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New stuff

I think we are all finding new ways to do things.


Anzac Day

Like many others I observed Anzac Day at my front gate this year, though I must confess to being a little too late to Light the Dawn.  The neighbour hung his Aussie flag to celebrate this special day.




Healthcare

This week I lined up at the drive thru flu vaccine clinic at the local hospital.  I loved this innovation, so convenient.

We have also had telehealth appointments recently which are also a wonderful convenience. The first one was interesting in that I had been booked for the doctor's first appointment for the day.  As the morning dragged on with no call I realised there was some drawbacks to this innovation - you can't see who is getting ahead of you in the queue or whether the doctor is dealing with some emergency.  After waiting patiently for over an hour I rang the surgery.  For some reason the doctor's call hadn't connected through and I ended up getting my call hours later.

Then this week my husband and I had scheduled telehealth calls and would you believe both doctors rang more than an hour earlier than the appointed time.  Have you ever heard of a doctor being early!

But telehealth can't do it all, we both need to visit the surgery for face to face appointments.



Online Shopping

Having worked in IT for over 40 years I am quite tech savvy so I expected online shopping to be no trouble for me.  But it turned out to not be a technical issue - just about everything I wanted to buy from Coles was "temporarily unavailable" and everything I wanted from Bunnings was not available for online shopping so I ditched that idea.

However, I have noticed that our usually quiet street (so quiet that you notice every car that drives along it) now has regular visits from delivery trucks.

Reading Magazines and Binge Watching

Having given up on online shopping I still scurry off to the supermarket, where the queues are so short there is no time to scan the outrageous headlines on the magazines at the checkout counter. But none to worry, I have found the local library has just about every magazine I would ever want to read available for free and using my husband's ipad it's every bit as good as reading the paper version.

Telstra has given us lots of extra mobile data.  Foxtel is providing free access to their drama offerings.  I binge watched for about a week then decided I have better things to do with my time but nonetheless think these corporations are great for their kind response during the crisis.

So what new things are happening in your neck of the woods?

Comments

  1. Glad you found ways to stay busy, Joan. I'm pretty well stocked with activities so I haven't felt the need to go elsewhere (like the beach).

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    1. People do seem to be very disturbed about not being able to go to the beach. I am glad they have some access now. I don't miss the beach at all.

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  2. You seem to have it pretty good there. Didn't know about Foxtel and free drama must check it out.

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    1. We have Foxtel at each of our homes and don't remember if it was offered to both of them. Perhaps I am just a lucky one.

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  3. I'm steadily getting our summer garden planted. We've had Zoom meetings with one group with volunteer with. Tuesday I'll conduct my first Zoom meeting with those members of my book club willing to take on a new tech challenge, about half the group. Then it's back and forth between reading and movies.

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    1. Reading, movies, gardening are the type of things I am doing, but I haven't done Zoom. I do chat on the phone to my brothers and sister a lot more lately.

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  4. I once attended ANZAC day, 1995 in Carnarvon. I like that you do this.

    Oh, I was just thinking, wow, you are so advanced, but then hours of waiting, not good.
    Haha, no, no doctor I know was ever early! But once I had to wait but 5 minutes!
    Certainly it was the dentist, brrrr...

    Yes. Sewing machines are not available, not in store, nor online. Crazy times!

    I´ll try and see if the Botanical Garden is open when I go to get bread.

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    1. I didn't know there was a run on sewing machines. I haven't felt the urge to get mine out yet but maybe soon once my furniture restoration jobs dry up ... but then again I have got a new knitting project going so probably not,

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  5. I am enjoying this new pace of life. So many projects finally getting finished. No stress to fit things into a busy day. I'm also enjoying the many 'Corona' singalongs, ballets, orchestras and concerts that are free and found through Facebook. My favourite is Andrew Lloyd Webber's snippets. The 25th Anniversary of The Phantom of the Opera from the Albert hall was magnificent. This weekend I can watch Andrew's 50th birthday cocert.

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    1. I agree there is a new quiet pace to life and a chance to finish projects. When I do venture out the roads and public transport are peaceful, the shops are calm with smiling shop assistants. In some ways it's like the city has become a big country town. I am glad you are finding music and concerts to enjoy.

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  6. For the first time for months we can now gather, still taking precautions, in groups up to 10 people, just in time for me to have my sisters and partners around for lunch today to celebrate my sister's birthday. Was so nice to sit outside and actually enjoy being together in real time 😊 I'm a bit like you Joan Elizabeth, I can always find things to do.. or just enjoy reading, I love being home 💙

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