Goodness, I’m not sure what happened? I think I slumped into an almost comatose state listening to my audiobooks and watching Lightbox and Netflix and forgot to be communicative. Sorry.

We’ve been a week into level 3 now, which is much like level 4 but with small business opportunities for shopping online, take away food and coffee, and being able to drive within the region to enjoy a break from the house. As a result of all this strict observance, I am thrilled to say that today was the second day WITH NO NEW CASES OF COVID-19! It means that the level 4 lockdown worked, but until the next week goes by, we won’t know if level 3 has maintained the good effort. Watch this space.

On a lighter note, I’ve seen less and less of Con and Rona, who have been disgraceful in their conduct. I’m ashamed to put the following pictures up, but I need to be honest with you, my readers. Last sight of Con was on the front of this newspaper:

Yes, there he is wandering in a crowd of people NOT keeping their distance. He’s not going to be allowed back inside my bubble, that’s for sure.

And as for Rona! Last seen partying away on Bondi Beach – although how she got to Australia I don’t know. She’s innovative, so probably stowed away on a cargo plane. Another one never intruding in my bubble again.

I will say, the lockdown obviously did her figure a LOT OF GOOD, unlike my own.

Yes, my most creative efforts have gone into the creation of food, and even so, I’m a bit tired of my own cooking. I have – after a few weeks of more indulgent baking – tightened the belt, emptied the flour bin, ceased buying treats at last. Here are some recent food efforts and you can see they are looking more healthy.

HOWEVER, when we were moved into level 3 a week ago, I cycled to Henderson and stood at a table in front of a cafe I enjoy – Little Sister – who created a delicious take away meal for me. By the time I got it home on my bike tucked under the rack, it was a tad cold, but still very tasty and best of all, cooked by SOMEONE ELSE.

I am still working two days a week from home for the university, and after a shaky start, all my software and apps are functioning properly. So work is fine, and our online meetings are a fun way to stay in touch.

Auckland region is suffering a drought after weeks and weeks of little rain – we’re nearly at a third capacity in our dams. So it is with some relief I say that some heavy squalls are blowing over right now, and cycling anywhere has become an effort. I went for a long one yesterday in blue skies, and a sudden bank of black cloud blew up and before you know it I was trapped waiting under a motorway overbridge while rain poured down. Eventually I just gave up and got wet, and was thrilled that my battery took the brunt of the sturdy headwinds coming my way and the icy rain that hammered my head. How refreshing!

I’ll leave this update with some pics that I shared to my workplace, as part of our fun social communication these days. We were asked to provide some pics of our travel in the past, and how we might recreate it during lockdown, so these were a fun memory brought to life from home. Enjoy.