imhilien

So it had to happen... it's been around 100 days since the last case of community transmission of COVID in New Zealand, but yesterday it's been announced that a household in my city has four people with symptoms, caught from within the community. So for the next few days (hah! it will be longer), people are advised to stay home / work from home. Schools and libraries are closed from today, wear a mask and stay 2 metres from people when you're out, etc. Businesses can stay open if they can distance themselves from customers.

The rest of New Zealand has a slightly less strict lockdown, so that's ok. I made a batch of scones today to make me feel a bit better. I'm an introvert, so I don't mind being inside but I know some people will suffer.

One bright spot is the new season of Lucifer (part one) is dropping on Netflix in a week so that's something to look forward to.

Well, it was my birthday the other day - thanks to those who wished me a nice day. I went out for dinner with my folks to an Italian restaurant in town, which was nice. I had lunch with a friend yesterday and tomorrow I'm catching up with another friend.

Was shocked when Notre Dame cathedral was burning - not nice news to wake up to the other day.  I admire buildings like that as they were built in a long ago age without things construction firms take for granted today; concrete mixers, cranes, etc. Was relieved that the rose window(s) survived and some things had been removed before the fire.

Hope everyone has a nice Easter holiday with lovely chocolate. :)  Today is one of those nice autumn days, fine and clear with actual warmth if you sit in the sun.

I'm a bit sad at the moment as my favourite local mall, '277'* in Newmarket (a shopping district) is to be pulled down soon. It closed the other day. I had found out the news at the beginning of January and it totally floored me - there was nothing wrong with it. I had never heard any rumours of structual faults. It was built in the '80's - maybe that was the fault? One flaw we have in New Zealand is that we're quick to pull down heritage buildings, which in this country means anything nearly a century old, or not even that. Yes, I'm sure the UK / Europe f-list is laughing at this point, rightly so. The exterior was mirrored glass - maybe that was seen as an earthquake risk? But then again, we hardly have earthquakes in Auckland.

I used to go there all the time - it had a bank, bookstore, food court, supermarket** , a tea shop, shoe and clothing shops. It occupied two floors and the top 70% of the building were offices. It will be a real gaping hole in Newmarket, and that thought makes me upset all over again. A replacement mall is to be built, but that will probably take three years(!).  There was a mall in the CBD that was pulled down about 18 months ago (which I liked to visit too) and is only half built at this stage. Could the timing be any worse?

277 had a lovely glass dome too and I cringe at the thought of the wrecking ball coming for it. I mean, who would want that saved for something else, right? Ugh.

*it's street number

**There are people living in apartments in Newmarket who now have to go further afield to get to a supermarket. Not everyone has a car, people.

Update: I read an article today that said 277 will be gutted, not torn down. Whew! I can live with that.