Wednesday 1st - Thursday 30th September 2021 Weeks 75 - 79 Another NSW Month In Lockdown, Another Month of Daily 11am NSW COVID Announcements With & Without The NSW Premier , Another Non COVID Death, Still Unemployed, Unmotivated Return To Work, More Protests, Victoria's Earthquake, My Birthday ?? Christmas ??? New Year???? Travel Domestic /International ? 221e ( Unicode for the infinity symbol)

Wednesday 1st September 2021

I did not sleep well at all again therefore slept in until 8 am this morning.

Day 65 of an indefinite lockdown . Another beautiful day today. Everyone was out walking jogging  and running early this  morning. It is the first day of spring with temperatures forecast for a top of 25 dregees today but a low of around 10 degrees . It is sure sunny outside and the skies are blue. I love the warmth coming into the apartment through my window.

Watching the news and having breakfast of the usual fruit salad, plain Greek yoghart, cup of green tea, a spoon of manuka honey, Omega 3 capsules, an egg salad sandwich with vegemite. 

11 am NSW premier's announcement media press conference  - 1116 COVID cases ( slightly down from yesterday)  & 4 deaths (2 x  50's 1 x 60's 1 x 70's all unvaccinate all from the hotspot LGA's,  all had other medical conditions & all  in/from hospital)  and with 2 cases aquired overseas. Mid October is the anticipated 70 %  double vaccination rate will be reached rather then initial end Oct 2021 when the plan to reduce restrictions is promises ( this is not an end to the lockdown). Looks very much like people that are double vaccinated when the vaccination rate reaches 70 % will have more freedoms not those that don't and it may depend on where you live as well. The NSW premier still continues to insist the October will be the worse month for hospitalization  and that vaccination is the best way to slow the rate of infection. the members of the media are really giving her a grilling at question time - I'm waiting for that punch up! is the new premier's plan in line with the Federal government's plan and the people of Australia's expectations? ( I just realised that I made that sound like Australia is a communist country !) The push for international travel once double vaccination reaches 80% anticipated  around November 2021  - little to no chance!

Football grand final (AFL) to be played in WA rather then at the normal venue in VIC  and with a backup plan to postpone the game to October in the event of an outbreak in Perth!

I decided to try and book a consultation and 1st dose Pfizer vaccination online and have tried at least 4 doctors surgeries as close as possible  to where I live even if they list first appointments  after 30 days but when I go into each of them to book they either don't do Pfizer at all or don't do  first dose Pfizer let alone trying to book an appointment for first available after 30 days. I don't mind waiting my turn as I don't want to get vaccinated until end Sept or better still in October 2021 but this is a little ridiculous.  I wanted to book a consultation as well  and trying to find a surgery that specializes in allergies  and eczema as well as ensuring they areare  to deal with an allergic reaction in the event I suffer one when vaccinated. Due to my family medical history of blood clots and the any age bracket I was only eligible anyway for Pfizee. There are other reasons as well - maybe wait a little longer. The vaccination hub out at Homebush is too far away is a long wait and what happens if I do get an allergic reaction I am  nowhere near home or a hospital. I have no friends or family so chances are high risk if anything happens. There is al so the risk of contracting COVID on route or waiting to be vaccinated. I have given up and asked team member ticket girl if she has made a booking or if she has already been vaccinated . she just informed me that  she has an appointment at 10.30 pm tomorrow night at the vaccination hub and that it took her months get it! Now I know why she went to such great lengths to get vaccinate - she just texted me while I was on my way home today advising me that she has found a full time job and has resigned from Myer ☹.

After unsuccessfully searching for and not finding a doctor's surgery to book an appointment to get my first Pfizer vaccination, I gave up and had a shower, washed the dishes and went for a long walk to Chatswood ( it's been months since I last travelled to Chatswood) and back making a detouring to Lane Cove shops before heading home ( I was double masked unlike others that were out and about "exercising" and did not break any COVID lockdown restrictions keeping within the 5 km outdoor recreation and exercise limit  althought I did cross Artarmon Lane Cove  & Chatswood which are all within the Willoughby LGA I believe). I stopped off at Breadtop Express  at Chatswood Station to buy a loaf of expensive white bread as that's all the normal bread they had and 2 x twin mini bread rolls wraped around little frankfauts. I haven't eaten a franfaut for decades because they aren't very healthy for you (anyway  what exactly is in a frankfaut?). The mini frankfaut rolls were not both for me, I decided to take a side street and lane I had not been through before and there was a bike parking & bike locker area underneath one side end of the railway line above. Set up in between some bake racks occupied with locked bikes was a small neat rectangular structure which wasn't a tent or homeless posey piled  or spread out with their personal belongings everywhere but a large box like enclosed shelter with a made up bed inside complete with pillow and doona. On the side which was partially open exposing the bed were cardboard panels used partially to keep the elements out but also telling the homeless occupant their background and asking for donations. There is never any background story of how people come to become homeless and these cardboard panels were no different. all they indicated was that this homeless person was a 22 year old male and asking for donations of $50 or $100 or food  and  that if he was not "home" to leave donations under his pillow. I'm always sceptical about how genuine homeless people are from my Vancouver experiences where " pan handlers" have been known not to be actually homeless and reported to make more money "pan handling" daily then working for minimum hourly wages. With this in mind I definitely wasn't going to hand him cash and leave it under his pillow like a tooth fairy would, instead I tossed one of the paper a of the twin mini frankfaut rolls onto his bed for his return so he would at least have a snack that won't spoil. As I was doing this a man walking past gave me a brief curious look before walking  on. I continued my walk back towards Lane Cove  having a great time snapping  photos of unusual signs or objects. Below are some of them I did not take a photo of the homeless person's bed .

I'm sure it's nowhere near Christmas but maybe  it's just a sign of wishful thinking this year due to this indefinite lockdown in NSW but I am sure Santa does not live at an abandoned  construction site!

Oh Kennard Self Storage what can I say? Clever advertising? or just stupid?

I have not noticed this before - poppies are a symbol of remembrance but why are they attached above this particular street sign?

I spotted this sign which is one of many around Sydney and even around NSW. these are signs giving information on walking and cycling trails. There is a reason why this one is overgrown with wild vegetation - it is on a major freeway and a dead end behind it. Looks like an old outdated sign.

I just had to snap this, I pass it quite a lot and it is so cute. It's not a doll house or dog kennel. 

Count the number of wheelie bins put out for rubbish collection day. I wonder if this is a Guinness Book of World Records - The last house ( behind the bins that I cut out of the photo) at the end of this cul de sac street( (I think it's a no through road actually) must have loads of rubbish!

I do have plans for my photos to QR code them now that my test one scanned ( team ticket girl scanned it and it's location  linked it to Google maps). Speaking of team member ticket girl she sent me a text message on my way home from lane Cove informing me that she had secured a full-time job and resigned from Myer. I am happy for her but sad  she won't be there if I still have my job in October 2021. No wonder she was so keen to get vaccinated tomorrow at 10.30 pm all the way out at the vaccination hub which took her months to get a booking.

I went for a quick shop at Aldi about 30 minutes total. I ended up not getting any junk food or takeaway. Walking past KFC I noticed that it was actually closed except for delivery pick ups and drive throughs. What would happen if I walked up to drive through and made an order? I may have to try this but not during busy times - I don't want to get run over! after a very brief stint,  the David Jones Food sign has been removed from the petrol station next door - I don't know why it was put there originally, it was a failed venture from the start. 

Armed with my groceries from Aldi I headed home. I was so tired as I dud so much today. I watched The Chase the news The Cook Up and 8 out of 10 Does Countdown until I fell asleep.

Newsbreak 17th October 2121 is freedom day for those fully vaccinated. What about those that aren't? Freedom day? That does mot mean an end to lockdown.

Thursday 2nd September 2021

Day 66 of an indefinite lockdown and living in hope with a promised  some freedoms day date of 17th October 2021 but only if 70% double vaccination is reached and only for the fully vaccinated.

I give up. What does the government not understand. I spent 1 hour and 45 minutes( from 6 am - 7.45 am) trying to find and book a  first dose Pfizer vaccine as close as possible to where I live ( if you don't know why by now - it's due to in case I have some kind of allergic reaction with short or long term heath issues with the addition of my mother's side of the family having blood clots later in life it must be Pfizer not AZ vaccines & AZ not being an accepted vaccine to enter the US ). the earliest availability that I could find which was not Astra Zenica was at 9.30 am on 1st December 2021! That's 3 months wait!!!! You also have to book a second dose at the same time as I am unsure if you can book only a first dose online or find an alternative vaccination centre that can vaccinate you sooner. My second dose if I don't react to the first dose is 10 am on 22nd December 2021. I am sure there are a lot of other NSW residents "vaccine shopping" as well. News is now for 60 - 70 year olds to get vaccinated if they haven't already with the Astra Zenica vaccine instead of vaccine shopping or waiting for the Pfizer vaccine as they maybe waiting until December to get their first dose of vaccine ( well they're not wrong with that news headline!) and that there is plenty of Astra Zenica vaccine available and that their vaccine hesitancy is dragging the vaccine target behind. I don't believe this is correct because 1. it's the Australian governments that advised everyone not to rush to get vaccinated before pushing and pressuring everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible in order to reach their vaccine targets 2. It's the government who did not secure enough vaccines and stock piling them early in the pandemic when the rest of the world were doing so and now so short in Pfizer vaccine supply is practically "begging borrowing and bargaining " with other countries even states in order to keep up with demand. Australia is basically relying on "donations" - we are ending up with " almost expired" batches of vaccine - isn't that likened to the economic term  "dumping" of goods to countries sometimes third world countries likened to the recent second hand clothing nobody wanted or can do anything with that was sent to Africa as useless, after all the "good" pieces have been removed and kept by first world countries, only to end in landfill? Australia is not a third world country yet the way the Australian Federal and State governments are running it currently - it might as well be! 3. Conflicting information relayed to residents of Australia especially NSW on who should get what vaccine and when. Remember the Astra Zenica is totally safe before a blood clotting side effect started to appear then certain older age groups were advised to get Pfizer instead now the push is to get any older age groups 60- 70 vaccinated with the Astra Zenica again. Younger age groups will now also get the Pfizer vaccine because it is safer. So what happened to Moderna when it that arriving? and what's happening with we now need a third vaccine booster shot and the possibilty of mixing of vaccines. 4. Why weren't pharmacies and GP's consulted and bought on board with the vaccination rollout earlier - they were ready to be involved months ago. No wonder there is vaccine hesitancy  - information overload and confusion  with a booking system that can't even cope. If people can't get vaccinated until December as reported but the lifting of COVID  restrictions and " freedom day" is 17th  October 2021 only for the fully vaccinated, then these people including myself will miss out completely. 80% fully vaccinated by early November 21 20% will remain unvaccinated not just single vaccinated.

I complete missed the 12 am NSW premier's daily announcement today. Later on the news was all about a child separated from his mother due to the QLD NSW border shut down  and an older lady spearated from her sister also due to the QLD NSW  border shut down. The  only way back for them is to fly back - driving is not an option. What's unbelievable is in the background of the news story there were parents lifting their  kids over the border barricade to get to school across the QLD NSW  border. The older lady separated from her sister is staying at a rather expensive caravan park and on a pension,  was lucky to receive a donation from someone who offered to pay for her weekly accommodation whilst stranded and someone has offered to fly the little boy back home. These stories are just unbelievable and illustrate how petty the state premier's have become during the COVID pandemic. I still say TAS is the state to reside in at the moment. I have no idea how many COVID  cases and deaths there have been overnight. 

It is so windy outside  most of today. The sky is blue and the sun is partially out with dark clouds looming in the background. Will it rain? The windows are sure rattling.

1288 cases of COVID and 7 deaths. If there are so many increases in cases in the hotspot LGA's why has the NSW's premier reduced their lockdown restrictions just now? Exercise is  no longer restricted tothe 1 hour ( no mention of the additional 1  hour added later) and is now unlimited outside of curfew hour but curfew still stands ( if you read this on the Service NSW website this doesn't actually make sense - how can there still be a curfew if exerecise is unlimited outside of these hours did they mean exercise is unlimited inside curfew hours?)  cited they need to get fresh air? Wasn't that what I was just wrote about? 

A pretty boring day. It's 8.30 pm and it's still quite windy outside although it seems to have calmed down a little. only 2 hours until ex team member ticket girl gets her first  vaccination which I assume is a Pfizer one. 

I watched The normal The Chase news ( although I tuned out for most of it)  The Cook Up and 8 out of 10 Does Countdown. I also tried to edit mire of my entry for the SBS Emerging Writers Competition and watched some YouTube whilst making a spinach mushroom onion Halomi turkey loaf which I ate for dinner on the white bread I purchased from Breadtop. it actually tastes really nice together although I was only able to finish 1 and a half sandwiches. I also had a smooth I had made. Got to eat as many fruit and veg as possible!

It's still too early to go to sleep so I am watching the SBS Food channel and finishing this blog..

I had a shower earlier today and washed my dishes but was too lazy to do my laundry today - maybe tomorrow when I have 2 full loads to wash and dry.

I'm really itchy so rain may be coming and quite heavily.

I finally managed to fall asleep and it's around 10 or 11pm.

Friday 3rd September 2021

What is it now? 

Day 67 of an indefinite lockdown. 

I wake before 5 am to a the sounds and flashing lights of a garbo truck as it is rubbish collection day for the other side of the highway. Someone is still dumping their rubbish on this property out the front however instead of putting it in the red bin they have left it on top of the yellow or blue bin in a white plastic bag during the night. Shortly before 5 am another garbo stops outside the property on this side of the highway as I look outside - what was he doing? recording something ? before driving off - maybe he spotted me from my window. It's 5 am and I am awake as my alarm goes off. I hear the clashing sound of glass bottles but can't see where they are from. I hear a cough outside and a walker dressed in white pass by. The traffic is heavy along the highway - we are still in lockdown so why is there so much traffic? I suppose there are a lot of shift workers from the major hospital and medical facilities down the highway. Living near a highway there is the constant sound of ambulances  fire engines and police speeding down the highway with their sirens whirling loudly which freaks me out a little. It was a quieter night with no sirens so far.

Breaking news for today  not COVID  related is ABBA's announcement of a reunion and concert live but not "in person" planned for May 2022. I remember when I was in primary school and when ABBA the movie came out my parents took me to see it at the then Regent Theatre (now defunct)  on George Street Sydney. I was quite young so that's all I can remember. I remember there were so many people present. 

The sun has just come out and it's 7.25 am. I have a few things to do today. 

Well can't wait to hear what the NSW premier has to say today in her daily COVID announcement at the media press conference now that 70% vaccination rate was reached yesterday. 

11 am NSW premier's daily announcement today  1431 cases ( 1 overseas) & 12 deaths most  of them from SW Sydney and/or elderly and/or contracted in hospitals and/or in aged care facilities  ( it now reads COVID related deaths not just deaths or COVID deaths) - interesting.

Ok so the new batch of Pfizer vaccines negotiated with Singapore has arrived in Singapore and another batch of Pfizer vaccines has been negotiated from the UK  both as  "vaccine swapping" negotiations where batches of the equivalent number of vaccines to these countries will have to be "paid back" to them in the future. So Is there a plan of where and how this is going to be done? Australia cannot manufacture it's own Pfizer vaccines and haven't all the stockpiled already been used up? Are there more purchase orders of Pfizer vaccines that the government has for the future that are not available yet but will be in the future that nobody knows about? Thank you to the Singapore & UK's governments.

The cursing couple just walked past again. I hope they are not the ones dumping their domestic rubbish.

I put one load of laundry into the washing machine ( I ran out of change) and took the rubbish out to the red bin. I dumped the bag of domestic rubbish someone left on top of the other bins into one of the 2 dumped and abandoned shopping trolleys still on the footpath and moved the  yellow and blue bins back into the dumpster area. The latch is broken on the gate to it so it kept blowing open. I left the green bin which does not belong to this property  next to the red bin out behind tge front brick wall  to try and catch whoever is trespassing, dumping their domestic rubbish , using the red bin as a charity bin by dumping their unwanted stuff into,  abandoning their empty shopping trolleys , drinking and leaving their empty glass bottles out. Maybe if I put a " Warning COVID infection site" sign up, it may deter trespassers.

Watching the Paralympics  cycling and canoeing /kayaking events. Poor "mullet man" had a few falls on the slippery road cycling route and I love how the ladies  canoeing/kayaking put each other's medals around their necks during the medal ceremony - interesting to note that an Olympic offical doesn't do this  - they just present them but the Olympians who win can. How does this minimise the spread of COVID even with everyone wearing masks?

What a character "Scooter" Patterson is!

Interesting that goal ball is only played by the visually impaired. It's great watching a cross between soccer and hand ball - great moves watching uder arms under legs. Pretty cool to watch. An alternative to watching the rough and tumble of wheelchair rugby and even wheelchair basketball.

I had some dinner of left over Thai and fell asleep whilst watching the cook up . That's early.  I was editing my entry for the SBS Emerging Writers again. I am just so unmotivated but I will continue to chip away at it. 

Saturday 4th September 2021

Day 68 of an indefinite lockdown.

1533 COVID cases & deaths recorded.

I had a really rough night of sleep and am feeling very itch and allergic this morning. It was not cold overnight for once.

The sun is trying to come out but it is a really overcast day and it maybe dry now but forecast to rain today and over the weekend. Go out for a walk jog or run now we are told before it starts to rain. 

The little 3 year boy is seen running across a tarmac into the arms of his mother reunited after days of being locked out of NSW due to the QLD snap shutting their border to NSW. Just one of many cases this QLD NSW border shut down  has caused tearing families apart. 

The war in Afghanistan continues with the Taliban unoffically taking control of most of the country ( there are still pockets of the country they have not gained control of yet)

The discussion is on again about whether or not to vaccinate teenagers 12 - 15 years of age and younger. 

The push is still on for 60 - 70 year olds to get vaccinated as vaccination hestitency has increased in this age group and the vaccination rate in general is slowing towards plateauing. I don't think it's vaccine hesitancy but availability of Pfizer vaccines. If I can't get a vaccination appointment anywhere where I reside until first available in December what chances have they got? I don't want to spend all day travelling out to  and waiting for hours at the government run vaccination hub just to get vaccinated and I don't think they would either. What happens if something happens? Too far away from home, the chances of contracting COVID on route to or at the vaccine hub waiting to be vacvinated are just some of the reasons of unvaccination. It'a not all about vaccine shopping. Get vaccinated now or be at the end of the queue - too late this age group and the age group I am in  are already at the end of the queue !

Next topic of discussion and breaking news today is Melbourne has decided to test a vaccine passport because they can't wait for cases to go down and vaccination targets to be reached to open up again so anyone that has not been fully vaccinated they Don't be able to get into places such as stadiums pubs clubs etc. I am so glad I am not living in Melbourne - Good luck with that ! Isn't that discrimination against people that can't be vaccinated, are still unvaccinated because they are waiting to be vaccinated or partially vaccinated by certain dates ? Remembering that I can't be vaccinated until December and even if I get vaccinated and suffer a reaction cannot complete my vaccination and there will be denied access from freedoms only fully vaccinated people have. Hope I am making sense - there still has been nothing said about the small amount of people for medical and psychological reasons can't be vaccinated. What happens  to this group of people - will they never be able to go to events or travel to places of interest? Will they never be able to go retail shopping off line again even to the supermarket? How about travelling on any type of share ride? And even just work or return to work? etc the list goes on. 

I forgot to write about this on my last walk to Chatswood but it popped up in my thoughts when I spotted the homeless man's shelter in the bike locker and  parking area. I wondered of the percentage of unvaccinated Australians particularly those in NSW, are the homeless included in these COVID statistics? How many of them are vaccinated partially or fully? How many of them are not ? How many of them have access to vaccinations or not? How many of them are aware of how or where to get vaccinated or not? Doesn't the government think this may be an important factor? Was this group of people even included in the recent census - if not the statistical results are again skewed. I think COVID issues amongst the homeless was an important issue near the beginning of the COVID pandemic but since they have bern forgotten about. On my ventures down to the Lane Cove shops, there are a few walk in vaccination centres set up in the pharmacies around Lane Cove shops however they only offer Astra Zenica vaccines - the homeless would have almost zero chance right now of getting an appointment at any of the GPS dotted around Lane Cove shops to get vaccinated. I spotted 2 possibly homeless  men sitting outside one of the smaaller independent pharmacies filling out what looked like very long hard copy COVID vaccination forms waiting for their turn to get vaccinated. Good on them but what if you were homeless and did not have access to a vaccine centre or could not read it write? or other hindrance to getting vaccinated? Are the homeless more or less vaunable to the Delta strain of COVID? or Are they more naturally immuned to it then the rest of the population? Are they considered any more likely to spread COVID the the rest of the population? Does anyone know? Does anyone care? Back to my walk to Chatswood the other day, there is an older homeless lady that is often seen around Chatswood who I have mentioned in my blogs before. When I spotted her moving her suitcases and personal belongings from one shop's doorway to another, I was so tempted to ask her to find out if she had been vaccinated or not and ask her all sorts of question on what she thinks about this whole COVID lockdown version 2  - I decided to refrain as I didn't feel it would be right to do so - a little rude.

Watching the Paralympic whilst continuing to edit my entry for the SBS Emerging Writers competition . Dylan Alcott wins gold in men's single tennis and so soon after winning Wimboledon ! Way to go - he reminds me of  Kurt Fernley . I think it is the final weekend of the Paralympics - day 11 of competition today.

I don't think I will venture out today, it's still overcast and I can't be bothered.

I look out my window and the golf shop across the road has a few customers today - they wait out the front until it is their turn to I suppose click and collect. The golf shop I've noticed is only open over 2 days instead of every day now.

I also spot the stinky guy that used to live here in one of the units downstairs months ago walk past. He does so now and then - he's still in the neighbourhood, I always wondered if he has a mental illness. Throughout my living here which is now about 2.5 years, there have been quite a few weird and wonderful people mainly male and some shift workers or contract workers others well as the guy that used to live in the studio next to me questioned " I still don't know what type of people live here!" It was a hotel many years ago which became what is classified as a "boarding house".

Almost 3 pm and it's already getting dark. I am still editing. It's actually raining. 

It's 8.30 am and it is so wet outside. This is getting a bit weird but I keep seeing motor vehicles stop outside this apartment block on the highway before driving off and there is no other motor vehicles in front of them or behind them. It usually happens when it is still dark. Why are they stopping? I can't see from my window. It could be just co incidence. I hope it's not a ghost - the ghost of the man in unit 1A who passed away back in mid July. This is why I sleep with my light on some times. It's nearly o pm and yet another couple stops and flags a car down driving along the highway outside before getting into it.

Sunday 5th September 2021

Well it's an end to another week of an indefinite lockdown in NSW and day 69 ( I hope that's right according to my blog - note: not the exact # of days as my lockdown started a few days after the actual lockdown started in some LGAs of NSW previous to mine)

Happy Father's Day! I no longer have a mother or a father so don't celebrate either days. 

It's 8.30 am and the sun is trying really hard to shine amongst the grey clouds. The ground is still wet as it rained overnight and was actually cold but this morning the rain has stopped and people were out going for a walk jog or run earlier this morning whilst it was still dark. I can hear them but there is this one walker that always let's out a loud cough everytime they walk past. Yuk. You can tell it's a male without a mask on. 

It's the closing ceremony tonight at 8.30 pm for the Paralympics. I hope I don't forget to watch it!

