Tuesday, March 24: The new normal. I only leave the house to walk in my neighbourhood. I’m heeding Jacinda’s recommendation for my age group. There are heaps of phonecalls: Alan, Judy, Margs, Julie, Venetia, Barbara, Jill, Jackie, Rosemary, Richard and Campbell. I don’t seem to do anything but talk on the phone, listen to the news. RNZ and the beautiful retro kitchen radio I got for Christmas are my best friends. I’m pleased to be reading a huge, brilliant book: The Mirror and the Light, the final of Hilary Mantel’s Thomas Cromwell series. It will sustain me for a while. Plus plenty of Netflix for entertainment. And having my old newspaper, the Waikato Times, in my letterbox each morning is a huge comfort.
Similarly, a WhatsApp group of tight friends in Whangamata, Auckland and Hamilton. It becomes a lifeline of anecdotes, experiences, encouragement, and love.