected. He also notes that trials of a new vaccine are to begin at Oxford.

Dr John also lavishes high praise on the NZ Prime Minister, although he gets her name wrong. He notes that there was going to be a commemoration of the mosque shootings in Christchurch on March 15 last year, but she acted swiftly in changing that and putting strict measures in place to stem the potential flood of Covid 19 infections and deaths. He notes that she was proactive, rather than reactive, and it is hoped that the coronavirus can be stamped out.

There is a lot of talk, particularly in the US, about a second wave of the coronavirus.  This makes no sense to me. The supposed first wave has been terrible, causing great amounts of severe sickness and death, and this is still going on! There is still a lack of testing, of contact tracing, and lack of confidence in the health system’s ability to cope. In my view, although numbers of daily infections and deaths may be declining in Europe, they are still increasing in the US, especially in rest homes for the elderly, in prisons, and in meat processing plants. So-called “herd immunity” does not kick in until 60-70% of the population has been infected. Surely no one wants to get to that level.

The Governor of Georgia is still determined to reopen businesses over the next few days, despite enormous opposition, including from the staff of some of those businesses.  Many have great fear about this move. Georgia has been badly hit, does not carry out effective testing, and one gets the feeling that some people there don’t take this virus seriously.  The prospect is terrifying. Although people in other states with Democratic Governors have been encouraged to “liberate” their states, i.e. go back to work, Georgia has received no such encouragement; in fact, the President has now chided the Governor although not expressly forbidding him from opening certain businesses.

Meanwhile, Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate leader from Kentucky, has incurred significant criticism from Andrew Cuomo and former Senator Claire MacAskill, to name a couple. He has suggested some states declare bankruptcy, one of the outcomes being to endanger pensions. This has infuriated people.   Cuomo continues to receive acclaim for his masterful presentations. He does not agree with Trump, but he seems to be able to stay on side with him.

Everything is so political in the US. I have learnt about Republicans that you can’t have too much money, or too much hypocrisy; human life is only valued for older white men, or in the womb. Despite repeated admonitions in the Bible to be kind to the poor, Evangelical religion seems to have a very limited view of Christian values.  It has been evident in this pandemic crisis, as in the crisis of climate change, that money in the short term matters far more than human life in the long term. This virus emergency has taken the world by hold, and has forced us to take different actions and value and be thankful for different things.

Back here in Aotearoa, the 1 pm briefing is fronted by Grant Robertson, Minister of Finance, and Dr McElnay. There are 5 new cases of Covid 19, and there has been a  further death, a man aged 69 who was a resident of the Rosewood Home in Christchurch. Grant Robertson talks about the need to rebuild the NZ economic recovery as the lockdown levels are lifted.

This afternoon I went for a walk, and went to the store. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon, and lots of people were out walking. One woman had drawn a poppy on her drive, in preparation for Anzac Day. The store will be closed tomorrow morning, so I bought a few things. Some items are back in stock: there are plenty of coffee beans, there is anti-bacterial handwash lotion, and there are packs of latex gloves. I also buy some fresh bread, feijoas, and raspberries.

Yesterday I watched the new climate  documentary released by Michael Moore, Planet of the Humans. It does not mention sea-level rise at all, or methane emissions; rather, it decries the hand of big business in supposed “green” alternatives to fossil fuels, and seemed to involve a great deal of logging and wood burning, which is called using “biomass”, which is somehow supposed to be better.  I found it thought-provoking. I keep feeling, however, if we all used less “stuff”, as we’re being forced to now, at this time, planet earth would be a better place. As the Northern Hemisphere countries head into summer, I wonder what will come in terms of heat, forest fires, hurricanes, and floods. It has been a joy to have far less pollution in the air, and no planes flying overhead, but the emergencies caused by natural disasters may force an end to social distancing. We just don’t know what’s around the corner.

At the end of this day, the US total for Covid 19 infections is 890k. The official number of deaths is 50,372.

Today I’m going to finish with some lines from T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets:

We shall not cease from exploration,

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.

My music for today is Beethoven’s Hammerklavier Piano Sonata.

Enjoy!

Nga mihi

Kia ora katoa! Kia kaha!

Today is Thursday April 23^rd.

This morning I wake at 8:30 am. JD is still asleep. It has been a good night. This morning the news is different. We have all moved on. The galloping pace of the news parallels the extreme speed with which the Coronavirus moves within a community, country, the world, if strict distancing measures aren’t applied.

While the truth is getting it boots on, lies have “gone viral”. While they’re being rebutted, which takes time, more lies are circling the planet.

This morning I learn the following:

• Several children have tested positive for Covid 19 in a Japanese preschool;
• There is no apparent news from the UK;
• The US Senate has passed another recovery bill, and is insisting that Congress be physically present in Washington to vote on it, despite the potential danger too their health;
• A study on the use of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, widely touted by the US President and Fox News, highlights its dangers, and lack of proven efficacy. Evidently this drug can cause long term damage in patients.
• On the economic front the price of oil has risen, although it remains dangerously low. 
• Economic reporter Richard Quest has been diagnosed positive for Covid 19.
• Autopsies carried out for two deaths in Santa Clara, in California, in February tested positive for Covid 19, showing that the virus was active in the US earlier than thought. No one knows quite what to make of this news.

There is no news yet about the Governor of Georgia’s decision to reopen lots of businesses, despite mounting opposition.  But the head of the CDC has warned that a further round of Covid 19, plus the regular flu, could pose huge difficulties for the US.

Perhaps the most alarming news is that some patients have difficulty with blood clots after Covid 19, making them extra difficult to treat. This is in addition to lung damage and organ failure.

This morning, we have a singing session on Zoom. This is a success, although Zoom has its challenges and idiosyncrasies. I use my laptop this time rather than my phone, and that seems to work better. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the sun emerges, and I have to move my computer.  I need to use headphones, but I can mute myself.  My voice is quite rusty, despite singing in the shower, but it’s nice to use it for singing again.

We sing Po Kare Kare Ana, I Walk the Line, Country Roads, and try a new song – Six Ribbons.  It is a beautiful song, and sounds familiar. We will do this every Thursday morning. Some wonder if we will ever meet again as we used to, but I think that if New Zealand continues to monitor its borders effectively, we should be safe, and feel safe. There is to be more community testing carried out here. In a hotspot, a negative test doesn’t mean much, since one could be infected the next day. But where the virus has effectively been stamped out, we can feel more secure, for now.

Immediately after our singing session, I learn the shocking news, first on CNN, that a senior person, Dr Rick Bright,  in charge of a laboratory developing a vaccine for coronavirus has been removed from a key position.  He claims this is because he spoke publicly in doubting the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine.

Then we learn that the head of the CDC is being asked to publicly deny (at the White House briefing) what he said to the Washington Post. He says that the paper quoted him correctly, in saying that he feared the coming of a second outbreak of Covid 19, in addition to influenza. He refuses to slam WAPO, in spite of being put under huge pressure to do so.

Dr Fauci is at the briefing, and apparently Trump has spoken to the Governor of G.eorgia, cautioning him against reopening businesses too soon, but not explicitly ordering him not to. Evidently Lindsey Graham also expressed dismay, although who takes any notice of him anymore?  Governor Cuomo says diplomatically, “We can’t be stupid”.

Then we have the 1 pm briefing, fronted by Jacinda Ardern and Dr Ashley Bloomfield. What a relief it is not to be lied to. One may not agree with all their positions (although it’s increasingly hard not to), but one is confident that they’re both telling the truth, based on facts and advice they have received. If they don’t know something, they will say so. If one of the journalists asks them about an unfavourable instance, they will ask for direct evidence, and promise to follow it up. They both seem open and honest. I think that this, plus the fact that NZ seems to be winning this war, encourages support for them both by Kiwis and by many overseas.

