hen's party by the sea...

Hen's party by the sea at Point Lonsdale, Victoria... This sure beats being cooped up in the hen house...
Photo: Kelly Fryhttps://t.co/UfesWGsR1R pic.twitter.com/mvQuQfcf4E

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 7, 2020

ghostly Melbourne...

Not only does it seem that time has stood still, but there is something quite ghostly about these Melbourne scenes...a disturbing peace...Lots of room for shadows to wander on a sunny day... https://t.co/26ofJ4DS6Z

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 7, 2020

red earth and wildflowers...

Red earth and healthy clumps of colourful wildflowers...Simply stunning... https://t.co/ni1B0BgWJI

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 7, 2020

brief afternoon walk...

A great friend of mine is reminding me that Melbourne does get sun, and I should be outside walking... pic.twitter.com/xE4ldmgW1J

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 7, 2020

A brief walk down the end of my hilly street and back...Refreshing...Here is a view of Port Phillip Bay from the end of my street... pic.twitter.com/CC1WArCMCm

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 7, 2020

Newly emerging garden in my street... pic.twitter.com/OwT8I4uhWI

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 7, 2020

A boat not going anywhere for now... But it looks cute... pic.twitter.com/MY2wX85vE0

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 7, 2020

My duck friends were out and about along the street... pic.twitter.com/VY70CnBxAu

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 7, 2020

Smiled when I saw a car parked in the street happily gathering cobwebs...Stage 4 lockdown in Melbourne has some interesting side effects... pic.twitter.com/LpWSFDhhEc

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 7, 2020

Large butterfly on a home in my street... pic.twitter.com/biNratwj8r

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 7, 2020

Unusual, newly-renovated home in my street... We are a mix of old, small character homes (mine) + some creative renovations + a couple of grand new homes... The latter tend to belong to families who once holidayed here and now live here... pic.twitter.com/cYWywm1zkE

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 7, 2020

roadmap from Victoria's lockdown...

I'm steeling myself with some deep and steady breaths and regular glances at the sunny scenes outside my window...

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 6, 2020

Dan Andrews better not be late. I've got a cutlery drawer to re-reorganise. #COVID19Victoria

— adam rozenbachs (@arozenbachs) September 6, 2020

My father, who disliked Dan Andrews this time last year, just just asked me what time “Uncle Dan’s presser” was on

— that ghost bitch pancake 🦈 (@laura_chyeah) September 6, 2020

Reasons why I'm opening a beer at midday..

1. Dan Andrews presser about to start
2. It's sunny
3. It's Sunday
4. It's Fathers Day
5. My teens did not bring me breakfast in bed, in fact I've had two meals now and they still havn't woken up.
6. Dan Andrews presser about to start

— Hula Hana (@OhHulaHana) September 6, 2020

Roadmap started at 12:06pm - Daily data first...Can't open too fast...Musn't begin a 3rd wave...Can't run out of lockdown...We must take steady and safe steps to find covid normal...University of Melbourne + UNE helped to get data for opening...

1. Current Stage 4 extended 2 weeks from 13th September for Metro Melbourne...Regional Victoria will move to Step 2 and soon 3. But Geelong corridor is on close watch - Colac cluster.

2. Curfew extended to 9pm (extended light hours)...Exercise to 2 hours a day...

3. Public outdoor gatherings - 2 adults 

4. Step 1 - From 28th September - public gatherings + staged for VCE + Grades 1-2 + specialist schools + childcare + Construction + Manufacturing + Postal services + childcare + garden maintenance. All regional schools return. No timeline for Grades 3-10 in Metro Melbourne. Waiting notice.

5. Step 2 - Curfew no longer to apply from 26th October - household bubble (within 5km???) + hospitality outside service + non-contact sport. Maybe Grades 3-10. Waiting notice.

6. Step 3 - From 23rd November - 50 people outdoors + 20 to home + all retail open + real estate + gyms

'I want to get the place open. And I want to keep it open.' 

'If we run to open up, we won't be opened up for long.'

'I want a Christmas as close to normal as possible.'

I’m so happy/relieved for all the solo living single people in Melbourne who’ll get to see and spend time with another person again at last!

— Harry Saddler (@MondayStory) September 6, 2020

So many people seem to be saying that Dan Andrews should have given people hope during this Stage 4 lockdown. I believe he did. We just didn't realise it. I feel he did give us hope. What if Dan Andrews had told us that Stage 4 would last till 28th September? There would have been more outcry. Dan measured our progress before committing to what he sensed may happen. He could not project effectively until he saw what were the results from the first step. That is a sensible decision from a responsible leader, I believe. There is no role model. There is only an awareness of circumstances.  

Loving Dan’s personal storytelling in this presser. Reminds everyone that our leaders are real people in a terribly difficult situation.

— Kate Fogarty (@katiefoges) September 6, 2020

I think this is the hardest presser for @DanielAndrewsMP (and on Father’s Day!) but this has been his best performance. Absolutely calm, also empathetic and across all the numbers. Please be our PM! #IStandWithDan #COVIDVIC19 #auspol

— Craig Brown (@rustycraig39) September 6, 2020

@DanielAndrewsMP has been standing there for any hour and 40 minutes giving this presser. Can you imagine Morrison doing that without having run off by now because of a hard question? #auspol #MSM

— 💧Denise Allen 🐨🐨🐝Taungurung country 💜 (@denniallen) September 6, 2020

 And Dan Andrews closed his presser at 1:58pm (2 hours)

- 'Thank you very much. We'll see you tomorrow.'

child within...

The child in all of us is hidden in there somewhere...It just needs a spark... https://t.co/j4wra0MHa7 pic.twitter.com/3c4ZA9l3md

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 6, 2020

another beauty...

your beauty
may not be
in the classic mould
but you shine

and that's all that matters...

Image: Rose in my Dromana Hills garden - morning light... pic.twitter.com/at1BLuKem4

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 5, 2020

an angel moment...

an angel moment
feeling unfettered music
from soul to soul #haiku https://t.co/br0AkFo43I pic.twitter.com/NlaZTm54CA

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 5, 2020

A special moment...I had only just taken a photo of this little angel this morning...part of a collection that once belonged to my aunt...I loved the play of morning light and shadow...I thought that I must use the photo somehow...Checked my Twitter timeline...and there, a little girl and a kitten...I was gifted a special moment... 

music of morning...

music of morning
the charm of waking colours
and birdsong #haiku

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) September 5, 2020

father's day...

I awoke and thought of old Amos, who lives in yonder gumtree hills.

He had been walking in my dreams.

In each room of the house he spoke to me, his pale eyes never meeting mine.

I listened as he explained life.

He said, "are you hearin me boy?"

Yes Amos.

I hear you dad.

— Tim Mallon (@PatMalo85776814) September 5, 2020

We all have different realities of Father's Day...Some are painful and some are sweet...Some may merely be wistful...This mini-story seems to touch base with them all...