Lockdown 4.0 Day 14

Today marks the end of Lockdown 4.0. If I have understood correctly (still not a 100% sure), the lockdown has been extended for 2 more weeks and in these 2 weeks begins the prep for Unlockdown 1.0. In other news, we have to still reconcile our issues with our neighbours about our territories and borders. There is a cyclone that is approaching the western coast of India. It is worrisome as it is expected to hit Maharashtra and Gujarat, 2 states that are already reeling from the virus. I sincerely hope it weakens as it approaches the coast and there is little to no damage. On the western part of the world, there are massive protests and a lot of violence over the brutal and unwarranted killing of an African-American person in the US. It is unfortunate that it should have happened. The highlight of the day for me was stepping outside this afternoon after a long time for some shopping. It was a nice walk though the sun was scorching. Otherwise, it was just another day indoors in lockdown.

Lockdown 4.0 Day 13

Today was a busy day in the kitchen. I cooked all the meals at home today and I was happy to have done it. Tomorrow will be no different. I really need to plan my weekends better. I feel it passes by in a wink. There is news about unlocking the country in a phased manner. While I understand of opening up the economy, I am wondering if it is a step in the right direction with regards to public health. The cases are going in an upward trajectory and the idea to open up at such a time, seems a bit worrisome- only time will tell. Life would never be the same again I guess. Hopefully, everything will happen for good.

Lockdown 4.0 Day 12

There are just 2 days remaining before the Phase 4 of lockdown ends. So far, there is no news about extension or lifting it. I am just worried that any premature decision on lifting the lockdown would give us a 2nd spike of cases and our country may not be able to cope up with it. I hope the infection rates go down. Apart from this, the country has to resolve some border issues with its neighbours and this is also something that needs attention in addition to the virus. If these 2 issues were not enough, there are locust attacks from nowhere that are inflicting different states in the country. I don't think we have heard of any of these issues with the other countries in times like this. Anyway, today was kind of an unproductive day even though I seemed quite busy. Now that Gone with the Wind is behind me, it is time to move on. This time, as per my reading goals, I have selected a book by an Indian writer and it is a non-fiction by a journalist. It is by P. Sainath and the book is Everybody Loves a Good Drought. I hope it is as good as people say it is.

Lockdown 4.0 Day 11

I am writing this a day later. Yesterday, after a long day at work, I decided to watch the Gone With the Wind movie. It was quite a long movie and so, I could not really focus on anything else. I was determined to finish watching the movie in one sitting. Anyway, this movie was the highlight of my day yesterday. Otherwise, it was just another day in lockdown.

Lockdown 4.0 Day 10

I have written this on 27th May but would most likely be posted the day after as I am facing some trouble yet again with uploading the banner picture. Rains lashed out again today accompanied by thunder and lightning. The highlight of the day for me was me finally finishing up reading Gone with the Wind. I would be soon writing about it and expressing my views. It was another productive day at work in a lockdown.

Lockdown 4.0 Day 9

Today's highlight of the day was heavy rain/thundershowers in the city. It was really massive. Apart from that, a regular day at work in the lockdown. I managed to get some major chunks of work completed so I feel accomplished. I also woke up quite early and managed to get in my workout even before others could wake up- thanks to my getting into bed early enough last night. I shut down my work earlier than usual so I am looking forward to a very productive evening. 'til tomorrow!

Lockdown 4.0 Day 8

The highlight of the day for me was the fixing of the washing machine issue by the plumber. We can finally do our laundry in the machine and without a care in the world. Turns out, it was only a 5-10 minute job after all. Apart from that, I did not do much, I worked a bit even though it was a holiday and I lazed around a bit. In the evening, I started feeling sickly again- I assume it is dehydration. I need to take better care of myself. Apart from that, just another day in lockdown!

Lockdown 4.0 Day 7

Today was kind of productive. I chatted with my friend over a video call and then with a cousin and an uncle and an aunt and mom. Wow! I also spent a very big portion of the day in digital decluttering and also some real life cleaning. If time permits tomorrow, I would like to do a bit of redecoration of the living room tomorrow. I also have not been exercising owing to my sickliness in the past few days. I intend to get back to it tomorrow. The highlight of the day for me though was the heavy afternoon rains today. It definitely cooled off the city a lot!