We learn at the 1 pm briefing that there are 3 new cases of Covid 19 (two confirmed and one probable), and there have been two more deaths, both older people with existing health conditions. 6,480 tests were done yesterday. I learnt today from Manage My Health that one can get tested in the carpark at the Johnsonville Medical Centre, on referral from a nurse or doctor. Of the current cases of Covid 19, 8 are in hospital and one in Intensive Care. There remain 16 clusters of cases in New Zealand. Genome testing has been used to determine the likely source of cases of infection.  This is promising and will be ongoing.

The Prime Minister thanked Civil Defence, spoke about plans for Anzac Day, and said that current restrictions on hunting would be lifted under level 3.

The news from overseas continues to be alarming. But whereas death rates, although still alarming, seem to be settling in the UK, Italy, Spain and France, in the US they are skyrocketing. This morning, the US had one quarter of the world’s Covid 19 cases, and one-third of its deaths. Tonight the figures are as follows: 855,250 confirmed cases, and 47,974 deaths. That total has been climbing all day.  How can this be acceptable? Where is strong leadership?

How can this nation be in this situation?  While many of us have criticised the US, with good reason, over the years, it has many wonderful features as well: the warmth and kindness of many American people, the wonderful museums, the amazing sights to be seen across such a large country; and yet, I fear we are witnessing the death of its hegemony; American exceptionalism and authority are dwindling, if they remain at all. The fearful inequality is something to be wondered at indeed. And yet, and yet…their elected politicians make you scratch your head in wonder.

On a happier note, at singing this morning we enjoyed learning a new song, Six Ribbons by Jon English:

If I were a minstrel, I’d sing you six love songs,
To tell all the world, of the love that we share
If I were a merchant, I’d bring you six diamonds,
With six blood red roses, for my love to wear
But I am a simple man, a poor common farmer,
So take these six ribbons, to tie back your hair

Yellow and brown, blue as the sky,
Red as my blood, blue as your eye

If I were a nobleman, I’d bring you six carriages
With six snow white horses, to take you anywhere
If I were the emperor (yellow and brown),
I’d build you six palaces (blue as the sky),
With six hundred servants (red as my blood)
For comforting fare (green as your eyes)
But I am a simple man, a poor common farmer,
So take these six ribbons, to tie back your hair

I have also been thinking about Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony, the Pathetique. It’s sombre beauty seems very apt at present.

That’s it for now. Tomorrow I shall (probably) do this all over again.

Nga Nihi

Kia ora katoa! Kia Kaha!

Today is Wednesday April 22^nd.

This morning I woke up, and everyone has been in action again. There’s lots of news, fresh episodes on my favourite podcasts.  Today I plan to go for a walk, and put on a big pot of soup.

Meanwhile, I recall that I sometimes omit things, and after closing down my computer, think “I really should have said such and such”. This is one of those days. Yesterday, on April 21, the price of oil dropped into negative territory. This is significant. The stock market has been falling dramatically since we realised that the Covid 19 virus was something to take seriously, and the price of oil has been dropping, and then fluctuating, but negative? Normally I’m not too bothered by the vagaries of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, unless it falls dramatically, but I realise that confidence is important and the price of stocks and shares matters, especially if you have investments, or have interest in an investment fund.  This was a significant day.  In practical terms, it doesn’t mean anything to us: we can’t drive anywhere, anyway, at the moment. Today, April 22, the oil price is still negative.

“We must not risk the gains we have made”. So spoke the Prime Minister. She also gave a heartfelt thanks to cleaners.

At the 1 pm briefing, Jacinda Ardern and Dr Bloomfield appear. I fear these briefings will become boring, but not with these two. There are 6 new cases of Covid 19, bringing the total to 1451.  There has been a further death, of an elderly woman, one of the contingent who were moved from a rest home to Christchurch’s Burwood Hospital. She was a “probable” Covid 19 case. There are 11 in hospital, two in Intensive Care, both of them stable. Of the new cases, 3 are linked to overseas travel.

 Yesterday 5289 tests were done, bringing the total number of tests in New Zealand to 94,797. There are still 16 clusters here.  More community testing is planned. There is to be more testing of health workers this week. Anyone can get a test, but you need to be referred by your doctor.

Community testing is being extended to several regions in Northland. People there are being encouraged to get influenza vaccinations, as well.  New Zealanders returning to NZ will continue to be quarantined in hotels under government control.

Overseas, there are several interesting stories. I start with a report by Dr John  Campbell of the UK citing a report from Stanford University discredited by him and by many others. Apparently this was not even peer-reviewed.  This is surely a big dent in Stanford’s otherwise stellar reputation. One wonders just what’s behind this.

There are also details of a the failure of a patient trial of hydroxychloroquine, touted by President Trump and Fox News, but discredited by many doctors. This seems to be effective for some patients, indeed it is sometimes tried as part of a cocktail of drugs (who’s behind this, I wonder), but has severe side effects on others. I don’t believe one would knowingly risk it, unless it was recommended by a physician, and one was truly desperate.

Then there is the case of Greece, no longer “the sick man of Europe”. Greece acted quickly to close its schools on 11 March, well before the UK acted, and put a lockdown in place. According to figure I’ve checked tonight, their Covid 19 total is 2,401 infections, with 121 deaths. Thus by acting quickly, they have avoided the dreadful pressure on their health system that so many other countries are facing.

Then there is the UK, where apparently a load of PPE has been flown in from Turkey, but for some reason they avoided being part of a European consortium to obtain ventilators and PPE. The Secretary of Health, Matt Hancock was forced to deny that this decision was political, but his weasel-words convinced many that this was a non-denial denial.

Then there is the case of the hospital set up in the Excel Centre as part of the Nightingale Trust, to accommodate extra patients, which cannot be used because of a shortage of Intensive Care nurses, the existing ones being “run ragged”.  NHS staff are not allowed to speak to the press, so we don’t hear many of their stories; the dreadful figures speak for themselves: 129,044 cases of infection, and 17,337 deaths. These figures are probably far lower than the reality, given how difficult it is to get tested, and the numbers dying in rest homes. Those in charge seem to shrug, and admit it’s all very sad, but what can you do?

In terms of what you can do, testing and contact tracing, and minimising social contact, i.e. locking down all but essential facilities, seem to make a bug difference, as does having appropriate PPE for medical and care staff. It seems though there are big differences in what a lockdown actually means, and what are essential services. There are big differences in how the lockdown is policed, and what fines, if any, are applied for non-compliance. There also seems to be a big difference in the leadership displayed, both in asking people to do hard things, and expressing gratitude for their sacrifice, and compassion for their sorrows.

The analogy of war is often used. In a war situation, a leader encourages and inspires those under their control to do things they would not normally think possible. Also, in wartime, there were often hurried weddings, with limited number s of guests, clothes, presents, partying and time.  People made do with what they had. Often soldiers died in war, on their own, and sometimes the body could not be returned. People made do, as they did in other epidemics.  Those of us who grew up in the wonderful age of vaccines tend to forget just how precarious life was. It still is, of course, but there are different threats now, and life-expectancy has increased significantly.  One is reminded of the old adage, that truth is the first casualty of war.

The US seems to be fighting the Vietnam war again, in a way similar to Britain’s fighting Word War One (the Great War).  It would be over soon, the boys would be home by Christmas. In both wars, thousands of soldiers died, yet politicians kept sending them.  In WWI they spoke about “going over the top” of the trenches to certain danger, almost certain death; medical staff have spoken about experiencing similar terror when going on duty, and trying to cope with almost impossible situations. In the US, these are aften documented.

