Aussies still celebrating friendships while keeping their distance
From stringing birthday balloons on a neighbour’s fence to backyard tea parties and even visits to elderly residents through glass doors – more and more Aussies are showing how they are staying in touch while staying apart.
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When Kim Hardwick’s mother called to say come outside to the balcony, she couldn’t believe her eyes.
There was her mother and stepfather sitting happily on camp chairs at a fold up table, holding a Thermos and mugs to have a tea party from a distance with much-missed grandchildren Elliot, 7, Avery, 5, and three-year-old Marlowe.
“They got back from the UK three weeks ago and have been in two weeks of self isolation,” the Lane Cove woman told The Sunday Telegraph.
“So for about a week they have been popping things at our doorstep – toys and resources and books for school and things, but we have just been missing them so much.
“And then I got a call saying come out to the balcony and there they were, with their camping chairs and a Thermos.”
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Ms Hardwick, who along with 25,000 Qantas employees recently lost her job in governance and engineering for the airline, said it was the sweetest tea party they’d had in a long time.
“It was so lovely just to see them and be with them at a time when we can’t,” she said.
“We had just baked some banana muffins so we threw some down to them and had a half-hour picnic.
“The girls had been dancing for them on the computer during the week, and so Mum also threw up some new ballet outfits for them, which they loved.
“They are generally pretty involved with the kids and we really miss them, so to walk out and see them out there with their camping chairs and flask was just so lovely.”
MISSING MUM
Myza Wong hadn’t seen her 90-year-old mother Diday Hernandez for four weeks because of COVID-19 restrictions – and so has taken to talking to her through the glass to stay connected.
They talk, they cry, they laugh, they comfort each other – and all from the safety of the 90-year-old’s Arcare aged care facility at Warriewood on the northern beaches.
“I call her daily but have been really missing her,” Ms Wong said.
“I called the home and asked if there was any way we could see her – they were so kind.
“They said if we came to the front doors, they would bring mum to the foyer, give her the phone and we can chat while seeing each other.
“I bring my 16-year-old daughter Kya and we chat and cry, we are always blowing kisses at each other – I get very emotional because you think you have forever with someone, and it makes you realise.
“So I keep telling her I love her so much, and I thank her for everything, I tell her she looks beautiful and ask her what her day and week has been like.
“But my Mum has always been more concerned about others, so she keeps telling us not to worry about her, to look after ourselves and stay safe.”
With nine children, 28 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, Diday is rarely without a visitor. And if she’s not seeing family through the glass, she is playing bowling down the corridor, having high tea or walking the indoor courtyard with friends.
“The moment I saw her for the first time, I broke down and cried,” Ms Wong said.
“Let’s never take each other for granted.
“Life is short, and we never know what the next day brings.
“Mum loves to dance and is very old school – she never leaves her room with out her hair and make up done, and dressed to receive visitors.
“She is keeping her spirits up, and looking forward to the day we can hug again.”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Artarmon youngsters Lucy and Sophia Held were so sad they couldn’t celebrate their friend Violet’s birthday, that they woke up early to decorate the front of the four-year-old’s home with balloons, streamers and signs, just to make their friend smile.
“We wanted to do something kind and dress up the front path outside her house to make her feel special when she opened the front door,” mum Stephanie Held said.
“We blew up balloons and tied them to the tree, we drew a big happy birthday on the footpath and put up a sign – it gave us something to do and it made her so happy.
“She lives up the road so we just went for a walk – we are still keeping to social distancing and we hope to do this for all of their friend’s birthdays, so they still get to be part of their special day.
“No one will ever forget this year, so we wanted to make sure Violet had happy memories from her fourth birthday.”
Heidi Walkinshaw also had to cancel her daughter Anna’s seventh art and craft party – after she had bought bulk party supplies – so instead, she delivered party packs to each friend and took the party online.
“She loves her birthday parties, as I’m sure all kids do and plans out what she wants for months before,” she said.
“I do a lot of online training and thought, if we can do it for adults, surely, we can try something similar with the kids – let’s face it, the current landscape is uncertain for us as adults, let alone how the kids are feeling and some sort of normalcy can help to break up some of the anxiety around what we are all going through right now and add a bit of fun to the chaos.
“I made up some party packs including art supplies for the activities we had planned and some fun items like bubbles and party toys and snacks.
“The packs will also had snacks for the kids and I have been mindful to get everything pre-packaged and taking precautions before packaging up and we delivered the packages to each of the guests, ready to open together at party time and will have some music and a cake via an online meeting.
“Music and laughter are the best kind of medicine and we could all do with it right now.”