11 am daily NSW premier's announcement - 40% double dose & 70% single dose vaccination rate reached. 1485 COVID cases & 3 deaths ( again all 3 cases are older had other medical conditions from hotspot LGAs and in hospital)  as of last night. There is a mention of possible false positives in a few areas of regional NSW. I wonder what the statistics are for false positives. No mention of these.  New freedoms promises for middle of October??

Reports that the guy who sucessfully predicted COVID case numbers 5 days in a row was reported to have contracted COVID  himself and in a SW Sydney hospital. Discussion on how he did it - was it real maths or a leak of information?

Every now and then I like to fact check things that I had previously written about and if readers recall one of the reasons I did not want to get vaccinated with the Astra Zenica vaccine was because it is not an approved vaccine on a vaccination passport to travel or enter the US and where the 3 approved vaccines approved were Pfizer , Moderna and single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines ( their equivalent of Australia's Astra Zenica vaccine with similar effectiveness and in way they work ie a non mRNA vaccine). This is correct according to an article I read and  in order to enter the US you need approved COVID testing and quarantine for a period of time. I however was unaware that the Astra Zenica vaccine may also cause problems travelling and entering into certain European countries as per the article I've read. Apparently if you had the inital Astra Zenica vaccine that was the imported one , that's fine however the Australian manufactured version that most people have received may not be. This little issue was being worked on and I have not heard anything further about this little issue. Let's hope it is not an issue as I mentioned previously if it is an issue there will be millions of very pissed off Australians!!!!! It's bad enough trying to clear US security at the airport - the last thing anyone wants is more harassment by US border officials or security or US customs quarantine or immigration. I would hate to arrive at an airport in the US after a long haul flight only to be dragged away interviewed and deported - sent straight home on the next available flight - refused entry on the spot. Same if I was travelling to Europe. Most Australians can't travel anywhere at the moment - it was initially until 17th September but now the ban on residents and Australian citizens travelling overseas has been extended until 17th December 2021. So much for Christmas plans!

Wow Australia just won a gold medal in womens wheel chair marathon! Why are most marathon competitors male and female older I wonder? Winners of these events are usually at their peak in thsir 30s and 40s. 

1 pm - It's struggling to stay sunny outside the sky is blue but it's now very windy. I don't think I will venture out today but tomorrow I hope I will. Just had a light lunch. I have put some potatos celery stalks garlic cloves and some whole brussel sprouts into my slow cooker to cook so I can mash it all up later and produce a colcannon , adding my greens to the mash later on. 

Shower , washing the dishes, dinner and more editing of my entry for the SBS Emerging Writers Competition. In between I am still searching and applying for employment. In the past few weeks I have applied for at least 3 jobs. I suppose I am feeling a little bored, a little jealous that ex team member ticket girl managed to sevure a permanent full time job during lockdown and well I can't rely on Myer not to terminate my job after being stood down (being a Myer shareholder I think it will make them look bad if I do get terminated).

It's difficult to believe that the Tokyo Olympics 2020 are well and truely over. I watched the closing ceremony of the Paralympics to the end. It was a really colourful ending to their 12 days of competition. Australian Paralympic multi medal winning swimming champion Ellie Cole was chosen by the chef de commission to be the closing ceremony flag bearer. She also announced that this would be her last Olympics. Due to Australia's strict COVID rules and regulations ,  all of the Paralympics team members were not allowed to walk into the stadium there watched from the village whilst Ellie Cole walked solo into the stadium representing the Australian Paralympic team. 

I fall asleep and it remains a wet cold night.

Monday 6th September 2021 & Week 76 Of Unemployment

The start of another week in lockdown. Day 70 of an indefinite lockdown in NSW.

I slept in until around 6.30 am this morning and after a colder night, the sun is out the skies are blue and there is no sign of the rain from the weekend. There is a slight breeze though and it is forecast to reach a high of 19 degrees C today.

I'm concerned breaking news over the expiry date of the last batch of Pfizer vaccine ( 60% which will be going to GPs)  that arrived in Australia from the UK last night - they expire near the end of November 2021. I don't vaccinated until December! The batch from Singapore a few days earlier probably expires in October as well. Also announced that batches of Moderna are due to arrive into Australia at the end of this month and that these will be distributed only to pharmacies which means the Astra Zenica vaccines will be "pushed out" leaving the question of what happens to all the people that have only had their first dose of Astra Zenica vaccine - the answer was that they will be still able to get their second dose. I forecast that their may be some "vaccine mixing" that will take place for those waiting on their second dose of Astra Zenica - even a possibility of not waiting the recommended number of weeks between doses of Astra Zenica which has been shortened all ready. If vaccine mixing happens, the waiting time between doses will be nullified anyway. The other possible result of vaccine mixing is that it may eliminate the problem of acceptable vaccines  on vaccine passports to enter the US as Moderna is an accepted vaccine in the US. The downside of vaccine mixing maybe increased side effects.

Other news, a 9 day old baby tested positive to COVID - no one seems to be immuned from the virus. A man dies from a shark attack. A 3 year old boy missing since last Friday - it is suspected that he may have been "taken". 

1281 COVID cases and  5 deaths overnight. The number of COVID cases has slightly dropped again however it depends on how many people get tested each day. Interesting to note that of the 5 deaths, 1 is still awaiting coroner results the other 4 cases were in their 50s 60s 70s ie older, were from the SW LGAs of Sydney , in either a hospital or aged care facility and/or had other medical conditions. half were partially or fully vaccinated the other half were not. Therefore I question if vaccination is actually effective. I am also unsure about whether the worst is yet to come in October is accurate. No,  new headline today - COVID cases expected to peak next week. 

Just open up the country to everything regardless of what the vacvination rate is at the moment - stop pushing people to get vaccinated by particular dates and trying to reach vaccination targets before deciding to do anything. We'll be all dead if not from contracting COVID from mental health issues. Just let people get vaccinated in peace and let everyone go about their day to day life as normal as possible but with common sense  eg social distancing masks good hygiene and a healthy life style ie fresh air outdoor exercise and recreation and lots of natural sunlight as we've been advised how the virus hates heat and sunlight etc Let the nature of the virus take it's course - other countries around the world are despite their high vaccination rates and continued high number of COVID cases. I've just been reading about past pandemics and the only pattern is that most if not all of the pandemics only lasted a full year or two then just seemed to  disappear. Does that mean COVID is about to run it's course soon or will it again continue to mutate? I estimate that this pandemic will not have run its course until around March 2022. Things will not return to normal until then.

Another Whats app group chat received another work colleague resigned. The pressure is on, I have given myself until the end of September to find alternative employment. It only took me a little over 3 months to find employment last COVID lockdown and I was really looking for work as soon as I was made redundant. This lockdown I didn't really seriously start looking until a few weeks before I found out team member ticket girl texted me about how she got a job.

In the afternoon I ventured out after taking my rubbish out to the red bin ( I have decided not to take the red bin out again for rubbish collection day tomorrow as someone is still dumping their domestic rubbish in the red bin and I want to see if they do it again when it is really full , they didn't seem to do it when the bin was completely empty for quite a few days)  to get some essential groceries. Armed with my list my first stop was Priceline. They didn't have the tubes so I had to buy the jar which is 3 x as expensive. It's going to be difficult carrying that around. I also bought some deodorant and some hand cream. I then walked to the escalator downstairs to Woolworths. I had a quick look and it was really busy so I decided not to enter. I instead walked to The Canopy to Aldi & Coles.  Aldi was my first stop as it was not as busy as Coles however I really hate it when people with masks on start coughing around you. As soon as I spot a man coughing in the distance at the end of an asile in Aldi , I wheeled my Coles trolley away from him as possible. We are told by the NSW premier to treat everyone as if they had COVID. I missed a few things on my shopping list and thought I could get them at Coles however after paying for my groceries and trying to persuade the checkout operator to swap my 20 10 & 5 cent coins for dollar and two dollar coins ( all of $3 worth), I exited Aldi to repack my groceries as I had to walk home with them all ( almost 2 full shopping bags worth) , I looked to see how busy Coles was and thought no too busy I'm return another day. I hate going into supermarkets and I don't want to do home delivery or click and collect because I have to go down into the underground carparks and because it takes too long with limited time slots/windows. I walked home on my way withdrawing another $20 from the ATM. It was actually the 2nd time I withdrew money from that same ATM today. I actually withdrew $50 from it before I went to Priceline who could not give me any change in $1 & $2 coins. After each usage I made sure I used my disinfectant wipes! There was an elderly couple using the ATM before me.

Home and I wash my hands and bleach and wash my masks ( always)  before unpacking my groceries. I then make myself some dinner ( left over breakfast wrap with some chicken) watch the news followed by The Cook Up. There is not much on now that the Olympics are over but the Winter Olympics are in February 2022. I will probably end up watching 8 Out of 10 Does Countdown before watching the next episode of The Hairy Bikers Chocolate Challenge at 8.30 pm. I may even have another crack of editing my entry for the SBS Emerging Writers Competition. 

Tomorrow I need to get some change from somewhere for laundry again since I failed to get enough change today for at least a wash.

Newsbreaks today was the little 3 year old who was autistic and non verbal has been found. They think he was able to survive so well over 3 - 4 days was due to his autism.

There was also a brief mention of the rapid antigen home testing kits becoming available again subject to TGA approval. What a co incience! I was researching and reading up on types of acceptable forms of rapid COVID testing for travel and entry into Canada due to the rules and regulations required and there are pages and pages of rules and regulations not just be fully vaccinated with one of a short list of accepted vaccines. There is a list of documents required not just a vaccination passport and one of them is proof of negative test results 72 hours usually prior to travelling. There is no way the Australian government could get you your COVID test results within that time frame with their standard one size fits all invasive PCR COVID test which takes a minimum of 1 Week to receive. It has been discussed on many occasions where essential travellers have advised how if tgey plan to travel on certain dates have to plan weeks in advance. So the Canadian government does not accept results from rapid anti allergen tesing , so what did I do?  I went and searched who in Australia supplies non anti allergen rapid  COVID home testing kits. It led me to the TGA website and there was a whole list of local and international companies that were approved to supply all sorts of rapid COVID testing kits both for commercial and home usage using different testing methods. Very useful reference and if I had to decide which ones to consider there would only be a few suitable ones. Criteria would be to choose a supplier that is local for support if needed and to support an Australian local business and for quality/ reliability or from a supplier that is from a travel destination country eg if I was travling to Canada, I would select a Canadian supplier as it would be more likely to be an accepted test result for  COVID travel/entry requirements. Next criteria would be easy of use and accuracy. Everyone should be able to use the test without a lot of reading of complicated instructions and be able to instantly or quickly interpret results. Back up testing is even better to increase accuracy. The test should be as least invasive as possible and as quick as possible. The third criteria would be easy of access to the supplier and testing kits, fast and reliable delivery or pickup/ purchase, and most important linked electronically to verify and record self testing results eg via an app whilst maintaining privacy  and linked directly to vaccine passport of some sort. 

Can't sleep and it's 10.30 pm. I fell asleep around 8 pm after watching 8 Out of 10 Does Countdown and missed half of The Hairy Bikers Chocolate Challenge where another one of the 7 contestants was eliminated leaving five left after tonight's episode. The winner of the chocolate challenge gets to haave their own chocolate bar sold nationally in the UK. The format is very much like the very defunct Recipes To Riches which originated in Canada where it was much more of a success over there then it was over here in Sydney which only lasted 2 seasons until it was axed. How do I know about it? I'm unsure if I mentioned in one of my very early blogs but I auditioned for both seasons. In the auditions for the first season my work colleague and I plus another girl who worked for another company near by , auditioned for season  one. My work colleague and I both got through to the second round of auditions however unfortunately it was poor timing as I was going overseas and told producers this so did not end up going onto the second audition round which was actually a filming day. After my work colleague went to the second audition round and made it through to presenting her recipe to the panel of judges and onto the tv screen, I joked after I saw the segment how she got her "3 minutes of rejection fame" - I clearly remember her telling the panel of judges as she presented her biscuits "you eat with your eyes!"  I remember seeing the judges with their "no thanks" expression on their faces after taking a bite into her "tell us what you have made for us to taste" . I think almost everyone in the first audition made it through to the second audition as it was season one and another original "reality tv cooking competition show". Season 2 of Recipe to Riches was a bit of a flop and so was the first round of auditions which I did not enjoy as I did not have much time to prepare my product - I did not advance to the second round of auditions and I think they contacted me back at the last minute as a "fill in" probably because they didn't get enough quality  applicants - they had chosen the people they wanted to put through already for the second round of auditions however whether or not they could cook was another question. Season one auditions was so much fun, the night before we were texting each other and cooking at the same time - checking up on how we were going with preparing our recipes for the audition the next day - we were up really late that night!!! I was actually not at home instead staying closer to where the auditions were being held for several reasons 1. no distractions or family members destroying my products ( you know when someone steals your lunch at work situations?) 2. location as mentioned, I wanted my end product to be in the best condition at the audition as I know it was going to be a lot of waiting around. 3. Where I was staying there was a large commercial kitchen that I could use as long as I bought my own specialised equipment and ingredients ( there was also a supermarket nearby incase I forgot anything or needed anything). Anyway back to The Hairy Bikers Chocolate Challenge - it looks like a much more successful program - I mean who doesn't like a chocolate making competition focused on product development rather then commercial cookery? ( Too many seasons of Masterchef & MKR have made them go stale) Recipe to Riches was meant to be focused on the same type of concept ie product development but it flopped and even in Canada it only lasted a few more seasons before it discontinued.

Finally I go back to sleep. It's a cold night.

Tuesday 7th September 2021

Day 71 of an indefinite lockdown

I slept in until almost 7 am, it seemed much later as the sun was glaring outside my partially closed blind. 

Interesting news discussions today - possible vaccine passport trial in Sydney copying Victoria's vaccine passport trial where only those double vaccinated can enter certain venues such as pubs and whether this system is actually fair? There is still the question of what happens if you are only partially vaccinated or can't be vaccinated or unvaccinated. There is already a mandate and deadline for all residents from hotspot LGAs who work outside of them to have at least 1 vaccine in order to leave them with an extended deadline now of 17th September 2021. Qantas was one of the first major companies to mandate all employees ( priority for frontline employees) to be vaccinated followed by Virgin Airlines, with Coles making it non compulsory but recommended. Now Telstra is attempting to mandate all frontline workers to be vaccinate by mid November unless they have a medical exemption as to why they are not vaccinated however it is the first company where this mandate has been challenged and if employees don't get vaccinated they face "redeployment" or  another term used "medical retirement" - sounds very much just like "no jab no job". The big question will be : Can they actually legally do this? Two other large companies are also pushing to mandate vaccination of employees including Spotlight ( unfamiliar with this company Google it - can't describe what they actually sell as it has become so mishmashed kitchenware, tableware, rolls of material, haberdashery supplies, DIY craft  & art supplies, sewing machines, overlockers, manchester, linen, bathroom accessories, towels & robes,  ready and custom made certains, cake & chocolate making supplies, knitting and crocheting supplies, party and special occasion supplies etc) and Anaconda where staff face losing their Christmas bonuses if they aren't vaccinated by November/December - I am glad I don't work for them either - Again is this disincentive or "threat" even legal? Employers forcing frontline workers in retail to get vaccinated? So they are using the opposite tactic to Virgin to encourage or rather "pressure" employees into getting vaccinated by a deadline. I wonder if Myer will mandate vaccination- I am in a little bit of trouble if they do. 

Other news today it's termite season " they want to get out of lockdown as much as we do" as the weather warms up. Do not use bug spray on them. 

Happy news that the little 3 year old autistic boy was found safe and well  late last night but other sad news was actor Hugh Jackman's father died on Father's Day. 

It's another clear blue skies day where the sun is out. I'm still watching the daily news and blogging but today there is still stuff to do. 

11 am daily NSW premier COVID announcement media press conference 1220 & 8 deaths ( 70s x 3 , 90's x 2,  50s x 1 , 80s,x 1  60s x 1 (still under coroner investigation) -  all except 2 unvaccinated, mix of both sexes , in aged care facilities, in hospital and/or had other medical conditions , only 1 died at home most in as LGAs or regional areas outside of Greater Sydney).  Indigenous speakers are now appearing and appealing for their "mob" ( this was the actual term used and is not a degrading or racist in anyway)  to get vaccinated. 

Since I have to wait 3 months to get my first vaccine, I have considered a backup plan although not the safest -  Walk in or booking an appointment at one of the pharmacies around Lane Cove to get a Modern vaccine if I can manage to get one when it becomes available. Still about a month's wait. I wonder if they are equipped to deal with allergic reactions to vaccines? I hope so. Still going to take legal action if something goes wrong since there is such a push to get vaccinated and nothing considered for those who can't get vaccinated . What happens if you contract COVID whilst waiting to get vaccinated  - 3 months in my case is a very long wait! Questions are still being raised regarding the people who just got the 1st dose of Pfizer vaccines from the Polish shipment  ( the batch before the Singapore batch & UK batch which are still in batch testing) regarding their second doses. The pressure is too high get vaccinated or get left behind - I think It's probably easier to go on a vaccination holiday and get the hell out of Australia especially NSW!

Apologies to my readers I  have a really bad headache and I just got some bad news. I need to take a break today to process it and will write about it when I can.

Wednesday 8th September 2021

Day 72 of an indefinite lockdown.

It's 3 am in the morning. I cannot sleep and am up watching repeats on the Food channel.  I went to sleep last night earlier then  usual around 9.30 pm but tossed and turned most of the night. I could not stop thinking about the sad news I received yesterday. 

Most of yesterday was spent editing my entry for the SBS Emerging Writers Competition. After hearing the sad news yesterday, I needed a distraction and was more determined to try and complete the editing of my entry for the competition. It still has a bit to editing to do but it has progressed a lot further then previously. 

I abandoned listening to the news - I'm sure there were new developing COVID news but I lost interest.

I am unsure if I am 100% ready to share the sad news I received yesterday by text as I missed a call. I have been scratching all night. Stress triggers my ezcema. Thoughts and questions of what if? , when did it happen? , was I partially resonsible? what happens now?......  run through my mind . After the initial shock there is denial then reality grief and reflection. Time - I need some time. Maybe later I will write about it. Exact time of death unknown.

Todays NSW premiers daily COVID announcement media press conference - 1480 COVID ( zero overseas acquired cases ) cases and 9 deaths.  75% of NSW residents have now had their first vaccination but not much movement in the 42% or so double dose NSW residents vaccinated. Of the 9 deaths ( 60s x 2 20s x 1 80s x 2  70s x 2  40s x 1 90s x 1)  7/9  were unvaccinated 1 partially vaccinated & 1 full vaccinated  all in hospital or aged care facilities all had underlying medical conditions and from hotspot LGAs. There is still no clear plan to open up NSW just a lot of  disagreements even between states about vacine allocations to each state. VIC is unhappy that NSW got a bigger % of the batches of  Pfizer vaccines that arrived and QLD basically telling VIC to "shut up".  I don't think NSW will ever get out of lockdown. Discusdion has shifted to reopening and return to schools. But the newbreak of the day  was on Guy Sebastian who has been double vaccinated and supports the music industry getting back to normal however was accused of sitting on the fence about vaccinations upsetting pro vaxers and anti vaxers. Leave Guy Sabastian alone - he is entitled to say he is not an anti vaxer as well as apologising and advising that it's not his place to push vaccination and he is right there will be people that can't be vaccinated due to medical or psychological conditions. Why can't people just leave celebrities alone? Everyone should be being nice to everyone during this pandemic - not even just during this pandemic - all the time.

We have a magpie problem in Lane Cove with over attacks reported. It's magpie swooping season but I didn't think they would be a problem near where I reside or go shopping! There is permit for the local council to cull them and signs advising residents to look out for them  and arm yourself with an umbrella. Injuries to plocals have been quite bad. There is even a QR code for reporting. 

Well what do you know - the government stuffed up with the Pfizer vaccine roll out.

Vaccine passports will be rolled out in October for domestic and international travel. I will miss out as I won't be vaccinated until December 21.

What did I write previously ? A COVID infected man requested a vaccine at a pop up vaccination centre  causing it to close down. How many people waiting or being vaccinated there risked contracting COVID?

Freedom day 18th October 21 for fully vaccinated people. I miss out  again.

Thursday 9th September 2021

I slept in until 8 am this morning after a very sleepless night after falling asleep at around 11.30 pm after watching The Chase the news The Cook Up 8 Out of 10 Does Countdown some YouTube and more of  the Food Channel. It's a nice day outside again but there may be a change in whether later this week if not later today. 

Day 73 of an indefinite lockdown. Freedom day may be set on 18th October 2021 ( 39 days away & the word used is RESTRICTIONS COULD EASE not WILL EASE by that date )  but it is only for the double vaccinated and may not be for alk of Greater NSW. Freedom means gyms bars personal service eg hair dressers retail pubs bars restaurants opening up not lockdown ending. Travel is rumoured to recommence as day as November instead of December but only for the fully vaccinated and more importantly the emphasise is out going passengers but not returning passengers so travel is still really risky so Australians  be prepared to be stranded overseas again! Regional travel is possible where it was mentioned previously that Australians would possibly be able to travel internationally before they can travel domestically. 

Again the discussion has come up with employers mandating  vaccination for employers again with mention of  how SPC and Qantas have both mandated the no jab no job rather then Virgins reward incentives method and Spotlights no jab no Christmas bonus disincentive method. It was mentioned that more and more employers will be moving towards vaccination of their employees. Again no mention of what hapoens to those still unvaccinated. I stand firm on this being a form of  discrimination . It is getting more and more important that this topic is addressed. Last night (and I am still very itchy  and in pain as my skin is very raw dry and red whilst I am writing my blog ) I had a severe allergic reaction over most of my body - the worse for a while now. I don't think it is a food allergy as I know what I am allergic to and stick only to what I know I can eat. I did use a moisturiser on my body that I have used many times before  - same brand but slightly different moisturiser in the range bottle verses tube . I have not checked the ingredients in them both to compare yet. I assumed they were almost the same if not the same. The tube was the one I used last night.

Since I am blogging I might as well write about what happened 3 days ago on Tuesday and why I needed some time out from my blog.

Readers that been reading my blog since the beginning of the COVID pandemic will probably know that I had been volunteering remotely. I received a text message from the Volunteer organisation asking me if I knew how the aged care resident living alone was doing during this lockdown. I responded by advising the Volunteer organisation that I was still writing to this resident by sending her letters cards gifts etc and should I ring her. The phone rings later that afternoon and I miss the call. A text message follows from the volunteer organisation's manager below which read :

"Hi D******** I am so sorry to tell you that I rang T***** R***** just now and they have told me that I**** died recently.  The funeral was at the church next to the facility and I**** died at T***** R***** as was her wish.  It is awful when you are not told at the time and I am very sorry about that.  I tried to ring and please feel free to ring me if you wish to do so.  Once again my apologies.  P*******"

I was in shock and needed some time to process the above information. I did not know how to respond or what I should do. All these questions started going through my head all at once. When did she die, how did she die? Was it from natural causes? ( I think she was in her late 80s or in her 90s) Was it COVID that killed her ( she had told me herself that she had been vaccinated months ago)? Was I responsible for her death? What do I do now? Did she get my last letters and cards I sent to her? Should I send the age care facility a condolence card? etc  After the shock it was a feeling of denial then reality and grief. I can't remember what emotions came in what order but shock and grief hit hard and fast . I just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. I would cry then feel better but cry again. I was in no state to blog or do anything. My plans to venture out or do things like laundry went out the window even not was my dishes or having a shower. I tried to sleep. One thing it did make me do was be more determined in completing and submitting my entry for the SBS Emerging Writers Competition  which I had been quite unmotivated in editing before sending. I had planned to send this aged care resident another card shopping for one last week but unfortunately not finding an appropriate one and sending her a copy of my entry when I completed and submitted it. Plan now asbandoned. After giving myself a day to process the aged care resident's death and not responding to the volunteering organisation's manager , I received a second nessage from her because she had not heard from me. I think it is a voice mail conveyed to text message? Good old Telstra - they are just not very good at voice to text messaging. Most of the time the message is very inaccurate!