Testing continues to be a big problem in the US, as well as the UK.  These problems are no doubt made more difficult by testing labs needing to make a profit. The materials are in short supply; access is different in different regions; and, of course, you might test negative on Monday, but in a highly infectious environment, you may be positive on Friday. There is a lack of swabs. Sometimes the results are unreliable. Antibody tests are still unreliable. The issue of payment is complicated, and people’s economic situations are becoming more dire as it appears federal assistance is uneven and unevenly distributed, with many people missing out. The lines of cars at food banks are distressing, as are the pictures of food being disposed of, because, in theory, there isn’t a demand for it. I think if you said it was available, people would come and get it? Perhaps that’s not a practical suggestion.

In the US, some desperately sad things are going on.  In Georgia (ironically it’s capital city Atlanta is home to the CDC, CNN and Dr Gupta), the Republican Governor Brian Kemp, who only just instigated a limited shelter-in-place order, has declared his state will be open from Monday April, including massage parlours, tattoo bars, hairdressing salons, restaurants etc. It is difficult to maintain distancing in these activities, and the air-conditioning is thought to play a part in circulating the virus too. There have been a number of protests this week from people who’ve found any level of lockdown a personal affront to themselves and their liberty.  All this while the figures for Covid 19 infections and deaths continue to climb: as at tonight, Georgia had 20,166 cases of Covid 19 and 818 deaths.

The outcry against Kemp’s move has been significant. Many television programs have focussed on the major opposition to his move, from the Mayor of Atlanta, to recovered patients, who say “don’t mess with this disease”, to desperate health professionals. “Who will care for you, when you get sick?”, they ask.

Even at Emory Hospital in Atlanta, where they are very well organised, handled Ebola cases, and are super-prepared, they are restricting Covid 19 tests to those with symptoms only, because they are rationing their PPE.

As at tonight, the US has officially got 819,175 confirmed cases of Covid 19, and has had 45,353 deaths.  The figure at the same time last night was almost 43,000.  This is a huge toll, and is being taken very seriously by many. On a brighter note, Bernie Sanders’s proposed Medicare for All doesn’t sound at all crazy, or even socialist, now. It’s recognised even by some Republican commentators that it’s pretty crazy not to have a better health-care system, in this day and age. How can you be great without great health-care?

Today I have been reflecting on a poem by Henry King, 1592-1669, Of Human Life.and

            Like to the falling of a star

            Or as the flights of eagles are,

            Or like the fresh spring’s gaudy hue,

            Or silver drops of morning dew;

            Or like a wind that chafes the flood,

            Or bubbles which on water stood:

            Even such a man, whose borrowed light        

            Is straight called in, and paid to night,

            The wind blows out, the bubble dies;

            Th spring entombed in autumn lies;

            The dew dries up, the star is shot;

            The flight is past – and man forgot.

While we’re into classical music, a Bach concerto takes my fancy tonight: Concerto No 1 in A minor. There are lots of nice recordings on Youtube.

Bye for now!

Nga mihi

Kia ora katoa! Kia kaha!

Today is Tuesday April 21^st.  There seems to be huge support for Jacinda Ardern’s decision to extend the severe lockdown in New Zealand for another week. That is really good. I think people are realising that despite the hardships, we are saved so much grief and pain. Our end is in sight, although I hope and trust that we move forwards. Things will not be the same again, as the time before. “Let’s finish what we started”, she said.  Relief all round, I think.

The 1 pm briefing is fronted by Dr Bloomfield and Chris Hipkins, Minister of Education. He speaks about what going to level 3 will mean for primary schools and the Early Childhood sector. I think the gist of it is continue to keep children home, if you can, and work from home, if you can. I’m not quite sure how that works: both parents trying to work from home, and educate and care for their children?  Sounds like a tough deal, but as Jacinda says, they will be learning heaps, anyway.

Today there are 5 new cases of Covid 19, bringing the total to 1345.  One person has died, an older person from St Margaret’s Rest Home in Auckland, which was a known cluster.  No younger people have died here as yet.

This afternoon we had a zoom session with one of my singing groups. Despite the idiosyncrasies of Zoom, we had a good session. It was nice to see everyone again, that is, everyone who dialled in. My attempts to mute myself failed, but I will try again next time.

It strikes me that my values have changed a great deal during this time. At first there was frustration, followed by grudging acceptance, followed by boredom…then I learnt to slow down some more, and take things more quietly. It is so interesting to get a bit further back to basics. Things that one thought “I must get rid of” are now valued again. I’m now glad to have so many books at home.  It gives me a great choice of reading material, seeing as I can’t buy any more at present, or go to the library.

Older people, churches (and what they mean to us), home-cooked meals, and the simple life, are what we are now reduced to, and appreciating. While I don’t think life will ever be as it was before the pandemic, I do think, when things have relaxed a bit, we will look back on this special time. The time in our “bubble” will be a special time, of reflection, and acceptance.  There are things that should be done, of course, but one can’t do them, so therefore there’s not much point worrying about them.

Tonight we had a conversation with overseas family members. In the US, despite deaths (almost 43,000), and almost 800,000 confirmed cases of Covid 19, several state governors are relaxing lockdown and social distancing rules.  More testing has been done in the last few hours, and there are many, many cases confirming positive. Testing is still not freely available in all states. If you cannot measure something correctly, how can you manage it effectively?

It seems certain that there will be more sickness and death, that is likely to overwhelm the health care system, such as it is. With respect to care homes, prisons, and meat processing plants, the figures are dire indeed. While many are suffering enormously, through the collapse to the economy, it doesn’t seem to have hit some folk yet that all lives are in danger, and everyone will know someone who has died.  Already both our sons overseas know another highly- esteemed academic who has died from complications due to Covid 19.

In the UK, while there isn’t quite the crazy element, there is an enormous lack of leadership. The government seems to be blind, to be tone-deaf to the needs of the NHS staff and rest home staff, who still lack PPE.  The expression from World War 1 about “going over the top” seems even more appropriate now, as nursing staff try to manage very difficult situations.  Sadly I’m reminded of WW1, which produced thousands of deaths, before the powers that be recognised what a tragic waste this was. It did produce some wonderful literature, but at what price?

Dr Fauci is back!  He appeared being interviewed by Jack Curry on a video clip, looking more relaxed than he has done for days. He spoke about his enjoyment of baseball, of being captain of a baseball team when he was a young man, and about how it relaxes him. When asked about the coronavirus, he won’t put a timeline on the virus, acknowledging that different states and counties have different rates of infection. He cautioned us all to wash our hands frequently, and not to shake hands.

On a different note, I’m still thinking about Canterbury Cathedral. What a vast and beautiful place!  Tonight I’m going to quote some lines spoken by Thomas Becket from T.S. Eliot’s poetic drama, Murder in the Cathedral. This was performed at my alma mater, Wellington Girls’ College back in the day. I wonder if we will ever travel overseas again. Those trips we did make seem even extra precious experiences now.

Now is my way clear, now is the meaning plain:

Temptation shall not come in this kind again.

The last temptation is the greatest treason:

To do the right deed for the wrong reason.

The natural vigour in the venial sin

Is the way in which our lives begin.

thirty years ago, I searched all the ways

That lead to pleasure, advancement and praise.

Delight in sense, in learning and in thought,

Music and philosophy, curiosity.

The purple bullfinch in the lilac tree.

The tiltyard skill, the strategy of chess,

Love in the garden, singing to the instrument.

