Lockdown: Phase 2 Day 16

Today was another busy day at work. The highlight of the day for me was clearly going back to Yoga. I had this self-inhibiting thought process that I cannot do practise Yoga without an instructor. Back in 2010 and 2011, I did a course at a nearby temple/gurukul and was practising it regularly. Then, life happened is what I say, but to be honest, I did not enjoy doing it without an instructor. The instructor would correct any incorrect postures and also time me. Today, was one of the many steps that I would be taking to stop making excuses and to get on with it. I was quite happy at the end of the hour long session. I enjoyed it quite a bit. The other highlight on the negative side is that today, again, we lost the legendary actor Rishi Kapoor, who also succumbed to cancer. It was really heart breaking. We grew up watching his movies and continued doing so until very recently. It is unfortunate to have lost him- may his soul rest in peace.

Lockdown: Phase 2 Day 15

When I woke up this morning, it was raining heavily. The entire day was gloomy. To add to it, news came through that the terrific actor Irrfan Khan succumbed to cancer- May his soul rest in peace! Anyway, after my chores I settled down to work. It was a long and busy day. At the end of it, I was happy and was reminded that it is World Stationery Day today. So, Happy World Stationery Day to all the stationery enthusiasts around the world. To be honest, I did not know of this until I saw people mention it on social media. To celebrate my first ever World Stationery Day, I gifted my husband a Hauser fountain pen. I would have loved to get him something nice but this was the best I could manage during the lockdown! Also, it is a milestone for me today. This particular post is my 150th blogpost! I really can't believe it! Though hardly anyone reads it, if at all, I like to keep writing and I hope someday, someone strange like me with similar interest will chance up on my blog and will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed putting it together. :-)

Lockdown: Phase 2 Day 14

After a good run with productive days- today was quite the opposite. It was pretty unproductive and put me in a bad mood. Apart from that, I had a nagging headache all day which did not help either. Late evening, I sat down and did a few things. I could not exercise either. Just got in 6 mins of workout which I was not happy with. I hear more and more positive outlook towards the relaxation/lifting the lockdown. I keep wondering how I would plan out what I would do once out of the lockdown. Hope tomorrow is a much more positive and productive day than today.

Lockdow: Phase 2 Day 13

From what I hear, I feel, our nation is moving towards getting out of lockdown in a phased manner. What would it mean for me- well, while I would be happy to go to work, I am dependent presently on public transport and I think all across India, the one thing public transport as we know it, does not support the social distancing agenda. I keep reading articles about how the way we work, the way we live etc is going to change drastically as a result of the pandemic. I am not so sure if it will be drastic. There will be changes for sure and those will be gradual. Sometimes I wonder if we are letting our minds run amok with imagination. Anyway, today I ruined our perfectly well functioning washing machine while doing my chores. I tried my luck calling the customer care with a service request but in vain. I have to now hand wash my big pile of clothes which were piled in the first place so that there is enough load up the washing machine. Tomorrow, I intended it to be a chore free day but now you know what I will be doing in the morning! 

Lockdown: Phase 2 Day 12

It was a very busy day for me. I engaged myself with a lot of cooking and cleaning. The highlights were Aloo Parathas for breakfast and Paneer curry for lunch. Apart from that I did some cleaning which was long overdue. I was quite exhausted and took a nice nap in the afternoon. I also caught up with my friend over a call in the evening and watched a movie- Bad Education. I could not do everything I wanted to but I am glad that I took the opportunity to relax. Sometimes we have to be easy on ourselves. Apart from all this, I used yesterday a new app and ordered vegetables, fruits and some groceries. I did not order too much as I was not sure about the quality considering the vegetables and fruits were much more cheaper when compared to the other vendors. The quality seems satisfactory for now. Also, I wanted to give an update about my ear. It seems to have resolved on its own with little or no outside help. For now, I am okay with my ear and hope it stays that way and I don't have a relapse anytime soon.

Lockdown: Phase 2 Day 11

Today was an extremely busy day. This morning after I completed cleaning our home, I went to buy vegetables and also stopped over at a nearby supermarket to buy groceries. The wait outside the supermarket for some strange reason was longer than usual. The weather outside was quite nice today. It was cool and a light breeze blowing really helped the wait. Anyway, after I returned, I completed some other cleaning work and showered and had lunch. I was probably a bit exhausted, I thought of taking a short nap but ended up taking a very long one which lasted a long time. I prepared an Indian style macaroni dish which was quite liked at home. I have not checked the news even once today. I will do that now and exercise a bit before calling it a day. This, in a nutshell, was my day (I know quite boring). Nothing in particular stood out for me- it was just another day in lockdown!!

Lockdown: Phase 2 Day 10

We had thunderstorms again this morning. I could not do my cleaning chores as we store the cleaning supplies in a balcony and the broom was soaking wet. Fortunately, it was all okay before the workday started. Productivity-wise, definitely much better than yesterday. I am now looking forward to a relaxing weekend after a crazy busy week. I would probably catch a movie on one of these video streaming services and will plan a nice meal for the family.

