We have some good friends who own a local Italian restaurant, La Pizzaiola, and on the 22nd March the new lockdown rules hit their business hard and fast. Dining in trade was suspended 12pm the next day.
I felt things were getting serious. It was at this time we could really start to see the impact this was having on local businesses other than our own.
They reinvented their takeaway options to include back door, contactless, take-away and I wanted to help them, so I put my very basic design skills to use and recreated their take away menu to put on Facebook.
I mentioned my project idea to Danielle and she actually defined my goal better than I did – “It will definitely be good to look back and read how you felt. I feel like in 20 years you will have a memory of how you felt, but it might not be how you feel about that time now. 2 weeks ago I felt like an emotional wreck and woke up unhappy everyday. Where as this week I still feel stressed about it, but I don’t feel like crying at the drop of a hat like I did a fortnight ago”.
Again here are some of the questions I asked approximately 2 weeks after the restaurant dining-in shutdown. Their girls, Charlotte and Sophia, aged 8 also answered some questions.
How would you describe what is happening right now with COVID19?
D: A pandemic I never thought would get this far or have this much of an impact on our business and personally.
How has this affected your family?
D: We have gone to home schooling which is something we never saw in our future 😂.
S: Mum and Dad have had to work more.
What is one thing that has surprised you about this event, positively or negatively?
D: The generosity of people who are also dealing with the same problems.
What is one thing you will always remember about this time?
D: That I actually enjoy being house bound sometimes when I’m not at work 😂
S: That we can stop the spread.
C: That we have gotten through it.
What do you think is really important right now?
S: Keeping clean.
C: Being hygienic and washing your hands and body a lot
What have you done to stay in touch with others?
D: A lot of messaging and FaceTime
S: FaceTime
C: FaceTime
What is one thing that you miss right now?
D: Being able to go to the gym and get a work out in, when I can’t do other jobs to help clear the mind
C: Seeing my friends and my BFL
What have you been doing to keep yourself and your family busy?
D: Baking, bike rides, cleaning 😂
S: Bike rides and art.
C: Watching tv and doing some art and practicing my cart wheels and handstands.
Does this scare you?
D: The impact that this virus is having on everyone around us and us included is something I feel worried by.
What is one good thing that you hope will happen after this is all over?
D: Catching up with everyone is something I’m looking forward to.
S: That I get to see my friends and family.
C: To see my BFL and my other friends. To have lots of play dates and go back to school.
School kids
How have you maintained your friendships?
S: We have FaceTimed and wrote a couple of letters
C: FaceTime
What’s your thoughts on home schooling?
S: Not very happy cause it’s boring and I can’t be with my friends
C: Umm bad. I don’t like it because I don’t get to spend time with my friends and I miss my teacher
What do you think about the Corona Virus?
S: I think that we can stop the spread if we wash our hands and do all the important things we need to do.
C: Bad
What is one thing you miss doing right now?
S: Playing with Philly at school
C: Seeing my friends and going to school
What is one thing you are enjoying about this time?
C: Nothing 😭 Well we enjoy being home with mum and dad but we just miss our friends
S: Nothing I miss my friends 😭
Was our little joke about how we will get through this and remember this time.