DAY ELEVEN QUARANTINE - AUCKLAND

Well... what do I have to look forward to today I wonder?

How about my 2nd Covid Test here?  Yep.  And once that is done, and I get my negative, I can leave on Friday at 6 pm.

So, while the Covid test is damn UNCOMFORTABLE, at least it's working towards a good end.

THREE MORE SLEEPS!  I've really hated the quarantine experience, as most people would.  But I have to keep reminding myself that it was for THE BEST REASON EVER.

Without it, I could not have spent those three weeks with Mum, before she passed away.  So I am trying to keep that perspective in mind.

This time will pass and soon it will just be a horrible memory.

And there is so much to look forward to.

Summer is coming.

Christmas is coming.

A long overdue trip away for Stew and I is going to happen fairly soon too.

So... I'm hanging in there and making sure I keep my head above water. 

As you can imagine, I did NOT get much sleep again last night.  I felt pretty rattled by the fire evacuation.  Even though there's reports there was no actual fire, just a malfunction with sprinklers going off... I just don't feel safe anymore.

So I will probably spend a lot of my days from now on walking 'outside' in the lobby or on the Level 4 Deck.  Actually, I'm going off the Level 4 Deck, cos you are still up in the building. At least in the lobby you are on ground level and can get 'out' immediately if need be.

I know in my head that there is not likely to be another fire alarm, and I'm perfectly safe in my room.  But still... I'm seriously rattled.

Want out of here so bad.  

ABOVE:  This was me last night.

Handbag - check

Laptop and passport -  check

Mask and room key - check

Shoes ready - check

Torch - check

Clothes ON - check

It wasn't a fun night.

ONWARD...

I worked out that I actually got 2 hours sleep last night.  I feel like a zombie.

And I have to stay in my room and wait for the phone to ring, calling me down to the Nurses Station for my Covid test.

Frustrating as ...  all I want to do is get out and walk off this horrible feeling of being trapped in my room.

I'm feeling really 'shaky' today.  Lack of sleep?  Stress?  Anticipation?  I don't know what.

Ha!  I got breakfast this morning too.

I can't even imagine eating anything right now.

My stomach just crawled away into a dark place.

THREE MORE SLEEPS.  Have I said that already?  Yeah probably.  

11.46 am:  I've still not been called to go have the Covid test.  My nerves are SHOT.

I've got the shakes just sitting here waiting... waiting.

It's worse than going for a blood test, and that's saying something!

1.29 pm:  Seems I've stayed in my room ALL morning for nothing.  The Covid testing team won't be here until later this afternoon.  

But no time given, so I am stuck here in this room until they ring.  Grrrrrr.

Like, I really wanted to get out and walk today.

MEANWHILE.... lunch arrived.

ABOVE:  A small wrap, one chicken pattie cut into 3, some coleslaw. No sauce or flavouring. Chips and Orange Juice. 

2.30 pm and I've finally had the last Covid Test.  It was as awful as I knew it would be.  I hope I never ever have to get one again.  

And now... I'm going down to the lobby for a walk.  And to get some fresh air.

5.28 pm: Changed my mind about the lobby for now.  Instead I tortured myself and repacked my bags.

Tried on clothes to work out just what I wanted to wear on Friday night.

So many choices now!

But I settled on one of my new dresses. 

MY FAVOURITE ONE.

I hope Stew thinks I look nice in it.

He would lie if not though!  So I won't really know.

It was fun trying on clothes again.  Some have been in my 'DON'T NEED THEM RIGHT NOW' suitcase for weeks!

It cheered me up a bit.

Stew will be up here in Auckland tomorrow and Thursday on business.  He won't see me though.  He has full days in meetings.

And I don't think I could bear seeing him and not be able to get a hug.

So, we are both waiting till Friday night.

That brings tears to my eyes .... so near, yet so far still.

8.05 pm:  I had an hour long walk in the lobby after dinner tonight.  It was empty for the first half an hour, then I had to share the space with a few others.

ABOVE:  Dinner tonight. Same pork as last night over KUMERA (I hate kumera) and is that Bok Choy?  Didn't like that either.  So I had pork for dinner.  The rest went in the bin.

YES, the cake too.  The cake in here is dry, and certainly NOT FRESH.

Now I'm going to have a soak in the bath before going to bed fairly early.

I'm damn tired after virtually no sleep last night.