Day 2 of Lockdown and the streets are eerily quiet. We drove to the supermarket where there were a lot of vehicles in the car park, but no queue. Hand sanitiser and trolley wipes were offered and welcome. I went in to do the shopping while Stephen waited in the car. The first item on my list was a bunch of flowers because there are so few in the garden at present.
Cheerful flowers
The only goods not available were Barkers Elderflower and Lime Cordial, and Maggi Beef Stock, but there were suitable substitutes. The checkout operator was someone I hadn’t seen before and she was sheltered behind a perspex screen. Three cheers for all the supermarket staff working hard in an extremely difficult situation! I used Paywave to be contactless, but because the total was over $200 I had to enter a pin on the keypad.
Later I went for a walk and was surprised to meet a flock of pigeons on the riverbank. When I got my camera out they all took off.
Pigeons on the riverbank
The empty streets are reminiscent of a scene after an atomic bomb. The fact that our household now includes a daughter makes it seem as though we’ve travelled back in time. The whole situation is surreal and strange, and I haven’t yet quite absorbed the reality. Autumn Equinox passed unremarkably. The next festival will be Samhain at the end of April, traditionally a time to honour our beloved dead. I wonder how many will have succumbed to the virus by then. Thank the Goddess for Jacinda’s calm kind messages and actions.
The silent streets seem quite unreal
What future fate do they conceal?
Ruth's Reflections 
Thank you for putting into words what many of us will be feeling. Stay well xx
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Thanks for your message, Marja. Take care!
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I was wondering what the procedure would be at the supermarket. Now I’m forewarned for when I next have to go there – thanks. The street outside my place is surprisingly busy – but not actually busy – because it’s such a through-road, I suppose. When I walk around the river, it’s quite weird to see so many people doing the same thing during the week. I work from home, so it’s normal for me to go for a walk or bike ride during the week, but the last few days have looked like the weekend out there.
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And people are all saying hello – from a two metre distance, of course.
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