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

Today is Easter Sunday, April 1, 2020. Happy Easter!

I didn’t post yesterday.

Yesterday was another quiet day, but some nice things happened.

We had a lovely Easter card from one of our grandsons, and one of our sons offered to do some shopping for us. We also spoke to friends of ours and swapped ideas for great musical recordings.  In the afternoon we went for a walk but we did not go shopping.

In the evening we watched Go Further South on Prime TV: a wonderful documentary with no advertisements and no voice-overs, no commentary, but there are occasional screen displays of information such as maps or comments. The voyage went from Bluff past Stewart Island and past the Auckland Islands to the Antarctic, where the ship stopped at a penguin colony. Those penguins are so cute! And there are so many of them! It still looked very cold. We watched the hardy souls on the ship put on warmer clothing and woolly caps and gloves the further south they went.

This morning we had a win: the Sunday paper was delivered. In the past, I have resisted home delivery, on the grounds that it is good to walk up to the store to buy it. Now, it’s safer not to do this. One can still go for a walk, however.

The newspaper notes “we are all beneficiaries now”.  And I’m sure many of us are very grateful that there is a government “safety net”. Some people still break the rules of the lockdown, claiming not to know what they are. Humph!  We are so grateful to supermarket staff, too, who are unfailingly polite, helpful and cheerful. I am glad they had a day off on Friday, and shorter hours today. I’m sure they were relieved that it was quiet out our way today. This store was usually closed on Easter Sunday.

Today we walked to the store at the time for the 1 pm briefing. Strangely, given the pictures of long queues yesterday, today there is no queue, and the store is almost empty. I buy another pie, some peppers, and a cucumber.

The 1 pm briefing is again heartening. Yesterday Dr Bloomfield did not appear, but today he is there. He is so patient! I think the reporters’ questions are more sensible today. What a thing it is to have accurate information, without spin. If he doesn’t know something, he says so, and offers to look into it.

Yesterday, there were 29 new cases, and today there are only 18 bringing the total to 1330. Sadly, two more people have died, both older people: one a rest home resident, and another a guest at the Bluff wedding – a large cluster, including 86 cases of Covid 19 to date. Dr Bloomfield warned that there may be more deaths.

Tonight there is a repeat of the condensed version of Go South on television, which I hope to watch again. It is mesmerising viewing.

The news from overseas continues to be very sad and alarming.  Many in the US are saying that we cannot go back to things the way they were. Indeed, many of us have wondered what the breaking point would be for such inequality and poverty and lack of regulation in the US.

Governor Cuomo in New York has amazing graphics to back up his updates: amazing because they have so much up to date information, and someone must be updating them each day. In the UK, there is talk of going “over the top” when medical people go on duty. This refers to World War 1, when soldiers had to climb out of the trenches to perform sentry duty, or to attack, usually with dreadful consequences. Hence the expression “shell shock”, later termed PTSD. One wonders how long this intensity can continue.

In Ecuador, a hot country, services are overwhelmed by the numbers of dead bodies needing to be picked up from homes and from the street. One man spoke about the stench of death, while this crisis is not being well-managed. Where supposedly civilised societies are struggling with sick and dying patients, it’s little wonder that others are in an even more desperate situation.

While the disaster perhaps has plateaued in New York, there is fear that this kind of intensity may move to other areas, where medical care may not be so good, and many county hospitals have closed. Those that remain do not have a good supply of PPE or ventilators or ICU beds.

There are still stories of medical staff being unable to obtain PPE, some dying in spite of using it; and the difficulties of working within it. There are stories of deaths at Trader Jo’s, Walmart, and another supermarket store.

And then there is talk of “reopening” the country for business.  One asks what kind of economy you have when there is so much illness and death, and so many of the people who keep the “wheels turning”, i.e. keep looking after the sale of goods, collection of rubbish, collection and burial or cremation of patients and bodies, and preparation of food.  One suggests that the committee to reopen the economy, should it make rash decisions, may be as inefficient as the Coronavirus Taskforce.

We have spoken here about going from level 4 (lockdown) to level 3, and what that will mean. Personally, although I need to get my hair cut, I won’t be rushing to a hairdressing salon. I also won’t be rushing to a library, or to get on a bus, or even to a café, although deep-fried takeaways may just be acceptable!

