Covid 19 Diaries- iNewrous

20.03.2020

iNewrous

Today is Newrous ‘Eve, Zorasterian New Year. My pagan ancestors would look down (or up) upon us, judging our wheat shoots, our painted eggs and our mix of seven nuts and sweet-things.  

And I wake up to the overflow of news on Covid 19 (or is it SARS), facts and figures; statistics; the death toll in Spain, Italy, France and the UK.  No news on China. They got it under control apparently. Not a single young person harmed in the process. Well, except the whistleblower- the handsome doctor, the dashing youth! I know what to make of statistics of course. How dubious it is! I recall, a statistics conducted by a biscuit company proving that biscuits were good for your teeth and thinned our waistline.

The children are all dressed and fed. We sit down in our kitchen; our make shift library! “How I will miss the smell of real ones in the coming weeks!” I hear my inner voice. Kids work on some online Mathematics; our subject is statistics. How dubious it is! No Mean, Median and Mode! “What mode age group is likely to  become seriously ill from Covid 19? What’s the mean of the percentage of death rate from Covid 19 around globe? What’s the median? Indeed what’s the median?” No in reality we don’t do any of these with our seven and eight year old kids! We teach them the statistics on average SATs results!

I slip out to the local shops, I find a tin of pineapple and think wouldn’t be great if we can use that in a fruit tart! Back home! I try to find some materials online on my son’s blue planet project. I come across “phytoplyktons”; tiny little oceanic plants that keep the ecosystem in check. Working, ticking, tickity-tocking! God old phytoplyktons; the unsung heroes of the ecosystem!

Then we go to my husband’s tennis club, our children run around the tennis court as I settle down to read Men Without Woman by Murakimi! My brother in law slips through, anxiety ridden for all his life is conducted at the outdoors; connecting with others in a physical way! Working for Bhuddist Temples, playing sports, mending things for people! Both of his kids are technically adults now! His wife in her fifties with an allotment! “Soon we will be in lockdown!” He panics, “make some humous and butter!” I offer a little insensitively.  I haven’t seen my mother in weeks! She has asthma!

At home I paint four eggs, all free range and fair trade for Newrous and mix some nuts! Cashew, Brazilian and Peanuts! Kids zoom into mother’s i Newrous, she has grown wheat for the centerpiece and her eggs of twenty eight are burning brightly like fireflies! She is alone, all alone at Newrous! “We will celebrate Newrous together when all these nonsense is over!” I promise her half-heartdedly.