Lockdown 4.0 Day 6

I was sickly for a big part of today so I decided to give myself a break and not to be too hard on myself. I did not do much today other than sleeping. I think it really helped me heal a bit and I feel much better now. I was probably not resting enough. The highlight of the day was having a socially distant face-to-face talk with my mom in the same room for the 1st time since the initial lockdown in March. This really lifted my spirits and also made me feel better. Later in the day when I was feeling much better, I also made some Indian style macaroni which was loved by the family.

Lockdown 4.0 Day 5

Today was another busy day, towards the end of which I felt quite sickly. I did not even want to write this post but out of habit, I just opened my laptop, turned it on. A devastating cyclone hit some parts of country which caused a lot of destruction. It is hard to imagine how evacuees can maintain social distancing during the pandemic. Also, there was an unfortunate plane crash in a neighbouring country where many people lost their lives. I sometimes wonder- are we approaching the end. Anyway, a long weekend is coming up and I want to make the most of it- hopefully this "sickliness" and malaise will be all gone when I wake up tomorrow morning. ' tomorrow!

Lockdown 4.0 Day 4

There was an interesting thing that happened in our city yesterday which I forgot to mention- there was a momentary thunderous sound that was heard across many parts of the city. Though there were a lot of theories about what it could have been, it was revealed that it was a sonic boom from a fighter jet's routine. Today, was a busy and productive day. The highlight was finishing a big chunk of work which we were pretty worried about- feel good. I worked late again but I am happy that at least that this work was sorted. 'til tomorrow!

Lockdown 4.0 Day 3

I am writing this on 20MAY but will be posting it a day after. I have disconnected by router (long story!) and I am using my mobile data, which usually works well but is not doing it today for some reason. Anyway, it was a super productive day at work. I could not work out today but I am very determined for tomorrow and the coming days. The highlight of the day was a marathon of meetings which I expect to continue until the end of the week. On the bright side, a long weekend awaits! 

Lockdown 4.0 Day 2

For the second time in the lockdown, we let someone in- this time it was the guy from the washing machine company to fix the issue that we had. Unfortunately, he could not fix it so we have to call the plumber now to help us resolve the issue. I am a bit paranoid about getting infected or letting my family get infected. So, hopefully, things will be okay soon. Today was a busy and productive day for me. I almost completed everything I had set out to do. Lockdown has eased up considerably but I think this is time where we need maximum vigilance, caution and care. I hope everyone understands the gravity of the situation and acts responsibly- in the collective interest of mankind.

Lockdown 4.0 Day 1

Today was not as productive as I would have liked it to be. I learnt a lot though and also had fun. The highlight of the day was a family music quiz on WhatsApp. It was quite enjoyable and nice to hear my relatives croon to some old Bollywood numbers. This experience made me nostalgic and I watched some old episodes of Annu Kapoor's Antakshari which was a big hit in the yesteryears. My family and I really enjoyed watching that show. I hope they can bring it back some day! Apart from this, it was a normal day in lockdown although it was chilly in the morning and cooler than usual during the day- thanks to some good midnight showers.

Lockdown: Phase 3 Day 14

Today is the last day for lockdown in Phase 3. Tomorrow we have the 4th phase. This should be relatively easy as there are several relaxations. There was also a further elaboration of the economic package by the FM today. I had kind of a productive day but I could not exercise as I had planned. I cooked breakfast and lunch this morning. Followed by cleaning home, taking the garbage out, shower, lunch, helping my husband with reorganizing, which led to some more cleaning. In the evening, I prepared pani-puri which was a good reward for the hard labour put in by me and the family today. I also spoke to mum and a friend today though there was something wrong with my phone and I could not really complete the conversation as I had desired. Anyway, that's life! See you in Phase 4!   

Lockdown: Phase 3 Day 13

Today, I cleaned up the alter, went out to purchase some snacks and STATIONERY!!! A nearby stationery shop was open and I couldn't help myself. I also needed some cells for the weight scale which had run out of it. I just purchased a mechanical pencil for myself and a ream of paper for my husband. Apart from this, from the shop that I went to purchase snacks from, I got some Kokum juice!! I also sorted my jewellery (found my beautiful pearl ear-rings which I thought were lost) and downloaded the government mandated app for tracking the patients infected with virus. Most of my time went in reading through Gone with the Wind. I am enjoying reading it very much at the moment and hope to finish reading it by end of this month. Overall, it was a somewhat productive day.

