Day 50 - Looking forward

Day 1 of the return to Level 2.  As it happened, I received a text from my hairdresser yesterday reminding me I had an appointment booked at 9.30am today.  To be honest, I had assumed that when they reopened they'd be re-booking people but it seems they decided to stick with what they already had booked and squeeze others in between appointments.  The benefits of booking ahead huh?!  

The walk out into the garden to brush my teeth told me the world was most definitely noisier and the drive to town definitely had more traffic and more people.  We  won't get another spell of sublime peacefulness like the last 6 or 7 weeks again unless something dire re-occurs (something none of us want) so looking forwards is the only sensible and healthy thing to do.  I will however, tuck the memory and the feeling away and treasure it as COVID's silver lining.  After my appointment I drove out to the Boulder Bank and just sat and enjoyed the sun, the blue sky and the space.  This wee chap was doing the same I think.

Today was also budget day - big announcements  from the government of massive spending with the aim of bolstering the economy until it grows enough strength to stand up on its own.  Tourism is a concern though - with international borders closed it's going to be up to Kiwis themselves to keep the industry afloat by supporting it wherever we can.  I'm already starting to think about how I can do my bit....?

In COVID news today it's a bit of a (very positive) groundhog day - zero new cases for the third day in a row, though two still in hospital.  That's great news for the country but as usual...........we're not out of the woods yet.  By my calculations there are 65 active cases in the country, a drop of 9 from yesterday.  I feel we're on the final lap of a 4x400mm relay......we don't want to drop the baton now do we...?