Ashton Lindsay (front) with her flatmates Juliann Lum (left), Ceris Nieuwland, Jenny Zhu and Miriam Myluaganam, in the Wellington house where they all work from home. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Ashton Lindsay (front) with her flatmates Juliann Lum (left), Ceris Nieuwland, Jenny Zhu and Miriam Myluaganam, in the Wellington house where they all work from home. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The Herald speaks to four people during the coronavirus lockdown on how they're isolating, and what it's like. We check in once a week to show you another perspective on the impact of the quarantine.
Matthew (left) and Liam Emerson play on a bouncy castle for Liam's 7th birthday this week. Photo / Supplied
Bronwyn Emerson and her three young boys are spending the quarantine with her partner and his two kids in Christchurch. The children are aged from 6 to 15.
When Bronwyn Emerson's youngest son asked for a bouncy castle for his birthday, she prepared herself to let him down gently. After all, where are you going to find a bouncy castle in lockdown?
But 7-year-old Liam did end up spending his birthday this week bouncing away with the rest of the kids in their bubble thanks to Emerson's resourceful partner.
"Conrad goes 'actually my sister has one'."
Emerson's partner, who is an essential worker, managed to pick up the bouncy castle without any physical contact, and make Liam's birthday wish come true.
All five kids were able to play on the bouncy castle, and Liam celebrated his birthday with a monster truck cake.
Emerson, who has shifted her family to Christchurch from Whanganui for the lockdown, is becoming increasingly homesick and is already planning for the trip back.
"You just long for simple things and it's bizarre that we take them for granted until they're taken away."
Add to the homesickness the usual challenges that come with blended families - exacerbated by everyone being stuck in a house together for weeks on end.
But there's one thing Emerson will miss when lockdown is over.
"My kids. I've learned that I need to go back and relook at it, because I basically work 40 hours, run a house, we do after school activities, martial arts, piano lessons, softball, football, and I never really get to enjoy the kids."
Evenings were often rushed, getting kids to and from activities, squeezing in a quick dinner and then sending her boys to bed.
"It's actually good to get to know your kids, and that's so sad to think 'my gosh, what am I doing?' Why has it taken a virus for me to go 'oh gosh, I need to look at my priorities?'
"I don't want it to go back to how it was ... I didn't realise how much I was missing out on them."
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The young professionals
Ashton Lindsay (front) with her flatmates Juliann Lum (left), Ceris Nieuwland, Jenny Zhu and Miriam Myluaganam, in the Wellington house where they all work from home. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Ashton Lindsay is spending the lockdown in a villa in Thorndon, Wellington, with her four flatmates. All are young professionals who are working from home throughout alert level four.
Ashton Lindsay was forced to sit and watch as her family ate birthday cake on a Zoom video call last weekend.
They were celebrating her sister's birthday with online party games, but when it came time for birthday treats, Lindsay missed out.
Not to fear, though.
"I've already put in my orders for custard squares from mum," she said.
That's if the lockdown ends on time.
Time with family is the main thing Lindsay feels she misses while on lockdown. The rest of it - working from home, spending more time with her flatmates, and not having to get "as dolled up" in the morning - she could get used to.
Crawford politely declined to jump ahead, but was pleased with how "super nice" everyone was. It's something he doesn't want to see change when this is all over.
"Maybe people could keep being super nice after this too, instead of pretending like you're invisible when it's over."
Another thing he's noticed is a lack of rubbish on the roadsides as he drives to work each day.
"People must like throwing shit out their windows because the sides of the roads are clean now."
Crawford is ready for New Zealand to shift to level three so people can start making money again and his partner can finally get out of the house.
"I'm actually more comfortable with longer periods in just my own company than I thought I would be ... I've found that I'm actually thoroughly enjoying having the freedom to have my own company," she said.
This week she's spent time on video calls with family, foraging down the street, and stewing apples from a neighbourhood apple tree.
There's been "lots of relaxing", and she's allowed herself breakfast in bed and a pyjamas-only day.
She has mixed feelings about a potential end to the lockdown.
"I'm really thinking I would be comfortable if it extended. Going back to work and going back to busy is going to be interesting."
If the lockdown does lift, she'll miss the spare time, but she's looking forward to being able to see loved ones again when it's safe.
