Day 11, Level 2.5: Dogs and cats, Covid update (sigh), and Rangitoto Island

After a busy day incorporating all facets of work, and dreaded housework, as well as some full-on face mask research with purpose, I headed back to Omaha late afternoon. 

As mentioned in Tuesday's post, Indi has been in the care of neighbour Uncle Peter as she failed to show up when I had to return to Auckland. Naughty Indi. Clever Indi! I didn't really want to return to the big smoke either. But normal life called - for a bit anyway! Auckland is only an hour's drive - it can often be much longer, but in Covid days, yahoo, it hasn't been. An hour max. This is one bonus, the traffic is generally so much better than it has been for years. 

Indi was there upon arrival (she has a cat door so can come and go). I joked with neighbour "Uncle Peter" that Indi has applied for Omaha citizenship. He said he'd signed her papers. I stamped her passport upon arrival, giving her leave to come and go. She went out her cat door, safe in the knowledge I was back. And also safe in the knowledge that Uncle Peter will care for her if she missed the boat (car)! Come the darkness of night - she wasn't letting me out of her sight letalone out of her actual physical grip!

If she goes AWOL again next time I need to go back to the city ... well, she may have her Omaha citizenship revoked as an overstayer and have to remain in Auckland forever more ...!

When I got to Omaha this evening a little white puppy dog (a Schnoodle) appeared at the door, yapping and leaping about. Had a long chat to its owner Chris - a neighbour across the road and along a few houses who I finally got to meet. Turned out he lives (back in Auckland) in the very same small street that I was brought up in!!! Nice guy, we must organise a wine catch up with him and his wife!

Meanwhile, those fires in California are horrific. Unimagineable. As were the Australian bush fires - a recent report says that 71% of the koala population died in the New South Wales fires. San Francisco at midday is clouded in a dark orange shroud. 

And Covid continues to ravage the world. Trump is in more trouble than ever. The UK is stepping up Covid restrictions. Victoria is a cotcase. 

And NZ isn't "all that". Especially when you take population and isolation into account. And people who disobey the rules and believe utter nonsense. Will we ever get back to Level 1 or 0? I don't think it's coming any time soon. I've worked and spent quite a lot of time in communist countries during the 1980s. Egad, we're under semi-communist rule! NZers, you cannot and will not do that ...! In a mission to be star of show, best in the world. We're not and we won't be. No one will be. It's not a competition!

No one is out of the woods. In all honesty, no one has an f'n clue about any of it. There seems to be no escape. As an analogy, it's almost like it's a case of an entire society being put in the water and either sinking or swimming, depending on strength, mindset, health, preparation and resolve - along with the tide, rip, swell, temperature or whatever is going on wherever you enter the water. If the water's cold - wear a wetsuit. If the waves are fierce, don't wear jeans. If you're a weak swimmer, don't go near, stay on the beach. But then a tsunami might come out of nowhere! If you're intrepid, give it a go. Etc.

The water might be enticing - but it might also kill you. Especially if there are rips throughout. 

Beware. Be wary. Be sensible. 

Reality is - Covid is here to stay. Let's work out a way to deal with it in our lives rather than trying to oust it from our lives - which is proving utterly fruitless. 

NZ - get with it! Sooner rather than later. 

SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:
Rangitoto Island ...

I do love Rangitoto Island - it's such an Auckland landmark. An awesome and distinctive shape to look at, from whichever part of Auckland you view it. It is actually a circular island when viewed from above. Round. It's hard to grasp when you see it's profile from the shore. 

Climbing to the top is a bit of an expedition but well worth it. I've done it once, when the boys were young. Memorable indeed. It's something all Aucklanders should do at least once! 

Distinctive Rangitoto

Rangitoto (and neighbouring Motutapu) from above

Sadly, however, many Aucklanders have never even seen Rangitoto, much less walked up it. They have never even seen the sea. This is a sad and shameful fact. So many South Auckland kids have simply never been to the coast of their own city. The stats are awful. I've seen and known the reality. 

Truth is, there aren't too many reasons to leave a small community, and there certainly aren't too many, if any, buses from Otara to Piha, or from Manurewa to Muriwai.

Here's a photo of horses on Omaha Beach.