We Were in Iso

Can't even remember how long ago now (two weeks? Three?), Steve had a sore throat on Sunday morning and took a RAT before we went out to church. Just in case. Turns out he was right to test, because he did indeed have COVID-19. 

This news, with the current restrictions, meant that everyone in the household had to isolate for seven days. At day six, the rest of us would test and if anyone new tested positive we would then reset the seven days isolation and keep going. Steve would be free at the end of the seven days, and not be able to contract the virus again for 28 days, after which he was able to get it again and would have to go through the same procedures if he re-infected. 

I was so sure that either the girls or I would get it from him, and we would end up in at least two weeks, if not three or four, of isolation. Maria was with us, but she had only just recovered from her own bout with COVID-19 two weeks earlier, so was still in the 28-day infection free period. 

I panicked about all of my classes and what on earth the students would learn (especially since this backed onto a week of cancelled school thanks to a mass rain event which caused flooding all over Brisbane). Then I spent three and a half hours on the Sunday afternoon planning the most easy to teach but still musically relevant lessons I could. 

And then we got on to isolating. 

Starting with a round of D&D, while Steve was still functioning, and then progressing on to making tents in the living room, lots of Lego, reading and lying around (mostly Steve).

By Monday lunch time, Steve was spending the majority of his days in bed, sleeping away the fevers. He still ate with us, and every time one of the girls mentioned a sore throat I dreaded what it would mean for prolonged isolation, but nothing ever came of it. 

I should explain that my dread of prolonged isolation was not because I didn't like the isolation. On the contrary, the isolating was great, aside from Steve being sick. But this term had already been so crazy, two weeks delayed at the start, and then nearly four weeks where I ran lessons outside, because you couldn't sing unless you had a 4m2 around each child. Added to that was the week that school was cancelled for nearly four days thanks to extreme weather and flooding. I just wanted to go back to school and teach kids music!

Anyway, since I couldn't and we were stuck at home, with most of us healthy, we just had a lot of fun. We taught Maria how to play Take Two. 

I made bucket hats for myself and the girls. The photo is not great, but Steve assures me this hat doesn't scream "music teacher!" too loudly, but rather "eccentric jazz musician", which I'll be happy with. The outside of the hat was the final bit of fabric I had left after making these chair bags last year. The green my mum found in a remnant bin for $2. I'd used it once before in a skirt for a friend's kid, but was glad to use up some more of it in hats. 

The girls progressed from a fort behind the couch (with tent entry way) to "soft land" after they discovered the old red rug which was stored under our bed. They pulled out all the blankets, sleeping bags and cushions and almost lived in this square of the living room for two and a half days. 

Our builders kept working and we have the beginnings of our small front veranda, which was very exciting. Even going outside this far was delightful. The girls and I being well the whole week, I made us lots of delicious lunches and dinners, thanks to Maria and my parents who did some groceries for us. 

When the girls started playing in Soft Land on Thursday, I thought I'd use the time to get some sewing done and see how much I could get done until the girls needed a break. Girls played for seven hours straight, and it turns out you can get a lot of sewing done in that time. I'll blog about that one later. 

On Friday, the girls and I all tested negative, much to my complete shock. Was isolation really going to be over with just a seven day stint? 

Sophie did complain of a sore throat again on the Sunday or Monday (can't even remember properly now!), but still negative. Steve's theory is that I actually brought the COVID-19 home in an asymptomatic way, since he pretty much never leaves the house these days, (he had even been taking a week off jujitsu because of a thumb injury). We also theorize that the girls had it, but their symptoms were so mild and the RAT isn't super accurate later in the game that they never tested positive. 

I wonder if the theory is right, but without a blood test I guess we won't know. The biggest inconvenience though has been that Steve finished his previous job on the Friday before he tested positive, which meant he couldn't access any of the 8 weeks sick leave he had stored up from there. He had Monday to Wednesday off, but started the new job on Thursday, when he was still feeling pretty rubbish. He was a champion to get through most of his induction and initial meetings with everyone at his new work while still recovering. 

I made lamingtons and we celebrated being released from isolation, which really, aside from Steve being sick and me wanting to go teach kids music, had been pretty great. Chip the guinea pig enjoyed our isolation too, mostly because he got to spend lots of time in the house with us, keeping us company while we kept ourselves busy.