We’ve been doing it tough here in Sydney the past couple of months and sadly, for those of us at Bondi Beach Astra who like to come together and socialise, we have been unable to meet up in person and run events and activities. However, we asked a few residents what they had been up to in lockdown to keep them sane and here are some of the responses:⁠ ⁠

“This is Choc, a beautiful, very friendly Cocker Spaniel, he lives next door to the Astra and I have been taking him for a walk across the road to the park every day since lockdown. He is a wonderful companion and he looks forward to his walks as much as I do.”⁠

“A friend told me about this method of drawing. You get a picture of a face and put it upside down, then draw it upside down. It’s fun.”⁠

“Went for a walk to Watsons Bay in glorious weather. Moved quickly past Camp Cove, (too many people) and circled South Head. Photos are view from Watsons Bay, Lightkeepers House, 1858 with North Head east and city west.”⁠

“One of the positives I have found with lockdown is that I am taking the time to send emails to family overseas and friends here whom I haven’t contacted in a while. Connecting again.”⁠ ⁠

We even had a response in poem form:⁠

"LOCKDOWN⁠

Locked-in days slipping into weeks, months⁠

Brief distractions of culinary and cleaning routines ⁠

Walks in the haunts of paperbarks ⁠

Magnificent, majestic⁠

Birthday celebrations postponed⁠

Next month? Next year?⁠

Remote conversations with friends⁠

Mourn the Covid casualty of a cancelled holiday ⁠

Stream megabytes beyond allowance⁠

Make a virtue of virtual⁠

Pen family Christmas gifts ⁠

Memoirs perhaps unread⁠

Until the author is no more⁠

Lulled into acceptance⁠ Of this surreal, liminal time."⁠ ⁠ ⁠