The Koonzt/Camus Thread (for writerly solidarity during a time of plague)

[Robinne Weiss]

None of the windows in the shed face the road, but this is the view from the table where we eat, work, play board games at the moment: the awesome mobile bathroom unit we're renting for the duration of our shed stay. In the background you can see the builder's fence at the street, with my poems hanging on it.

 

[Andy D]

I’ve just trimmed my bush.

 

[Andy D]

I’ve just trimmed my bush.

View attachment 5480

Coronavirus - the home of cheap jokes

 

[RK Wallis]

Great views all

I'm attaching an old photo because getting a current one is quite hard. This is from when we bought the place. The hedges are five and a half feet now and Bella is much taller.

 

[Steve C]

My View from what I call 'The Office' + orchids from next window

 

[Emily]

orchids from next window

Oh @Steve C , they are beautiful! We have wild orchids growing all over the garden, tiny purple and yellow ones. Another few weeks and the garden will explode in colour from the wild flowers

I’ve just trimmed my bush.

This reminded me of a sub I read a few months ago where the main protagonist was contemplating same and invoking the use of a weed whacker...
Glad you included photos.

@Rich. , I cannot imagine how impossibly difficult the past few weeks have been. We've had glorious weather here, and mine have spent the whole time outside. We've had (what we called) full lockdown, but it was fairly lenient and people took off for walks etc (you can walk within 2km of your home) so it''s not "full lockdown" as you have had. Hope it eases quickly.

 

[Hannah F]

View from my window. Soon the little purple orchids will be peeking up through the grass and moss on the lawn. There's lots of moss on the lawn - I love moss; it saves a lot of grass cutting and allows my little garden to burst into a bloom of wild flowers in Spring - so soon, I hope. Soon.

 

[Rich.]

BBC News - Coronavirus: Spanish PM promises to ease confinement of children

Coronavirus: Spanish PM promises to ease confinement of children

Their confinement will soon be eased, as the latest death toll from coronavirus shows a dip.

www.bbc.co.uk

Yay. Yay. And thrice Yay.

@Rich., I cannot imagine how impossibly difficult the past few weeks have been.

On Sunday, following a government announcement, we told our kids, as the parents of the other 6.8 million kids (0-14yrs) here in Spain told theirs, that a week from now we'd be able to go out for a walk, just a short one, to get a bit of fresh air and some sun, to run for just a few minutes after six weeks of being locked in the house. You see, most people in Spain live in apartments. Most of us don't have gardens. We're lucky enough to have a balcony and a view, but many have nothing more than the view of an interior patio and the neighbours' washing. Adults of course can internalize the need for a lockdown, can redirect their energy, can cope with staying at home for an extended period because... well, we're adults.

But children can't do those things. Kids need to move. They need air. They need sun. Their physical and emotional development can be permanently damaged by a lack of these things in a way that adults' are not. And the government's own health advisors agree.

So, you can imagine our indignation (to put it ridiculously mildly) when the government here announced a few hours ago that from next Monday a quick walk round the block with your kids will not be allowed. But you will be able to take them to the supermarket or the bank or the pharmacy; i.e. one of the places that adults are allowed to go now if they really, really have to.

To the supermarket? To the supermarket? Where our kids are going to touch all the fruit, run their hands along the shelves and lick the trolley handles?

Yes, they can go there.

But not around the block, while maintaining strict social distancing, for a quick breath of fresh air?

No, not that.

I am lost for words.

Litopia does not allow political discussion. And I'm a guardian here, so I should definitely not be doing it. But these are crazy times. The outcry here in Spain at the government's decision is huge, from all corners of the political spectrum, including from within the governing coalition itself.

This is beyond politics.

Perhaps, in light of the fury with which this decision has been met, a different course will be charted.

I hope so.

 

[Rich.]

Well, it seems that democracy is not dead. A government spokesperson has just announced, in an ongoing press conference, that children will be allowed out for a short walk near home providing they are accompanied.

That may have been one of the quickest political U-turns in history.