This morning I watched several services: in NZ, because of the time differences, we have to wait a while for American recordings to catch up. One can look around for something one would like to view.  American churches seem to be very au fait with recorded viewings, but not so the UK. At least, I have had trouble finding UK recordings.

I also listened to a sermon given on Good Friday by Bishop Robert Barron, who is presently at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. I found this very powerful. Fr Barron has given several talks, and he’s obviously a scholar, well-read, and a great intellectual.

Fr Barron also spoke about the coronavirus, which has greatly upset the rhythms of everyday life. He spoke about the value of silence, and contemplation, and reading the Bible. He also spoke about the virus is terms of the wider scheme of things, and about the end of Job – “I know that Thou (God) canst be hindered in no thought of thine”.  Job indeed enjoyed God’s blessings again, after being brought so low, but he never lost his faith in God. Fr Barron also spoke about the virus being another opportunity to show forth love.

I watched with interest a recording of a Vigil Mass at the Cathedral Guadalupe, Dallas, Texas. I was especially interested because it was a beautiful church; although there were several celebrants, they appeared to practice social distancing; it was a sung Mass; there were lengthy readings from the Creation in Genesis, the Exodus passage where Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt; the prediction in Isaiah chapter 55, “Everyone that thirsteth, come to the waters”, and the passage in Matthew’s Gospel where the stone guarding Jesus’s tomb was rolled away, and then He appeared to the some of his own. There was some beautiful singing in Spanish; despite the beauty of the Church, and the absence of a congregation, there was a warmth to this service. The organ had a good workout: they sang Christ the Lord is Ris’n Today, and ended with a hymn sung to the anthem in movement 4 of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

There is continuing controversy about religious attendance. The Catholic Church says its churches are closed to the public, and give a warning not to be foolish. Others have explained that the priests concelebrating services live in a community together, and do not interact with the outside world.

Below are the words to this famous hymn by Charles Wesley, 1739. There is a beautiful recording of this sung by the Choir of King’s College Chapel, Cambridge (Jesus Christ is Risen Today).

1. Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia!
   Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
   Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
   Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
2. Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
   Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
   Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
   Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
3. Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
   Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
   Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
   Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!
4. Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
   Foll’wing our exalted Head, Alleluia!
   Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
   Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
5. Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
   Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
   Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
   Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!
6. King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
   Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
   Thee to know, Thy pow’r to prove, Alleluia!
   Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!

I also show a depiction of Michelangelo’s Rondanini Piéta, in Milan. I saw this in February 2010. It had long been an objective of mine, to see this one. This has to be my favourite, although I’ve also been privileged to see the one in the Duomo, in Florence, and the one in St Peter’s in Rome. They are all very expressive of a mother’s love for her son.  The Milan one is especially poignant, being at first glance unfinished.  There was no need to do anything else to this. Both Florence and Milan claim that Michelangelo was working on “their” Piéta at the time of his death. This piece does not show the resurrected Christ, but it is an astonishing piece of art.

It has been a very special Easter this time in 2020. It has been wonderful to see so much Christian love and reverence shine through the gloom.

Tomorrow – Easter Monday. There will be no NZ Listener. However Bauer Media have written to me saying they hope to find a buyer who will publish the Listener. So that’s hopeful.

That’s it for now.

Nga Mihi

Today is Friday, April 10^th. For some reason we call this “Good Friday”.

This morning there is no newspaper, and all supermarkets are closed here in Aotearoa.

It occurs to me again that while the world is consumed by Covid 19, and different countries are dealing (or not dealing) with this real and present threat in various ways, it is here, now, demanding attention. You cannot reason with it. Your economy may be going down a black hole (to use a New York Times expression), but it demands suffering and sacrifice. That choice seems remarkably clear, to me: you can distance yourself from your loved ones now, and they may remain well, or you can continue aspects of your former life and interactions, and watch your loved ones, and may be yourself, grow ill, suffer, and perhaps need hospital treatment and maybe die. It’s no choice, really.  One feels for those in countries where leadership is lacking to encourage people to see human life as being more important than anything else.