"You missed a call from ##########, who said "Oh hi darl. I just wanted to check that you're ok it's P******* from Community visitors. Yeah. If you'd like to ring me back." This message was provided by Telstra at no charge to you."

I rang the volunteering organisation manager back and she was so sorry about having to relay the sad news to me. I have to admit that I was a little prepared for it as I had asked the original volunteering organisation's co coordinator ( who resigned quite a few months ago this year before the 2nd lockdown) about what happens if this situation does happen in the future. I ask the volunteering organisation's manager when the aged care resident actually passed away and she estimates around August some time , communication is poor between her and the aged care facilities. Information on aged care facility residents is limited. The current aged care facility manager is actually on annual leave I found out and has been for about 6 weeks which may explain why I was not notified. There was a lot more we discussed about the aged care resident that passed away  but the subject I wanted to discuss now was where to now? Am I assigned another interested aged care resident living alone? I will have to wait as there aren't any interested at the moment. I mentioned how the other Asian aged care resident that I was asigned to was a problem ( the volunteer organisation staff all knew about her apparently -  refer my previous blog) and how after having a conversation with her in Cantonese it did not work out and she wasn't interested in talking to me and basically told me not to call her again as she didn't understand why I was calling her  so I decided to concentrate on corresponding to my current aged care resident. Hopefully I will be matched up with another aged care resident living alone to correspond with. It is so important to keep in contact with people during COVID lockdowns - It's the only window into the outside world for some. Speaking of which today is offically " R U OK" day so we are encouraged to check up on our family and friends - maintaining mental health during lockdown is so important. I live alone and am the only resident left in the apartment block as reader probably know. I have no neighbours, my friends are mostly overseas in HK South America and around Europe. I probably only have 1 older friend in Sydney who lived a few suburbs away. My friends passed away many years ago and my mother grandfather  aunt s etc have also all passed away many years ago. I am unsure if my father is still alive in a nursing home somewhere - put there shortly before the COVID pandemic hit.  I have not spoken seen or visited him since as he had dementia and would not know who I was anyway. I don't even know which nursing home he was put in, I think he is in one located in Ashfield. My only contact with people was through work but even contact with work colleague has disappeared as they move on after we were all stood down. I haven't seen anyone since 27th June 2021 - my last day at work. I have been talking to and texting people though so I'm isolated but not fully isolated. I have texted my friend to ensure she is ok - I'm sure she is yep she responds with she is fine but bored like we all are. Later my cousin in Canberra texts me - I get a feeling they think they have it tough during lock down when it's been even tougher for longer in Sydney.

1405 COVID cases and 6 deaths ( all cases were in 40 50 60 70 and 80s, at least 1 was fully vaccinated, all from SW hotspot LGAs one was from an aged care facility and/hospitals and all had other medical conditions ). There is a pattern location, location , age and having other medical conditions - they only died from COVID because they contracted it in hospital or at an aged care facility. They didn't die solely from contracting COVID out in the community. 

It's all too confusing  and  so many unanswered questions on what will happen when 70% of people are double vaccinated. There was a mention of a medical exemption - the NSW premier does not go into any detail of this or how to apply for this. I had a look online and there is only one main reason for a medical vaccination exemption anaphylaxis. It lists everything including asthma ezcema hay fever even seizure  family history of contractions to medications etc as invalid reasons as medical exemptions for vaccination. It does not really mention severe allergies specifically. 

Vaccination rates have stalled, slowing down especially second doses. I calculated the % increase in double dose vaccinations and in the past week it has only increased by 1.2 % or so. It is now still sitting a little over 42%. The theory is vaccine hestitancy - wrong people don't want Astra Zenica vaccines and are waiting for Pfizer vaccines where the wait is months at the moment and unavailable at pharmacies. That is the main reason.  The second reason is there is no guarantee of freedoms  once 80% double dose vaccination is reached and the third reason maybe people are noticing that double vaccinations aren't actually stopping the number of COVID cases and spread of COVID. 

Friday 10th September 2021

Day 74 of an indefinite lockdown with a target of  October the 18th as freedom day but not an end to lockdowns.

There is still a lot of unanswered questions in regards to opening up NSW but the news that made COVID news today was there was no one at the main vaccine hub this morning waiting to get vaccinated with the Astra Zenica vaccine and that the rate of first dose vaccination has slowed. People are not as dumb as the Australian government who are wondering why the rate of vaccinations has slowed. Simple -  people are waiting for the Pfizer vaccines where another batch from the UK is or has arrived. Maybe the government's push to get as many people vaccinated as short as time as possible so suddenly after such a slow vaccine roll out is just too much. Maybe the unclear plans of the government to open up and the constant disagreements amongst government leaders has put Australia's off from getting vaccinated.  70% vaccination has to be reached before freedoms are implemented where only the double vaccinated will be allowed to visit pubs restaurants and hair dressers for example and retail shop . Masks still mandatory on public transport and social distancing and QR codes are still required. Other freedoms number of people allowed at events concerts funerals weddings etc with limited numbers and travel to all regional areas within NSW. However it is not the end of lockdown - if there is an outbreak of COVID in an area there will be a lockdown again to contain it. Freedom what Freedom?! Still no mention of freedoms for unvaccinated or partiallyvaccinated residents of NSW after 18th October. It looks as if freedoms are only for the double vaccinated - a good way for the government to piss NSW residents off!

Other non COVID news was the aniversiary of 911. Seems so long ago since this happened.

Speculation as to the where abouts of Kate the Duchess of Cambridge . She hasn't been seen in public for  2 months and Prince William has made his first public appearance with royal duties since their family holiday without Kate at his side. The question remains Is Kate pregnant and expecting her 4th child and is struggling with severe morning sickness again therefore has not been seen for so long or is she just spending  extended quality time out with her 3 kids? 

With Moderna arriving next month, I went online to see if I could get a vaccination got an earlier date - total failure, there is no information of where to get this vaccine at all. You cannot book to have a Moderna vaccine. I then looked to see if there  were any other vaccine centres near me that may have bookings for a pfizer vaccine earlier  then 1st December - I went to a few GPS some not even close to me. It advertises within 2 day but as soon as I go into each of them they either don't offer Pfizer vaccines at all or the first available booking is 30th November 2021 and not within 2 days, 7 days or after 30 days. I give up. I have now tried more then 3 times. I can't spend anymore times searching. No one should have to spend this long trying to find a booking to get vaccinated! 

I would rather spend my time editing my entry for the SBS Emerging Writers Competition. I have been really working on this and it is getting really close to completion. I will be dedicating this entry to the aged care resident that passed away recently . Will my readers get to read my entry piece? Probably if I manage to copy and paste it to my computer or phone  as I am having trouble doing anything with it except type even simple editing difficult and it is taking me forever adding any bold or italics into my piece of writing. 

11 am daily NSW premier announcement media press conferences will now have daily statistics of vaccination rates - today there are now 76.4 % single dose  43.6%  double dose of NSW residents vaccinated ( less the 1 % up from yesterday). Sunday officially will be the last day the NSW premier will be giving her live 11 am announcements daily media press conferences, future announcements will be via video conferences by NSW Health representatives with the premier attending when relevant.  There were 1542 COVID cases and 9 deaths overnight. ( 60 x 2 70 x 2 40 x 1 50 x 2  80 x 1 30 x 1  - with  3 fully vaccinated 3 partially vaccinated 3 unvaccinated all from hotspot areas, all with other medical conditions and all in hospitals) . As of next Monday fully vaccinated residents living in hotspot areas can now gather in small groups  for picnics for a few hours for example as long as all are fully vaccinated in addition to the 2 hours of exercise and within the 5 km limit to where they reside. There is going to be a border bubble reopening between border LGAs between QLD and NSW but it is not a way for a sneaky trip to QLD - you must be single vaccinated at least and cannot work or home school for example.

Let me do a bit of a calculation Is freedom Day actually realistic or achievable?

Assumptions : Freedom date firmly announced as 18th October 2021 with a target of 70% double vaccination reached by that date based on an average current rate of double vaccination per day of 1 % & as of today the double vaccination rate being 43.2 %. Assuming the rate of daily double vaccination remains the same and stable and does not continue to decrease. 

Number of days until 18th October as of tomorrow ( because stats already announced for today)  11th Sept -> 18th Oct 21 = 38 days @ 1 % per day = 38% 

If the current double vaccination rate is 43.6%  + 38% = 81.6%  = > 70%

OK so the NSW premier is either optimistic or accurate. 

After spending most of yesterday and today editing my entry for the SBS Emerging Writers Competition, I finally completed it and submitted it at 9 pm night after watching The Chase, the news,  The Cook Up, part of 8 out of 10 Does Countdown , The Living Room and a repeat episode of Have You Been Paying Attention in between having a shower washing the dishes and a snack for dinner and catching the cursing couple dumping rubbish into the red bin! I spotted them lifting the lid and its now full - I don't know how heavy it is and how I am going to put my rubbish in it or wheel it out if it is heavy. I think they dumped all the glass bottles in it as they can't dump it anywhere else as I moved all the other bins ( unless they tresspassed  into the dumpster area.

Sleep around 9.30 pm - Another night of allergies.

Saturday 11th September 2021

Day 75 of an indefinite lockdown in NSW and day 23 or so in VIC apparently. ( I have not seen anyone in person since 27th June 2021 now and I'm still OK  in case anyone is wondering )

I've been meaning to write about this topic for a while ( now that I have finally completed and submitted my entry for the SBS Emerging Writers Competition I now have time to ) but I think the COVID pandemic is an appropriate time to write about it. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs . I have always tried to challenge it. It was a topic I remember studying very early at College. I am convinced that the hierarchy is incorrect - well at least parts of it. The emphasis is on "needs" not "wants" or "would likes" or "dislikes". There's an obvious flaw or two with Maslows Hierarchy of Needs  - he obviously didn't conduct his studies during a COVID like pandemic!

I missed the beginning of today's 11 am daily COVID announcement media press conference. There were 1599 COVID cases and 9 deaths . I missed the breakdown of these figures today unfortunately. Well that was short just a 15 minute announcement with not much e tra information. Get vaccinated Get vaccinated Get vaccinated . There will be loads of people at the beaches today - is this a concern - of course it is but the deputy premiere  wasn't really panicked by it. Tony Abbott ( former MP) was caught and fined $500 for not wearing a mask out in public. I don't know what the story was about - who dobbed him in?Is he  setting a bad example ? is he an anti vaxer? Why did he not have a mask on? There are still quite a few people walking around without masks on. 

What a boring day today. It's a really nice day outside. I really should go for a walk!

I ended up taking a shower after lunch washing the dishes and taking my rubbish out to the red bin before paying a visit to Coles supermarket for some essential grocery shopping. My allergies are getting worse I can't even go outside without feeling it itchy and it's been like this for a while. It was so busy inside the supermarket and I ended up spending more in there then I wanted to - the shop was really quick but the wait at the check out took forever! I spent over 30 in the supermarket. I like shopping at Coles because they tend to be less expensive, have unlocked shopping trolleys both low and high profile ones and plenty of baskets and the service is better and they pack your shopping bags. Woolworths does not have unlocked trolleys and they tend to be the deep ones. It's a hassle using a basket at the check out as they don't tend to pack your bags for you so you have to ensure you have enough bags with you and stuff everything in them as quick as possible. 

I went to the ATM again to withdraw money to get change for the laundry. Lucky I was able to get some at Coles. I paid for my groceries partially with card and partially with cash. 

I walk back home wash my hands and bleach my masks before unpacking my groceries . I watch tv and YouTube. I don't feel like dinner tonight. I get a text message from a work colleague from the VM  department around 7.30 pm asking me if I had gotten a phone call from the assistant store manager to go back to work next week. No I had not. She did but cannot return to work as she is still home schooling. 

Time for another product review Mars Rasberry Smash Flavour from Coles on special for 2 for $3  or $2 each. photo below. It's really sweet, sweeter then a regular Mars bar, however it could be just me as I have only been eating truck loads of dark chocolate over 70% cacao for quite a while so it just seems sweeter then normal. The texture of the whipoed Rasberry filling is more like that of a milky way rather then a normal mars bar - lighter and a little more "runny" - less dense and thick. It does taste of rasberry flavour though and it's pink in colour. Chocolate coating is the same but it looks a little thinner although that be cost cutting and possibly the same thickness of a normal mars bar. Would I buy it again? Well I only bought 1 to try in case I did not like it. I rate it a 7/10. I don't dislike it but it's not up there with my favourites so maybe not unless It's on super special like the banana flavour which I think we're on clearance for 50 cents each . Mars does experiment with some weird flavours from time to time last one I remember was banana. 

I was up quite late texting a work colleague. She asked if I had received a call to return to work next week from the assistant manager and I had not and texted her back. She could not as she was still home schooling. I told her How 2 team members have resigned recently. We also "talked" her son's birthday a day off from home schooling for him and how he wanted maccas for breakfast hungry Jack's for lunch and Guzman  for dinner - I said I could eat Guzman every meal every day for the entire lockdown if I could! But maybe not Hungary  Jack's. Maccas for breakfast not a bad choice but not their non breakfast items. We also talked about KFC and whether I should walk through and use the the drive through as the KFC up the road from me is closed to walk in orders only deliveries and drive throughs so if I want KFC I have to travel to Chatswood. Baking efforts during lockdown was another topic banana bread and she made chocolate crackles. I'm not a fan and haven't made or eaten one since school.

It must have been after 9 pm before our texting ended and I fall asleep a little lost now that I have completed and submitted my entry for the SBS Emerging Writers Competition 

No trespassers tonight.

Sunday 12th September 2022

I woke up early at 6 am this morning and the crazy couples are out early today walking down the highway Southbound unfortunately on this side of it not the other side and again loitering around outside this apartment block. They walk back and forth bare footed and unkempt . I watch them until they pass and do not return. I hope they have not been squatting. 

It is another beautiful day today. People flocked to the beach yesterday taking advantage of some very small freedoms from this lockdown allowed (where vaccinated people can meet up with friends ( restricted to groups of 5)   - who is going to know at the beach for example if groups of friends that meet up are all vaccinated? I as an unvaccinated person could meet up with my fully vaccinated friend - not that I would as that would be irresponsible of me as she is a senior citizen.) I am not quite ready for that type of crowds yet - stepping outside and going grocery shopping at a supermarket is challenging enough for me. Maybe I might try and get to a beach during a weekday when it is less crowded (within the 5 km restriction?!) 2 beaches had to close yesterday afternoon due to limit on capacities. Safest place to be was outside with fresh air? Do they only get it now - I've been writing about the importance of cross ventilation and natural sunlight forever!

Day 76  of an indefinite lockdown in NSW. It's the end of another week in lockdown. Also the last time a live 11 am daily COVID announcement media press conference will be broadcast by the NSW premier today. How is everyone going to keep up with the latest COVID stats, news and ever changing restrictions, rules,regulations, freedoms etc. That's just poor leadership - if you can't communicate to the public what's happening and just decide to "walk away" as COVID cases you forecasted are yet to reach their worse number of cases in October 21  - you should not be the premier of NSW! It's not good enough to just have members from the government health departments make a daily COVID announcement via video message?! Residents of NSW need to kniw what's going on during this lockdown especially for planning ahead.

The question of  : Are we on the path to freedom? has come up again. 77% of residents have received at least 1 dose of vaccine.A majority of tv advertisements are about getting vaccinated and vintage advertisements like Victoria Bitter has be rejigged to a vaccination advertisement. NAB became JAB , TAB became JAB, CAB became JAB with cab charge vouchers as incentives to get you to your JAB . It's gone vaccination crazy! Advertisements have changed from scary "This is what can happen to you if you are unvaccinated or don't get vaccinated" to "These are what freedoms you COULD have or will have if you are or do get vaccinated"  - Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - big fail here!

I looked back in my diary this morning at when the first COVID lockdown begun and how long it took me to find alternative employment - it was  approximately 17 weeks from last day at my previous job that I was made redundant from to the first day of my current job. How long is it now since my last day at work at my current job since stand down? 11 full weeks going into week # 12!  There are plenty of jobs advertised and I have applied for quite a few but have not received a single response this time round except for 1 rejection from the same company I applied for last lockdown which I also received a rejection response from except this time much faster. 

Today is laundry day and tonight on SBS at 7.30 pm is a documentary on the operations of Central Station. I hope I don't miss this being a train enthusiast!

Breakfast is some plain pot set yoghart, green juice, Australian green tea with Manuka honey, some fresh fruit salad, omega 3 capsules, a few plain organic corn chips and a toasted cheese and leftover spag bol sandwich with garlic and basil.

I went back and read my blogs from early 2020 and some of the things I wrote about were not just interesting but accurate. 

1. Mask wearing, first mention of me wearing a mask not due to my allergies , outside of Australia and pre COVID lockdown in Australia  was on 25th January 2020. Much later masks became mandatory during COVID when? And again when?

2. Back in early March I wrote about how everyone was moving out of the apartment block and questioned whether the landlord was planning to sell it - well I was right . Most people were moving out before the first COVID lockdown but quite a few stayed and some new tenants even moved in however the landlord did  go to auction this year in July 2021.

Let's see what else I wrote a out turned out to be accurate.

I reposted my advertisement on Gumtree looking for work yesterday. I've had it on there since I was made redundant from my previous  job and kept reposting it every time it expired. I don't receive as many scam responses now as I did but still get the odd ones and no genuine job offers only agencies pretending to be companies with vacancies.

45.6% fully vaccinated 76% first doses reached.

Last 11 am NSW premier COVID announcement media press conference  1262 COVID cases overnight ( no overseas cases) and  7 deaths ( 20s x 1 40s x 1  50s x 2  70s x 1 80s x 2) again all with other medical conditions all in hospital all in hotspot SW LGAs and a mix of part vaccinated and unvaccinated). Question time today covered demographics of Australians that have been missed from the vaccine roll out eg homeless Indigenous, Isolated certain LGAs and 12 - 15 year olds and whether they were included in the 70 - 80 % double dose vaccine  target  and if this group will slow down the tatget bejng reached. Still no mention of those that cannot or are not vaccinated except a push for friends and relatives who know someone who hasn't been vacvinated to " encourage" them to get vaccinated. Also advising people waiting to get vaccinated and who have found an earlier vaccination spot not to leave their original vaccine appointments as  "no shows" as the government does not want to waste any vaccines.   How about advising people of when vaccines are  expiring? I don't want to receive an expired vaccine. 15 minutes later and the announcement is over.

Laundry done. I watch tv and also made a Mexican style chicken dish with mini capsicums, shallots , corriander, cheese, eggs,  black beans, rice, chicken, garlic, chilli flake and schicken seasoned with peri peri rub and some salsa - yummy! Who needs Guzman tonight for dinner. I am going to save some to make burritos tomorrow.

7.30 pm and I am watching on SBS Inside Central Station : Australia's Busiest Railway. Interesting that this  10 part documentary is a program about what goes on around Sydney's rail network was narrated by Shane Jacobson  who I believe is most know as "Kenny the dunny man". I could be wrong but the voice over does sound like his voice although it does not include this on his Wikipedia profile.

Another bad sleep - still very allergic - itchy all night and my skin is dry despite moisturizing. 

Monday 13th September 2021 & Week 77 Of Unemployment

Day 77 of an indefinite lockdown in NSW.

It's a beautiful day outside and I woke up at 6 am. Breakfast was a cheese promote mixed leave mini cucumber and cherry tomato sandwich, some fruit salad, some plain pot set yoghart, a cup of earl grey tea,  my omega 3 capsules and green juice.

Breaking news for today there is a new mutant strain of COVID floating around overseas named Mu. Moderna vaccines to arrive in Australia by the end of this week from countries with excess stock and vaccinations bookings now open to teenagers to get vaccinated. More issues with border bubble reopenings for NSW QLD residents who need to do essential work volunteer work schooling receive medical care or shop for essential household supplies where there is none available locally however there are still residents of QLD that are stranded trying to return home. 

I received another general Whatsapp message for some type of tv training but am having trouble logging in to Myer Metrics. I tried to find an IT contact number but have not been able to. This is not good news as It comes up with a message only authorised team members can use this site or something like that. I know that the Christmas casuals that had their contracts terminated were not given any notice, they were just locked out of the Myer system.

The NSW premier has decided to have a 11 am daily COVID announcement media press conference when she decided not to just the week before. 46.2 % double vaccinations  78.5 single vaccinations - rate slowed. There were  1257 COVID cases( 3 overseas )and 7 deaths overnight ( 90x 3 60 x 1 80 x 3 ) 3 were fully vaccinated but all contracted COVID in aged care facilities in hospital and/or had other medical conditions and in SW or other hotspot LGAs) . NSW premier is still pushing everyone to be vaccinated and NOT to expect unvaccinated people to expect the same freedoms as those that are double vaccinated and so if you choose to be unvaccinated then...... Literally threatening. Again during this announcement. What I wrote about in my blog about the homeless and vaccination was finally addressed today - the mobile vaccination van and also calling the government health service if you are having trouble getting an appointment to get vaccinated. She stressed again don't wait until the 80% double vaccination rate is reached before you get vaccinated as private organisation won't want unvaccinated patrons or employees even. OK so that 11 am announcement went on for 30 minutes!!!!

I find out that I am not the only team member who hasn't been vaccinated yet via a text message where they mentioned this as we were discussing home schooling and return to face to face schooling.

It's not a very nice day today but I must take the rubbish bin out tonight  and bring it back in tomorrow. 

Breaking news Sydney Airport is in a takeover bid. This has been mentioned before  ( considerations since June) but news today was who is like to take it over. One suggestion was superannuation funds. 

I've just applied online for jobs at Coles.  I need to do something besides worrying about future finances , why I can't log into Myer Metrics and whether I still have my casual job there as well as trying to figure out how and if I can bring forward my vaccination appointments and whether I will get an allergic reaction from it and what happens if I do as I have no neighbours and live alone and have no family or friends ( at least near by) as well as worrying about what is happening with the property I am currently renting and when I will have to move out and where I am going to move to. I have so much to do and think about even when I have nothing to do because we are still in lock down.

I'm watching an episode of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown with Eric Ripert. I missed half of this episode as I was filling in the job application and didn't realise Eric Ripert was on it and that the episode was one on Chocolate and Cacao . I like Anthony Bourdain and have read his Kitchen Confidential (and parts of his other books which I never managed to finish reading as they had far too much gore) but when the 2 chefs appear together it makes much more interesting viewing. I actually thought Eric Ripert was Anthony Bourdain when I first watched his solo cooking show. Eric is a lot shorter then Anthony it is noted.

4 pm and it's turn colder darker very grey and it looks as if it is about to rain if it hasn't started raining already. No one has put their red bin out yet so I'm waiting until they do. Quite a few people walking around though.  I think everyone is trying to get home before a storm hits.

I watched The Chase the news The Cook Up 8 Out of 10 Does Countdown and finally Have You Been Paying Attention  before falling asleep.

