Wednesday 12 January 2022

covid update and drawings

Another week has passed and things are getting even scarier around here re. Covid. It has felt very surreal to me because Queensland had barely been touched by Covid since the initial outbreak. Border closures and lock-downs prevented spread but, since vaccinations hit 87% double vaccinated, the government opened up and now it's been mayhem. Infections continue to rise daily although I do believe the data shows vaccinations have helped to keep many from needing hospitalisation or ending up in ICU.

Current Queensland Covid stats  — 

New cases over the last 24 hours - 20,566
Active cases - 109,524
Current Covid hospitalisations - 502
Currently in ICU with Covid - 27
Lives lost to Covid over the last 24 hours - 1 
 
Compared to other areas, those figures are small, but after being used to 0 to 3 cases a day, that's staggering to me.

We had our own scare a week ago when my son's girlfriend's mother got quite sick and they suspected Covid. They had to go to a drive-through testing centre.

As Aaron is a close contact, he had to get a test done too. The testing centres don't open until 8am but you have to get there very early if you want to get through and not be turned away. We arrived at 7am and we were the last car. An hour and a half later, the queue hadn't budged so we decided to go home and come back the following day, extra early, and more prepared.

I was up at 2am the next morning to have a coffee and get ready. We arrived at the testing centre while it was still dark, just before 4am, and the queue was already well under way. Crazy! At least we were in the front section of the queue. It was a long 4 hour wait until they opened so I managed to do a fair bit of reading on my Kindle. It was a sheer miracle that my bladder behaved itself in all that time. To be honest, I had been quite worried about how I'd manage in that regard. The queue snaked around through several suburban streets so it wasn't like Public Amenities were available. It was a relief to get back home I can tell you.
 
Anyhow, Aaron and I were both tested. I'd had a sore throat and headaches for a few days prior, so I decided to do the test while the opportunity was there.  The results came back 36 hours later - NEGATIVE for both of us. Phew!  Aaron's girlfriend also got a negative result but her poor Mum tested Positive. They are both vaccinated and she is doing okay all considered. I do wonder if his girlfriend will test positive on her next test considering she and her Mum were in her car for around 3 hours the day they got tested. Hope not...

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I have been doing some drawings but I ditched the 365 day challenge — no surprise there, I guess. I didn't expect to ditch it so soon but, in fairness, I had signed up on the spur of the moment when one of my Instagram art friends talked about doing the challenge. With crazy days on a personal level, it didn't take long for me to feel too pressured by the challenge. I have a hard time doing basic sketches due to my need for detail and realism so my drawings were requiring more than one day to complete. 
 
The good news is that it has motivated me to draw more frequently so that's a plus, at least. 
 
Nearly ten years ago, my daughter used to make raggedy dolls, all unique in their own right. This particular one was gifted to my Mum but recently, due to Mum's circumstances, this gorgeous dolly found her way to me. Ann has now joined the raggedly doll clan here. Michelle did make one for my Dad too which she had crafted to be a little fisherman being that my Dad was big into fly-fishing at the time. I have Dad's doll too which may make an appearance in a drawing at a later date.
 
And the completed drawing below — the hair and the chequered pattern made me a little googly-eyed at times.

I find that my biggest procrastination on doing daily drawings is actually the time wasted on deciding on what to draw. I dilly-dallied over the next subject for most of the following day and ended up drawing him later in the evening. I do prefer to draw/paint in the daylight hours. I found the reference image for this little guy on Wikimedia Commons, with a Creative Commons 3.0 licence. Thanks to Jürgen Schoner for the wonderful and very clear reference image which can be seen HERE.
 
Work in progress

 Completed snail. 

Yesterday, I completed this Buddha drawing. My wooden Buddha has been the subject for quite a few of my sketches over the years. He has had many real transformations too — from dark stained brown with gold accents to turquoise, then to a soft aqua, and now a light to mid grey. 

I might do some watercolour sketches next so stay tuned. 


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On another note, I came across this on another friend's blog and thought it may appeal to someone. The first four words you see are your Focus for the year. 
 
Mine were Connections, Lessons, Strength, and Gratitude. 
 
Feel free to list your words in the comment section. 

 Oh, and a play on words you might find funny, if not a little concerning. hehe

Love, Light and Peace to All xx

24 comments:

  1. Our numbers in New Hampshire are very high right now too. Of course so many people wouldn't get vaccinated, so that's not surprising. I hate that it is making me think twice about going out, and I wasn't even just going out before without time and place planning. Yikes. I'm loving your drawings, and I hope you stay safe. Hugs-Erika

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    1. Thanks, Erika. :)

      This outbreak makes me want to hibernate. I wonder if we will ever get back to near-normal. :(

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  2. Lovely art Serena, glad you were negative.

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  3. Glad you and Aaron tested negative. Hope his girlfriend and her Mum are feeling better soon, and the girlfriend doesn't end up getting Covid after so long being so close to her Mum.

    I think drawing regularly matters more than doing a certain number of drawings in a year anyhow.