Were all things equally desirable.

^Ambition comes when early force is spent

And when we find no longer all things possible.

Ambition comes behind and unobservable.

Sin grows with doing good. When I imposed the King’s law

In England, and waged war with him against Toulouse,

I beat the barons at their own game. I

Could then despise the men who thought me most contemptible.

I still think this is a great play, combining as it does a chorus, verse, and a dramatic plot – the Cathedral was the site of Thomas’s murder. It is very old indeed, dating back to its founding in 597.

That’s just about enough for today. I’ll close with reference to today’s music. I’ve chosen a piece by Elgar, Nimrod from his Enigma Variations. At least Elgar was an English composer.

Nga Mihi

Kia ora katoa! Kia kaha!

Today is Monday April 20, 2020.

Will she or won’t she? (i.e. will the Prime Minister lift the lockdown from level 4 to 3)

That is today’s big question.

Meanwhile, this morning I went to the Johnsonville Community Centre to have an influenza vaccination. It is very straightforward, and very quick, and very safe – there’s nobody there except a receptionist and the nurse administering the vaccine. I am asked to wait 20 minutes in my car afterwards in case I have a reaction. Having briefly wondered what to do if I do have a reaction, I do some more puzzles while I wait.

Then we go shopping at New World in Newlands.  On balance, I feel safer at New World in Churton Park, although they have much less stock. It is a bit scary here. Some people don’t really avoid me; some bring shopping bags into the store (we aren’t allowed to do this at the other location); and while I am invited to use hand sanitiser and sign my name and contact phone number, there doesn’t seem to be any sanitiser for the trolley! What’s more, I have run out of disposable latex gloves. I am wearing a face mask, although it’s too big and I haven’t adjusted it. Also, they don’t use every second checkout like they do at Churton Park. Still, I bought some very nice apricot Danish pastries for morning tea, feijoas. and some (now rare) coffee beans. So that’s the essentials taken care of. They have plenty of bread, too.

The mood this morning is interesting. JD has “shout” radio on (i.e. talkback, it drives me crazy), and the majority view seems to be that the lockdown should be extended to after Anzac Day, on April 25.  Also, the view in this morning’s newspaper is probably to extend it, although there is considerable “damage” to the economy. Be that as it may, and I acknowledge there are some very sad stories out there, and I’m truly sorry for those who have been made redundant, surely saving human life is the most important thing here? And second to that would be the potential strain on medical and nursing facilities and care facilities, and then morgues and funeral homes and cemeteries, to say nothing of grieving and rearranged families. Any viewing of overseas hospitals and nursing homes and deaths is horrible stuff. We have already had some sad deaths here and cases of illness, and clusters, enough to really scare many people. We all miss our loved ones – children and grandchildren, and our friends. We realise just how large are circles are, potentially, and how far they reach.

The school teachers are also concerned about re-opening schools so soon.  That’s a valid concern.  Perhaps Jacinda put out a lightning rod to get reaction. I appreciate that parents are sick and tired of endless holidays/teaching online, but perhaps a few more days may be worth it. I guess a risk is that the most difficult children will be sent back to school, without the well-behaved ones to moderate the atmosphere.

There are also concerns about maintaining safe distancing and safe hygienic practices while some go back to work. People do have to take responsibility for their own safety, and that of their staff.

This morning I also had a long and thoughtful message from a friend in Christchurch. We both have children and grandchildren in the US, so we share some concerns, and common views.

I have been thinking about the concept of freedom. I would regard freedom as being free to hold my personal religious beliefs, while not forcing them on others; feeling safe, i.e. having a stable non-corrupt government and police force, i.e. adequate security; having a welfare state, i.e. a safety net, to ensure that everyone can have a warm home, enough to eat, and access to health care.  I accept that for everyone’s safety, there need to be certain rules an regulations. This implies that laws are debated and enacted in a fair parliament. There also need to be regular and fair elections. This personal ideal seems somewhat different from the American concept of what they are pleased to call freedom!  Their freedom often seems very inconsiderate to me.

I also came to a grim realisation over the weekend that most countries can’t really turn this unseen viral beast around now. Even if countries were to introduce or maintain strict lockdowns, it would take some time to get the levels of new infections and deaths down to whatever they consider a manageable level. We thought Italy and Spain had strict lockdowns, but there are videos showing some behaviours that would not be recommended today.

In future, it seems you must have:

• Continued random testing.
• Easy to obtain testing if requested.
• Contact tracing.
• Temperature taking. I know not everyone with Covid 19 has a fever, but it is an indicator of disease.
• Testing on recovery.
• Isolation of patients who have tested positive for Covid 19, even if they feel all right
• Continue to isolate new arrivals under strict management.
• Test all staff on returning to a work environment.
• Common guidelines, and audits, for rest homes, care facilities, and prisons.
• Safer management of situations where people live closely together such as the armed forces, immigrants, refugee camps.
• Strict management of all food preparation and sales (I think New Zealand used to be quite good in this regard)
• Strict management of water quality.
• When a vaccine becomes available, most if not all people should be strongly encouraged to have it.
• Good hygiene practices should always be followed, starting with hand-washing, covering coughs, yawns and sneezes, and keeping living and working environments clean.

The US and the UK seem to be, in their unique ways, stumbling along the track of not really caring enough about loss of life to manage their situations effectively, and waiting till “herd immunity” kicks in, when most people will have had the infection, and presumably it offers less of a threat, albeit at an unknown, huge, and terrible cost. How do you turn back?

There are frightening stories of new infections in China, brought in by travellers, and of tentative re-opening, and monitoring of facilities in Wuhan. Still, everyone is very afraid of contact- shopping. Is this the second wave of the infection? Who knows? And, by the way, where is Dr Fauci?

There is no 1 pm briefing today, but NZ has 9 new cases of Covid 19.  Dr Bloomfield said yesterday that sewage outlets were being tested for Covid 19 too, to determine if there were clusters of infection other than the ones we know about.

At 4 pm we learn that the PM has decided to extend the level 4 lockdown to midnight on Monday April 27. The country will then move to a level 3 lockdown for two weeks, and a further decision is to be announced on May 11. Moving to level 3 means some industries (construction) can start up again, and take-out food that can be delivered, such as pizza, will be available. Our bubbles are slightly expanded under level 3. The reaction, so far, is positive. We’ve managed up until now, we can do another week. We really appreciate the fact that our government is trying to keep us safe.

Many countries are looking to lift their restrictions on what you can do, and when educational facilities should reopen. It will be very interesting to see how this works out. The UK, on the other hand, has decided to extend their lockdown.  Senior ministers front up to press briefings, which are uniformly disappointing. It seems Bojo did not take this illness at all seriously until he had it himself. He was very ill, so ill that he was in Intensive Care; now he’s recovering. If this is “taking back control”, they seem really lost, and haven’t done well at all.

I suppose it’s easier for NZ in many ways to live under a strict lockdown, as we have done and are to continue doing. We are not crowded, we are a small nation, and the government provides a safety net.  But this has not been easy. All of us have had to give things up. While we enjoy not enduring the endless focus on “gut health”, we have missed family, grandchildren, friends, having coffee together, activities, the closeness with which we used to interact with each other, and freedom of movement.

I watched some videos about the US during the middle of the day. When I started, their death toll was 40,678. Two hours later, it was 41,000. I discovered a new program, NOW THIS, which follows the White House daily briefing and corrects the information being presented. It is hard to sit through, but instructive. And where is Dr Fauci? 