It rained all night and I am so glad I took the red bin out before it got really dark and wet. 

Tuesday 14th September 2021

Day 78 of an indefinite lockdown

It's not the best day today and I woke up early and went downstairs as soon as the red bin was emptied by the garbbos to bring the red bin back in. It's not even 8.30 am. Whilst I was taking the bin back in, I noticed a motor vehicle parked outside in the carpark next to Unit 1A. There should not be anyone else except me living here. Did this motor vehicle belong to someone the landlord knew or were they not aware of it. I had not seen this motor vehicle before. I hope tjey are not trying to break into Unit 1A below. If they do they can probably access the interior of this apartment block. Whoever it belongs to they have trespassed and parked illegally. I could not see the motor vehicle from my window and only noticed it when I went downstairs this morning and it looked as if it had been parked there for some time. Something suspicious is happening as there is always men talking to each other next door outside. I am unsure whether to call the police or not. Yesterday I spotted the stinky guy that used to reside here again chatting to a guy residing at the motel next door. I was looking out the window to see when everyone else along the street was taking their red bins out for rubbish collection day tomorrow and spotted him and her spotted me. It gave me the creeps a bit but I  don't think he means any harm. I did not intend for him to spot me and I wasn't trying to spot him. 

I just spotted a man and a woman trespassing. They just walked around from the side of the apartment block through the front entrance/exit of the front car park southbound along the highways footpath. I think they may be the same couple I spotted a month or so ago walking onto the property and out again. The woman had sun glasses on and a pink checked shirt. The man had a fluro orange fleecy work top on and was carrying some kind of walkie talkie. 

Today there was a very brief 5 minute 11 am daily COVID update minus the NSW premier - 78.8% single dose vaccinations 46.5 double dose vaccinations reached,  1127 COVID cases (8 overseas acquired cases) 2 deaths ( 80s x 1 in  hospital part vaccinated with other medical conditions & 50s x 1 in hospital part vaccinated with no other medical conditions ). There was no media press conference  present therefore no question time. The rate of double vaccination  has slowed with only a 0.3% increase from the previous day and same with the single vaccination rate if my calculations are correct.  It will be interesting to see what happens to this rate for the rest of this week.

The trespassers have returned. I cannot see what they are doing from my window as they are too far around the corner next to Unit 1A. The couple have now disappeared and gone their own ways , the guy Southbound and the lady Northbound but the motor vehicle is still parked outside in the front car park but was moved to a parking space parallel to the front brick wall and mail boxes. It is partially visible from my window so I was able to take a photo of it's license plate in case I decide to report it to the police. You can't just park on private property. I Google this and apparently it's not a police matter but a local council matter however there is no law to stop anyone from parking on private property. As long as they are just parking in the car park and not trying to squat or break in. I'm ok with it although the landlord and property management may not be. Maybe they have permission or an arrangement with them to park on the property. I will never know. I do feel a little safer but the mv is only there between probably 7 am and 3 pm. The motor vehicle has now disappeared or it could have reparked closer to unit 1A as I can't see it. 

3.30pm and I haven't even had a shower yet. It's windy cold wet and very grey outside. Not a day to go out. I wonder if it will be better tomorrow.

Are the figures wrong there were 78.8 % single dose vaccine and 46.5% double dose vaccines according to the NSW Health website but the %s were slightly higher on Channel 7 news @ 6 pm today. 

After watching The Chase, the news, The Cook Up and 8 Out of 10 Does Countdown I was lost as to what else I could watch so I watched The Masked Dinger where ex master chef George Calambrais was eliminated - he can't sing we all know that. After that I watched part of Cheap Seats I think it is called and fell asleep. It was cold and windy and wet outside.

Wednesday 15th September 2021

Day 79 of an indefinite lockdown.

It's a much nicer day today - the sun is partially out , there are a few clouds out but it's dry and not so windy. There sure is a lot of traffic outside.

I spot the same motor vehicle parked neatly in the front carpark again parallel to the block of mail boxes. It looks as if it has been parked there for a while when it was still dark ie before 7 am when I was awake.

I managed to log back into Myer Metrics and read some mcomms that were interesting putting them into my favourites.

I received a response from Myer yesterday in regards to Christmas employment at Chatswood in their online department. My inquiry has been passed onto HR. I hope that I can temporarily transfer as I want to be responsible during the COVID pandemic and limit my movements.

The NSW premier has decided to make an appearance for today's 11 am daily COVID announcement media press conference. Interesting!

11 am @ the vaccination hub out in the SW suburbs of Sydney Qudos Arena Olympic Park - Milestone 80% first dose reached and 47.5 % double dose. There were 1259 COVID cases and 12 deaths overnight.( 7  x Women  5 x Men - 30s x 2 x , 50s  x 3,  60s x  3,  70s x  2,  80s x 1 , 90 x1 -  10 were unvaccinated others partially vaccinated - again most were in hospital, in SW hot spot LGAs and had other medical conditions)  - cases are up again after 2 or 3 days of decline in cases. The NSW premier has made it clear that you cannot go anywhere without being double vaccinated once 80%. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are  claimed to be safe for pregnant and breast feeding women. The PUSH for everyone to get vaccinated continues. Curfews now lifted from SW hotspot LGAs

Still not much about those who are unvaccinated or can't be vaccinated or waiting to be vaccinated. Those who don't want to get vaccinated were reported to be inundating GP's for medical exemptions. I have tweeted about this and other concerns. I looked at the NSW heath website and the list of acceptable reasons to obtain a  medical exemption from getting vaccinated is really short compared the list of unacceptable reasons for not getting vaccinated. Who is responsible if someone gets a reaction to getting vaccinated resulting in short or long term health issues? Again the legal implications of mandating vaccinations has come up.

Yesterday I was looking for flights ( Qantas and Air Canada)  for Jan/Feb 2022 Sydney to Vancouver and direct flights are easy to find and reasonably priced out of Sydney but to return home they are few and far between, extremely expensive and all of them require at least one stop over in the US or elsewhere such as HK - there are no direct flights back to Sydney from Vancouver! So for all those double vaccinated with Astra Zenica and planning a holiday flying international - good luck navigating your way home (on any available  business class extremely expensive flights)especially with all the constant COVID rules and regulation changes in regards to international travel! Air Canada is rumoured to resume flights to?/from Australia following Hawaiian Airlines later in November/December 2021. 

Other news : Where is Kate Duchess of Cambridge? She is due to make her first appearance soon resuming her royal duties after over 2 months of not being seen.

Around lunch time a white van pulls up and parks outside the apartment block on the other side. Whoever they were they had a key to the front door of the apartment block. There was a lady and a guy . They gave me a bit of a shock as I had just got out of the shower so quickly got dressed. The van did not stay long. Next time I looked out the window it was gone. I wonder why they were here. Probably to read the meter or something. 

I did not feel like doing anything for the rest of the afternoon. I was going to venture out but didn't. 

I just registered at the last minute for this year's Blackmores Virtual Running Festival Family Fun Run which is 3.5 km long only. I am keeping it within the 5 km from home COVID restriction and did not bother to pay for the optional race medal as it is not a real race this year yet again. The normal route is over the bridge and through the city to the Opera House forecourt but due to the 5 km restriction I will have to modify the route I intend to run unlike last year's cancelled race which also became a virtual race however I was able to run the race closer to the actual race course last year as there were no restrictions as to where you could travel from where you resided. I won't bother to print out a virtual race bib either as last year I got soaked from the rain. This Sunday it is not forecast to rain. This run is in memory of my mother and is an annual event I participate in. I hope it does go ahead next year. I just sent an email to the Blackmores Running Festival organisers to ensure my entry including a prepaid preordered breakfast from 2019 for the cancelled 2020 race and now cancelled 2021 race is forwarded to the 2022 race.

Just received a call from the assistant store manager to return to work as the online department is busy. She wanted me to start tomorrow but I said next Monday. She said how about Friday and I said ok ( not really as I haven't been vaccinated yet and still afraid of catching COVID so far from where I live but I don't have anything else to do and I will have an excuse not to answer the Centrelink approved employment service provider. ) It is a bit of a co incidence that I got a call today to work after another team member could not work and after I got a response about applying for a job at Myer at Chatswood for the online department.

5 pm and the motor vehicle parked in the front car park has gone again. I think I will see it again on Friday as I have to leave for work by 7.30 am in order to get to work on time. I wonder what I will be doing - mainly picking apparently.

Breaking news the guy who was predicting COVID figures on TikTok is now in hospital himself. 

Other COVID news The effectiveness of the vaccines decreases over time and 3rd booster shots are ready being considered - I haven't even got my first shot yet!

Breaking news The Golden Century Restaurant, the Sydney institution that has been around for decades and that I wrote about previously in my blog,  is reopening thanks to a rescue package. They had gone into administration previously. 

I fell asleep after watching the usual  tv programs I watch The Chase the news The Cook Up 8 Out of 10 Does Countdown .

It's a cold night and I didn't get a good sleep again. My allergies and ezcema are really bad. 

Thursday 16th September 2021

Day 80 of an indefinite lockdown.

Not a nice day today overcast with a chance of rain and a top of 19 degrees C  but I woke up around 6 am and it was cold again. I looked out my window expecting that same motor vehicle to be parked outside in the front parking space but no by 8.30 am it was not there this morning. 

Less news on COVID and more news on other events happening.  I think all the COVID news is being saved for the daily 11 am whatever it is now COVID update today.

Breaking news today a 4 civilian space "rocket" is about to launch today . The first fully automated non astronaut manned space "rocket" to orbit the earth spearheaded by Elon Musk's Space X team. The civilians include an entrepreneur, a cancer survivor & 2 raffle ticket winners.

I have been listening and watching 5 member pop group Steps for the past few weeks and noticed how very ABBAish their music is. I find out that one of their more recent hits was actually written by Bennie and Bjorn and left a comment on one of their YouTube videos which got a like on how steps should appear LIVE as a headline act at the ABBA digitized reunion concert in May. Well what do you know their new Album is announced and their ABBAish music was mentioned on the Morning Show today. 

11 am  non NSW premier daily COVID update 1351 cases ( no overseas acquired cases) and  12 deaths ( 10 not vaccinated - details of deaths incomplete but the ones included in announcement were in aged care facility or hospital and had other medical conditions and from SW LGA hotspots )  - weren't these the same deaths as yesterday being reported? . 80.1% single vaccinated 48.5% fully vaccinated. If figures are correct that's only a 0.1% increase in single vaccination and a 1% increase in double vaccinations. More regional NSW areas are becoming COVID hotspots eg cases appearing in Albury. Lismore going 7 day lockdown as of 6 pm whilst other regional NSW areas have come out of lockdown. The government is stull pushing the Astra Zenica vaccine. Uh oh - the train services to/from Sydney/Aubury maybe in trouble due to the cases found in Albury. So glad I am not on that train service ( which terminates at Albury as the NSW/Vic is still shut). This 11 am announcement actually does have a question time with a media press conference - channel 7 just cuts this daily 11 am COVID announcement off as soon as the stats are announced. 30 minutes longer then usual however.........

This daily 11am COVID announcement media press conference question time is today cut short by Prime Minister media press conference on more important announcements such as the new partnership with Australia's allies the US and  the UK to build nuclear powered but not nuclear armed submarine in SA to protect Australia ( Indo pacific)  from ( the country US President would not name but who the trilateral partnership countries are aware is) China. Submerines will replace the troubled and behind schedule French Submarines. I think this is going to be a really long announcement so I may tune out on it. We know the headlines so the rest is just a motivational type speech.

Oh look he adds at the end of his speech a very short mention of the 70% vaccination rate reached ( I think? as it was tacked onto the end of his defence announcement speech and didn't really flow or make sense before passing onto I'm not sure who to speak).

I think there maybe squatters living in unit 1A below. I haven't been out for a while and this afternoon at 2 pm I saw that motor vehicle parked outside in the front car park again but closer outside unit 1A. The window has been smashed and the flyscreen is covered over the front bathroom window. There is a kettle sitting on the bench inside. I could be wrong but the landlord and property management company may not be impressed if there is a squatter. I have been taking photos of everything that looks suspect except what's inside the bins. Whoever the trespasses is, they can't be bothered using the correct bin I had put back into the dumpster area and has been dumping all their empty glass alcohol bottles into the just emptied red rubbish bin that I just put my general bag of rubbish in today.

I finally had a a shower and ventured out to get some essential grocery items. First stop Bakers Delight for a thickly sliced wholemeal loaf  then Chargrill Charlies for half a Portuguese chicken ( oh dear not as good as my last purchase) then Priceline for some Demazin antihistamines ( new on the market) then onto the post office for 4 local stamps ( I just can't find the original 10 I purchased previously) and an old fashioned aerogram - unfortunately still no stick vacuum cleaners or black ink cartridges available and finally an in out at Aldi ( after none of the products I wanted were available) then finally onto Coles where I grabbed as many essential items that I could for my lunch tomorrow.

On my way I stopped off at Starr Pharmacy where I inquired about the Moderna vaccine- you have to book and they had just put their Moderna order in and had not updated their website yet to take bookings so I left my name for them to add to the wait list and for them to send me a link to make a booking. They are only starting vaccinations from 7th October 2021 so I am still going to miss out on the new freedoms whatever they maybe on 18th October 21 again because I still won't be double vaccinated by then.

I unpacked my groceries as soon as I arrived home and made my lunch for work tomorrow after washing my hands and bleaching my masks. How do I feel about going back to work tomorrow? I'm not ready. I worry about having to leave home so early at 7.30 am in order to get to work on time and getting home so late at 7.30 pm when It's dark as I haven't left my apartment at all after it gets dark not even to do my laundry downstairs since this COVID pandemic as I am too scared too due to safety reasons living alone. I worry that I will not be able to do my job as well as I used to as it is online not face to face. I worry about forgetting my passwords or not being able to log in. I worry about contracting COVID on my way to and from work on public transport as it is so far from home. I haven't taken public transport since my last day at work back in June and don't even know how much I have left on my Opal card. I worry about finding an alternative safe and healthy place to live long term and I worry about vaccination. I worry about my allergies and my skin - it's just getting worse and I think it is due to the change in season all the stress and being in lock down for so long. No medication is working. My hair is turning white but that could be just age?! I'm still just getting over the passing of that aged care resident I had been corresponding with who passed away. Then there is the finances which doesn't bother me as much but it may in the future when things return to normal. Then there are other things like the constant harassment from the Centrelink approved employment service provider that also have to worry about - the pressure to sign that new job plan and meeting mutual obligations once we reach October and I return more to work. But this weekend I need to find time to do the virtual Family Fun Run in memory of my mother. 

So much to think about. I tried to sleep early tonight but after watching 8 Out of 10 Cats does count down I fell asleep only to wake again at 1.30 pm - a cup of green tea and finishing this blog I will try and sleep for another few hours until 6 am at least. It's just after 2 am now. I need to recharge my phone.

Friday 17th September 2021

Day 81 of an indefinite lockdown.

First day back at Myer since being stood down. My shift today was 9.30 am to 5.30 pm but in the online department picking and packing - I always wanted to work in the online department - I regret saying that now!

A cold but nice day. I'm still itchy but I got up at 5 am and stayed in bed until 6.30 am had a shower then gathered everything for my first day back at work. I have no idea how much I have on my Opal card as I haven't taken public transport since the end of June 21. I complete my Centrelink fortnightly income ( zero income reported) reporting on my way to work waiting for the next 144 bus then connecting onto the next Bline. I have 77 cents left on my Opal card after tapping on. I have another Opal card but have no idea how much is on that either. I am feeling a little anxious returning to  work. What if it does not go well? I'm just so far from home. I am still scared of cintracting COVID and wish I could transfer to work at Myer Chatswood  instead. Since I haven't travelled anywhere further then Chatswood, I took photos from the Bline as I crossed the Spit Bridge. It was a very slow descent towards it. 

I arrive super early and first take an antihistamine ( in the restroom as this was the safest place I could find to remove my mask)  as my eyes are watering and my nose is running. It happens a lot as soon as I arrive at the mall. They have live plants throughout the mall - loads of them! These plants are sprayed, watered and fertilized regularly. Not good for allergies. Next stop Woolworths the only place open to recharge my Opal card and to check it's balance. I was going to do a $20 top up but found there was still another $17 on my other card so I did not have to do a recharge at least for today.

Too early to clock in, I walk around the mall and it's a ghost town. Almost everything except supermarkets and some other essential stores such as pharmacies and banks are open. When I checked the staff entrance, there were 2 staff members that were suppose to start at 9 am. It was 8.50 am. I said I didn't want to hang around for half an hour  inside as I didn't start until 9.30 am so said I would come back before 9.25 am when the doors of the staff entrance reopened. 

I return around 9.15 am and the 2 staff members were still waiting outside the staff entrance. They apparently rang 5 different phone numbers for request to be let in. No one answered. This happened to a contractor once who I had to give the managers number to for them to ring. Finally we are let in. I punched in on my phone as I had to change my password again as requested by the app.

I arrive at work and have no idea where everything is or where to go or what to do. I am the last person back at work after being stood down. Everyone else has been back at work for weeks except for the customer service ma nager who told me she just returned the day before and she was stood down as well. I knew that. What I found a bit creepy was how she knew about ex team member ticket girl was looking for a part time job for months and telling how she know a lot of things about team members. Stalker! I am actually not surprised as she does live in the same suburb as ex team member ticket girl and team member I want to be a team leader - she probably lived on the same street as them although they both didn't think so. 

So the first part of the morning I spent picking and then packing then I am probably picking again after lunch. There was a short team meeting which I missed a bit of as I was in a reserve picking things. I got in trouble for not taking a morning tea break at the set time by the customer service manager and because I didn't want to go out for lunch, decided not to have lunch until later which was ok as there were staggered lunch breaks of 45 minutes ( you have to take 15 min and 45 min breaks not a full 1 hour break for lunch. Lunches were at 1 pm 2 pm and 4 pm for those working until well 8 or 9 pm. It was a tough first day back but everyone was so nice and helpful. I was surprised of who has been working for most if not all of the time since lockdown .

I was given 3 batches to pick but only managed to almost complete 1 batch. I think I would have completed it if my zippy didn't run out of batteries 3 times in a row! 5.30 pm and I punched out on my phone again and made sure I turned my location off straight after I did so. There were others finishing at 5.30 pm with me so the customer service manager was called to the staff entrance/exit to let us out. Bag check again. 

To get home I cross the main road up and over the overpass catching the first bus to Manly. It took forever and I'm always the last person off the manly bus whenever I catch it. I was really thirsty so stopped at a Tobacco store and purchased a cold bottle of sparkling lime mineral water before crossing the road to wait for and catch the next 144 bus home. There were a few people on it and I tried to sit as far back on the bus as possible. Home after 7 pm so I missed the news but managed to watch The Living Room 

I missed the 11 am daily COVID announcement media press conference today as I was at work. So when I arrived home caught up on YouTube.

In summary 1284 COVID cases with  12 deaths.    Approximately 49% of NSW residents have been fully vaccinated and approximately 80% have had one vaccination. And yes the new premier was present again today.

I got a text today whilst I was at work from the VM team member who could not return to work due to home schooling and school holidays and the amount of notice a school required for a child to return to face to face learning. She asked me how my first day back at work was and I responded with one word "chaos!"

I finally got a text during work from the property manager who advised me of the following :

"Hi ********. We are going to be having the building thoroughly cleaned ready for new tenants. Can you please move all your kitchen items into 1 cupboard and advise which cupboard by way of photo so I know that this is yours. You have until next Saturday. M****** - **** property consultants "

My response was:

"I don't have any in the communal kitchen. Only in the studio."

There response was:

"So nothing belongs to you in the kitchen?"

My response was :

"I only have a laundry bag which I will take back upstairs and a pair of gloves. Last I looked there wasn't anything else. I have a bag of water bottles to dispose of outside my door . Could not get to the bins because someone parked right in front of the gates to the dumpster and left their MV there all day "

The property manager probably does not remember but when I first moved it over 2 years ago, the kitchen downstairs was kept quite clean and it was cleaned at least once a week and I used it for a while when I needed to however over time in the first year it became so disgusting and weekly cleaning became less and even stopped so I decided to discontinue using it at all and just cook in the studio. The property manager had advised me that they had planned to allocate a cupboard for each resident with unit numbers labelled on each of them - this never happened and residents were leaving food items and cooking utensils and equipment everywhere on the bench in the cupboards  - there was no spare cupboards to put my stuff in anywhere in the kitchen. Even after residents moved out to this day they have left stuff in cupboards. I had a look last time I was doing my laundry curious as to what was in these kitchen cupboards -  you don't want to know! There is no way I am leaving anything down in the communial kitchen and I am so glad I never stored anything down there since I moved in. The only times I go down to the communal  kitchen is to do my laundry and when I had to do an initial burn off for my new bench top oven ( which I still have and use in my studio) so I don't set the apartment on fire or breathe in the chemical fumes as it was burnt off. 

I still don't know who the motor vehicle belongs to that kept parking next to Unit 1A and blocking the dumpster gate so I could not get to the blue or yellow bins to put my empty bottles into but I do know they were illegally dumping all their glass bottles into the red bin ( that I had just pulled back in empty after rubbish collection day)  I left out near the front in the car park ( thank goodness I did otherwise I would not have been able to put my rubbish out into it or access it to take out on rubbish collection day). I did not mention this to the property  manager in my text that they were disposing of all their empty glass alcohol bottles into the red bin instead of disposing them in the correctly coloured bins their motor vehicle was blocking.

Because I arrived home so late I only managed to watch part of 8 out of 10 Does Countdown and catch most of  The Living Room falling asleep after it.

I received an email from a Meetup sketch group ( (which I have never actually attended in person after signing up for one of their Meetup events then not actually not attending it as it was looking as if it was going to rain that morning and the events are mostly outdoors) that advised of the following :

"Dear SSC Members

In the hope that ‘’Freedom Day’’ in New South Wales is confirmed on 18 October (when apparently groups of 20 will be able to gather outside), I am crossing my fingers that I could post our first in-person sketch meetup on the weekend of 23/24 October in the Glebe area (rescheduling St Scholasticas).

Please be advised, as per NSW government guidelines, meetups are for fully vaccinated members only. You will need to present your Vaccination Certificate on arrival and it is expected that all members attending future events, will adhere to NSW Health Orders in place at the time. Please have a mask, if it is still mandatory outdoors at the time we meet up.

Question: What about if I have a medical exemption?  Answer: We will be following NSW government mandates. Any such person will be expected to have formal documentation supporting that assertion and to social distance as appropriate.

Note that until we are back to being able to have unlimited numbers, a No-Show will be considered unacceptable. Please make sure you change your RSVP if your circumstances change, so that someone on the waiting list can attend instead.

If I could offer a ray of light at the end of the tunnel, I have been in discussions with an accommodation provider about us having a sketch weekend away in the Southern Highlands at the end of November – hopefully that is an added incentive for being vaccinated?

Keep well till we finally get to sketch outside again.

J*******"

Why have I posted the above message ? I think there may be a few people that the NSW premier may have pissed off with her pathway to freedom plans 

I had a very long sleep tonight as I was so tired from my first day back at work. That did not mean it was an early night's sleep or a good night's sleep.

Saturday 18th September 2021

Day 82 of an indefinite lockdown.

It's another yukky morning overcast and it was cold again last night when I was travelling home. 

I slept in until 8 am . 

