MCO 2.0 - Day 10

 Day 10 of Movement Control Order 2.0

18 November 2020

        Emerging from self quarantine, it was time for a small celebration. Hubby took me out for a simple meal at one of our haunts. The food at Jun Chillax is tasty and prices are reasonable, but somehow it's a quiet little cafe. That, of course, is a plus point for us in times when physical distancing is of paramount importance.

Black pepper chicken chop rice for hubby

Mushroom sauce chicken chop rice for me

        Despite being fortunate enough to be spared from the discomfort of the Covid-19 swab test, I heeded the advice to go into self isolation as soon as it was confirmed that one of my colleagues was positive. As I had not been in close contact with her, I was deemed to have a rather low risk of infection. However, the risk was still there, and in the earlier days, we had no idea of how far the infection had spread. Had other colleagues and students been infected, my risk level would have been considerably higher. Therefore, it was only prudent and responsible to have minimal, if not zero, contact with anyone else outside my house.

        Fortunately, the quarantine period has officially ended today. However, during this period, we had all been yo-yoing between anixety and calm. There were two occasions when a message and a phonecall from an unknown number threw me into near-hysteria. The fear that had gripped me literally made my blood run cold. I could only calm myself down by praying the Rosary and by turning to God. "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! – Isaiah 26:3"

        Amidst this period of gloom, I had this circle of friends and loved ones who rallied to soothe and comfort me. Even when he was busy at work, hubby regularly checked on me to make sure I was doing fine. My mother also called to check on me ever so often, and prayed hard. Friends and cousins kept me in their prayers. One of them even got her entire family to pray the Rosary for me. A dear friend sent me doggy pictures every morning to cheer me up. Others sent me words of encouragement. Another offered to help me with grocery-buying. And yet another wanted my home address so that she could buy me some seeds online and have them couriered to me to keep me tied up. I am truly blessed to have all of you in my life. Merci beaucoup! 😘😘

        The fight is far from over for us and everyone else in the world. But if we all do things right, we can win this war. My recent near-brush with Covid-19 has reinforced the realisation of how important it is to avoid crowded and confined spaces, practise social distancing, don a mask in public places and wash our hands often. There is no other way around it.

        It is also crucial to lend support and encouragement to all around us. These are trying times and we may not realise how a simple word of encouragement or gesture can bridge the gap between hope and despair. We should stay connected through the phone or social media. Keeping ourselves busy is also an excellent way to take our minds off matters.

        I'm thankful I had my online classes and preparation to contend with, this past week. And of course, cooking has been therapeutic. Speaking of that, here's what I dished up for today's lunch. I was starving after my virtual class and I wanted something quick. The answer : Braised Dried Vermicelli with Seafood.

Braised Dried Vermicelli (Tang Hoon) with Seafood (prawns and crabmeat)