Week 40 - we get a look at the new normal, in Western Australia

 Edited BY


G P Kennedy


Simon - Perth, WA


Hi everyone


 So, it appears that I am the only one of us that is living a relatively normal life so I’ll try and describe what that’s like.



 Firstly, we have had no cases of community spread of COVID here in WA. We are still living with a variety of restrictions but they are nothing compared with what most people are dealing with.



 I am back at work after a Christmas break. N next week the kids start a new year of school. Tomorrow my wife goes back to work. By this time next week, it will back to normal for us as a family.





 Each day during the week will be getting ready for work, getting the kids ready, and dropping them off. I am a surveyor and have worked from home for about 8 years so I’ll be out and about on various jobs. 


 If I have to go to our office in the city that is still a normal thing to do so I’ll just go in, sanitize my hands when I get there and try not to get too close to anyone.



 When we pick the kids up from school we can go in to pick them up if we want to or queue up in the car park and they are escorted out to be collected.


Again no big deal and we are encouraged not to hang around. 



 They would normally come straight back home but if we wanted to we could go to the shops, see a movie at the cinema or go visit friends or relations. 



 Again this is very much as if it was this time last year except for having cleaner hands and being aware of giving everyone a bit of space. Both of these things have now become so ingrained that most people don’t even realize it’s happening.




 Yesterday was Australia Day, which means a Public Holiday. I had Monday off as well, which meant a long weekend, which was great. 



 In the end, we didn’t really do too much. The kids went to Adventure World, they had a couple of sleepovers and I spent a fair bit of time in the kitchen.



 The thing is I guess we COULD have done anything. Go out for a meal? No problem. Head to the beach? They are all open but just watch out for sharks. Go away for the weekend? Jump in the car and head to any part of WA, even though the opposite end from us is over 3,000 kilometers away.




 

I guess my point is that even though we didn’t do these things we chose not to but could have. And that makes us very lucky indeed as we have the choice.



One year ago we didn’t even realize how lucky we are or how much things were about to change.



 So, to anyone who is in lockdown or living under a raft of restrictions, be patient. Better times are coming.




Get vaccinated, do what you have been asked to do, and stay positive.



I hope that very soon you have a choice of where to go and what to do.



Then, like me, you may realize how lucky you are, and may never take things for granted again.



Cheers - Simon

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