News seems to have shifted to other state's COVID news - heavy police presence and no public transport running into the CBD in order to stop  yet another anti lockdown protest, the discussions of the difference between how NSW and VIC are planning their roadmaps out of COVID and their approaches to current lockdown rules and regulations and freedoms allowed, allowing liquor licences to extend onto public space therefore utilising them ( great idea but may cause problems), the constant optimism that travel interstate and overseas will recommence again in December 21 in time for Christmas  ( with a target date to recommence on 18th December by Qantas) and the end of hotel quarantine to home quarantine for returning travellers  which is currently being trailed by a group of returning Paralympics in SA as well as plans to select a broad demographic of returning travellers into this trial ( 7 day quarantine rather then 14 quarantine using facial recognition and geographic location technology). Possible overseas destinations Fiji and Singapore were always on the cards with Hawaii,  Europe, US, Canada - that's basically most of the world - all waiting for Australia to open up. Hurdles are paperwork at departure and arrival at international airports as every country has different COVID  entry requirements and quarantine and testing requirements as well as which vaccines are approved for travel/entry into countries ( which I have previously mentioned). Australia only has 3 TGA approved vaccines whereas other countries have more which are not approved for entry into Australia.

The first batch of Moderna vaccine arrives!

Other news headline non COVID related  - the group of 4 civilian non astronauts on the Space X  "rocket" seem to be having a great time floating around in their capsules in space! Video footage is shown of them eating what looked like floating M & Ms or skittles. They answer kids' questions such as "Are there cows floating around in space?" 

There was the first mention of the Winter Olympics planned to commence on 4th February 2022 in Beijing with the statement being  :  " Together For a Shared Future" (?) especially after the recent news about AUKUS ( refer AUS US UK nuclear submarines trilaterial agreement) Besides pissing China off Australia has also pissed France off. How can Australia feel safe now? I don't ! What if China forms an alliance with France in the future? Not an impossibility ( as France is a socialist country and China is a communist one)  eventhough these submarines are not being built until many years into the future. More diplomacy should have been used between all countries involved. It happened like a charging bull -  how much thought actually went into this trilateral agreement? Here we go again do it now fix it later if it breaks! Another Australia is a lucky country de ja vu? ( read my previous blog on what I always thought Australia is a lucky country meant verses what someone explaining to me of what it really means ie always managing to dodge the bullet or two). French ambassadors have been told to leave Australia and the US. Come on Australia why didn't you include France instead of dumping them altogether? Can the government fix this Yes they still can! There are talks that Canada and NZ may also be included in this trilateral submarine  "deal" . 

Other news Coke changes their formula ( zero sugar) and logo with new advertising- I  don't drink coke so don't really care but it made the news.

So much to do today!!!! Mostly preparation. Rubbish bagged and sealed ready to take out. Laundry sorted into 2 loads whites and coloured. Shopping List is now being written up. I polished the full length wardrobe window and swept the most of the tiled floor as I still don't have a vacuum cleaner - There is nowhere close to get one. I had a vegetarian breakfast as I have not gone shopping yet 

There were 1331 COVID cases and 6 deaths overnight ( 40s - 80's all from SW hotspot LGAs all fully vaccinated or partially vaccinated). There is talk thst these daily 11 am COVID announcement media press conferences are going to be discontinued . The constant message is we getting closer and closer to the 70% - closer and closer to what? We are still in lockdown even though I have finally returned to work ( by the way I only have 1 half shift from 1.15 pm - 5.30 pm on 29th September 2021 - it takes me 2 buses and 2 hours just to get to work one way and I think costing me more then $15 return in fares!)

1 pm and it is suddey cold and dark ( I have my heater on again" By 2 pm there is the sound of thunder.  I can hear the motor vehicles swishing by - it's raining. I remember it rained around the same weekend last year on the weekend of the virtual Blackmores Running Festival ( refer my Facebook or previous year's blog). The rain is getting heavier outside my window. I haven't left the apartment today to venture out and don't think I will. Finally the weather clears up a little. It's still overcast but at least it has stopped raining.

51.9 % of NSW  residents is now fully vaccinated.

This phone is dying, I really need a new one but Samsung has decided to delay a release of a new Note for this year because it has too many new release phones already ( the 2 fold phones which are s pen enabled but not practical for me). So disappointed!

Nothing much to watch on tv on a saturday night so It's the food channel and YouTube.

Sleep .

Sunday 19th September 2021

Day 83 of an indefinite lockdown and end of a another week in lockdown.

A nice day today and today is The Blackmores Virtual Running Festival - I have to venture out today and at least take a walk in memory of my mother. I have registered and after so many failed attempts to log into the Race Roster app after reinstalling it  ( I tried at least 10 times) finally managed to log in. It's almost 8 am so I am hoping to head out and start walking after 9 am Southbound towards the Harbour Bridge - unsure if I will actually cross it. I don't need to take the recent new freedoms of being able to picnic in a group of 5 fully vaccinated people as I don't have any people I know. It's a solo walk for me today.

Today is Space X amateur astranaughts' ( dubbed Inspiration4) preparation for re entry at 9.06 am EST today live after orbiting the earth for 3 days. Re entry is more risky back down to Earth then blasting off. The whole project was to raise money for charity and to collect data from medical and scientific experiments conducted in spsce. The splashdown of the "Dragon" capsule happened almost to the second as planned. Waiting for the Dragon to be hoisted onto the "Dragon's Nest" on the recovery vessel  . The hatch has now been opened and it's not even 10 am - it was estimated it would take an hour before the amateur astranaught would be able to leave their "Dragon" capsule.

I looked back in my blogs back to when Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic ventured to the border of space back on 11th July 2021. I did not write about Jeff Bezos' New Shepherd rocket into space on 20th July 2021 - probably because COVID lockdown in NSW was at it's height, much more concerning and keeping upto date with the latest COVID news which dominated daily news headlines was why I forgot to or missed it. He wasn't the first millionaire to venture into space so maybe wasn't as important as Richard Branson's  Virgin Galactic's successful virgin voyage into space a week or so previously.

Anti lockdown protests in Melbourne ( moved to Richmond ) and Sydney - out at Alexandria  ( where the protest wasn't as large because there were 1500 police officers out in force outnumbering protesters and shutting down protesters )  has resulted in multiple arrests by police ( at least 6 police injured in Melbourne  with an estimated 700 protesters attending) . There were reported 20 arrests at the Sydney protest and 235 arrested in Melbourne although it was claimed in Melbourne those arrested weren't actually anti lockdown protesters but angry young men attacking police.

Freedom day in NSW is now planned to be earlier then Oct 18th this year - now first day of freedom is  Oct 11th, a week earlier. forecasted 70% double vaccination reached on 9th October. 80% double vaccination forecasted to be reached by 20th October 2021 

The lower unemployment rate is being discussed again. In a nut shell the figure from the ABS is wrong and everyone knows it. The real  unemployment rate is so much higher then it actually is recorded. The unemployment rate is much lower then it actually is and has been during COVID because it does not accurately take into account the following : all the people who have stopped work all together whether they resigned to concentrate on caring for their families , homeschooling,  got COVID or became too sick to work for example, retired or don't want to work anymore, were terminated or made redundant from their jobs, stood up from their jobs temporarily, simply stopped looking for work because there was no point, the large portion of people who were partially employed and/or underemployed due to having their hours being cut etc etc. 

After watching the live coverage of Inspiration4 splashing back to earth safely and seeing the hatch of the Dragon capsule open and each of the passengers alight from the capsule and me  making a few comments on the live feed including a congrats message - sure makes you want to travel into space but that's decades away as we are not  even permitted to travel 5 km from home at the moment! ( great training for anyone having to do 14 days quarantine at home although the inspiration4 were only stuck in isolation together for 3 days in confined quarters) .

I had a shower, walked around the apartment block to have a look at each of the studios and rooms except for unit 1A ( only 2 rooms downstairs units 2 and 3 have no bathrooms and share 1 bathroom across the hallway all other studios have bathrooms although I had to look hard to find where they were - the largest studio at the back had their bathroom hidden behind the door to it and unit 5 next to me had one hidden in a corner you stepped up into - I thought it was behind a set of wardrobe doors you stepped into!) . 

I  took the rubbish out to the red bin and began my 3.5 km walk/jog for the 2nd Virtual Blackmores Running Festival. I suspect others were out and about doing it as well. I haven't spotted anyone with a print out of a race bib - I didn't even bother this year! Ink for printers are not easily obtainable.

I missed the 11 am NSW premiers daily COVID announcement media press conference because I was doing the Virtual Blackmores Running Festival Family Fun Run ( trying to anyway). So I am catching up via YouTube - overnight there were 1083 COVID cases ( 2 overseas acquired cases)  and 13 deaths (9 men & 4 women,40s x1 50 x 2 60 x 2 70 x 5 80 x 3)  majority from SW and Western  Sydney, 2 from Northern Sydney and 1 from Dubbo, 9 unvaccinated 2 partially vaccinated, 2 were fully vaccinated a man and a woman but both had other medical conditions and older, deaths usually in aged care facilities hospital and a few at home. There were a lot of regional areas in NSW with COVID detected in their sewerage treatment plants.

The NSW premier also announced that all pool across NSW will open next Monday 27th September 2021 with COVID safe plans in place. I want to know how public pools can spread COVID. Only if you use the saunas or steam room or hot tubs or if there are too many people in indoor change rooms where there are shared facilities. You would think heat would kill off the virus but hot tubs and sauna/steam rooms are probably the most germiest  shared facilities to use. The heat an chlorine ( in hot tubs) is probably not hot enough to kill viruses but warm enough to incubate them That's why you should never put your head under water in hot tubs!!!!!! I got REALLY sick one year from using a communal hot tub overseas - I'm talking COVID  strength Delta strain equivalent sick!!!!!! However if you are just swimming in highly chlorinated indoor pool water with a good filtration system and ventilation which is not heated or an outdoor cold chlorinated pool with plenty of natural sunshine viruses should not thrive. That's my theory anyway. UV light loads of it is what viruses hate.

I have so much to write about. So I had just pressed the start button on the Runkeeper app after walking Southbound towards the Harbour Bridge around 11 am this morning  ( after managing to finally log in,  find my race registration and linking it to Run keeper only to find it's in miles and wanted access to my location ie GPS .Don't use Runkeeper It's the worst app to use. ) when I am so rudely interrupted by a phone call from the assistant store manager from Myer asking me about my vaccination status. I had already told her previously about how I was still waiting to get my first vaccination. I did not tell her about how I might try and get a medical exemption but advised her how I can't get the Astra Zenica vaccine only Pfizer or Moderna and still trying to find an appointment earlier to get vaccinated.  Myer is just preparing now  in case NSW health orders mandate vaccination in work places in October. So I estimate that I just added an extra 5 minutes onto my race finishing time as I did not press the pause button when my phone rang ( I should not have to when I'm in a real race). So I continued my walk/jog carrying my heavy backpack along the main highway passing through the suburbs of Lane Cove, Greenwich, St Leonards, Crows Nest and finally Stopping in North Sydney.  I press stop on Run keeper. It indicated that I had walked/jogged 2.39 miles in 44.46 minutes. Unfortunately this was incorrect and I emailed Blackmores Running Festival organisers of how I can manually enter my time as  1. I over ran the 3.5 km since Run keeper defaults to miles not km and I did not know where on the app to change this to km. I therefore Googled how to convert 3.5 km into miles and it is only 2.175 miles therefore I overran the Virtual Family Fun Run by .215 miles. 2. The route I took had so many traffic lights. If I had to wait 2 minutes at every single traffic light  along the main highway I could easily deduct another 10 minutes off my final time. 3. That pesky 5 minute phone call from work asking me for my vaccination status also cost me another 5 minutes therefore should also be deducted off my final time. 

As soon as I reached North Sydney except for other walkers runners and joggers, it was a ghost town - it always is on weekends as North Sydney is a business district. Almost everything is closed except maybe the odd takeaway or convenience or corner store selling overpriced snacks drinks basic grocery supplies cigarettes possibly stationery . 

After a brief stop to turn off my location setting on my phone and log out of Run keeper via Race roster via a link from Blackmore Running Festival organisers email ( I had so much trouble getting in and out of it completely and the app is  probably still running invisibily in the phone background) . I am now unsure how to get home or to Lane Cove to do some essential grocery shopping by bus back along the main highway. I see a bus to Chatswood via Willoughby but that's  not where I want to go. So instead of getting on a train from North Sydney Station to St Leonards  before transferring onto a bus across the main highway home or walking all the way back home in the opposite direction, I kept walking - I don't know where I was walking to but it was quite a nice sunny day warm in most areas but a little windy in some. I ended up walking down Blues Point Rd perpendicular to North Sydney Station.  I have never been down that road before even when I was working in North Sydney many years ago I never explored that area behind and along North Sydney Station. There were quite a few people walking down Blues Point Road and there was a small park  ( St Peters Park) with a nice sculpture and lookout to the Sydney Harbour Bridge with a warning sign of a steep drop just around the corner on Blues point Rd from North Sydney Station so I decided it was my first stop. I loved the old sandstone church across across the road from the park and the different architecture along and in the many side lanes of Blues Point Rd including a cute little pink fishing style cottage in one of the side lanes I spotted ( sorry no photo I was planning to take a photo walking back but I never returned the same route)  Photos below :

I continued down Blues Point Rd full of little shops cafes restaurants etc but didn't stop and purchase any take away snacks although I was a little hungry and thirsty. I stopped at one of the side lanes that lead down to what looked like harbour views and spotted people walking down it. I wasn't intending to take this walking route as I wanted to explore Lavender Bay - another harbour I have never visited. Another day perhaps when I have some time again I will explore the rest of Lavender Bay & surrounds I have missed today on my walk - I can't believe  the amount of places I have never visited in my own backyard! My ex manager many years ago always told me that I could go anywhere from where I now live and she was not wrong!

So from Blues Point Rd I took a left turn downhill I think down King George St which continued to the right as Bay View Street. There was a reserve and a set of stairs beside the railway line above however I wasn't sure whether to take these stairs or not or where they led to. There was a couple seated on one of the 2 benches facing the reserve and set of stairs and another small  gathering of South African family or friends having a picnic on the other bench. I decide to follow the crowds after taking a photo or two down the set of stairs of the reserve giving way to all the foot traffic coming up the set of stairs. I could see Luna Park in the distance - so that's where these stairs led to - a beautiful board walk along the harbour with heaps of whalves, sea craft, fishermen, walkers/joggers/runners and small groups of 5 (hopefully fully vaccinated) people having picnics everywhere. Here there were sets of old archway with stairs leading to streets and lanes above with the main railway line above clse by. Sandy patches for dipping your feet into the harbour's salt water which is not quite a beach and loads of barnacles were visible clinging tightly onto every rock and wooden wharf pillar.  I also spotted a hidden toilet block ( it was really hidden behind vegetation and facing towards the sets of arches)

Under the Northern side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. All 3 forms of public transport ferry bus & train  arrives and departs from Milsons Point within walking distance of each other. 

This is where the annual Blackmores Running Festival  normally starts

Sculpture located near Milsons Point Station

North Sydney Olympic Pool closed for major renovations - currently it is a big hole in the ground

The entrance to Luna Park - Still smiling eventhough  it has remained closed since the beginning of this 2nd lockdown. Inside the gates it's a ghost town and most of the roller coaster rides have been dismantled for repairs and maintenance.

The board walk from the opposite direction Luna Park towards McMahons Point

Great view of Sydney Harbour Bridge from the Northern side of Sydney & Milsons Point Ferry Wharf

Cafe/restaurant window display that remains closed and empty inside

I've never really noticed this caution sign before

The board walk toward Luna Park with a ferry arriving at Milsons Point Ferry Wharf

The Ferris Wheel at Luna Park - an institution but very small in comparison to The Star in Melbourne's Docklands even the one in Sydney's  Darling Harbour. A must go on ride with magnificent views of Sydney Harbour even if you are scared of heights it's the safest ride to go on. 

I think this main building inside Luna Park is called Crystal Palace ? Been in there quite a few times in my life but never knew what it was called. It has a food and drink area and other things inside it

View of the tracks of some roller coaster  rides tgat have been dismantled for repairs and maintenance inside Luna Park 's gates.

The main roller coaster in Luna Park

"No Fishing" OK that makes sense but a "Designated Smoking Area . Please Use Ash Trays"? I didn't see any ash trays and wouldn't these outdoor designated smoking areas encourage smokers to toss their butts into the harbour? 

This I believe is Wendy Whitney's Secret Garden, a quiet pocket of grass almost completely shaded over by a large tree with a bench on either side of it. 

I included this photo for readers to see that the Sydney Harbour Bridge is not the only landmark on the harbour foreshore, across on the other side of the Harbour Bridge in the far distance is the Anzac Bridge ( otherwise known as the giant tuning fork connecting the Sydney cbc to Sydney's Inner Western suburbs eg Balmain) & One barangaroo The Skyscraper Centre .

Along the boardwalk there are a series of interesting mini sculptures where visitors leave pieces of flora they have plucked along the way from the variety of vegetation growing freely along the shoreline.

The Northern train lines runs partially parallel to the boardwalk.

Snuggle Pot & Cuddle Pie by May Gibbs

This sign post says it all.

Not quite a beach but a cove big enough to dip your feet into the cool sea water

Another old ship yard - one of countless scattered all around Sydney's habour foreshores.

Arches and stairs  beneath the main Northern suburbs railway line lead to the streets and lanes above.

Picnicers everywhere! It was the perfect day to be out & about and not too crowded as well.

The stairs look much steeper then they actually are

The view from the top of the reserve already spectacular

The top of Bob Gordon Reserve King George St Lavernder Bay - oh so that's why It's called Lavender Bay - there was Lavender growing along the harbour foreshore.

Signage as to where you are really helps

The stairs next to the reserve down to the board walk

King George St 

I keep walking but I must have taken about 50 photos with my phone of the harbour views.  Along the way there were little sculptures where people had picked the local flora and placed on them. The flora was amazing along the harbour  board walk - the purple lavender and other colourful miniature flowers. Photos can only describe what a beautiful day and walking route it was. The secrets garden before reaching Luna Park at Milsons Point where the ferry wharf was - I decided not to go on one as they were quite crowded.  All the amusement rides at Luna Park  were dismantled during COVID lockdown for maintenance and repairs I hope. People were taking photos of the Ferris wheel overlooking the Harbour Bridge - sitting still absent is a by passengers. I continue walking past the currently closed for renovations  North Sydney Olympic pool an institution . Where a decades old outdoor partially covered pool was is now a a big fat hole in the ground - a construction site boarded and locked up . Across from it is Bradfield Park - the usual gathering  point near the starting line of the annual Blackmores Running Festival attracting tens of thousands of participants with volunteer tends sponsor tents and rows of portaloos as well as other race related check points - today about 80% of the park is full of heavy construction equipment with the remaining green grasses areas scattered with small groups of people having picnics. More people are playing in the l and bowls area right next to Milsons Point Station. I continue my walk under the arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge across the road . I made a slight mistake thinking the road underneath the arch of the harbour Bridge connects up and around Bradfield Park so I can cross back over the park and walk back up to Milsons Point Station. Oops I was wrong, it looked liked the construction materials actually blocked off most of the park probably to prevent crowds gathering in the park but also because of all the construction going on around in the area. I took a quick walk around the reserve and took some photos of the 2 archways you can walk through or sit on the benches and enjoy the shelter with views of the reserve or harbour. Great place to sit and have a picnic on a rainy day! I make my way uphill past Bradfield Park towards Milsons Point station however my adventures are not yet over. I need some basic grocery items so I decided the quickest way back home via the nearest super market was by train from Milsons Point station to St Leonard Station stopping at the IGA there - oh how I hate supermarkets! It's starve or run in and grab what I need as quickly as possible. Before catching the 144 or whatever bus happens to pass by first. 

As I was walking up Alfred Street to Milsons Point Station to catch a train  which I was not keen on either, I found a small independent chain supermarket which is not part of the IGA  supermarket group. I had been wondering what this supermarket was actually as they are a small but growing chain of supermarkets but are slightly more expensive and their niche is meant to be quality local and environmentally friendly products rather then larger mass produced commercialised chain supermarket products. QE Foods - they had some really nice large pump blueberries in a small punnet out front with the bags of mandarins oranges and apples. I didn't really want to go in as there was a long queue of people waiting at the single register inside so I waited until most of them had exited before scanning the QR code to check in before entering. There was not a lot of variety but I grabbed a punnet of the large plump blueberries,  a punnet of strawberries,  some chicken sausages,  a large firm yellow kiwi fruit,  a large banana,  a large passion fruit,  a packet of spinach,  a block of non lactose cheese,  a box of on special medium garbage bags  and found a large packet of my favourite noodles - Korean sweet potato glass noodles! I had not seen these anywhere and they were $10 a packet but should be worth it as an alternative to the bulk packets of Korean instant noodles I usually buy.  Photo below. 

All QE stores have typical black and white signs mounted on solid brown  backgrounds such as sandstone.

There is no English on the packaging except on the front! See what I mean, I had to pick it up but I didn't put it back even with no English cooking instructions on it

Whilst I was in the supermarket tgere was an announcement not to pick up and put back items to minimise the risk of COVID. no other supermarket has this announcement - towards the beginning of the pandemic major supermarkets had but they have all since abandon it. If you are unsure of what an item is , pick up the wrong item or have to read the list of ingredients due to special dietary requirements you have to pick up the item and put it back. I happened to pick up a fresh bottle of beetroot juice only to put it straight back because it was leaking all over my hand and was sticky. I did advise the check out operator who only had a paper towel and some hand sanitiser to wipe my sticky hand with. I quickly took my items to the checkout and paid by card with an additional $10 cash out in coins for laundry money. All stuffed into my string bag I walk to Milsons Point Station to get tge next train back to st Leonards to pick up a few more grocery items on my list unavailable at QE Foods. The train I boarded was deserted.  I checked how many km I actually  walked today - around 4.4 or more km according to Google maps measure distance function. I am unsure about that - do they use the straight line method? 

Milsons Point Station 

Off the train at St Leonard's Station I look around before looking into the IGA which I thought was closed but it was actually open with not many people in there. QR code scanned I enter and search for misding grocery items on my shopping list. toilet paper! I grab 2 rolls of a brand of toilet paper I had been looking for but had not found. It's called "who gives a crap" and is totally plastic wrap free which I like . I can't stand plastic wrapped toilet paper. Photos below ( I randomly picked 2 rolls - the packaging is really cute). 

I grab some other grocery  items a bottle of green juice some corn chips and chicken drumstick on special and an extra  $1 cash out as I am short $1. 

Home on the first bus across the main highway home. The 144 comes first. I hop on. As soon as I arrive home I wash my hands and bleach my masks before unpacking my groceries.

I watch some news and episode 2 of a 10 episode series  Inside Central Station Australia Busiest Railway on SBS at 7.30 pm on Sunday night's.

Some more SBS Food channel-  more episodes of Anthony Bordain's Parts Unknown before falling asleep. 

My ezcema has been bad and is infected in parts due to my scratching but getting out today in the sun has actually improved it a little. I think I need to get out in the sun and fresh air more. 

I had a great day out today. 

Monday 20th September 2021 & Week 78 Of  Underemployment

Day 84 of an indefinite lockdown.

Another beautiful day but I was coughing from all the smoke from the back burning that started last night and woke me up. I thought it was the neighbours chimney smoke again but woke up to find out from the 6 am news that it was back burning again. Eye watering nose running and a very bad coughing fit I quickly took an antihistamine and put a mask on having slept with my window closed I could still smell it through the night. The antihistamine worked instantly and so did putting on a mask.

