The South Coast of NSW is idyllic in that it is not so far from the big centres of Sydney or Canberra yet seems a whole world away from the hustle and bustle of twenty-first-century living. More than that, there is a plethora of tiny bays and hideaways all along the coast between the small town centres that provide the necessities of everyday life. It is in one of these places that I have come to relax and recuperate.

In this crazy world we are living in, with pandemic conditions calling everything we have known into question, I have found myself living in this perfect place for self isolation. Someone suggested that this is really an excuse for me to indulge in a reclusive lifestyle and there may well be some truth in what she said.

As I write this, I am lying back in a hammock, over looking the garden, and watching the parade of parrots, pigeons, and other birds that come to feed from the seed feeder hanging from the rafters.

The news that keeps popping up on the banner headlines is almost exclusively about the Corvid-19 virus and what we may or may not expect over the next few weeks. As the reality of it all begins to sink in, I find myself thankful for this place and it’s quiet solitude.

One thing that is a positive is the time it gives to catch up on all those things that procrastination has allowed me to put off…. writing this instalment for example.. with just the birds for company, I can sit back in the hammock and write away to my heart’s content

I can walk on the beach, bush walk or simply stay at home mowing the lawns or doing some online courses that hopefully may pave a new pathway forward for me. Contrast this with the lives that so many others have to lead, particularly those in the health care field, putting themselves in harms way on a daily basis, and one gets a truly different perspective of what life is about.

If I should find myself in a country wide lock down I can think of few place that would be better to be than where I am right now. Keep safe people and take this thing seriously. It may not be you who feels the effects…. but it may be someone close