Today I have been thinking about Geoffrey Chaucer, one of my favourite poets. His great work, the Canterbury Tales, begins as follows:

Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote,

The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,

And bathed every veyne in swich licóur

Of which vertú engendred is the flour;

Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth

Inspired hath in every holt and heeth

The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne

Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne,

And smale foweles maken melodye,

That slepen al the nyght with open ye,

So priketh hem Natúre in hir corages,

Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,

And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,

To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;

And specially, from every shires ende

Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,

The hooly blisful martir for to seke,

That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.

Bifil that in that seson on a day,

In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay,

Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage

To Caunterbury with ful devout corage,

At nyght were come into that hostelrye

Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye

Of sondry folk, by áventure y-falle

In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle,

That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde.

I have been to Southwark Cathedral, and to Canterbury Cathedral (twice). It is a

very impressive place indeed, even if it has a Starbucks outside. T.S. Eliots’s play

Murder in the Cathedral is set there too, about the return and murder of Thomas

Becket. It is written in verse and has a chorus, like an ancient Greek tragedy.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the Chaucer, seeing it is April, although we are heading

into autumn, not spring, and pilgrimages are off limits, for a time.

The music for today is Vivaldi’s Gloria, quite a short piece, but very beautiful.

There is a nice recording performed by the National Chamber Orchestra of

Armenia accompanied by the National Chamber Choir of Armenia. Sometimes

these groups make wonderful recordings; they’re a bit less stilted than other

more formal groups.

That’s it for now. Nga Mihi!

Kia ora katoa! Kia Kaha!

Today is Sunday April 19th.

Bubbling on, burbling on, babbling on…

Last night I slept well, not waking till almost 8 am. Then we had a video conversation with our eldest son and his family in the US. I am very concerned about them and another son and his wife who are in the UK, but it was great to speak with them. They all look well. The children are building wonderful lego machines and vehicles. They are very creative. None of us is especially into growing our own vegetables.

Meantime, in New Zealand, the Sunday newspaper is mostly about coping mechanisms for lockdown, and, to some extent, about the economy.  There is a lot of talk about podcasts, and I have added some new ones to my list.  I think it is easier to write than speak – you certainly need to have a pleasant voice to record podcasts, but I find it’s great to listen to them, especially if they have a warning if themes or language may be difficult.  It’s like being in a warm bath, really, that doesn’t get cold.  The interviews can be so interesting, and convey details of stories or situations that you don’t get in the newspapers. I am an unashamed podcast junkie.

There was no 1 pm briefing on Saturday, but there is one today, and the PM and Dr Bloomfield both show up.  There is a question about sport under level 3, and Jacinda says that she will hand over to the Sports Minister to answer that (he’s evidently in the Beehive Theatrette, wearing shorts), but we don’t get to see him.  The rest of the world seems to marvel at these briefings, which are greatly valued, for the honesty of the PM and Dr Ashley. The press is not the “enemy of the people”, rather journalists are valued as playing a significant role in asking questions (sometimes they’re silly ones), and disseminating information.  The presenters are not derided, they’re valued, and Jacinda expresses thanks to Kiwis who, by and large, have cooperated with the lockdown.

There were 13 new cases of Covid 19 yesterday, and 9 today. This brings the country’s total to 1431. Yesterday there were 20 Covid 19 patients in hospital, including 3 in Intensive Care, one of them critical. Some rest home residents up north were taken to hospital, six of them having tested positive for Covid 19.

Testing has been expanded, and some random testing has been done at a Queenstown supermarket, and in Auckland. I understand no one has tested positive from these tests. Dr Bloomfield says that there will be continued emphasis on contact tracing, and that the target is that 80% of a case’s contacts will be followed up within three days. We are asked to remember our movements (such as they are, within our bubble!). I knew there was a good reason for writing this blog! Other than helping to keep me sane, of course.

There is now common mention of New Zealand’s success in managing this pandemic, within our country, and this lockdown, and the subsequent effects on the economy. There is appreciation that Maori and Pasifika do not appear to be worse affected than European New Zealanders (Pakeha). There is astonishment overseas at New Zealand’s actions: “Are they trying to eliminate it, or something?”  Well, yes, they are, actually.

Daily, it seems an this is an even taller endeavour. I wonder how long NZ can remain hermetically sealed off from the rest of the world.  At least we can feed ourselves, and others, too.

The figures from overseas just get more dramatic. When it’s claimed that not se many people are dying in New York hospitals each day, it’s still several hundred that are dying. What a chaotic mess the US is. This pandemic has certainly highlighted the extreme poverty, the backward stance of poorer people and people of colour in terms of their survival, the sad fact that for many, loss of employment means loss of their health insurance, the very low hourly rate of pay, the plight of undocumented immigrants; this was all visible before this crisis, but this pandemic has surely made these problems even more pressing and apparent.

The need for Medicare for All has come to more and more people to seem totally reasonable, and as to paying for it, the government has shown it can afford whatever it likes, viz. the cheques to most citizens, the bailouts of certain industries, and the huge amount spent (in a socialist way) on the military. Whom is the US defending itself against?

It is extremely distressing to see protests in defiance against measures to regulate against Covid 19, and to prevent or limit infection.  It is sad indeed to see these being encouraged, not condemned. Surely these people fears for their lives, and those of their loved ones?  I often wonder if there isn’t something in the water there. A great many environmental regulations have been lifted in the last three years; that’s not to say the situation was great before that. They had a huge water crisis in Flint, Michigan, and there was a crisis in New Jersey, to mention a couple of examples.

It’s not just the US. In the UK, there is a lack of PPE. Some of their practices, e.g. in nursing homes, seem casual to us. Places where they have horrific daily death tolls (Italy, Spain, France) seem to have not taken this disease as seriously as they should at the beginning. And yet it was 1 December (I heard somewhere) that the first death from the coronavirus was recorded in China. That is less than six months ago!  Swift action was needed to manage this at all. The infectious nature and alarmingly rapid severity of this disease, and its expansion, have all but overcome efforts to manage it.

There is still so much we don’t know about this disease, except that you really don’t want to get it, or have any member of your family and friends get it.  Wearing of masks is now compulsory in many countries. I guess it’s like advertising – we presume some of it does some good, in terms of increased sales, but we don’t know exactly what works. Can you get reinfected? Should you be tested for recovery? Should those infected be isolated? Definitely. Should they remain at home? Probably not! And what about asymptomatic carriers? What about blood transfusions? Should they now be screened for Covid 19? I should think so. And how long do droplets live on surfaces? Will there be a second, and a third wave? Will these be worse? (That’s hard to imagine!). When will a vaccine be ready? And what will the anti-vax brigade do then?

Last night we watched the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I had read Truman Capote’s book, but never seen the movie. What a great film! It was beautifully made. How gorgeous Audrey Hepburn was, and Patricia Neal. Audrey Hepburn (dressed by Hubert Givenchy) always looked wonderful, and I will always remember her singing Moon River with the guitar.

Moon River is not necessarily my favourite song, but a chorus from Handel’s Messiah is among my faves. It’s I Know That My Redeemer Liveth, from the book of Job in the Old Testament.   You can find recordings on Youtube.

The past two days I have not been for a walk. I feel rather guilty about this, but I did change the sheets on my bed, and wash my hair, and climb up and down the stairs several times. It is nice that there is no rush, and to enjoy the peace and quiet. Tomorrow I will go out, if only for a walk.

Good-bye for now. Nga Mihi.

Kia ora katoa! Kia Kaha!

Today is Friday April 17th.  Yesterday the Prime Minister spoke about the country moving to a Level 3 lockdown, and what that may mean for New Zealand. She and her cabinet have agreed to take a pay cut.