The news has focused to Victoria pathway to freedom plan and not NSW as much. There is now discussion  as to why the pathways to freedom are not aligned between the states of NSW & VIC. The hotspot LGAs in the SW suburbs of Sydney now have asll the same freedoms as  the rest of Greater Sydney except for permits are still required for exemptions to leave for work outside these LGAs.

I'm waiting until the 11 am daily COVID announcement by the NSW premier until I leave to venture out or do anything today. 

53% double vaccinations reached. 935 COVID cases ( 1 overseas acquired case) and 4 deaths overnight.(  80 x 1  80 x 1 (1st vac)  60 x 1 60 x 1 (1st vac ) , all had other medical conditions in hospital or from aged care facilities , from SW suburbs except 1 and are mix of male and female)  The announcement switches to the investment in WestConnex project in South western Sydney in between. Faster connection to the airport? which one the existing one or the new one yet to be built. I don't get the daily figures each day the number of COVID cases is dropping by approximately 200 per day. Is this co incidence? Are there less numbers of people coming forward to be tested? Is it because people in all LGAs are now free to have picnics and have unlimited outdoor exercise - ie allowed fresh air and natural sunshine instead of being in strict lockdown indoors for prolonged periods of time with little to no natural light or fresh air from cross ventilation? The virus is now free to dissipate into the fresh open air or be killed by the sun's heat and UV light! Something is just not right here.

It's now past noon and I'm still haven't left home. I just booked an alternative first dose vaccination for Moderna but hit a few glitches 1. no bookings on weekends. Tuff luck I will just have to take a day off work not that I have any work. I don't really want to go back as I only have one single  4 hour shift next Tuesday which was already cancelled and reschedule from original Wednesday 29th September 2021in Kronos ( waiting for Myer to cancel that as well)  and because I was one of the very last casual employee's to be call back to work after being stood down as well as having been with Myer for a year and not having been offered a part time position. I am a bit sick of the constant cancellation and rescheduling  of shifts at the ladt minute as well. I have spent quite a bit of time looking for alternative employment in my spare time. I will keep looking just like ex team member ticket girl. Even if it takes me 4 years like it did for her. I will be really retired by then! 2. I had to rebook the vaccine appointment for 11.45 pm on 14th October 2021 as it disappeared ofc the screen - no long forms to fill out like the government website but I did have to find and record my Medicare card number. 3. One single vaccination appointments can be made online unlike the government website bookings and the booking systems is not appearing beyond the 14th October 2021. 

Whilst booking the first vaccination appointment I read up on employment law via the Fair Work website  including topics on workplace  vaccination requirements, compensation for adverse reactions/side effects resulting from vaccinations ( noting it is currently only applicable to include enlarged heart from Pfizer and blood clots from  Astra Zenica ) with maximum compensation  payments without legal proceedings - coverage lose of income and hospitalization costs as a result of deterioration in health short and long term is really important and finally employment laws in regards to request to convert to permanent employment after long term casual employment ( you can request an employer to become a permanent employee after 12 months as a casual employee with conditions of course).

Oh my goodness watching the 6 pm news - 4 pm today and tradies in Melbourne protest violently outside the Union HQ on Elizabeth Street against compulsory vaccination. 

I had an early dinner of cold pickled mixed vegetables I prepared earlier by finely Julienning mini cucumbers, a carrot, shallot stalk, mini capsicums and chopped coriander mixed with sweet pickle juice, sesame seeds, soya sauce, fried shallots, sesame oil, ground pepper, garlic paste, chilli flakes and basil mixed with my favourite Korean sweet potato glass noodles. I was going to add some oven roasted chicken or poached chicken but it didn't need it at all. Such a tasty cold dinner! I'm going to make it again after I go grocery shopping!

Damn it my Myer half shift on 28th Sept has again been cancelled and reschedule for Saturday 25th September 2021 9 am - 6 pm on Kronos!!!!! I can't keep checking it every day.

6.30 pm and a gust of gale force winds just past outside my window. it is quite windy outside. Oh my goodness- so glad I emptied my rubbish and took the red bin out earlier it is still gale force winds outside! The winds continue into later into the night.

I watch part of The Chase , The news, The Cook Up, 8 Out of 10 Does Countdown &  Task Master ( I briefly switched to channel 10 to watch HYBPA but decided not to watch it as they are encoded on Friday night's later in the night and I have not watched an episode of Task Master before).

I pay one bill but fall asleep.

Tuesday 21st September 2021

Day 85 of an indefinite lockdown.

I wake to a not so nice day and by 9 am it is still windy and overcast.

I woke up at 6 am this morning and there was loads of interesting COVID and non COVID news.

I had breakfast and went downstairs very soon after the red bin was emptied by the garbo truck to wheel it back in.

So breaking news today - the Australian prime minister Scomo has touched down in NY and will be meeting tomorrow face to face one on one  with Joe Biden - I thought he has already met face to face with him previously with Boris Johnson the UK prime minister- maybe that was the foreign minister not prime minister of Australia. France is still pissed off.

Princess Beatrice has given birth to her 1st child making it the Queens 12th great grand child - the royals are breeding like rabbits!

The Emmys  were on again live yes face to face for the first time in 2 years.

Most of the other news was COVID  related. The focus has shifted to the rising cases of COVID cases in VIC.  The tradie's protest against compulsory vaccination outside the CFMEU HQ  in Melbourne and it's head insisting that the protest was not tradie's protesting against compulsory  vaccinations but a group of angry anti vac drunken professional protesters causing trouble kicking a dog and causing violent riots. 

Whilst there has been a COVID scare in QLD and NT where a fully vaccinated traveller from NSW flying to the NT transitting in QLD tested positive to COVID. How were they able to travel out of Greater NSW in the first place? 

But the most important COVID news today was centred around children 5 - 2 years old and teenages 13 - 18 years old. The Pfizer vaccine has been deemed safe after studies for 5 - 12 year olds now. It was found that it was just as effective in producing antibodies in the 5 - 12 year old age group at 1/3 of the dosage as a full dosage of the vaccine given to 12 - 18 year olds. ( Didn't I write about the " Does a 1 dose fits all theory" in a previous blog a while ago?)  Now it is a rush for approval from the TGA to the CDC in the US  before commencing the vaccine roll out to this age group in Australia. 

Kids and teenagers are now allowed in NSW to have play dates  and social interaction with other kids and teenagers however there are several conditions attached to this new freedom. The parents don't have the same social interaction privileges as their kids ie they are not allowed to socialise when dropping off or picking up their kids from these play dates or social interactions. There is a limit of groups of 3 kids for play dates/social interactions and they must be from the same LGA or from within 5 km of each other. These groups of 3 kids or teenagers that form for play dates and social interaction must be carefully selected as there is no swapping ,chopping or changing of  members within each of these groups of 3. This is meant to be some type of relief for the school holidays. What kind of social freedom rules are these for kids and teenagers which is meant to allow for study buddies and play dates? Think of the psychological trauma these rules are going to have on kids and teenagers. It's worse then the psychological damage caused by online, social media or other cyber bullying. How can a kid or teenager be forced/pressured to choose out of all their friends only 2 friends that they can interact with therefore isolating from all their other friends? How will the friends that weren't chosen to be included feel? What happens if they make the wrong choice and there is a falling out in friendship within these groups? What happens if one or both of their best friends live outside of the LGA or outside of the 5 km? This would still isolate or exclude certain kids from social interactions. I don't think these social freedoms have not been though out very well. There is so much talk about the huge increase in mental health, isolation, self harm and addiction during COVID amongst adults. Aren't these issues just as important in kids and teenagers already suffering or vaunable? What about their parents as well not being able to interact with each other ( and must be fully vaccinated)? The so called "friends ( friendship ) bubble"  is just as bad as the "singles bubble" previously created during the COVID lockdown. Singles bubble groups of 2, friends bubble groups of 3 - same same but different - what's the point? The only way back to some form of pyschological  normality is return to a regular routine of work and school. Open windows to let fresh air in , have outdoor learning with plenty of sunlight  fresh air and exercise , continue to wear masks and install air filtration sytems and ceiling fans rather then using air conditioning systems- anything to get back to normal work and schooling.

I just missed a pesky call from the Centrelink approved employment service provider again.

I an waiting for the 11 am daily NSW premiers COVID announcement media press conference. No premier today it seems just the health minister Brad Hazzard .  82.5% single vaccination reached  53% double vaccinations reached .  1022 COVID cases 10 deaths (8 men  2 women  50 x 1  60  x 1 70  x 2  80 x 5  90 x 1 )  6 were unvaccinated 2 partially vaccinated and 2 fully vaccinated most were from NW W SW hotspot suburbs and at least 2 contracted COVID hospital and one from an aged care facility. The pattern is still there where  the majority of deaths from COVID are older adults 50+ with other medical conditions who are from hotspot suburbs and contracted COVID either frtom a hospital or aged care facility or passed away at home whilst alone.

Northern NSW areas  such as Byron Bay Kempsie Tweed in initial 7 day lockdown . 

The situation is so bad in Melbourne that construction has ceased for 2 weeks by the VIC premier and there is a heavy police presence and protestor presence face to face.

I am really running out of food but I did not feel like venturing out or do my laundry today. It was really windy outside today and by 5 pm it it very overcast , grey and cloudy. It looks as if it is hoing to rain if not storm tonight. I had a sandwich for lunch and wa making some bread when I received a phone call from the volunteer manager who asked if I would like to start writing to another aged care resident who was 86 and lives in the same aged care facility as the other aged care resident that I was writing to and passes away recently. There is not much I know about thos 86 year old aged care resident except that her name is Joan asnd she did have someone writing to her but unfortunately the person writing to her returned overseas. This 86 Does not take phone calls or video calls only letters. I advised the volunteer manager that I would be happy to write to her ( a card was suggested) and advised to write to her via the manager of that aged care facility. I spoke to the Volunteer manager about how I just returned to work, difficulty in getting a booking to get a first dose vaccination and gave her my current address for her to send a package containing stamps and envelopes to. I hope I get them as there are lots of strange people walking along the highway taking and dumping stuff. I have to remember to let the Volunteer masnager know when I receive them.

I wrote a letter using a prepaid aerogram to JJ Time - I think my little gift to them has been lost. 

I took a little nap before watching The Chase.

The first Moderna shots have been given to kids today - do you know how many times I was thinking today to just do a walk in and get vaccinated before remembering the pharmacy was not getting their Moderna order  and taking their first vaccine bookings until mid October!

Officially NSW has been in lockdown for 87 days now!

There is pressure now for all of Parliment to be vaccinate since they want all essential workers to be vaccinated  - you can't have double standards and mandate vaccines for certain industries when Parliament does mot mandate vaccinations themselves. 

Masks are set to remain manatory  long after lockdown ends - they don't say! I have been wearing a mask way before Co Vid  snd way before they became mandatory. If everyone wears a mask it stops the spread of the COVID virus but not just the COVID  - allergens such dust pollen pollution and the flu which is claimed there were not many cases of this Winter season - that's because everyone had COVID! I was telling people how my coughing fits from allergens have decreased significantly since wearing a mask constantly from before the beginning of COVID but unfortunately my skin has become thousands of times worse as well as my wet dry itchy eyes asnd runny nose.

Today's weather was wild with snow falls in the blue mountains. I didn't think it was cold in Sydney but it was sure windy!

I had dinner - it was the Korean glass noodles again with poached chicken and baby spinach and a nice dressing I made sprinkled with sesame  seeds.  Tomorrow  I need to bake my bread that is proofing.

I watched The Chase the news 8 out of 10 Does Countdown  and caught up on my blog.

9 pm and I'm going to have an early night tonight. 

Wednesday 22nd September 2021

Day 86 of an indefinite lockdown in NSW.

It's 2.30 pm and I am awake. I can't sleep. So many things going through my head. 

Grocery shopping , laundry, rubbish letters  of inquiry I have to write, unmotivation to return to work, vaccine mandate worries, the worsening of my allergies and eczema etc etc.

Breaking news THERE WILL BE NO 9 PM NYE FAMILY FIREWORKS IN SYDNEY FOR A  2ND YEAR IN A ROW! 

If my blog is not making sense, It's because I've gone back to read large sections of it and auto correct has been changing a lot of my words even when they have been spelt correctly making the sentences no longer making sense. The last word it changed was in this current blog it changed the word " unmotivated "  to "innovation" - go figure not even in the same of word ( spell check just did it again adding a "t" to the word "even" which I had to correct).

The violent protests in Melbourne continue with cans eggs flares being thrown and even urine sprayed on people. Video footage shows that the protesters are not small groups but hundreds of people - even  out numbering the police force.  I am wondering why there has never been  any reports after each protest ( in all states of Australia)  of  protests actually resulted in super spreading of COVID. Maybe these protests were not actually super spreading events despite a the close contact of hundreds of unvaccinated protesters in contact with for example emergency services. If  protests were super spreading events contact tracing would have been urgent and all Australian  residents should have been notified about whether they had been exposed to COVID as a result of these protests via news broadcasts. Are the governments of Australia just ignoring this serious concern and not working with emergency services and protest organisers to provide contact tracing - protesters are being arrested and fined but no further action is taken it seems. Not good enough, not even working with government health departments to study this. 

Another rally is planned for 10 am for today in Melbourne. 

Formals for year 12 students may happen today - I say doubtful to this!

NSW/QLD border bubble has been shut yet again making it frustrating for residents who work in retail , attend school etc across the border into QLD . There is a very notable story where the sign "Welcome to North K "  was changed to "Welcome to North Korea"

There was an earthquake in VIC  this morning. Orinating from Mansfield township near Mt Buller a major  ski resort in VIC 's high country. ( yes I've skiied there a few times pre COVID). The efdect were felt as far as Shepperton and even SA ACT and NSW.  The estimated magnitude was 5.7 on the Richter scale. Chapel Street in Melbourne looks like it suffered some damage. It is not far out of the city centre. It looks like the earthquake missed the protesters! 

Magnitude 6 earthquake! What bad timing as the whole construction industry has just been put into lockdown for 2 weeks by the VIC premier as a result of the protests. It's an emergency and unsafe. There will be a lot of structural damage to buildings and other forms of infrastructure throughout VIC  and possibly regional NSW that needs to be inspected immediately for safety reasons. There is now no construction workers allowed to work so VIC is now put themselves  in a bit of a pickle on top of the COVID lockdown.

Emergency services are permitted to inspect damage as a result of the earthquake but resources not taken from those used for the protests expected to happen today. There was actually 2 earth quakes magnitude 6 @ 9.25 am  and magnitude approx 4  about 15 minutes apart. After shocks may be possible. Tremors were felt in Hornsby Kogarah & Manly apparently. Really?  Unsure if apartments had to be evacuated like they had to in Melbourne.  

Concerned I texted my cousins in the ACT who are much closer to the epicentre in Bright then Sydney is - they did not feel it but advised me people from Tuggeranong did.

11 am NSW premier daily COVID announcement media press conference . 83% first dose reached  54.2% 2nd dose reached. Overnight there were 1035 COVID cases & 5 deaths. That was it. all tv channels have cut the daily COVID announcement off as soon as these stats were announced. I wanted to hear about Service NSW 'Vaccine passport development and the break up of deaths. obvious unimportant today as all focus on ABC and chanbel 7 is on what's hapoening in VIC ( probably the worst state to be a resident in with New closely behind them - best state TAS, NT,  SA , WA  & QLD ). Trial of vaccination passport to be next month in regional NSW.

The prime minister of Australia Scomo is still overseas in the US before meeting up with the UK PM I believe and has left his deputy to handle the situations back in Australia. 

I am posting my letter I just wrote to the aged care resident along with an aerogramme I write to the special needs family in the US  today or tomorrow.  DONE. Since I have to work tomorrow I need to recharge my Opal card DONE at Lane Cove Newsagency minimum $20 only paid in cash. I get some laundry money  $10 from Woolworths  & do grocery shopping there BOTH DONE. I didn't manage to get everything on my shopping list but grabbed what I could in the 30 minutes I was there ( probably spent 10 of those minutes waiting at check out and packing my groceries into my bags - Coles packs them for you Woolworths don't. Coles has 2 types of trolleys and baskets which are free to use Woolworths only has baskets as all their trolleys are locked together , Coles Flybuys gives you a better option to redeem points for Flybuy $ Woolworths are more about earning reward points to be redeemed for QFF points which are useless as we can't travel anywhere!) I still have to pack my lunch for tomorrow for work etc etc - I am so unmotivated to return to work .

OK onto another taste test product I am trying for the first time. Is this a limited edition Christmas product or not? It doesn't say "Festive" or "Seasons Greetings" or "Christmas" or "Holiday" on it but it is a fruit mince pie and it was amongst the other Seasonal Christmas products of a variety of Christmas puddings ( small and large) , Christmas cakes with or without the white icing ( small and large) , other traditional mince pies etc. I am unsure if there were any chocolate puddings amongst them  Photo below

The proof is in the eating - blood orange and fig my 2 favourite fruits! I hate traditional fruit mince pies because I hate currents raisins  and saltanas! Directions are to heat them up and dust with icing sugar - nah I can't wait I'm eating it as is out of the packet but checking the expiry date first 24th May 2022 OK so it's not recycled from last Christmas! So yummy! Very sweet and no extra crystal sugar sprinkled on  ( I hate sugar covered pies!) Oh no still has vine fruits in it! Rating 7/10. Not addictive enough for me to eat more then 1, a little too sweet needs ice cream or cream or other form of dairy to tone it down asnd points deducted for the vine fruits!

After my shop at Woolworths,I headed home. Before heading upstairs yo unpack my groceries, I go to the communal  laundry  and put all my now washed clothes into the dryer. I had put my laundry into the 2 washing machines to do a full wash cycle before I ventured out to save time. By the time the drying cycle finished it was getting dark and I don't leave the studio  when it is dark. I heard noises so made noise back to scare anyone tgat might be trying to break into the apartment block or trespass ( earlier today there was a teenager with his bike and skate board using the empty front car park as a skate park to practise his moves - I didn't mind but someone else might as he could have an accident. I wondered why he didn't use the vacant car dealership across the road instead).

After unpacking my groceries and going back downstairs after 2 drying cycles finished, I emptied the dryer and folded my laundry from it into my Ikea bag to take back upstairs. I washed my hands asnd my masks  hanging them up to dry overnight to use tomorrow. I had intended to make my lunch but watched tv instead the Chase the news The Cook Up ( I feel asleep) waking up to catch a bit of 8 Out of 10 Does Countdown before staying awake at 8.30 pm to watch the first episode of  Lost For Words on SBS  which was so interesting to watch. I have met a guy many years ago from the US  who could not read or write at all but found it really difficult how someone could not read or write or what it is like for them.  Watching Lost For Words gave me a better understanding on how it would feel not to be able to read or write.

After Lost For Words,  was a series that should not be aired during a pandemic. I think it was called War of the Worlds . I have not been watching this drama series , it was just on in the background as I made my lunch for work tomorrow. 

10.30 pm it's time to go to sleep.

Thursday 23rd September 2021

Day 87 of an indefinite lockdown.

Well it was actually a 5.9 magnitude earth quake yesterday near Mansfield with upto 10 after shocks. Claims that it was felt as far West as Western Australia and as far North as QLD which I find very difficult to believe as I did not even feel it in Northern Sydney.

The 9 pm NYE Family Fireworks in Sydney may be on again - make up your mind City of Sydney- the NSW government may now run it

A mention of how the protests in VIC may now result in a super spreader concern by nurses - putting a strain on hospitals. No figures of how much though.

Joe Biden President of the USA wants to vacinate the world - How about vaccinating your own country first?! Scomo is in agreement and has pledged millions of vaccines for countries that need them - as long as he has enough for Australia and replays all the vaccines  he negotiated a vaccine  swap with first then considers sending any excess.

I agree that yesterday's protesters storming the Shrine of Rememberance in Victoria  is disgraceful, protestors should be ashamed of themselves - I didn't write it in my blog yesterday but did think how disrespectful it was !!!!  It is just not right - all those people that died at war died for our freedom - it's a sacred shrine and an very inappropriate venue for protesters to clash with police and have riots. 

Everything is happening at once so quickly and I thought I was ready to return to work but I'm not. With the apartment block being thoroughly cleaned to be photographed this weekend for new tenants ( I will be at work all day this Saturday) after being empty for 2.5 - 3 months I'm going to have to get used to not living alone and having the whoke apartment block to mysrlf again soon; to getting a call from the GP whilst I was at work today to ask if I could come in for my first vaccination due to a cancellation today ( I'm not surprised as people are probably getting the Moderna vaccine) which I had to decline as it would take me 2 hours to get there on public transport and I have booked a Moderna vaccine since so I'm happy to wait until December keeping my double appointment as you can't book a double appointment for Moderna yet and either way it will make no difference to my freedom day rights as I won't be double vaccinated either vaccines ; to being allocated to spending all day doing boring markdowns in the soft reserve, glassware/ decorator reserve , hard reserve and helping put clearance boxed cookware out on the floor and finally doing markdowns on the floor in menswear ( menswear is so much easier to do markdowns then reserves especially with finding items a sticky trigger on the scanner gun and a problematic label printer);  to getting a letter  to inform me that casuals that have been with a company for 12 months that they may request if they can become permanent ( If I was offered a permanent position I am unsure if I want to become permanent at Myer); then there is the pressure of the government declaring a  "no jab no work" policy ( I really need to do something about this especially taking legal action if needed especially if i get stuck with Centrelink payments being cut off if I can't work because I am unvaccinated and any medical conditions that may arise from Moderna as this is not yet included in the compensation for adverse effects as a result of vaccination - only Astra Zenica and pfizer are included for out of court settlements at the moment) and I don't think I am quite over the death of the aged care resident that I was writing to yet although i have written my first letter and posted it to a new aged care resident i have been allocated to - I thought I was but I think reality just hit me. 

I find out another team member from VM has given their notice. It's just not fun working at Myer Warringah Mall anymore. There really is a people and cultures problem at Myer  - I am unsure if it's just the Warringah store all the whole of Myer but there seems to be a extremely high turnover  of staff here.

I eat my lunch alone near the staff lockers ( another team member always does spots me asnd says "you've taken my spot!" )to avoid others. Yes it's goid to see everyone but I didn't want to sit in a room full of unmasked team members some i don't even know ( hopefully in groups of 3 and all vaccinated as the tables and chairs wee really close together!). 

I think I need a change of job or something as I am so unmotivated to get up and go to work. The stress is affecting me I can tell - my ezcema is not getting any better even with the steroid oilnments prescribed. 

I just wish I could get away from Sydney. 

I missed the 11 am NSW  premier's daily COVID  announcement again today as I was at work.I will have to catch up when I get home. No time to catch up at work. 

There was no nsw premier present at today's 11 am daily covid announcement media press conference. i did not watch the question time if there was one. First vaccinations has now reached 83.6% and 55.5% full vaccinations.  1063 COVID cases ( 1 overseas acquired case) and 6 deaths  ( 4 F & 2 M,  aged in 50s - 90s, ) . There was a lot more details on each death as follows below 

1 x M in 80s SW suburbs  in Liverpool hospital , had other medical conditions and was unvaccinated; 

1 x F in 70s SW suburbs in Campbelltown hospital, and was unvaccinated

1 x F 50s SW suburbs in Liverpool  hospital had other medical conditions and was fully vaccinated

1 x M 60s W suburbs in Napean hospital unvaccinated but in reasonably good health

1 x F 90s from Dubbo St Mary's Villa aged care facility where she acquired her infection and this was 4th death link to this facility. She had received 1 vaccination and had other significant medical conditions.