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    1. Thanks, Tori. I hope so too.

      I agree, more regular drawing could well develop into a daily habit but then it won't have been forced.

      Stay safe and well. xx

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    2. Exactly. And, thanks. You stay safe and well too.

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  4. Your covid numbers are staggering, but pale in comparison to ours. I heard this evening they have closed two testing sites because there was no one to run them. All personnel were sick with covid. NOT a good sign. At least your test results were good news.

    Your drawings are, as always, beautiful. I am always so in awe of what you draw. I LOVE the raggedy Ann. Keep it up, but at your own pace, dear.

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    1. Yep, personnel is a big issue here too. My son just had 2 weeks off work because they stopped the overnight hours at the store due to staff shortages. He starts back today.

      Thanks for your lovely compliment and encouragement. xx

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  5. Even pandemics can't last forever - but I am beginning to wonder. I had planned to visit Australia in 2020 but COVID killed that idea, ditto in 2021, and it looks so uncertain for 2022 that I have abandoned plans once again. If only I were a lying tennis player.........

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    1. So true, David. This pandemic certainly doesn't seem to be easing any time soon. Australia had done so well due to keeping the borders closed but, since opening them, it's Covid mayhem. Western Australia stayed isolated and is doing well.

      That lying tennis player got booted out but I have to wonder how he was approved to come here in the first place. Celebrity status most likely...not fair.

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  6. Numbers are up everywhere. Here in my little town, we had 1,000 new cases in one day. Oregon was a low-risk state when it all started but now.... testing is the same here. The main place for testing, we have to have a doctors order for it. Anyway, we stay home as much as possible even though we are triple dosed. I do love your art. You are a master at it. 29 Faces begins Feb. 1 maybe you will join in with that. Martha doesn't do it on her blog anymore so another blog friend and will link up with each other. Maybe you will join in. Have a great day today.

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    1. My son gets his third dose tomorrow and then I am booked in for February 10th. Even triple vaccinated people are dying with Covid, however, they are in the older age groups with underlying conditions. Still very sad because, but for Covid, they would still be alive.

      I will check further into the 29 Faces for February....I do have a couple of 30 Faces classes that I never got around to doing, via Sktchy, so I may use them as my guide. :)

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  7. In North Dakota we have 8,560 active cases (2,106 were new ones yesterday and 2,896 of those active cases were in our county). We've had 2.046 deaths so far in ND and we are one of the most sparsely populated states in the US. I am so glad you guys are vaccinated and were negative. It was even more scary the first year with Covid all over and there were no vaccines. Stay safe and well!!

    I LOVE your drawings! Drawing more often and doing them your way is such a positive thing. I am glad you ended up with your Mom's doll, too. Love that snail...snail mail, of course, came to mind. :)

    BTW--Blogger wouldn't let me open your post yesterday at all. Luckily it worked today. Blogger has been quite fickle and touchy lately.

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    1. That's scary, Rita! They say the current vaccines do not adequately protect against the Omicron variant but they are hoping to have a booster available in the next couple of months. We have triple-vaccinated people dying here from the Omicron variant. :(

      Yes, I was thinking of snail mail too. Should have mentioned it in my post. hehe

      I'm glad you finally got to access my post. I had a heck of a time trying to comment on blogs last week. Would hit 'Publish Comment' but nothing would happen. So frustrating.

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  8. Glad you all test negative. What a long line - wow. I live in a very small mountain town and i kind of like that we don't have all that many cases up here. Anyway that doll is Amazing!!! All your art is. I am the same way. I know myself well enough by now to now I'm a slug when it comes to keeping up with a daily challenge.

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    1. You'd definitely feel safer in a small mountain town. Until they opened the borders we had barely any cases. :(

      Thanks for the comment. Yep, I should know better than to sign up to daily challenges. lol

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    2. i get it - ...although i like February flowers that some people are doing. But then again, if i say I'll do it - then it's sure i won't. take care.

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  9. yeah numbers are not looking nice anywhere :(
    vaccinations do seem to be helping but im still being a hermit and avoiding people
    dont force yourself to draw and complete a challenge, too much stress

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    1. We pretty much stay home unless necessary to go out. My oldest son has a life-threatening condition that puts him in a very high risk category. We have to try and stay as safe as possible. Triple vaccinated people have died from the Omicron variant so still very risky.

      Thanks for the advice. I think I'm done signing up to daily challenges.

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  10. What a sweet drawing of the dolly. Love it. Been in the same boat as you. Procrastinating and dilly dallying but forced myself to do something yesterday and it felt so good.

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    1. Thanks, Shashi. I know that feeling of doing something and feeling good about it...after an annoying period of procrastination.

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  11. Wow Serena, I got a quick headache looking at that word photo lol...your drawings are so beautiful, I love the doll! And so glad to hear you tested negative! My bladder would NOT have behaved that long!!!

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    1. Yep, it did send me a bit googly-eyed when I first looked at it...then the words just popped out. lol

      It was a miracle my bladder did behave. lol

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