March Saturday 21st. Even with starting this journal and putting up all the chapters in one day (Friday 20/3/20) to help me alleviate my stress I still had a bad nights sleep. Still awake at 3am, I joined hubby on the lounge, where he’d fallen asleep. I woke him and he kiss the top of my head and asked me to come to bed with him. Back to bed we went and with him beside me I was able to sleep.

Until 6.20am, when those damn hot flushes woke me up. I got up and slept the rest of the morning on the lounge as not to wake hubby with my tossing and turning. Suffice to say, when I did get up I was exhausted.

So today was NO NEWS day. I didn’t want to know anything about the virus. Instead, I began sowing my face masks. Hubby cooked dinner lated in the evening and I went to bed at 9pm. I didn’t get to sleep until after 12pm but I was in bed, lights out, listening to music - and it was just the break I needed to reduce my stress.

March Sunday 22nd. I woke at 7.30am but with no real reason to get up I stayed in bed. Housework had been done during the week, no where to go - I dozed on and off until 11.30am. Totally unheard of for me - given I’ve a morning person. But every time I woke I was like - Na, not getting up.

When I did venture out of bed, I got to finishing my face masks. I made around 50 masks at the end of the day. I delivered 6 to my elderly client and 2 to my mother-in-law. J has 3 and is taking a dozen to school tomorrow (because schools are still open - I can’t believe it.) We talked about keeping J home but at this stage he wants to go, having already missed two weeks. At a guess I would say school will be close at some point in the coming days anyway. There are school holidays coming up in three weeks time but I suspect they will bring the holidays in earlier.

As the day went on more news was being past on to me via hubby, who’s keeping on top of anythings.

What I learned today;

Australian States intend to close borders to other states.

School are still open.

All South Australian COVID-19 cases have come from oversea travellers - 1/3 of them being from the USA.

Italy currently has 1 death even 2 minutes and for every 8 presenting with chronic symptoms only 1 is being treated and the other 7 being turned after. (Wholly hell - if that isn’t the most frightening thing you will ever read and that I will ever write)(Of course, we must be vigilant with fake news and what I’m reporting has come from our local news station - so I hope they are reporting correct information).

Our Australian Football League who decide to go ahead with its season (first round of games was this weekend) has now had to postpone the entire season as travel restricts apply to all states.

And the most craziest new today - 120 live chicken were sold out in 45 minutes as people look to keeping chickens and have a ready supply of eggs. We, as chicken farmers for the last three years, have seen the bad side of this. On our chicken forums, members are reporting stollen chickens from backyards. Great. We have 12 chickens, and will now have to keep a close eye on them. We have thought about breeding them again but it will be 5 months before they are laying so it’s not worth our time.

It’s late in the evening again and I should try for another early night but can’t see that happening.

Back to work tomorrow but not sure for how long. I’m going to see about putting in place something to work from home.

I’m feeling a little less stress but I continue to worry. There are too many people I know who are high risk and if the odds of 1 in 6 will be critical are correct - I fear for the future.

Stay safe everyone. Remain vigilant and observe the advice from your Government and medical figures.