1 x F 80s SW suburbs in Liverpool hospital had other medical conditions and was unvaccinated

There is still a pattern - about 90% of COVID deaths are people from the SW or W Sydney suburbs that are hotspot LGAs or regional NSW outside of Greater Sydney  known to be hotspot LGAs , mainly between the ages of  50 - 90 , have other significant medical conditions, were in an aged care facility or in hospital however not all were unvaccinated, quite a few were partially and/or fully vaccinated therefore  the theory is even if you have been vaccinated you can still not only contract Covid but die from COVID. I am unconvinced about this. I think the deaths were that were not directly from COVID but from aged related or other medical condition and by including any deaths that are not directly related to COVID, is distorting the actual deaths due just to COVID making the daily COVID death figures relatovely exagerated. Deaths from COVID figures I believe should be or include anyone in any age bracket from anywhere in NSW that does not have any other medical conditions regardless of where they reside except in an known out break in say an aged care facility or hospital with known outbreaks. Timing is also important. Questions to ask are :  Did these people who died contract the virus whilst they were in hospital or after they left hospitals with another medical conditions and seeking treatment in hospital  or did they arrive at hospital with COVID but no other medical conditions and died. Same with aged care facilities. Did people die of natural causes or from contracting COVID due to an outbreak with or without other medical conditions. 

Some parts of regional NSW have come out of lockdown again.

Morning tea at work was around 11 am, lunch was around 1.30 pm ( I think I left my thermos  behind at work) and I finished work at 6 pm today. I punched in and out on my phone and was the only person to finish at 6 pm - I was beginning to worry by 5.30 pm as my work colleague finished work and there was no one else on the floor , lucky the operations manager was leaving at 6 pm therefore I  had to quickly punched out and grabbed my stuff from the staff locker before exiting with him out the staff entrance/exit - the only way out. I hate finishing at 6 pm as it takes me so long to get home. Why can't I finish with everyone else at 5.30 pm?

Manly - absolutely beautiful at night with a touch of pink in the background.

I was so tired and still had to walk to the main road and up and across the overpass to the other side of the road. I caught the 199x to Manly ( I had to stop by Manly Wharf and take a photo it was a beautiful night - I wonder if there are any penguins around the beach that will venture out later at night when it is completely dark)  from across the main road and because it was so dark and late stopped off at Guzman y Gomez to purchase a small spicy chicken burrito and the new chimi shittaki mushroom taco. Rating 7/10. Nice but a little too salty for me. For $5 each it is a little more then a normal meat taco. I hesitated buying this taco to try because I am allergic to shittaki  mushrooms . I ate it and am suffering the consequences.  I don't think I will be buying it again and will stick to normal burritos! Safe.

 

Served in a pale grey cardboard box lined with foil it is an open flat taco which is a soft shell flour one not a hard shell corn one

I was so tired by the time I arrived home, I ate my taco and burrito ( I can't believe I have accumulated $35 worth of loyalty points towards free burritos and I probably would have much more but kept forgetting to present my loyalty card which I am saving for when I am poor from the announcement of an expected "no jab no work" policy still to be announced in early October where freedom day keeps being bought forward giving resident of NSW false optimism I think. Again I emphasis it is not the end of a lockdown for NSW it's just a extremely slow  easing of a very long list of  confusing and complicated lockdown rules and restrictions ! We still can't travel around within  NSW and don't even think about interstate or international by October and any freedoms will only be available to the fully vaccinated in October- not only is this not freedom from lockdown for all residents of NSW, it's discrimination as there will be quite a few people missing out on the freedoms of freedom day  - I think the NSW premier will again piss quite a few residents of NSW off for those unvaccinated ( possibly even those who have obtained a medical exemption) , partially vaccinated residents of NSW and/or those waiting for a vaccination first and second dose who have made an appointment already but can't get vaccinated until after the freedom day date. I hope this makes sense. Vaccine hesitancy not necessarily for the reasons the NSW government thinks! I think once the residents of NSW finds out what these freedoms are and who for, there will be a slow down in vaccinations if not a cease in vaccinations altogether - it will become What's the point and I hope I am incorrect in my predictions . I also think there maybe legal action - class action possibly after more possible protests.  It will be on all levels Human Rights Laws, Employment Laws and Antidiscrimination Laws and possibly legal action even for reactions to vaccinations compensation. 

After finishing dinner I arrived home too late to watch the 6 pm news and the Cook Up but managed to catch 8 out of 10 Does Countdown.  There is nothing much on tv on Thursday nights so I go to sleep early. I am really tired and so glad I don't have to work tomorrow . I check Kronos for my work schedule and am working every second day from 9 - 6 . I was told to look at my schedule and let management know if I am available to work any more days - no thanks, I don't even want to work the shifts I have as I don't like travelling. It's irresponsible for me to work so far away during the pandemic - I would prefer to work as close as possible to where I reside to minimise the risk of spreading or contracting COVID. Everyone should do so if they can't work from home. 

Friday 24th September 2021

Day 88 of an indefinite lockdown

I thought I slept in but was up before the 6 am 

alarm went off.

It's a beautiful day. It's getting warmer and lighter earlier.

I watch the news.

The grand final of the AFL is to be played in WA ( due to COVID it was one of the safest states to host the game normally played in VIC)  tomorrow. 

There was a protester who was COVID positive now in hospital really sick and protesters/close contacts are urged to get tested as there are fears the protests in Melbourne were possible super spreaders. protests are still expected to continue in VIC. 

Startrack Express is going on strike therefore expect delays in parcel delivery via Australia Post. 

Dubbed "Sussex in the City" Harry & Meghan have started a "tour" (with their 2 children being looked after by a baby sitter ) in N.Y.. Details still unreleased.

Queensland plans to keep their borders closed for Christmas.

11 am daily COVID announcement media press conference was  made by the NSW premier herself  today. There were 1043 COVID cases ( 1 was acquired overseas) & 11 deaths overnight. Exercise caution was her message today as well as cautious decisions in opening up at 70% and 80% double vaccination rate and when can unvaccinated people participate in these freedoms . There is a decline in COVID cases in SW hotspot LGAs but Illawarra has increases in cases and there is a special mention of Jindabyne with high level of COVID in sewerage detection which means there is likely to cases and people therefore are encouraged to come forward for testing . There are now 84.1% first vaccinations reached and 56.6% of NSW now fully vaccinated.1/3 teenagers have been vaccinated. The media press conference is REALLY hounding the NSW premier again during question time again! She is making it really clear that at 70% double vaccination only those fully vaccinated will be able to visit pubs for example. I just wish people would stop calling it "FREEDOM DAY" it's not FREEDOM DAY! We are not at war  (only with the NSW government !) 

Of the 11 deaths : 

( 40s  x 1 under coroner investigation diagnosed with COVID after their death? ,  50s x 2 where 1 was from broken hill  ,  60s x 1,  80s x 6

including 1 from the Hardy Guilford Aged Care Facility  and 1 female who lived in social housing diagnosed with COVID  after her Death - the 4th death  90s x 1 - 10  were unvaccinated and 1 double vaccinated unfotunately with other medical conditions - again the majority of them had other medical conditions , were between 50 - 90, in hospital  or an aged care facility, were from SW and W Sydney hotspot LGAs or other regional hot spot areas - ) 

Now let me discuss what happened with QLD 's  Premier's unauthorised incentive to residents to get vaccinated and get the football (NRL) tickets that back fired but has since been approved. So listen up Gladys premier of NSW so you don't make the same mistake - think before you make any more decisions on freedoms or incentives for the fully vaccinated and partially vaccinated or unvaccinated! Remember and go back to the story of pub manager that initiated and offered a free beer to vaccinated patrons to encourage people to get vaccinated only to be shot down by the TGA's rules and regulations. One word " discrimination" is to be considered. So the news story is get vaccinated and get a free ticket to attend the football match this weekend.People started taking up the offer which sounded too good to be true. The problem was it was unauthorised by the TGA  who has certain rules and regulations about what types of incentives and rewards can be used as vaccination incentives and was suspended hours after it was announced  There was a snap announcement by the health minister as it was only suppose to be offered to fully vaccinated residents not partially vaccinated  residents as per TGA guidelines for vaccination incentives. That's thousands of tickets given away for walk in vaccinations at a vaccination hub! Therefore making this incentive and offer invalid to those only getting their first vaccination and the incentive had to be quickly retracted with a snap announcement. Now it has been confirmed that both vaccinated and partially vaccinated people can go to the football and the free ticket giveaway was not in breach of TGA guidelines ( because the tga amended it's guidelines to include partially  vaccinated residents) and it was a good incentive.  I think there was just a lot of confusion amongst  different governments, organisations and other parties involved. 

Now quoted as "A fantastic initiative " and "Common sense has been applied". I agree!

My point? readers may ask. I hope the new freedoms the NSW premier keeps talking about and keeps reminding people that they will only be for the fully vaccinated is:  What about the unvaccinated waiting to be vaccinated and partially vaccinated residents who are not due to get their second vaccination until after freedom day? - those who have made appointments, those that are waiting for the minimum period of time before they can get their second vaccine which is not until after freedom day or those that don't have access to vaccination as easily and can't get a vaccination until after freedom day? What about the medically exempt? Discrimination? I hope not.

They're doing it again - the Centrelink approved employment service provider is ringing me again almost every day. I am ignoring them. I also got a call from a 1300 number which my phone indicated maybe a scam or fraud call. I don't answer any calls who don't leave a message or that I can identify from my contacts list. We have been warned of the countless scam and fraud call a texts and emails that are circulating around and to be careful of them.

I did absolutely nothing except cook and eat today because I just checked Kronos again and instead of working every second day as per Kronos yesterday ,  I'm now working 9 am - 6  pm  every day except this  Sunday.

There will be a partial "Go slow" train strike tomorrow and 9 pm NYE Family Fireworks in Sydney is on again. Next Tuesday there will also  be a complete train strike.

I really don't want to go to work tomorrow and I haven't had a shower yet . I watched The Chase the news The Cook Up The Living Room and the encore episode of HYBPA.  The best answer and comment made by a celebrity on the show to a news question about what France is unhappy about,  was how AUKUS could not include France  in the submarine deal because it then be called FRAUKUS  (which sounds like FUCKUS literally). 

Shower , prepartion of tomorrow's lunch and washing of dishes before finally going to sleep.

Saturday 25th September 2021

Myer 9 am - 6 pm 

Day 89 of an indefinite lockdown.

Grand final day in WA today with the match playing at 2 pm. Demons v Western Bull Dogs

I won't be able to watch it and I will miss out on all the news as well as the daily 11 am COVID  announcement because I  am stuck at work.

I'm doing online again. my zippy died again.

Same same pick and pack. It made it difficult that the goods lift broke down around lunch today so we all had to use the only other small  temperamental internal customer lift to get us between Level 1 Mezzanine and  the Ground Floor. So it took me longer to get all the items I picked down to the ground floor where the online department is located ( I don't know why this department was completely shut down and staff redeployed or made almost redundant months ago only to be resurrected again to more then full capacity 3 months ago)

Morning tea break was at 11 am and lunch was at 1 pm . I eat my lunch in my usual spot alone near the staff lockers. I am being responsible but enjoy my time alone. I would like to go out to get lunch but I am scared tgat I will get locked out as exit is via the staff entrance/exit and is locked after 15 minutes. 

It gets really annoying when my Zippy just dies and I have just one or 2 items to pick. Oh well.

I could not wait for 6 pm to come . I ended up not picking anymore as my zippy was out of charge and there were no moree available  so I ended up packing for the rest of the afternoon. I have bern carefully but hope I have not left any security tags on items before packing them.

A final toilet stop at the now ghost town of a mall. It started to sprinkle as I came out of the staff entrance/exit and looks like it may continue overnight.

I walk across the overpass  again and catch the only bus running to Manly- the 199 as it is a weekend and stop off at G Y G for a barramundi burrito this time using my loyalty points for it. This one was really good compared to a previous one I had hence sticking to a spicy chicken burrito most of the time. 

I transfer onto a 144 bus which did not come as regularly on the weekend . Manly was quite empty tonight - where was everyone? At home celebrating the football at home? certainly not at any pubs clubs cafes or restaurants as this is not allowed. No crowds on the beaches  not even people tasking a quiet walk just people collecting their take away meals from any foid outlets that are open.  

Home by 7.30 pm , I wash my hands bleach and wash my masks,  eat my burrito with my fruit smoothie I made and bed by 9.30 pm.

End of another day.

Sunday 26th September 2021

Day 90 of an indefinite lockdown 

I don't even know if there was a daily 11 am NSW COVID announcement media press conference yesterday - if there was it wasn't significant or very brief with not much to report except stats as I could not find it and the stats weren't even on the news this morning. COVID news is a repeat of QLD refusing to reopen their borders online with NSW and ViC and in time for Christmas. Public pools reopen as of tomorrow as planned for fully vaccinated people (outdoor public pools I believe) and all  construction workers vaccinated and unvaccinated ( only from non hotspot LGAs)  are returning to worksites. News is still focused on Melbourne  though not only COVID related news relating to the protests but the AFL  and how Melbournians can't even celebrate like the freedom of Western Australians due to lockdown restrictions - I think they may still have a curfew unlike in NSW  where it has been lifted for a while now in hotspot LGAs. 

The PM spoke and made his message very clear about states working together and keeping the promise as 80% double vaccination is reached to reopen state borders in time for Christmas - it was mentioned that some states may not reopen until January at the earliest and want 90% double vaccination to be reached. He also spoke about the vaccinated and unvaccinated and it's people's choice whether to get vaccinated or not and that this should not hold back the reopening of borders as promised and that there is no reason why Australia should not reopen once everyone has had a chance to get vaccinated. 

Queensland has made a comment that people had a chance to return home when they could 'll now be allowed to ie tuff luck if you didn't return home when you could, we're not letting you back in.

That news was overshadowed by the news of the AFL Grand Final played  in WA where after 57 years the Demons won returning the premiership cup to Melbourne. Yes the Demons last won in 1964 (I believe) when they defeated Collingwood. That's way before I was born and I didn't even know they played AFL back then! It was said it was a hard win - the Demons won by 76 points ! That seems like an easy win (Demons 140 Bulldogs 66). 

This news even overshadowed the other football code NRL - don't ask me about football I haven't been following since high school where I was a  Paramatta Eels fan ( only because my classmate was - I was actually an Eastern Suburbs Roosters fan) - Peter Stirling and Ray Price those were the days when we all able to run onto the oval and give our favourite fooball stars a pat on the back. It will be an all sydney grand final on Sunday 3rd October at 7.30 pm at Suncorp Stadium of the South Sydney Rabbitohs verses Penrith Panthers  - I barracks for The Rabbitohs to win.

Other interesting news  Australia Post can't cope with the massive parcel deliveries and are doing a mass recruitment process  - I applied and haven't heard back. ( I also applied to Coles supermarket and also have not heard back from them. I  heard back from Luna Park  and received a rejection email - I don't think I will ever get a permanent job!).

Everyone knows the Pringles brand chips with their slogan  "One pop and you just can't stop!" So true That's why I stay away from them. after 20 years of having the same logo, Mr P 's logo has been modernised. People are divided about it. like the image of Queen's  head on the back of Australian currency , Mr P's head has been "aged" with different eye brows and no hair! 

There are 2 tv shows that have major anniversaries this year - Hey hey It's Saturday which is 50 years old and Young Talent Time which is 30 years old - both shows have been defunct for many years now but had some before they became mega famous celebrities appearing on them such as Kylie & her sister Dannie Minogue & Hugh Beckman just to name just 2 of them. 

There 779 COVID cases & 2 deaths. That's all the information I could find. If these figures are correct then that is a huge drop in the number of cases from the previous day!  ( no that's VIC stats not NSW). 6 m 3 w deaths 

11 am daily COVID announcement media press conference was fronted by the NSW premier again but she opened with the news of a new  National Park opening (Shanes Park Woodland Western Sydney?) which is going to be a "Josh's Arch" of endangered native Australian animals which haven't been seen in the area for a century - it will include Quolls, Bandicoots and Koalas. There were 961 COVID cases ( 3 overseas acquired) & 9 deaths ( 6 men & 3 women  40s x 1 60s x 2  70s x 2 80s x 4 all in the SW & W hotspot LGAs except 1 from inner Sydney, all unvaccinated except 1 who was partially vaccinated ) . NSW has now reached 82.5%  partially vaccinations and 59.2% fully vaccination overnight. This daily announcement is always cut short so I continue to watch it on YouTube. 

There was an interesting tweet about how public pool in greater Sydney will be open to the vaccinated asnd unvaccinated. Is this an experiment? If outdoor public pool ok but indoors not just yet. Cross ventilation ie fresh air and sunlight  - natural not artifical recirculated air conditioned!

After having a shower and washing my dishes, I made myself  venture out as for the next 5 days I  have been rostered to work from 9 am  - 6 pm therefore there will be no time to do any shopping for essential groceries at all. I was not given much notice. Originally on Friday when I checked Kronos I was only rostered on to work Mon Wed Fri from 9am - 6 pm and was advised by the operations manager before he went on leave to let the managers know if I can work more hours. I was happy with the days I had and did not want to work any more days or hours. I don't think it fair that after 12 months as a casual at Myer they won't make me a permanent employee yet just add extra shifts on at the very last minute whenever they feel like it.

I did a very long shop at Aldi but forgot to check out on the Service NSW app.  After remembering to check out it was time to finish my grocery shopping from my list.  not everything was available at either Aldi or Coles  so these items will carry over to my next shopping list. I ended up spending almost $103 at Aldi and another $89 at Coles - the biggest shop I have ever made in a few hours in one go which included a mini handheld vacuum cleaner which was $30 at Aldi. Very cute not ideal but it was all that was available close to where I reside and I've bern without a stick vacuum cleaner for quite a while now using a dustpan and broom to sweep the floor each week. I walked all the way home with a fully stuffed wheelie bag, a full large reusuable shopping bag a backpack with a 2nd shopping bag hanging off it. It look me longer then usual to walk home as it was heavy and awkward to carry all my shopping but I made it home in time to watch another episode of Inside Central Station  as well as make lunch for work tomorrow and have some dinner . At least I will have enough groceries and other basic supplies hopefully for the rest of the week as I won't have time to do anything until next Saturday- there is no way I am working next Saturday or Sunday! I said in my initial employment forms minimum 24 hours maximum 38  with unavailable Sundays, this week I am working 9h x 5 = 45 even with an hour break deducted each day that is a minimum of 40 hours. I also worked a 9 - 6 shift on both Thursday and Saturday just past which means I would have worked another 18 hours less 2 hours break  making it another 16 hours totalling 56 hours in less then a fortnight. If a team member says to me think of the money I am making - I don't care about the money - it's my health and travelling that I am concerned about. I can't even take time off to get vaccinated at an earlier date! I don't get paid to take a day off to do so and what if I get a reaction as a result of it I have to take time off and don't get paid for it and if there is a cancellation and I get run up whilst at work I can't just drop everything as I am 2 hours away. I spent so much time finding and booking those 2 Pfizer appointments and booking an earlier backup Moderna first shot only appointment - I'm not cancelling. There is no point anymore wasting tme booking a vaccination as I am not going to be fully vaccinated by "freedom day" anywsy and i'm not going to be able to enjoy any of the freedoms fulky vaccinated residents of Nsw are going to have according to the NSW premiere as earluest as 12th October 2021 anyway. I think there may be others in the same situation who are only going to be partially if not still unvaccinated by that date  because there were not enough vaccines available at the time they booked so had to take whatever they could get if for reasons like myself and another team member who also could not get the Astra Zenica vaccination due to a blood clotting history in the family. I am hoping there will be provisions for residents in this situation - it's not our fault it"s the government's vaccine roll out' s fault. I swear that I will take legal action against the NSW government if I experience any consequences either medical, financial , emotional as a result of COVID .I have income protection but as of 2st October, this was rendered unless and a total waste of my money that i have been paying over the decades I have had it. Due to the amount of claims, the amount of coverage has been cut from the already low 70% or in some cases upto 90% ( I shopped around and could not find any income protection that gave 90% coverage) . The bad thing about income protection is , it does not cover redundancy although one comp any Noble oak does however you have to be a fill tome employee and there are certain conditions to taking it out like a waiting  period and it is an additional on top of a normal income protection policy. Income protection is not like care home and contents even pet or travel insurance. It works more like private health insurance ( another waste of money insurance which the government mandates you have over the age of 30 unless you want to pay an extra percentage of the Medicare surcharge ie more income tax each financial year ) . It's not a you pay higher premiums the more claims you make that general insurances you take out works like, income protection works on pooled funds so your premiums are used to pay other policy holders claims. I think I was smart challenging HCF  where I have had income protection with for decades. I have it because the only good thing about it is it's a tax deduction. The premiums increase with age and cpi like some insurance policies do however because my wages haven't increased but decrease there was an option to increase coverage or stay at the same level when I joined and I selected not to increase my coverage over the years. now Hcf challenged this by making me pay the annual increase in premium and I advised them thst on my policy it actually was an option not an automatic increase so I not only saved money but also beat the lowering of 70% of claims to be paid out. But the most disappointing thing about income protection unlike some other insurances like health insurance , it's not transferable.  Noble oak was the income protection I was considering taking out because I was so unhappy with HCF  and noble oak Income protection was the top , however when I inquired about a transfer it was a flat out no. I even tried to transfer my income protection to Medibank Private  since I transferred my private medical insurance over to them from HCF  ( not straight forward by the way)  but never heard back from them - too difficult I gave up.

I am having a sleepless morning and awake at 3 am. 

Monday 27th September 2021 & Week 79 of Under Employment 

Myer 9 am -  pm Online

Day 91 of an indefinite lockdown.

Well outdoor pools are open again to the vaccinated and unvaccinated today and construction workers vaccinated and unvaccinated have returned to worksite.

I am being pushed to get vaccinated by work and today told by the customer service manager  that I will have to work extra shifts for the store's opening whenever that may be. I don't care anymore. Even when the store reopens I won't have had my 1st vaccination let alone be fully vaccinated.

