Category: project colin

Day 484 – No surprise

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First off, thanks for all your lovely, supportive comments on various platforms. They’re all appreciated.

I have Covid-19.

Yep. No surprise that my PCR test came back positive. I think I’d decided what it was fairly early on in the course of things and my senses of smell and taste disappearing 36 hours ago really meant that we were just crossing the Is and dotting the Ts.

So this is Day 4, because now everything has to be given a title and an order so that we can work out what comes next. Day 4 hasn’t been too bad: my headache has gone for the moment, which is a huge relief, but my respiratory symptoms are a bit worse. Swings and roundabouts, then.

Apparently, according to my doc, days 6 and 7 are a complete bastard, which is good to know, because its always nice to have something to look forward to.

Last Friday, I was looking forward to a sunny weekend and a braai. This Friday, I was sitting, shivering, listening to my GP tell me under what conditions I should be admitted to hospital.

I’m making the best of the better moments: fresh air and sunshine, a blog post, sorting out my will etc etc. And then I sleep when I feel rubbish again.

I’m obviously concerned about the next few days, but I’m also really irritated that I’m having to go through this at all. Because a better – even vaguely competent – vaccine rollout would have meant that this never happened. And, given that I almost certainly picked this up at the supermarket last week, if people could just learn to put a fucking mask over both their face holes, I probably wouldn’t be here either.

I’ve been so careful for the last 18 months and it’s finally paid off in one way. So much so that I only needed to inform 1 person of my result, and that because he came here to drop something off on Sunday (masks on, social distanced, one Pfizer shot a few weeks ago – he should be fine).

I really, really wanted to go out and do a thing this weekend (if you know, you know), but I didn’t. The FOMO was real, but wow, with hindsight the implications would have been huge. So, I don’t know: if you’re thinking about doing something… don’t.

And sure, it’s less than great that I went for my jab on Monday and I was likely infectious, but sadly, I had no idea. On that note, looking back, feeling just a little off colour that morning was actually hugely important, otherwise I’d be wondering if this was just a vaccine reaction (well, until I got the test results, anyway).

What more to add? I dunno. My logical brain is telling me not to worry about things getting worse. I don’t have any comorbidities or risk factors, so I should be fine. Of course, ideally, you’d choose not to have Covid-19 as well for complete peace of mind, but it appears that that ship has sailed.

And thanks to my wife and kids, who are all likely infected as well (but maybe not to this extent), and are still doing amazing things in looking after me and the household. I chose well. Them… maybe less so. Lol.

Right. Let me go and sit in the sun with the beagle. Because when it comes to being lazy on the patio, I really couldn’t learn from anyone better.

See you tomorrow.

Day 479 – Favourite Golfist

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The Open golf has been on for much of the weekend. I’m not an avid watcher, but it’s been on in the background while I’ve been doing stuff around the house.

This guy is my new favourite golfist. Why? Because of this:

“No. No! Greedy Bastard! Sit… SIT!”

Sounds like me chastising the beagle while doing an impression of Arnold Schwartzenegger.

A fairly regular occurrence.

Day 468 – Off to hide

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Housesitters instructed. Beagle bathed to soft, silky, shininess. Car packed.

We’re off to hide from this horrible virus in the middle of nowhere for a while. Blog posts are primed and ready to be unleashed upon an otherwise unsuspecting public each day, and I’m looking forward to a brief break from the daily rigors (it’s not actually that bad) of sticking some words up onto the internet each day.

I’m unaware if there will be any sort of cell signal where we are going, so if you don’t hear from me, we’re probably still all good. But thanks for the concern. Real service will be resumed upon our return. In the meantime check the top of the sidebar for Instagram and Twitter links.

Have a great week. I fully intend to.

Day 466 – One more from yesterday

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Mostly dodging yesterday’s showers, we headed out to Tokai Forest for a quick wander with the beagle. I took along the camera, but given the weather and the fact that it was a family walk, not a photography trip, just with the 50mm lens. Small, neat, easy to carry, fun to use.

You can see most of the results of this decision on Instagram, but I held this one of a shower over Constantiaberg back because it worked better in B&W and didn’t work as a square crop, and so didn’t fit with those others.

There was some lovely sunshine from time to time yesterday, but there were definitely wintery bits in between, like this sudden shower. It would be wrong of me not to share this and somehow mistakenly give you the impression that spring was on the way.

It’s not. Yet.

Day 400 – Marking milestones

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It’s 400 days since SA embarked on its Coronavirus lockdown. Back then, we weren’t even allowed out of our property.
Since that day, we’ve been through two fairly horrendous waves of Covid-19, several alcohol and smoking bans, beach restrictions, economic disaster, and a stuttering, non-starting vaccination programme. Currently, our R number – marking the progress and pace (or not) of viral infections in the country – is sitting at 1.03, meaning that we’re ever so very slightly on the wrong side of where we’d like to be, but equally, that things aren’t nearly as terrible as they have been or could be. And that R number is currently being fuelled by minor outbreaks in the Northern Cape and the Free State. Touch wood, with the major centres doing ok at the moment, we’re still not seeing any sign of the expected Third Wave. Long may it continue.

Which does make one wonder why there’s still a midnight to 4am curfew.
Not that I had any plans for that particular period.
Other than sleeping.
Which is allowed.

Another milestone today: our wedding anniversary. The day each year when I sit back and reflect upon just why Mrs 6000, very much of Champions League standard, is still happily existing in my Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Second Division company. I’ve no idea either, but I’m very happy that she still seems content with my muddy, clod-hopping, somewhat makeshift agricultural style. Not much skill, but a whole lot of effort. As the actress said to the Bishop.
We’re going out to celebrate at a very good restaurant this evening.
But we’ll be back before midnight, Cyril. I promise.

I have spent much of the day painting. Not in any artistic sense, more in the “I’m not old enough for this Antique Cream to seem anywhere near acceptable in my house” sense.
I’m obliterating it all with brilliant white. Or rather, I was, until I ran out of paint. Very frustrating.

Soundtrack to my endeavours was provided by The Streets. I went for their Spotify catalogue, which has loads of live stuff, remixes and collaborations. Really nice trip (no pun intended) down memory lane, and one which culminated in me singing Fit But You Know It to the somewhat bewildered beagle.

A proper highlight of a milestone day for all concerned.