Of course, New Zealand’s good news can’t really be treated like good news by the NZ media. I’m sure there are cases of great hardship and uncertainty. But compared with just about anywhere overseas, we are so fortunate here, to have competent leadership, government financial assistance, increasing effective testing, and a manageable problem with Covid 19. It seems that it was not long ago (around mid-late March) that the number of cases was growing very quickly.  I remember the shock on hearing on March 23 that we had 102 cases in NZ. Although that seems small now, the total was growing very fast, and it was a relief when the country went into a strict lockdown. It was also very well publicised, with messages everywhere, including on my mobile phone.

I think the approach to lifting restrictions is sensible. Schools (years 1 – 10) and Early Childhood facilities will be open, but patents are encouraged to keep their children at home, and work from home, if possible. Basically, you have to still stay in your “bubble”, social distancing is to be maintained, and there is to be no contact; everything still stays closed. But you can get takeaways, if they are delivered, so that’s something. At least pizza is cooked! I think you can go to drive-through food outlets. You can have gatherings of up to 10 people for weddings or funerals, but no food is to be served.

The government has said that they will decide on Monday April 20^th whether to go too level 3.

Yesterday we went for a walk in the afternoon, and this morning I went shopping. Although I take a list, it is a question of buying bread first, at the back of the store; then if I can buy A I’ll get B,C and D, but if not, I’ll go down another track.  Coffee beans are very scarce at present, so I buy some – fortunately it’s my favourite brand.  Many items are missing from the shelves.

The store is not full at all. The staff are very welcoming. They have taken the glass doors off the self-service cabinet, as well as wrapping all the items. This is something I approve of, I wear one of my new masks, but there are all kinds of difficulties: it’s too big, it’s hard to talk, it makes my glasses fog up, and it turns out that I was wearing it inside out!  I had one disposable latex glove left; now it’s quiet there, and I bought some Vogel bread. Fortunately JD turned up to help me pack and carry stuff home.

We made up boxes of games, books and puzzles for our local grandchildren.

The 1 pm briefing has become a “piece de resistance” each day, awaited with avid anticipation. It’s also a really good time to go shopping, as the store will be quiet, and you can always replay the briefing later.

At the briefing on Thursday, fronted by the PM and Dr Bloomfield, there was a lot of talk about the proposed lifting of restrictions to level 3. There was also welcome news: just 15 new cases of Covid 19.

On Friday the briefing is fronted by Grant Robertson, Minister of Finance, and Dr McElnay. There are 8 new cases, bringing the total to 1409, and, sadly, two more deaths. All new arrivals (over 1.000) are now quarantined in government-controlled facilities, and some of them have tested positive. Thank goodness they are now being quarantined away from their homes, and being monitored. There are 16 clusters being monitored. So far, all the deaths have been older people, some from the Rest Home residents in Christchurch who were moved to Burwood Hospital.

Well done to the NZ government who have been doing more testing. Drive-through testing facilities have been set up in more main centres, although I think you still need a doctor’s referral to get one, but testing has been done at a Queenstown supermarket, with staff and customers gladly participating.

I think that here in New Zealand we can truly say that we have turned a corner, that we can see light at the end of the tunnel, that some definite good has come of all this, and we accept that whatever cliché you want to use, life will not be the same again as before.  This has been an interesting experience, and do-able, with a great deal of smiling and goodwill. Now that there is a prospect of lifting the restrictions of a level 4 lockdown, it has been good to know that we can do it; that there is no rush; that while things will be different in future, one hopes we will not always have this sense of fear and panic. It has been nice to hear more birdsong, much fewer planes flying overhead, and less traffic, although people drive much too fast along our street. Nonetheless, it has been nice to just enjoy things, seeing as you can’t really do anything else!

Overseas, the news continues to be quite dreadful, and getting worse every day. While New York city may have restricted its death rate to several hundred each day, the spread of Covid 19, the lack of testing, the dire rates of deaths in rest homes (in many places), the closure of meat processing plants, are truly terrifying. Pregnant women at a New York hospital were routinely tested for Covid 19, and several tested positive, while being asymptomatic!  You can see why the medical staff are so afraid of catching this disease.

One feature they used in China involved decontamination at the end of a shift. Each worker was watched by a nurse, and took off all their PPE, individually, before changing into other clothes and returning to wherever they were staying. Their shoes were disinfected, too.  This practice seems to make more sense than wearing one’s gear home, then taking it off and showering, before rejoining one’s family.

The English don’t appear to have any plan for lifting their lockdown, indeed, they’ve extended it. Despite the applause for NHS staff, which I am sure is more than justified, I’ve watched videos of rest home staff, who should also be applauded, with little in the way of protection.

In the US, the President keeps saying he wants to “reopen” the economy, despite medical advice and other cautions. In fact, he didn’t do anything to “close it down”!  He’s been vague, untruthful, and contradictory in his response. The demonstrations in Ohio and Michigan for so-called “freedom” are very scary. How can you be “free” when your actions hurt other people? Surely you want your children and grandchildren to think well of you? One just hopes that sanity will prevail, as with some State Governors combining to take baby steps in lifting state lockdowns.  No one is calling Trump King Cyrus now!

As I’ve said before, there is so much we don’t know about this virus. It seems to be incredibly infectious, and may have mutated into several strains. And far from being a mild flu-like disease, for some it is deadly serious, taking weeks to recover, and damaging organs, not just the lungs, in its path. People who’ve had it say you don’t want to get this disease. For many it is a life-changing experience.

We are already hearing many obituaries of wonderful people who died, before their time, of Covid 19. Most of them we do not know but tonight we heard that John Conway, mathematician, had died. We did not know him but our eldest son did, so there is extra sadness there.

There was a lovely pastiche of stories on the Washington Post Reports podcast yesterday.  My favourite was one hospital playing the Beatles’ song Here Comes the Sun” over the loudspeaker when someone was discharged. A happy sound!

My favourite music today is Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus, a short but very beautiful piece. There are lots of recordings on Youtube; one of my favourites is, you’ve guessed it, sung by the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.

Ave, verum corpus
natum de Maria Virgine,
Vere passum immolatum
in Cruce pro homine,
Cujus latus perforatum
unda* fluxit (et)* sanguine,
Esto nobis praegustatum
in mortis examine.

That’s it for now.

Stay safe out there! Don’t push the limits! Don’t put yourself, or others, at risk.

Nga Mihi

Kia ora Katoa! Kia kaha!

Today is Wednesday April 15.  I sleep until 8:30 am., so that’s good. The newspaper this morning is divided about how to open up the country. i.e. come out from lockdown.  I think the four stages were a good idea, that is, the suggestion NZ goes to level 3 when the four weeks’ lockdown is up.  The Prime Minister has said repeatedly that the government will take advice on any movement, and will be guided by the latest scientific reports. The newspaper carries stories divided on whether the lockdown was too severe, and what kind of strategies should be in place, especially with regard to contact tracing and testing. 

There is also the news that Bernie Sanders and former President Obama have endorsed Joe Biden as Democratic candidate for President. It seems a bit sad to me that that’s the best they can do. Still, it’s a way to go before the November election.

Many governments are grappling with issues regarding lifting whatever lockdowns and distancing restrictions they have in place. Some countries were thought to have good management strategies in place, e.g. Sweden or Singapore, but now their deficiencies have been shown up; Sweden now has a higher death toll, and nursing homes have been severely affected, and Singapore’s migrant workers have been part of its downfall, seeing as the migrant workers live in very cramped conditions. Singapore is now to put a severe lockdown in place. Sweden tried not to impose too many restrictions on its citizens, but there were doubts about this approach, and they now have an alarming death rate which is fast catching up.