There is no freedom day for me. I have suffered enough through COVID. I am pretty sure I will be missing a 4th ski season as travel overseas still looks doubtful even with full vaccination which I should have had by then. There are at least 5. problems I see with the resumption of overseas travel from Australia  1. the vaccine passport standardisation internationally  re US Astra Zenica ( read my previous blog)  2. Yes you may now have the freedom to travel overseas  but good luck getting back home ie it's very much a one way ticket out of Australia.  great for those stranded in ( or want to flee Australia for good) Australia wanting to get home but not good for everyone else just wanting to go on a holiday or visit family and friends overseas.  If the Australian government can't even get it's own residents ( ex pats)  stranded abroad back to Australia in 2 years - what chance has anyone else wanting to temporarily leave Australia got of getting back home? Nothing has been said about this and I have searched for flights return direct - plenty of cheap direct flights out but very few returning and they are expensive and have at least one stopover. Talk about spreading and not minimising the spread of COVID again into other  countries. 3. Upon departure and arrival both ways you have to factor in 14 days quarantine worst scenario into your holiday or family/friends visit depending on each country's COVID travel rules/regulations therefore for just a 2 week overseas trip you need to factor in 6 weeks of expenses and time. 4. Most countries require some type of negative test result along with proof of double vaccination and other entry requirments along with standard visa requirements such as ESTA or ETAs ( yes don't forget those as well). There is a problem when you need to provide a negative COVID  test result within 72 hours  or less  of departure and that is not result from a rapid antigen test which are both required by countries. This is almost impossible in Australia which has relied on the slow result  PCR testing and because this is controlled by government approved laboratories takes no less then a week to get results back ( and you wonder why there was always a lag in contact tracing and cases of COVID were so high -- by the time someone found out they were COVID positive it was too late they were in the community already spreading the virus , very sick at home or in hospital, had recovered and no longer contagious or dead). There is talk of rapid 10 minute results home testing kits much like pregnancy testing kits to be made available possibly not until November from pharmacies but the use of rapid antigen testing in a small trial in certain industries was abandoned as the government did not believe their results were accurate hence the delay in using any type of rapid testing kits dispite other countries having used different types of rapid testing throughout the entire COVID pandemic sucessfully  including one developed and manufactured in QLD and used in the USA ( but not in Australia) but Australia has been slow in adopting this technology and refuses to use it until the government is convinced it is accurate and has TGA approval ( why publish a list of rapid testing suppliers on the TGA  website  if they are approved suppliers of test kits with different types of industry uses ie home or commercial indicating if they are rapid antigen testing or other type of testing  when they are not available to the public? - again refer my previous blog). 5. Hotel quarantine expensive and risky. Home quarantine not approved by the Australian government - oh make up your mind! 6. Interstate squabbles double quarantine requirements yep travel back to SA in particular NSW expect to add another 2 weeks of quarantine making a 2 week holiday or family or friends reunion  overseas a 8 week trip! There is no universal agreement of state borders reopening to travel freely between yet so don't even think about overseas travel as there is no domestic travel allowed yet. You will be stranded within Australia if you make it back from overseas!

I am sure I have not comprehensively listed all the reasons why you should not consider international travel yet - it's probably less of a hassle to travel into space  with Space X  or Virgin Galactic then it is internationally from Australia! Maybe not as cheap but at least you know you have more of a chance return back home then you do travelling overseas on a holiday or to visit friends and family! Bon Voyage - Not!

I put in my application online to work over the Christmas at Myer's Chatswood store. If I don't hear back  then I know what a shit company it is to work for. I did not tell the managers at Warringah that I did. They will probably find out anyway.  

I got a call from the Volunteer manager in the middle of work wanting to talk to me. I said I could not talk as I was at work. she asked if she could ring me tomorrow I said no as I am working the rest of the week and how about in the evening and I said ok. She sent me a text message about another client she has. I had to hang up on her.

I get calls from numbers I don't know of so don't answer them. I am still getting hounded by the Centrelink approved employment service provider but have been ignoring them whenever they call.  We have been warned about answering or returning missed calls  from unknown numbers as these are scam callers trying to access your personal information. So I don't return unidentified calls. If it's important they can send me a text message with their full details and contact number or email me. If not then it's unimportant or a scam. I recommend doing a reverse number search online like I do. If others have made comments about the caller it will let you know.

Being at work i missed the 11 am daily COVID announcement again fronted by te NSW  premier media press conference. Catching up after work on YouTube there ere 787 COViD cases and 12 deaths overnight.

76.6%  single vaccinations reached.

I raced out the door from work at 5.59 pm. I am the only person to finish at 6 pm everyone else works to 5.30 pm. So I have to find a manage to let me out of the staff entrance exit. I fear getting locked in or out every day. The staff doors are never open when I start or finish. So I am always stressed about not missing buses just to get home or get to work. 

I don't have time to do anything getting home no earlier then 8 pm every night and leaving home no later then 7 am in order to make it for the 8.25 am staff entrance/exit door opening for 5 minutes only for a 9 am start. it's just not fair.

There are still unhappy staff . Especially when all casual staff members including myself received that letter about casual to permanent staff after 1 year and advising us that we will not be offered a permanent position. Myer was doing this only because of the new Fairwork legislations which requires them to do so yet today they were recruiting for casuals for Christmas and even permanent casuals. So they won't convert existing casual to permanent  employees yet are hiring new permanent casual employees. No wonder there are disgruntled employees and a high turnover of staff. I have never been treated so badly in my employment life by a company. Myer has a people and culture problem - it may not be all at Myer stores but certainly at the Warringah one.

On "Freedom Day - Earmarked for 11th October 2021" when 70% double vaccination is reached ( stage 1)  some so called freedoms  include :

5 visitors to the home allowed 

By the end of October (estimated) and when 80% double dosed vaccination is reached ( stage 2)  further so called freedoms will be added where

Gyms 20 person cap with 4 square meter rule

Retail & hairdressers 1 person per 4 square meter rule

Travel within all of NSW  and overseas travel can be (and the key word by the NSW premier was) MAY BE CONSIDERED ( ie unconfirmed so don't make any bookings yet)

500 allowed to gather at events

Community sport allowed again

Home gatherings increased from 5 to 10 people

Stand up drinking in pubs allowed

However there are tough measures for the unvaccinated ( which actually does not make sense) You can go to places of worship if you are vaccinated or unvaccinated was one freedom.

When double dose vaccinations reach 90% which is estimated to be on 1st December  21 ( stage 3) and as someone noted only 6 weeks away and when my 1st dose Pfizer vaccine appointment is! This when unvaccinated residents will be able to participate in events and the 2 square meter rule applies.

Masks will no longer be required but will the unvaccinated have the same freedoms or what freedoms will they have?

This is not a comprehensive list of the 3 phase reopening plan and there are things I left out or the NSW premiere  did not mention in her 11 am  daily COVID announcement media press conference but I didn't listen to the rest of it and I'm sure there were was more hounding of the NSW premier by the media during question time.

Home via manly on the 199 bus and transferring onto the 144 bus home. I arrive home dinner is whatever I can find, I wash my hands wash my masks and hang them up to dry as usual before preparing lunch for work tomortow ( usually fruit sandwich museli bar and chocolate and a bottle of water). i am annoyed i miss the news  The Cook up and can't even take the red bin out for rubbish collection day tomorrow as I can't pull the bin back in as I leave too early and come home too late to on Tuesday. I manage to watch part of 8 Out of 10 Does Countdown and  HYBPA before catching up on blogging and going to sleep.

Tuesday 28th September 2021

Myer 9 am - 6 pm online

Day 92 of an indefinite lockdown.

NSW is still under lockdown but a whole list of lifting of restrictions when  "freedom day" is reached was announced by the NSW premier yesterday for the fully vaccinated only however  what about the unvaccinated?

She is going to piss off any resident that is unvaccinated or partially vaccinated especially those that are still waiting to be vaccinated but not until after "freedom day"

I hope to have some time to catch up on my blog at lunchtime . Nope I didn't even have time to finish my second sandwich.

A few missed calls today - one from the approved Centrelink employment service provider which i ignored as I was working and the other an unidentified number I hung up on and did not answer. I tried to Google the number but was unsucessful n tracing it.

There were 863 COVID cases ( 2 overseas acquired cases)  and 7 deaths overnight ( 4 women & 3 men; 40s x 1 50s x 1 70s x 2 80s x 2 90s x 1; all had other medical conditions; 1 was unvaccinated; 3 were partially vaccinated; 3 were fully vaccinated; it was noted that a few of those that were vaccinated had just received their vaccinations therefore the vaccination did not have time to become effective - I really doubt this theory because the others that had been vaccinated earlier still died from COVID and why are there still people who have been partially or fully vaccinated ending up in hospital on ventilators  and in ICU??? I thought the information from the government was that the vaccination won't stop you contracting or spreading the virus but it will prevent you from getting very sick and ending up in hospital in ICU  or on a ventilator , 5 of those that died were from W & SW hotspot LGAs, 1 from Dubbo ( another regional hotspot) , 1 from Northern Sydney; all contracted their infections from various hospitals ; the person in their 40s was unvaccinated and had other medical conditions ). 

There are now 85.7% single vaccination reached & 60.4% full vaccinations reached in NSW.

There is still the push for everyone to get vaccinated if they haven't done so already despite no chance of becoming fully vaccinated by the "freedom  day" date. The vaccine hesitancy  discussion has popped up again - are people now waiting out beyond freedom day to when vaccination hits 80% and 90% forecast for the 1st December 21 and deciding to remain unvaccinate when they can enjoy the same freedoms as the fully vaccinated? It's just another 5 or 6 more weeks to wait. A reporter asked why the NSW premier even gave out a date for freedoms for both the vaccinated and unvaccinated questioning this would discourage people from getting vaccinated ie vaccine hesitancy.

Today I spent most of my time picking and only moving asnd packing for the last 30 minutes of the day. I did some packing as my zippy died after completing just one full batch after lunch. I did pick a total of 5 batches today so the poor zippy had a very busy day. Every opportunity to recharge it was utilised.

There were some items I was determined to find whilst others like lolly pop sticks and Christmas cards not so much. ( postscript  I found out the following day of the online order that Myer had not actually received the Christmas cards yet so I don't know how an online customer could even place an order for them!)

The store manager  was putting up all the Christmas trees in time for the store reopening. The trees I heard are asll pre-lit this year so I don't have to go around like last year  string up all the hundreds of trees  with  hundreds or thousands of meters of strung fairy lights! I  spotted the store manager cut his hand whilst he was assembling the trees so I ran and got him some bandaids from the closest first aid kit. He was putting  his sliva on it and rubbing it to get rid of the blood . It was just a scratch but it was bleeding and because of COVID it's better to at least cover it up with a bandaid.  i winder what they did with all the old christmas trees that everyone wanted to buy- are they now for sale? They are beautiful trees - much better then the variety of boxed ones for sale.

I made sure I got down to the staff entrance/exit by 5.50 pm to allow me time to grab my stuff and punch out and ensure a manager lets me out. I don't want to be locked in or miss the earliest bus I can catch home.

The store manager let me out as he was leaving as well at 6 pm.

It's been howling with wind all night. 9.30 pm and the wind is still howling outside, my window is almost fully clo sed yet I can still feel the wind blowing in - it is cold outside but I'm quite warm in the apartment.

I eat dinner a spicy  chicken burrito which was overstuffed from GyG using my loyalty points again on my way home from Manly. I caught the 199 bus from across the main road of Warringah Mall before transferring at Manly onto a 144 bus home. I could not be bothered to cook. The buses were travelling at a snails pace today. There was a train strike from 9 am this morning but it was a full stop work not a go slow and did not involve the buses only trains.I did not get home until about 7.30 pm so missed the news & The Cook Up but managed to watch 8 out of 10 Does Countdown and catch up with my blog and some YouTube channels including the 11 am daily COVID  announcement media press conference sans the NSW premier today.

Wednesday 29th September 2021

Myer 9 am - 6 pm Online  ( I get to work and about to punch in on Kronos but find my original shift today was changed at the last minute to 9.30 am - 5.30 pm stock - I am so pissed off not only because my shift has been shortened and duties changed without  notice but I rushed to get to work on time today just to catch the 8.25 am staff entrance/exit opening when it was unnecessary )

Damn it! -  I didn't check Kronos yesterday night and my shift has been shortened from 9 am - 6 pm today tomorrow and Friday to 9.30 am - 5.30 pm  & I'm not doing online today ( a new department has been created called " Merchandise Handling" - just call it stock for goodness sake! It's like the term " sandwich artist" ). This pisses me off!!!!! These last minute changes have got to stop!!!!! Still no shifts for next week on Kronos. They are suppose to give us 2 weeks worth of shifts in advance. Stuff I am going to take days off for things I have planned when needed.I rushed to get here by the  8.25 am staff entrance/exit now I have 1 hour wait that I could have gone to Woolworths for to recharge my Opal card instead of having to stop after work and do possibly missing a bus to get home.

Whilst i was sitting  near the staff lockers waiting until my shift started I was rudely interrupted first by the operations manager  then by a message on the whats app group chat to watch the 2 mcasts which I was allready doing out of work time and unpaid ( I only got to watch 1 of them) only to be rudely interrupted by a phone call from the customer service manager asking me where I was - EXCUSE  ME BUT I DON'T START WORK UNTIL 9.30 AM AS PER YOUR CHANGES TO MY SHIFT IN KRONOS IT WAS NOT EVEN 9 AM WHEN I WAS SO RUDELY INTERRUPTED!  HOW DARE YOU CHANGE MY SHIFTS AND DUTIES AT THE LAST MINUTE AND NOT CHECK  IT YOURSELF FIRST BEFORE RINGING AND ASKING ME WHERE I AM - MYER IS SUCH A HYPOCRITE!

Day 93  of an indefinite lockdown.

Major news today is COVID support payments that replaced JobKeeper will end as soon as 70%   & 80% double vaccinations have been reached. To continue receiving Centrelink support payments you will have to reapply I believe weekly once double dose vaccination targets are reached. I wonder if it applies to me as I didn't ask for the extra COVID supplement I only continued with the normal Jopbseeker payment as I didn't need it during my stood down living off my tax refund from submitting my tax return as early as possible ( I am still trying to work out why so much tax has been and still is being deducted from my pay as it does not match any amounts on current ATO tax tables I've looked up). The question being asked already to the treasurer of Australia was - Is this ending of COVID support payments too soon? This may be  another interesting topic for discussion. Staying tuned for any updates.

A Manly apartment block has been locked down with 5 COVID cases to stop the spread into the Northern Beaches suburbs which has been doing well with not having cases of COVID. 

Thunderstorms are forecasted over the next 3 days or so.

Well today started off fine but not having gone outside all day - yes I don't get to see any sunlight between 8.30 am and 6pm each day I'm at work, I finished work at 5.30 pm only to see the thunderstorm had come and gone already today leaving the surrounds very wet. 

I finished a little earlier then 5.30 pm today but told not to punch  off until 5.30 pm as I told the assistant manager that I did not have a break. She was OK with  that but she asked me again if I managed to get an earlier vaccination date. I said yes and she asked me what type I said Moderna.  She said  that I needed to tell her and she even said that I could get  the vaccination at the local Priceline Pharmacy in the mall. I known that but No thanks I still have my appointments for both Pfizer  vaccines at a Lane Cove GP in December 21 and only a single dose Moderna appointment at a Lane Cove pharmacy. She asked me about the date of the second dose and I had to tell her that the pharmacy does not take second dose appointments ( online there is no option to either) . I also advised her that I wanted to be closer to home in case I have an allergic reaction. She is again putting pressure on me to get vaccinated - Myer does not have a mandate on vaccinations that i know of. I don't want any more extra stress from working for Myer- until I get a transfer to Chatswood my eczema will not get any better - the constant stress of getting to work in time for set staff entrance/exit doors opening and closing, the cost and time travelling to/from work and being so far away from home- always thinking of  what if something happens to me whilst I am travelling to/from work or at work with additional concerns of being exposed or contract COVID, now the pressures of getting vaccinated. There is constant pressures to complete tasks and the constant hounding by managers to check Mcomms or Mcasts  outside of work hours unpaid ( a lots of bullshit waste of time information)  and then there is the pressures of  Myer Metrics  -  keeping above the 80% Customer Feedback scores and if you receive a bad customer service score having to watch a video etc etc which is a Myer policy. Before I joined Myer there was no customer service let alone poor customer service. When I joined Myer  I wasn't impressed about their robotic approach to customer service. I didn't even want to serve behind the register as this was not customer service it was more about how many  customers you served in order to meet Myer's individual sales quotas and if you did not reach your sales quotas you would be reprimanded or terminated even. Interesting observation how since I started working at Myer, their customer service aporoached has changed from ensuring you were behind the counter at the register all times to being asked not to hang around behind the registers and approaching customers on the floor. That's what cusyomer service should be like. They still have not changed their Myer metrics policies though. There is still the constant pressure of individual Metrics punishments and pressure to read and listen to Mcoms Mcasts etc. 

Being a shareholder termination would not look good . I am always a shareholder first and an employee second. Myer should never forget this as I invested my money into their company and without shareholders like me , Myer may not exist anymore. I may not be as big a shareholder as the likes of Solomon Lew but I am still a shareholder therefore a bit of respect won't go astray.I know Myer has a people & cultures problem although I am unsure if it is company wide or just at Warringah evident by a very high staff turn over and gossip department wide.

Because I finished at 5.30 pm I was able to arrive home in time to catch The Cook Up but not the news. After The Cook Up I watched 8 Out of 20 Does Countdown before watching another favourite SBS  series Lost For Words followed by War of the Worlds which I don't like watching as it is not the type of science fiction series  that should be watched during a pandemic,  before going to bed. No catch up on the 11am daily COVID announcement media press conference today on YouTube - far too tired. 

There were 863 COVID cases and 15 deaths overnight. 86.2% first dose vaccinations reached and 61.7% double vaccinations reached. 

There are signs that vaccination hestitency and there is now the push for anyone over 60 who hasn't been vaccinated to do so ( now offering a choice of vaccine to them ie Pfizer and Moderna which previously they had no choice of except for Astra Zenica - too bad if tgey have already had their first dose of Astra Zenica waiting for their second dose but great if they held off to get their first dose vaccine?? ) and tomorrow the deadline for  health workers to be vaccinated has now been and gone. An estimated 90% have been vaccinated already and those that haven't won't be able to go to work.

Thursday 30th September 2021

Myer 9 am - 6 pm online (original shift amended at the last minute again to 9.30 am - 5.30 pm to  stock again)

Day 94 of an indefinite lockdown in NSW. The last day  of another month in lockdown.

Everyday there is a reminder for nsw residents to hang in there and  of how "Freedom Day" is getting closer and closer ( yes it is only for the fully vaccinated but not for residents that unvaccinated or partially  vaccinated).  Still no mention of any freedoms  the partially or unvaccinated especially for those waiting for their vaccinations that fall after "Freedom Day" Will they care as eventually everyone before christmas will have the same freedoms now that reopening phases and dates have been announced.

News this morning the Britney Spears fight to end her conservatorship continues and hopes thather request to the judge will end her 13 year long conservatorship her father has had over her will be decided today. Free Britney fans are hoping it will end. I do feel a bit sorry for Britney. It looks like she has aged a lot and had a hard life. 

It's not the best day today outside looks like it will rain or storm again later today as it was a little wet overnight but there was not another thunderstorm overnight. 

Over 60s are now being offered the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines where they were only offered the Astra Zenica vaccine to attempt to curb vaccine hestitancy and try to increase the NSW vaccination rate as mentioned in my previous day's blog.

The discussion on the effectiveness of mask wearing  to prevent the spread of viruses  as well as germs, dust and pollution in general came up this morning on the news. It is proven that wearing a mask is very effective in minimising the spread of the virus and that maybe countries around the world should follow Asian countries where mask wearing has been the norm for years prior to COVID.  In Japan it was to stop a person for example with the flu from spreading it onto others. In China for example it is more because of high smog and pollution rather  then  preventing the spread of diseases. I wear a mask for allergy reasons and have been doing so for years. If you go back and read my  blogs from say around March 2020, a nurse told me that  disposable surgical masks are only effective for 40 minutes when today's discussion was based on what happens when you wear a mask for 4 hours! I tell you what happens you get skin problems as it is sweaty and uncomfortable therefore I wear washable reusable cotton cloth masks rather then disposable surgical masks which are said  are the most effective protection over a cloth mask and last for hours - that's why hospitals use them however they are only single use. I am unsure if all surgical masks are created equal remember the story of  the dodgey Chinese masks that had leaky seals or even second hand? Buy Australian when possible! I think they filter out 90% of particles. 

Lunch it 1 pm which I am having at the moment alone in another team member's favourite spot in the corner near the staff lockers and not in the lunch room. Peace and quiet for 45 minutes.

No more blogging for today. My battery is low on my phone and I don't have anywhere to recharge it. 

This "freedom day" situation has gone mad. Not only was I bullied by the assistant store manager as to whether I had found an earlier date to be vaccinated which doesn't matter now anyway as there is no way I can be fully vaccinated by 11th October ie Freedom Day and having my blog shut down. I find out the assistant manager has not been vaccinated herself not even a first dose and there is nothing wrong with her except a few of the team members and myself think she may be bipolar or have some mental issues. Nobody likes her not even the customer service manager apparently and I thought she was bad. So how dare they tell me to get vaccinated at the local Priceline in the mall! The assistant manager obviously has no concerns if I die from getting vaccinated or suffer any heath consequences. My other work colleagues are being bullied into getting vaccinated as well. One team member  that was bullied and that also has not been vaccinated is likely not to due to her medical condition of suspected DVT or some other clotting which is actually visible as a swollen leg. The assistant store manager has asked her to get a medical exemption - is she crazy!? - nobody according to the link to the goverment website can get a medical exemption except if you have had an anaphylactic shock  from the actual COVID vaccine- yes after you have had the vaccine and had a reaction not before it. The vaccines are new so how is anyone to know if you will get an  anaphylactic shock to it. I was sitting waiting for a bus and 2 ladies walked pass and one of the tells the other how someone they knew well had a really bad allergic reaction to the COVID vacvine and their whole body was covered in a bad rash. When they were talking they had not mentioned which vaccine ( this could have been mentioned later in their conversation further away from where I was sitting). Not only did my blog get shut down but so did a few other social media accounts including Myer's team members' page where team member's can post questions or make comments. That same team member managed to take a screen shot of the comments and questions posted before the team members' page was shut down. Nobody should be bullied into getting vaccinated by a company. I refer to the 3 levels of legal 

Most nights I am far too tired to cook when I get home as I leave home too early and get home too late. Since I have to transfer buses at Manly Wharf, I have been stopping at GyG for a burrito to take home for dinner far too often so tonight I decided to try something different. there is an advertisement for $1 fish tacos. I decided to order 3 tacos , one of each but they weren't $1 fish tacos - it was 3 tacos for $15 or you can buy single tacos which were more expensive and varied in price. So what did I think of them as this was another first time taste test? Well there was far too much sauce on all three of the different tacos ie 2 fish 1 prawn. There was also a lot of ingredients in the toppings on each taco  which made it a little difficult to individually identify. The first taco I bit into in a takeaway box on it's own was a prawn taco. It tasted like KFC and therefore could have been mistaken for chicken as I initiaslly could not identify what type of protein it actually because the batter was so thick and deep fried and the prawn inside was so small surtounded by so much of the toppings and sauce it masked it. I rate it a 6/10. The actual soft flour taco skin was nice but this was one of the two taco that were a little small. Would I order it again - probably not. Onto the second taco Itried which was one of 2 in the second take away container. This was probably my favorite taco although again I could not identify all the ingredients in the topping .Too much sauce and I think it was very finely shredded cheese over the top of it. Ok first thing I noticed was this was the largest taco of the 3.  It was the tastiest  as it was not as deep fried or battered as the other 2 smaller tacos. I could identify that it was fish of some  type but could not identify which type. The taco was folded up rather then flat like the single prawn taco. I think this fish was crumbed rather then battered which I prefer  so i rate this a 7.5/10. Finally i will rate the last taco, I think it was a fish taco again but I again can't identify it. i can't even remember eating it so it must have been pretty ordinary. Small like the prawn taco, to much sauce and toppings and golded swushed next to the other fish taco. I have nothing good or bad to say about it therefore rate it a 6/10 as well. Would I gave tacos from Fish & Lemonade again? Probably not if i do I will stick to 3 of my favourite taco and not one of each. Love their packaging so krudos for that. Photos below

Home on the 144 bus. I wash my mask and my  hands before eating my tacos but there is not much on tv and I have missed the news The Cook Up but managed to catch 8 out of 10 does countdown. i catch up on a bit of Youtube but have an early night's sleep.