it's in the memes

As per usual I've delayed posting here so long that the mood has changed, the moment past, and now the content no longer seems as relevant.
BUT, having collected and archived and uploaded the very best of Covid memes weeks ago I'm determined to slip this post in.

Covid-19 has not gone away, especially not in this country or indeed this city. Our province of the Western Cape is currently the epicentre of the pandemic in South Africa, and has been for a while.

As with many of my plans for 2020, my intention to wean off memes this year was chucked out the window with the arrival of the Corona virus. In fact it feels like memes have really come into their own.
My criticism of the meme-life (that they are a lazy way of expressing emotions/thoughts/opinions - circulating others thoughts rather than examining and developing your own) are the exact reason they've been so valuable these last few months. So many of our emotions and thoughts have felt too complex to really articulate, too overwhelming or confusing - so when presented with a few words or an image which succinctly jumps straight to the heart of how we're feeling, often making us laugh at the same time - it's been hugely satisfying.

Here are a selection of my BEST - funny, thoughtful, heart-breaking, I need to record this for perpetuity. I wish I had the appropriate credits for each, but I don't.

File Name: General Funny

This one though - kinda more terrifying than funny.

File Name: Children & Homeschooling

I loved this one above though - I do think (hope!) our kids will remember this as a time of great togetherness.

File Name: The Mentals

Shew, the emotional rollercoaster was rough. I say was as I feel way more stable these days - is it acceptance? If nothing else we've learnt how adaptive we can be (kind of good to know we can still do this), but how much of the emotional stability is a return to some sort of 'normality' (because let's face it, nothing is normal) or general acceptance of the 'new' normal? Sometimes I also wonder if I'm not just more numbed these days - a kind of shutdown? Who knows...

File Name: Pets AKA the Great Salvation AKA thank goodness for these guys

File Name: Conspiracy Theories

(could also be filed under General Funny because WTF with these idiots)

File Name: Learnings

This is beautiful

File Name: Relationships

Their joke every time I came back from the grocery store.

Low key for real, as the kids would say.

File Name: South Africa specific

Morning rush hour traffic the first day of lock down: there was none.

Lock down extension.

Even the Sign Language Interpreter horrified.

When we finally got an exercise slot: 6-9am.

All the bitching about not being able to surf or drink when thousands were starving.

File name: For Serious

My god it's been the weirdest, weirdest time.

13

A week ago we became parents of a teen.

That tiny little Frieda, who first appeared on this blog here, turned 13 on 20/06/20.

Never did we think her birthday would still be in lockdown, and such an auspicious birthday at that. And, as she mournfully pointed out, on a Saturday - perfect for a 13th birthday party in the 'old life'.
But, with all the resilience, calm and sense of humour she brings to every other aspect of her life, she didn't complain, and more importantly - didn't let it mar her big day.

Her toned down birthday wishes in lieu of a party included a socially-distanced walk with her bestie, a picnic on the beach and sushi for dinner.
She's been missing her pal so much, as had we all. Frieda and Amara have been friends since birth and Amara's been at our house at least once a week for the last 7 years.

Their contact the last few months has been limited to (sometimes all day) FaceTime sessions and fleeting glimpses at school (they're back, their grade has been back since 1 June, but in small allocated groups which they don't stray out of), and Frieda was wildly excited to spend a morning in her actual presence.

But we took it one step further - her family and ours have both been very locked down, and with them back at school we're all exposed to similar risks there - so we agreed with her parents that Amara would come for a surprise sleep-over, and thereby elevate a somewhat subdued birthday to new heights of epic-ness.

We set off for the walk as planned, met Amara and one other friend at the beach. It was beautiful crisp winter's day - they had their own picnic while we gave them space and hang out with lovely Kalk Bay's stone cairn sculptures, and then we said we'd give Amara a lift home.
But en route we deviated, headed back in our direction, and all laughed like loons as the penny dropped in the back seat and the girls squealed with glee.

Not the 13th birthday she'd planned, but turns out, the one she needed.