The virus is here now and demands immediate attention and management. It has sprung on us. Remember how in September through to December and New Year’s Eve we were consumed with the Australian bush fires, ravaging what seemed like considerable areas of that vast country. Then a strange virus coming out of Wuhan, a large city in China’s Hubei province, began to demand our attention. Many of us had never heard of Wuhan. What seemed like a small threat developed into a massive, world-wide pandemic, that has wreaked havoc on already struggling economies (and healthy ones), and forced us all to reconsider the simplest of tasks – food shopping. In New Zealand we isolate ourselves in our “bubbles”: the place where we live, whoever lives there, and a two kilometre radius around it. Petrol process have fallen, but the price of fuel seems irrelevant now, since we aren’t allowed to go anywhere.  Even a bus trip seems perilous, a library extremely hazardous. You cannot see this infection, you only know it may be there, anywhere, and it’s extremely easy to catch.

Dr Campbell’s update from the North of England mentioned New Zealand’s success in managing this virus, and the stupidity of the Minister of Health. Thankfully his foolishness is more than balanced by the Director General of Health’s calm reasoned approach.  Articles have now appeared in the English Guardian newspaper about New Zealand’s approach.

At today’s briefing we learnt there had been a second death from Covid 19. The victim was a 90 year old woman, who like the first death, had underlying health conditions.  The number of new cases is 44, bringing the total to 1283. Of the new cases, 42 are linked to existing clusters. We are learning more and more about these clusters. It seems anytime a group of people get together, there is an enormous risk of transmission.

It is also the case that any kind of institution is at enormous risk, whether it be a rest or nursing home, where folk are already elderly and usually have underlying health conditions, homes for intellectually disabled people, prisons, and refugee camps. As well as people in care getting ill and dying, the staff often get sick too, thus putting their own families at risk.  The medical staff who care for the sick are hugely at risk too, working long shifts in cumbersome haz-mat gear, when they can get it. 

The US seems to be in a very bad way, with respect to institutions, and, unsurprisingly, black or brown people seem to suffer worse than white people and die more frequently. It stands to reason, really: if you have less money, live in more crowded conditions, buy cheaper food, use public transport and do a physical job rather than being able to work from home (is that really such an ideal situation?), you are far more likely to contract the disease and be worse affected economically. Another 6 million people have filed for unemployment in the US. Meanwhile, I am very worried about their food production. People employed in these industries tend to be on a very low hourly rate, have poor employment conditions, are pressured to work whether they are well or not, and are now getting ill themselves. We are all only as safe as the last meal we ate. In NZ, everyone is eating three meals a day at home, so we rely heavily on those wonderful people who prepare it, pick it, pack it, and sell it to us. They all have families, too.

In the UK, NHS staff are not permitted to speak to the media.  One video I did see showed some medical staff huddling round a computer screen and not maintaining separation. They explained that they couldn’t, not really.

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Seeing that it’s Good Friday today, I take the opportunity to note music, poetry and a painting with a religious theme appropriate to Easter.

The painting is Salvador Dali’s Christ of St John on the Cross. This poem hangs in the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow, and I have seen it. When we visited in June 2016, there was an organ recital there too.

My hymn for today is When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, by Isaac Watts (1674 – 1749).  He wrote many hymns. At the moment my favourite recording is by the King’s College Choir, Cambridge.

When I survey the wond’rous Cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest Gain I count but Loss,
And pour Contempt on all my Pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the Death of Christ my God:
All the vain Things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his Blood.

See from his Head, his Hands, his Feet,
Sorrow and Love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such Love and Sorrow meet?
Or Thorns compose so rich a Crown?

ere the whole Realm of Nature mine,
That were a Present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my Soul, my Life, my All.

My music for today is Allegri’s Miserere Mei, a setting of Psalm 51 in Latin. There beautiful recordings of this.

And, since it’s Easter, I have been listening again to Bach’s St Matthew Passion. While the whole work is quite long, it has a beautiful, hope-filled refrain that I’m sure you will recognise and a very special closing chorus; it also provides the opening music for the movie Casino. Be that as it may, it’s an extraordinarily wonderful composition.

Today we listened to lots of music: Vivaldi’s Gloria, Mozart’s Verum Corpus, Beethoven’s 3^rd Piano Concerto, and the music from the second movement of Mozart’s 23^rd Piano Concerto, which was used in the movie The Death of Stalin.

This morning it was cold, but once again it cleared in the afternoon and we had a nice walk. It’s nice to have some quiet time.

Nga Mihi

Kia Ora Katoa! Kia Kaha!

