Day 12, Level 3: Still in L3, lilac flower, romping dog and starry sky
Today's big announcement came at 3pm - and Auckland will remain in Level 3 for another four days, until 11:59pm on Sunday night. The rest of the country stays in Level 2. There's not a lot of clarity but it seems that even when Auckland goes to L2 on Monday, there will still be restrictions on gatherings - maximum of ten people, which is likely to remain in place until 6th September.
This is bad news for those in hospitality i.e. my sister and her bar Pym's of Milford. It's also not good for the likes of me in travel. But, like a good jockey, we'll ride this out and hopefully get past the post in good shape.
Masks will become compulsory on public transport. And encouraged in every other sphere of life. Finally!
It's virtually impossible to plan anything. And there's no point in dreaming up anything to plan. For someone like me, this is very difficult.
I suggest that "Impromptu" is going to become the new modus operandus. Which is okay for me as "flexibility" is - and has always been - my middle name. But this is not the case for the majority.
A busy work day for me today, start to finish - writing, minutes, reports, articles, phone calls, emails and all sorts. It rained on and off all day. I noticed, but not really, my mind was on other things and the rain was irrelevant.
Escaped to the beach around 5pm when work was ticked off and the sun came out. There was a rainbow and it was utterly stunning down there, beyond my wildest dreams as, to be honest, I'd thought twice about bothering in case the rain came.
As it turned out, the light was gorgeous, tide out, waves curling, people enjoying in an "I didn't think it would be so beautiful" kind of way. A bit breezy and kinda chilly. But oh so pleasant.
On the sand by our walkway lay a small lilac flower, with rain droplets glinting in the late afternoon sunshine. A thing of beauty abandoned and forlorn on a seashore.
SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:
Starry starry night ...
Last night I got up in the middle of the night to let the cat in (she sometimes meows outside the doors upstairs, rather than use her cat door downstairs). Thankfully I stepped outside - to see the most spectacular starry sky from one end to the other. Last evening itself had earlier thrown up thunder and lightning galore, awful, but it was calm and beautiful out on the deck once midnight had come and gone, albeit a bit cool.
It had obviously still been raining quite a bit, but I didn't care and traipsed around barefoot on the wet deck in my PJs staring up at the sky in wonder, and trying to work out where the universe might end.
There's no doubt that trying to envisage the edge of space does your head in.
It's a bit like trying to imagine life beyond Covid - utterly impossible!
There were rabbits on the road and front lawn. Large rabbits. They just sat there like huge lumps. I called out in the dark of the night to try to get them to move (I think I just wanted to see them jump about). But nothing, they were immobile. I began to wonder if they were real or just a figment of a midnight imagination!
Truth be known, and cute as they might be, they're a real pest here, digging up gardens Peter Rabbit-style in their hundreds. Running amok amongst the sand dunes is their biggest crime and it's a real problem.
Skywards, the Porridge Pot was as clear as I've ever seen it in all my decades of star gazing. I was always mesmerised by "The Pot" as a kid and it is equally as spectacular in the sky through adult eyes. Very recognisable. Part of the Orion constellation.
Known as Orion's Belt & Sword in the northern hemisphere (it resembles that), we see an upside down version here in NZ - which resembles a saucepan, hence the name Porridge Pot. Or more commonly called The Pot. Or The Saucepan. Nothing complex there!
Three bright stars form the base (which lies along an imaginary line known as the celestial equator), and three fainter stars form its handle. The region above the pot faces south, and north is below the base stars. Takes a bit of work to get your head around that i.e. which way is up!?
What a conundrum the sky is.
The other well-known constellation in NZ skies is the Southern Cross. Which is what our flag is based upon - four stars in the shape of a cross, with a fifth tucked within.
There are so many zillions of stars in the night sky and they were all shining brightly last night against an inky backdrop. With no city lights in the vicinity, the sky is so clear. Unfortunately, hopeless to photograph on a phone!
Tonight - it's raining and there isn't a star in the sky - although that may change come the wee small hours - I'll be checking on that!
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