Lockdown: Phase 3 Day 12

Though I am writing this post on 15MAY2020, I will probably be posting this on 16MAY2020. I have had terrible luck today with technology all day. I was extremely unproductive and it was due to the first tech issue I faced since the lockdown. At first, it was at work when all the apps on my work laptop slowed down drastically and I had to get IT involved. This evening, I am just not able to upload the title banner for this post. I don't really know what is wrong. Anyway, such an unproductive day. The fact that it is weekend tomorrow is the silver lining on this cloud. Hopefully, it will not be the case of prolonged misery.

Lockdown: Phase 3 Day 11

Today,  after several days, I ordered fruits, vegetables and groceries from an online platform. Also, I woke up early and did some yoga and got ready as per my plan. It was a productive day at work but again, just another day in lockdown. I am looking forward to the weekend. Just one more day to go before 2 days of rest and recreation. There was a further elaboration of the economic package by the FM and I am yet to catch-up on this. I am very eager to listen to the Lockdown 4.0 plans. I wonder what it holds for all of us. Let us hope for something pragmatic and sensible.

Lockdown: Phase 3 Day 10

Today was a day of a lot of highlights. My husband finally had his much needed haircut at home for the first time since the lockdown in March this year. Inspired by him, I styled my hair as well. In the afternoon, our finance minister elaborated on our PM's announcement yesterday with regards to self-reliance package which was interesting but I did not grasp everything as I was busy with work but heard a few points here and there during my break. I had a productive day at work and shut down for the day much earlier than usual today. Other than that, it is the same old lockdown routine.

Lockdown: Phase 3 Day 9

Today after many days, we had an outsider come in to our home. It was an electrician to fix some electrical issues. In the evening we had our PM's address to the nation. A financial package was announced for self-reliance and a new Lockdown 4.0 was touched upon. More details to follow in the coming days. Today, I got recognized for my work and while it felt good, I was also thinking, "Oh please, it was nothing, all my pleasure". Workday was hectic and busy but I had quite a productive day, so feels good. This was a brief summary of my day- hope you enjoyed reading this piece of idle and uninteresting events.

Lockdown: Phase 3 Day 8

Today was a busy day at work but I am quite happy that I could complete a lot of work that I had planned. I got my workout out of the way this morning prior to my chores. It put me in a good mood to start work. I did go through the news today nothing new or cheerful. However, there was a mini Office reunion on the Youtube channel- Some Good News! It was fun to watch to it and cheered me up. Just another ordinary day, what can I say! I will probably sleep early today! Wow- all of that rhymed though not intentional..... 'til tomorrow.

Lockdown: Phase 3 Day 7

Today passed by before I could realise. I woke up late, had breakfast and stepped outdoors for grocery shopping, followed by cooking, laundry, a long nap, evening tiffin, a long yoga session, more cleaning, shower and talked with family. This is it, the summary of my day. The death toll linked to virus has passed the 2000 mark in our country. I hope the general public starts taking this very seriously and stop venturing outdoors unnecessarily. I know it is hard, but it is for the greater good. I also heard that there is a second wave of the virus in South Korea. It was sad after all the hard work they put in to contain the disease. My prayers with all.

Lockdown: Phase 3 Day 6

There was nothing eventful or anything new that has happened in my life today. I did my chores, ate, worked out, napped, spoke to my friend and relatives. I checked the news only once when I woke up and not after that. I will probably check it again later tonight before going to bed. I hope there is nothing worse that has happened. I will have dinner and watch a movie if possible and do some meal prep for tomorrow. We heard some news, don't know how far it is true, but many of the patients infected with the virus who are deficient of Vitamin D are having greater disease complications. Irrespective of whether this is true or not, I have been taking my Vitamin D supplement and would request others (of course on doctor's consultation) to take their supplement as prescribed. So, this is the summary of my uneventful day. Hope you had a much more fun day.

Lockdown: Phase 3 Day 5

It was a very hectic day at work today. I might have to work a bit over the weekend to get a head start for next week, which, I expect to be crazier than today. I did a lot of reading of my current read- Gone With The Wind. It is my 4th attempt to reading it and I am really enjoying reading it now. It is really gripping me now. I intend to watch the movie as well once I am done reading the book. In terms of the virus, I heard in one of the news channels today that we are doing worse than we were last week. I assume, it is one of the by-products of easing restrictions and it was expected as well. I just wish that everyone stays safe and healthy in the coming days. The peak is predicted to be in June-July in our country and I hope we don't have to lose too many lives- I actually hope that no one dies because of this. I think I have to turn to Almighty now and pray for everyone's well-being and safety. I hope this is the worst and it will only get better from now on.  