But reports are distressing, where restrictions have been lifted, or partially lifted. There are more cases of Covid 19, except in Taiwan, which stands out for its effectiveness. We remember the dreadful videos smuggled out of Wuhan, where, despite very heavy authoritarian measures of state control being put in place, the virus could not be completely dominated or eliminated. Now that it is freer of the virus, some are regretting their decision not to stay there.

Authorities are now saying that this virus cannot be stamped out, completely; that there are likely two more waves to come, which may be worse (!), that we will always need to be extra-careful about infection (many of us are already extraordinarily careful about getting ill), and that in future, restrictions are likely to remain in place, even after development and release of a vaccine.

In addition, there is really no “going back to normal”. We have been and will be scarred by this event, some far more than others, who have lost loved ones during this time as a result of Covid 19, or their natural passing. We have been unable to gather, to celebrate, to enjoy company of family and friends, to celebrate our faith as one would wish, much less enjoy everyday “adventures” and activities. Yet, some of us are fortunate during this time. Our challenges are not nearly as great as those many people face.

Remember Metlink, who changed everything about public transport in Wellington in July 2018?  As we now watch empty buses go past, those challenges seem so far away. Who cares when the buses go? Or how windy the bus stops are? Or how difficult the whole issue became for so many people, including those of us who aren’t trying to get to work.

The US faces major challenges in getting people back to non-existent jobs – just how does that work? Why is the cruise ship industry and airline industry being given a bailout? Who in their right mind would go on a cruise, now? I think you’d have to have some kind of death wish to do so.

But supposing you are running some kind of operation, making things, or meals, who has money to spend? How do you project needs into the future? How do you plan? What’s happened to the various supply chains? Where do you reopen, and with what cleaning and staff protection protocols in place?

Who will be brave enough to go to the cinema again? Or take a trip anywhere? Or eat out? Or buy takeaways? Or go to the dentist? We miss all these things, yet there is a kind of perverse pleasure in proving we can manage without them.

It seems you must have a plan, and be prepared to monitor it for effectiveness and public support, and make adjustments where needed.  I doubt that nay of us really wants to go back to the way things were.  The WHO have set out 6 steps that countries should take before lifting restrictions. These form good general guidelines.

The 1 pm briefing is instructive. There are 20 new cases, bringing the total to 1386.  728 people have recovered. Another person has died, this time an elderly man in Invercargill, who died at his home, bringing the total deaths to nine. These are encouraging figures. Jacinda advises parents not to beat themselves up about educating their children, pointing out that they’ll be learning a great deal during this time, anyway. Dr Bloomfield notes that NZ will continue to support the WHO, saying that we need a strong WHO. There have been criticisms of this organisation.

There have been dramatically huge waves on Wellington’s South Coast, and although the it is quiet today, it has been very windy here. Someone was swept out to sea, and rescued.

Recoveries from Covid 19 are noteworthy, too. I talk about three main figures, the actor Tom Hanks, the CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. They all look different – almost shockingly so. Tom Hanks appeared on SNL and seemed well, joking that people were avoiding him. But the other two looked shocked, as though they’d seen a ghost. Chris Cuomo spoke about how the disease messes with your brain, and Boris spoke about his gratitude for the treatment he’d received in hospital. He even mentioned a nurse from New Zealand – nurse Jenny from Invercargill.  For each of them, it was a defining experience, an illness it takes a while to recover from, and definitely not a typical flu. While the flu can indeed make you feel absolutely ghastly, and wish that you were dead, Covid 19 is something else, and generally more extreme.

In New York, the death figures for Covid 19 have been revised upwards, and it now seems that 4,000 people have died in New York City alone, and 10,000 in New York State. The number in New York city greatly outweighs the number who died as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  Yet now they are over the worst of people needing medical treatment, they are offering to help other states, like South Dakota, where a meat-processing plant has been closed down, with many of the staff sick, yet there is no lockdown order in place.

I listened to Dr John Campbell’s update today, where he answered a number of FAQs.  He says that while there is lots we don’t know, the virus is unlikely to be carried by insects, is killed by heat or by boiling, but may be carried by water contamination.  This is all sensible advice, really – always be careful about fluids, generally getting them out of a bottle that you can see, and only eating cooked food from a reputable outlet. But this virus defies many efforts to contain its spread. There is so much we still don’t know.

I did not go for a walk today. Today has not been a particularly good one, however the Pharmacy at Johnsonville rang to see how I was and if I would like anything delivered to save me going in to the store. They delivered a packet of face masks!

We have been watching Unorthodox on Netflix. It is a very well-made series, with great attention to detail in the costuming and displaying the huge contrast between the ultra-orthodox Jewish community in Williamsburg, Queens, New York, and modern Berlin. There were renditions of Schubert’s An Die Musik, and that is my favourite piece for today. Here is a translation by Richard Wigmore.  In German it is even better.

Beloved art, in how many a bleak hour,

when I am enmeshed in life’s tumultuous round, 

have you kindled my heart to the warmth of love, 

and borne me away to a better world!

Often a sigh, escaping from your harp,

a sweet, celestial chord

has revealed to me a heaven of happier times. 

Beloved art, for this I thank you!

That’s it for today, on that beautiful note I shall retire.

Nga Mihi

Kia Ora Katoa! Kia Kaha!

Today is Tuesday, April 14. The weather is cool but fine. It is not windy.

This is a time of rebirth. We will all be affected by this crisis, in varying ways – for some it is a much more difficult time than others. And there’s the anxiety, and the dreams, or rather, nightmares. One wakes from a bad dream with relief thinking I know that things are bad, but they’re not that bad.

Isn’t it fascinating how values have changed. There is great concern about care homes having very high fatality rates, with some deaths not being recorded as being from Covid 19.  In fact, some carers have moved into rest homes. The image of elderly folk being confined to their bedrooms, where their family members can’t visit them, is tragic indeed, when it is already such a challenge to get through the day.  And it’s for their own protection!  One rest home carer said “I have the best job in the world!” And this is caring for elderly folk sometimes afflicted with dementia.  I remember the high quality of care provided for my mother-in-law, whom we were privileged to visit on her 90^th birthday, one month before she passed away.  Although she had dementia, after several visits she recognised my husband, her eldest son. This was a special time indeed, as was her funeral a few weeks later – time for a large family gathering over several days.

While elderly folk have lived their lives, and usually suffer various health issues as their minds and bodies wear out, we all wish for a peaceful death, not before our time. No one would want anyone to die gasping for breath, or feeling a huge weight on their chest, or suffering extreme exhaustion.  And families wish to come together and honour the person who has passed, following the wishes of the deceased person, and the rituals that their loved ones wish to abide by, by holding a tangi or a funeral. It’s about respect, and it helps everyone.

Some Cathedrals are now showing videos of organ recitals, or of Handel’s Messiah, performed at Christmas.  As some have said, we are under lockdown, but Jesus is not under lockdown.

The sight of empty churches, an empty St Peter’s Square and St Peter’s Basilica, and Andrea Bocelli singing outside a shuttered Duomo Cathedral in Milan, are very poignant. How striking that at a time when many people seek spiritual comfort, at this solemn time of the year, people cannot go to church. The churches are empty by necessity, now. But perhaps there is rebirth, whether spiritual or otherwise. I find it very striking that faith, and elderly folk, and family relationships, are so much valued at this time. Who would have predicted this?

The 1 pm briefing brings news, both good and bad.  Sadly, there have been 4 further deaths, including the father of the groom at the Bluff wedding, a source of a cluster of cases. The good news is that there are only 17 new cases, bringing the total to 1366. Today we have Dr Bloomfield presenting the update. I look up the song about him, and post the link on the family messenger group.