Lockdown: Phase 2 Day 9

I am updating this post today because by the time I decided to write the blogpost, we had thunderstorms and our modus operandi for this is to turn of our internet, unplug the router and keep it out of lightning's way. So, I could not really post. It was a semi-productive day. I had the most sweet and delicious watermelon with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and chaat masala which made it all the more divine. I again worked late into the day without realising. Just an ordinary day- nothing much to write home about.

Lockdown: Phase 2 Day 8

For the first part of the day, we did not have internet but it was fixed by late morning. I did my chores "as usual" and had a productive day at work yet again. I think I have been the most productive ever since we started working from home. I guess it is the lack of worry to rush to, or,  rush back from the office. I also think my daily routine and a schedule that works for me has also been helpful. I now have a designated area for working, a separate are for eating and other fun activities and also a separate are for rest. I think it is a cumulative effect of all these factors that has lead to good amount of productivity.  

Lockdown: Phase 2 Day 7

On Day 7, I did not post anything as we did not have internet through our fibre. I'm not sure what went wrong but we did not have it for the entire day. Apart from that the other highlight was a sinfully delicious Banana Bread that I baked in the evening and a sprouts salad for lunch and evening snack which was really delicious. Also had a productive day at work, I connected o my mobile data. I was happy with the day even without depending on internet for entertainment- happy about that.

Lockdown: Phase 2- Day 6

I had a pretty productive day today. I did not really think so much about the virus etc. Just went about my routine. I did watch the news though and saw that many European countries were easing restrictions. It gives me hope that the end of the lockdown period is imminent albeit it will come with its fair share of restrictions and rules. I do not really mind working from home, I just miss my morning walk in the park. Also, coming to the national news, apparently we are doing pretty well when it comes to the rate of doubling of cases. Hope it only keeps improving from this point on. 

Lockdown: Phase 2 Day 5

Today I caught up with my extended family over a video conference. It was nice to get updates from people around the globe. If not anything else, the lockdown has given my family an opportunity to connect. I also took charge of the kitchen this morning and prepared Misal Pav for lunch and a nice hearty Konkani lunch and dinner. The day felt pretty productive. I also relaxed a bit watching the old Hindi movie- Anamika. That's it for the day.

Lockdown: Phase 2- Day 4

After my household chores today, I spoke to an old friend of mine. I think we caught up nearly after a decade. It was nice to hear from her. I also reorganized and decluttered my wardrobe- it was about time. Most of my day went in decluttering. The little bud on my hibiscus plant also bloomed today. Overall, a productive day I think.

Lockdown: Phase 2- Day 3

Today was a productive day in general. I got my exercises and vegetable shopping too in the earlier part of the morning. It was a busy but a productive day at work. I am quite excited about this weekend. I have a great weekend to look forward to- a new hibiscus bud is all set to bloom tomorrow, I am taking a bit of a reset challenge and would be decluttering my wardrobe yet again (I hope to, not sure if I will have the energy for it). I need to re-organize it properly. I have been thinking a lot about what I will do next once the lockdown is lifted and also about life and death. More importantly, I have been thinking about Friday nights which I always hope don't end.

Lockdown: Phase 2- Day 2

It was a busy but productive day at work today. I woke up, did my chores, brought some groceries and snacks, showered, got ready and started my work. Some days these days I work very long hours, not because I want to, I just lose track of time, I think all the different times of the days (morning, afternoon, evening, night etc) (I think there is a word for it, just cannot recall what it is) are all converging and merging that I am unable to make a distinction at all.  Sometimes, the hunger clock reminds me but somedays not even that. Though I have a schedule and a routine, on some days it is hard to clear the blur.

Lockdown: Phase 2- Day 1

Today marks the first day of Lockdown Phase 2. It does not feel any different from Phase 1. It feels very normal to be honest. I have a routine that I have got used to. It was a busy day at work. Another 3 weeks- I do not think it will extend beyond this date but we ought to be careful. I have to think of what I would do once the lockdown is lifted.

Lockdown- Day 21

The PM of our country announced the extension of lockdown to 03MAY. This means more indoor time for everyone. Today I completed my chores and did some grocery shopping and also enquired about our cooking gas delivery status. I busied myself with work. In the evening, we learnt of the death of our next door neighbour- not due to the virus. It was such a shock to me as I saw him purchase vegetables a few days back. It makes me rethink the way we look at life and the way we live our lives and our future. I know from experience that no matter what you do, one is never prepared for the death of a loved one.