Today is Thursday, April 9^th. Last night I woke at 1 am with a great sense of dread. It seemed very real, but I figured it must have been a dream. I next woke at 5:40 am, a far more respectable hour. I struggled to get internet reception on my phone, for quite a while, then it settled down.

This morning the newspaper was quite wet, in spite of being wrapped in a plastic bag, so I had to let it dry out before reading it.  Then JD reminded me that the stores are all closed tomorrow, so we went food shopping (I hadn’t planned to do this).

This morning we watched a video of “Dancing Dads” that appeared on TV One’s Seven Sharp. It was great fun, and the winner was from Invercargill! Good on him.

At the store we waited in the queue for quite a while. At that stage it was quite cold and windy outside. Then we were told that only one of us could shop (that would be me – JD had worn a warm jacket!), and that we couldn’t take shopping bags inside the store. That puts paid to my infection-reducing strategy of using one of my shopping bags to hold the trolley. While we were waiting in the queue, JD applied disinfectant to the trolley handle and surrounding area.  You are supposed to leave your shopping bags in the car, and pack them there, but we walk to the store, so that creates a bit of a problem. Perhaps in future I can put my shopping bags in a pocket. I still think disposable gloves are a good idea.

At the store, some people came really close, while some aisles were deserted. It’s tricky when you go first for bread to see what’s there, and bread is at the back of the store. Then you want to go back and buy fruit and vegetables. It’s very useful to have a list.

The 1 pm briefing was really heartening. Today there are only 29 new cases of Covid 19, bringing the total to 1239. We are now almost halfway through the lockdown. This is the lowest number of new cases since March 22.  There seems to be a collective sense of relief, that despite the pain, we are all making a difference.  It helps that things are quite cut-and-dried: you can’t do anything, or go anywhere, so you don’t. It has quite a levelling effect, taking me back to my childhood, when New Zealand was a more egalitarian society. Of course, there were rich people then, but there wasn’t the level of child poverty and homelessness or huge differences that there are today. Of course not everything was great, by any means, but there were advantages.

At the briefing, the Prime Minister sad that NZ could have 10,000 cases of Covid 19 by now, had her government not acted decisively the way it did.  She emphasised that she is concerned for our health and happiness, and our livelihood. Dr Bloomfield stressed that if anyone needs help, or their needs aren’t being met, there are numbers to call and help will be provided. As noted, there is a safety net with the government providing a wage subsidy already. In future the focus will be on borders, contact tracing (use of technology to track phone contacts is being investigated here), and testing. In future, any new arrivals from overseas will be quarantined in government-mandated accommodation (generally hotels) for two weeks before being permitted to re-join their families.  The country will move to level 3 (currently at level 4) after this, but the government will not determine this till the 4 weeks are almost up, wishing to use data and modelling in their decision-making.

I find it interesting that the NZ Government can put people up in hotels, at its expense, whereas San Francisco cannot house the homeless in its now empty hotels, in spite of California having a democratic, proactive governor.

 I have not written about overseas data today. It seems, however, that countries have much more success at caring for the sick and dying if they are prepared to undergo some painful distancing in order to reduce the numbers of the sick and dying.  Otherwise, there is multiple evidence that things get right out of control, with the numbers of the sick and dying increasing far faster than anyone can manage. You are going to suffer some pain, either way. But there are significant benefits, too.

We heard from our son and his wife in the UK, and they are doing all right, despite the lockdown there and consequent inconvenience. I am so pleased that they are out of London. We rang our daughter in Hawkes Bay and she is doing fine.

Today I wanted to share a piece of music, and a poem. The music is Albinoni’s Adagio in G Minor. I had this tune in my head, and eventually figured out what it was.  It’s a sad piece, but emotionally appropriate for this sad time.

The poem is one of my favourites. It is by George Herbert (1583-1633), one of the Metaphysical poets.  It’s simple, yet it lifts one’s spirits.

Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright,

The bridal of the earth and sky;

The dew shall weep thy fall to-night,

For thou must die.

Sweet rose, whose hue angry and brave

Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye;

Thy root is ever in its grave,

And thou must die.

Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses,

A box where sweets compacted lie;

My music shows ye have your closes,

And all must die.

Only a sweet and virtuous soul,

Like season’d timber, never gives;

But though the whole world turn to coal,

Then chiefly lives.

That’s all for now. Talk again soon! 

Nga Mihi