Random news:

• A sailor who was on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt has died. 600 sailors have tested positive for Covid 19.
• A meat processing plant has closed down in South Dakota, having a cluster of over 300 Covid 19 cases. The Republican Governor there has resisted issuing a stay at home order, despite pleas that she do so.
• The number of positive cases in Russia is alarming.
• Russians are thought to have brought the infection to the North-East region of China, causing more infection there.
• In Ukraine a forest fire is alarmingly close to the failed nuclear reactor site at Chernobyl. Having read the book about attempts to cover this, news of the fire being so close is alarming.
• A disease is infecting olive trees in Europe.
• Another larger swarm of locusts is coming in Africa.
• The focus on climate change has been dislodged by the pandemic, but like the virus, it’s coming/here, ready or not, like it or not.

But there is encouraging news, too. In New York, an owner of several apartment buildings has given his tenants a rent holiday.  Some charities are doing great good works, although there are many fundamental problems as more people lose employment, and thus their medical insurance, and become more desperate.

Groups of governors are combining to work together on “reopening” America’s economy, led powerfully by Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York. They agreed that they haven’t done this before; they will work to a plan; that you must have a healthy patient before you can have a healthy economy; and they combine Democratic and Republican Governors. So what do they have in common? Apart from wanting a strong economy, they are primarily concerned about their constituents, and their lives. They want them to stay alive, and to stay well. They agree to be smart, rather than being political.

So what else do we know about Covid 19? Some things we thought we knew are being debunked. For example, it seems you can be reinfected. Doctors and scientists are trying to figure out how this works, because it would be really useful to know who has had the disease and recovered, and is now assumed to be immune. Is it carried by normal conversation? If so, at what distance? How long does it live on surfaces? Door handles, bus seats, food packaging? We know it’s extremely infectious, and there’s likely to be further waves of infection. The only safe way to avoid it seems to be to stay well away – from any interaction with other human beings!  And to maintain some kind of healthy living and eating and sleeping and exercising in the meantime.

This afternoon we walked to the store, where I did some shopping. The store was not full, we did not have to queue up, and I bought some bread. I also bought some raspberries and feijoas.  Raspberries – in April! That is rather wonderful. They are large, delicious, and keep well. Usually soon after Christmas their season is over, here. Meanwhile, we have beautiful feijoas, a harbinger of winter, but we enjoy them while we can. There’s something nice here about produce being seasonal.  Things are enjoyed in their season, then we move on and look forward to other things like leeks and celeriac.

The coming of autumn reminds me of Keats’ Ode to Autumn.

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,

   Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

   With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;

To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,

   And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

      To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

   With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,

And still more, later flowers for the bees,

Until they think warm days will never cease,

      For summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?

   Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find

Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,

   Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;

Or on a half-reap’d furrow sound asleep,

   Drows’d with the fume of poppies, while thy hook

      Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:

And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep

   Steady thy laden head across a brook;

   Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,

      Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of spring? Ay, Where are they?

   Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—

While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,

   And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;

Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn

   Among the river sallows, borne aloft

      Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;

And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;

   Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft

   The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;

      And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

My musical offering? Handel’s Messiah.  There are many great recordings.

Choose your favourite chorus. I think my favourite would be For Unto us a Child is

Born.

Today has been a good day. 

Nga Mihi

Kia Ora Katoa! Kia Kaha!

Today is Monday. April 13.  It’s another quiet day, here. It’s fine outside but quite windy.  We enter another week of lockdown. People are finding this hard, but are philosophical about it.

It is boring, today. At the 1 pm briefing, Jacinda  warns us that the next two weeks will be hard. Although most people think this lockdown is worthwhile, let’s face it, it is very boring, especially on a Monday without the NZ Listener.

My trainers are wearing out. I will have to wear some old shoes, before I can buy some new ones.

This afternoon it was sunny and we went for a different walk around Churton Park, as did many others. There were cheery waves and avoidance strategies as we all tried to maintain a safe distance. I didn’t shop today.  We had hard-boiled egg  and salad sandwiches for lunch, and corn fritters and lettuce salad for dinner.

This morning we spoke to our daughter in Hawkes Bay, and this afternoon we had some lovely photos. Two of her house-mates have had birthdays, so she has had lots of treats.

At the 1 pm briefing Jacinda Ardern and Dr Ashley Bloomfield both showed up. Towards the end one reporter asked him what he thought about being named New Zealander of the Year. He replied that it was great to be a member of a wonderful team. Jacinda remarked that he was very modest about the song about him, too. Jacinda and New Zealand’s approach to Covid 19 have made the Washington Post, the Guardian, and CNN; they also feature in several of the podcasts I’ve listened to. So the secret is out, now. Let’s hope the borders remain closed and safe, and the idle rich don’t use this as a bolthole.

The 1 pm briefing is encouraging. There are 19 new cases of Covid 19, taking the total to 1349. Of these, 15 are in hospital, and 4 in Intensive Care, one of them critical. Sadly, there has been another death, a man in his 80’s, linked to a rest home cluster. That brings the total deaths to 5.  One of the medical staff nursing the rest home folk who had been moved to Christchurch’s Burwood Hospital has also been diagnosed with Covid 19, in spite of using protective equipment (PPE). That is really sad, and just shows how infectious this virus is.

Nevertheless, these figures are encouraging. The US is way out ahead with over 20,000 deaths, and the UK has over 10,000 deaths, although both these figures are probably understated.  This is just so sad. One would like to think that most of these deaths could have been avoided. There will be a great deal of grieving to be done in due course.

More people involved in food preparation and selling in the US are ill or dying. Really, good, safe food is critical, essential to our very existence. You don’t need a hedge fund manager, or even a fund manager, for that matter, and your private jet or yacht won’t be much use seeing as you need to be able to stop and replenish fuel and supplies. Basic existence is now very basic indeed.  Even the “wooden tent” where we live has its advantages. We can be in different rooms.   It’s fascinating how some people who should know better decry science, yet rely on it to produce a vaccine, fast, instead of acknowledging that this takes time, at least several months. In the meantime, we should all do something to limit the suffering and loss.

This morning we listened to Andrea Bocelli singing A Message of Hope in, and later outside, the beautiful Duomo cathedral in Milan. I find this very affecting, and post it on the family messenger chat. JD and I very much enjoyed our fleeting visit to Milan in 2010. We saw the Duomo Cathedral, the Pinacotera di Brera, Leonardo da Vinci’s Cenacolo, and Michelangelo’s Rondanini Pieta at the Castle Sforzando.  What a day! Then we caught a train to Venice.  This was a very ambitious day, and a wonderful one. Everything worked out just fine. We went to di Brera because they opened early, and we had come on the train from Paris.

This art gallery had many wonderful paintings. I remember best a painting of the Last Supper by Rubens, and Mantegna’s The Dead Christ, but there were many others.

My favourite poem today is a well-known by William Wordsworth.

The world is too much with us; late and soon,

Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—

Little we see in Nature that is ours;

We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!

This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;

The winds that will be howling at all hours,

And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;

For this, for everything, we are out of tune;

It moves us not. Great God! I’d rather be

A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;

So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,

Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;

Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;

Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.

Last night we watched Go South on television, a repeat of an earlier episode which ran from Auckland to Greymouth by train across Cook Strait and Arthur’s Pass to Greymouth, then by road down the West Coast to Milford Sound, and then by boat exploring the Sound. The water-colour above is a painting of Doubtful Sound, which is nearby.

That’s it for now.

Nga Mihi