A walk a day gets Margaret through lockdown

Margaret Pimlott’s return ‘home’ to Currie Park was somewhat different to what she had anticipated but she is not letting it get her down. Instead she is walking every day around the village and local streets.

After a four-year gap from Currie Park, she came back to the village in February and soon afterwards found herself – like everyone else – in lockdown.

“I was just beginning to get reacquainted with my friends and becoming used to living in assisted living and not with George, my husband, when my life turned upside down,” Margaret said.

“The virus really is a nuisance.”

Margaret used to live in a two-bed independent unit at Currie Park with husband George before leaving for Shepparton to be closer to specialist doctors and other health services. It was an idyllic life, close to their son Brian and not too far away from their daughter in Melbourne.

Moving into Currie Park came at the right time for the couple. They needed to downsize, slow down and look after each other. They loved Euroa, which was close to towns stacked with opportunity and junk shops, and quirky antiques.

Best of all there was the village life of Currie Park, the residents whom they described as their extended family, and the many activities which they loved including the weekly mah-jong, movie afternoons, bridge and crafts.

The chance to return to Euroa was something neither Margaret nor George could ignore.

“George was needing more care and when we rang around to see whether there were vacancies in retirement living and aged care, we were thrilled that we could get into Currie Park and nearby Granite Hills,” Margaret said.

“It was serendipity really. I was able to visit George regularly, become used to having my meals cooked for me, and settle in. And the virus struck.”

Attempts at zoom or skype haven’t been that successful but the couple ring each other several times a day, and Margaret has also ‘fence’ visited George several times too.

“We sit on either side of a fence – a bit like Pyramus and Thisbe in A Midsummer Night’s Dream – and catch up,” she said.

Life may be locked up for the moment for Margaret but she is still finding plenty to do.

She is reading, doing jigsaws but her real love is a daily walk.

“It keeps me fit and I have set myself the task of counting potholes as I walk. I can say that there are rather a lot in Euroa.”

Margaret is not quite sure yet what she will do with the information about the potholes but for the moment, it is keeping her entertained and focused.