Lockdown: Phase 3 Day 4

This morning after my chores, when I sat down to breakfast, I heard the upsetting news of Styrene gas leakage at a plant in a southern state. If the virus was not enough, this new threat to human lives is excruciating. Though I had a busy day at work, I had a gnawing headache all day. I actually had a quick breakfast followed by a nap. I woke up a short while back, chatted a bit with the family and decided to quickly jot down a brief update about this day. I still have the headache- the nap did not help much but I did not want to lose the momentum about writing in my blog. So long until tomorrow!

Lockdown: Phase 3 Day 3

Today there was a birthday in the family and we had our small little party of home made chocolate cake and Sprite. I also managed to pull off a birthday card. None of them were anything to write home about but I guess in these times, we should grab happiness and joy in any form that we get. I had a crazy busy day at work. It went in all unplanned activities but I still enjoyed them. I like being busy. The spike in the cases of new infections from the virus is still still high for our country. Hopefully, this will pass soon. 

Lockdown: Phase 3 Day 2

Today India had its highest spike in the number of cases as well as the number of deaths in the last 24 hours. It is slowly beginning to get scary. The other thing that scared me today is the new format of blogger. It is interesting but quite sudden. Anyway, I had a busy day at work today. Tomorrow we have a birthday in the family and I might have to step out to buy some supplies. I will think about it later. I am very determined to go to bed early today. I have been sleeping quite late ever since the lockdown began. I have to go back to being disciplined with my sleep. Overall, just another ordinary day in extraordinary times.

Lockdown: Phase 3 Day 1

I am so confused if we are in lockdown or not. Today, I stepped out for a bit and the chaos is returning back slowly after a lull. There was a lot of vehicular movement today though the area is designated as red zone. I worry if people throng the streets like they are, I feel all the good work done with combating the virus and also the healing of nature will all go for a waste. I hope good sense will prevail and all the good work will not be ruined. Other than that, I had an off day at work- though I was busy with doing something or the other, the level of focus was quite poor- just another day in lockdown.                                               

Lockdown: Phase 2 Day 19

Today I think I spent most of my day in the kitchen. I had to call a friend but by the time I wound up kitchen, it was too late. I will have to call her next week most probably. The lockdown some say is extended. I am still confused with all this zoning and not sure if my locality is green, orange or red. Hope they will throw some light into it tomorrow. I would have to continue working from home until everything is sorted in office and public transport too is sorted with social distancing measures. These are the tricky parts for those who depend on public transport for day to day commute. I wonder what would happen at the parks. I do not know when I can go for a walk normally in there. Let's wait and watch!

Lockdown: Phase 2 Day 18

The lockdown is seeing signs of exit. Tomorrow is the last day of the Phase 2. There seems to be a bit of confusion about the zoning for the exit. In some parts it would be extended upto May 17th. Let us see how it turns out in our area and also where our office is located. The day was quite ordinary- I finished watching a movie I started yesterday- It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood. It was an okay movie. Also, I love movies, books and TV series based on old times 1600-1900s. So, I finally started watching Downton Abbey. I have watched 30 mins of the first episode- seems good so far. I'll continue watching it tomorrow. 

Lockdown: Phase 2 Day 17

Today was a holiday but I did not use my time doing anything important. To begin with, I woke up late. I did the chores around the house, had breakfast and took a long nap. We had ordered some groceries and upon waking up, I collected them from delivery, had a good wash, had lunch and lazed around a bit and watched a movie based on one of my favourite classic novels- Little Women. It had a different approach to it when compared to the book or other adaptations. I didn't love the movie but I enjoyed watching it nonetheless. I think it is quite important to have breaks where you can just relax. It is okay to take some time off and enjoy movies or anything else one likes. I think it is all the more important when we work from home for extended periods of time. In the evening we came to know that the lockdown has been extended for 2 more weeks up to May,17th in red zones and unfortunately, the district I live in is identified as one. However, they are definitely easing up some previous restrictions. I hope and pray for everyone's health and well-being.