Lockdown- Day 20

This day was my grocery shopping day but we were stocked okay so I did not step out. We finally came to know that the PM will address the nation tomorrow morning. At work, there was not as much to do today as it is usually due to the Easter Monday holiday.
I watched several Youtubers make videos on what they do during Quarantine. To be honest, it was all more or less the same thing that everyone seems to be doing but I have come up with some new things which none of them have come up with so far. They are quite crazy but fun nonetheless. I will probably write about it sometime soon.

Lockdown- Day 19

There were a few birthdays today in my family around the globe. It must be a memorable one for them and also a strange one. Also, we are approaching the end of the lockdown period but, there is no formal announcement yet by the prime minister if the nationwide lockdown period will be extended. Some of the states have extended it but I wonder if it will happen at a national level. I think I had a very productive day today- I did a lot of cleaning around the house and also after a long time, prepared lunch for the family- felt quite good. The highlight of today's cooking was Palak Paneer. It was really delicious. I am slowly going to cook and bake like I used to in 2018 and before.

Lockdown- Day 18

I usually wait until the end of the day to write this post so that I can capture as much information as possible but I am writing this at around 5:15pm. This morning, I purchased some veggies and groceries and came home, showered and dressed and relaxed a bit. I watched a nice full length concert on Youtube by a legendary singer- enjoyed it thoroughly. I have decided to be more productive this weekend with a bit of studying, reading etc. I would probably watch a movie as well. I was also listening to some myth-busters about some vague personal checks one can do to check if they have the virus or not. Some were really hilarious to me. However, I was wondering if people come up with some of these myths to really to spread misinformation, or, to convince themselves that they are not infected- something to think about.

Lockdown- Day 17

This morning I learnt that one of our neighbours has taken ill and is in critical care unit. It is not really due to the virus but his ailment is no less. I hope it will all be fine soon. Times are such that we cannot even offer to provide the kind of help they need or even pay a visit at the hospital. At times such as these, it is important to maintain one's physical and mental health- eat well and carefully, get enough exercise and sleep well too. Try and do things one loves- if you love it enough, you will find a way to do it. We do not know how long this would last and staying indoors might just become normal instead of an exception- never know! Take care and stay safe!

Lockdown- Day 16

Quite an uneventful day. I got some groceries this morning, showered, got dressed and worked until quite late. Sometimes, I lose complete track of time and sometimes of the day. I am working out at home but I don't feel great at the end of it. Also, it rained cats and dogs today. I am not listening to the news as frequently as I was in the initial days of the lockdown. I now barely get time to do it. Anyway, weekend is knocking at our door and I am getting excited to cook something new and complex. Let us see!

Lockdown- Day 15

Today another bud bloomed into a beautiful flower on my little hibiscus plant. It really cheered me up. There is another bud waiting to bloom but it will be a few more days. Other than that, had a productive day at work. I think we are all getting used to the new normal. I wonder if the world would go back to its old ways once the lockdown is lifted!

Lockdown- Day 14

This day marks the 2 week completion of the lockdown in our country. We think we have one more week but never know, it could last longer. I came to know of a loss of a good family friend- not due to COVID-19- may his soul rest in peace. I got a chance to talk to one of my aunts over a video call. Not a great, interesting day- very ordinary.

Lockdown- Day 13

It rained cats and dogs here this evening. This was paired with a black-out in my neighbourhood. People are curious to know if the lockdown will extend or not. Otherwise, just another day in lockdown- did some chores in the morning before settling down to work.

Lockdown- Day 12

The highlight of the day for me was the lighting of the lamps at 9pm for 9 mins to express our solidarity in the current crisis. It was an incredible feeling.

I watched a nice movie and also invested a bit in a personal development workbook.

Lockdown- Day 11

Today was just another day where I went about doing my chores for the day. For the first time in my life, I got an online consultation on the ear situation. I have been prescribed medication but I would still have to see a doctor in a week or so, as there is only so much one can do online.

Lockdown- Day 10

Today is kind of the middle of our country-wide lockdown. We were called upon to light lamps/hold up torches or switch on the mobile phone torches in our balconies, at our windows on 05APR for 9 minutes and turn off all lights indoors. I think more than a gimmick, it is something to look forward to and keep ourselves interested and motivated. I mean for many people in India, social distancing is very hard and also staying indoors. I think, everyone needs to take care of their mental health in such times, so that if we do not catch the virus, we should at least not be ailing from anything else. No progress with my ear. Rest, tomorrow.

Lockdown- Day 9

I could not blog yesterday. I did some house chores and for the very 1st time since the nation-wide lockdown, I did not step outdoors, even for a minute. For the 1st time, we felt we are adequately stocked and should be able to manage easily with whatever we had.

Lockdown- Day 8

This morning, before I did anything else, I went to the vegetable shop and got enough to take us through a week to week and a half. My ear feels so blocked up and no matter  how much I yawn, it does not make it right. I need to see a doctor as I cannot hear very clearly from that ear but I do not want to go yet. It is kind of scary to go to a hospital in the midst of a pandemic.