Like I said, crazy times.

--

Thanks to all of you for sharing your views from home pics. I'm a huge fan of social documentary, and every photo in the thread above has brightened my day immensely. Keep 'em coming!

 

[KateESal]

Phew, good news, sanity prevails.

Meantime, we've had our first day back at school (which should be back @ school, seeing as we're still online). It went okay. We've all got the hang of the electronic aspect now.

And now I keep turning to one of my three writing project, tweaking a few sentences, then turning to another.

Pandemic comes in the door, focus goes out the window (among other things).

 

[Rich.]

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Pandemic.
Pandemic who?
No, they're the ones trying to fix it.

--

Sorry, I'll get my coat. What did Andy say?

Coronavirus - the home of cheap jokes

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Honestly, I feel like I'm so lucky, even living in an unheated shed (where it is currently 5C), simply because our governmental leadership is so good. Yes, we're in lockdown, and many more of our businesses are closed than in other countries, but in this nation of outdoorsy people, we're at least allowed to go for walks. Hang in there everyone!

 

[Emily]

On Sunday, following a government announcement, we told our kids, as the parents of the other 6.8 million kids (0-14yrs) here in Spain told theirs, that a week from now we'd be able to go out for a walk, just a short one, to get a bit of fresh air and some sun, to run for just a few minutes after six weeks of being locked in the house. You see, most people in Spain live in apartments. Most of us don't have gardens. We're lucky enough to have a balcony and a view, but many have nothing more than the view of an interior patio and the neighbours' washing. Adults of course can internalize the need for a lockdown, can redirect their energy, can cope with staying at home for an extended period because... well, we're adults.

But children can't do those things. Kids need to move. They need air. They need sun. Their physical and emotional development can be permanently damaged by a lack of these things in a way that adults' are not. And the government's own health advisors agree.

So, you can imagine our indignation (to put it ridiculously mildly) when the government here announced a few hours ago that from next Monday a quick walk round the block with your kids will not be allowed. But you will be able to take them to the supermarket or the bank or the pharmacy; i.e. one of the places that adults are allowed to go now if they really, really have to.

To the supermarket? To the supermarket? Where our kids are going to touch all the fruit, run their hands along the shelves and lick the trolley handles?

Yes, they can go there.

But not around the block, while maintaining strict social distancing, for a quick breath of fresh air?

No, not that.

I am lost for words.

Litopia does not allow political discussion. And I'm a guardian here, so I should definitely not be doing it. But these are crazy times. The outcry here in Spain at the government's decision is huge, from all corners of the political spectrum, including from within the governing coalition itself.

This is beyond politics.

Perhaps, in light of the fury with which this decision has been met, a different course will be charted.

I hope so.

@Rich. , I feel a little breathless just reading your post, and while:

That may have been one of the quickest political U-turns in history.

I hope things start changing and fast. We don't know how lucky we are here (the vast majority have gardens and places to walk).

 

[HayleyG]

This is definitely not the view from my window, but I live very near to the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, which were built by the Victorians before anyone really understood what dinosaurs looked like. They are old friends now, and useful companions during my daily exercise.

 

[Steve C]

Here in Thailand Corvid 19 is saving lives! Here's a tweet from a reliable online news source.

Looks like #Thailand just had it’s lowest ever statistic for road deaths. Yesterday, “only” six people died due to road accidents. Before the #COVID19 pandemic, we would expect to see at least 50 deaths on a Saturday.

Officially the total virus deaths now number just 51 roughly equal to one normal day's road carnage. They lock the country down to save a few but won't spend the money to educate people in road safety or build safer roads and save tens of thousands/year. T I T (This Is Thailand)

 

[KateESal]

our governmental leadership is so good

Yes, NZ has really been a shining example to the world in the pandemic.

So great to be able to let the kids get out a bit today. To be fair, ours have been okay and we do have a wee bit of outside space. But even so, it's been healthy to have a change of scene.

 

[Hannah F]

I transferred money from my savings account into my personal account and pretended it was payday.