If you were having coffee with me, I would be glad you had time to visit and enquire about your state of lockdown. I would tell tell you that our lockdown was suppose to end a day ago but has been extended by another two weeks although with lessened restrictions and we are now at a level two.
What is level two lockdown and what level where we in before and what exactly is the difference? Those are good questions you would might want to ask me and I would tell you that, I have no idea. Its as if the government just woke up and decided that’s it we at Level Two. Just like I have decided to call this coffee at level two two and you wont know if I am referring to the stove heat level of the level of the spoon of coffee beans….
If you were having coffee with me I would tell you that wearing of face masks in public is now mandatory and failure to comply resulting in imprisonment.
When I went to the shops to get a few provisions they were already enforcing this rule and would not allow shoppers to enter the shop without masks. Those who did not have masks were asking to borrow face masks from those who were leaving the shop so they too would be permitted to shop…
Opportunities to make a quick buck a rife for enterprising mask sellers as face masks selling like hot cakes. Even the government has been in the process of mopping up protective gear on the market, from before this announcement
If you were having coffee with me I would tell you that at least as part of the face mask decree they made it such that we can wear homemade face masks and thanks to the internet I now know how to make quick face masks.
I doubt these masks will save our lives and I worry that instead some of these will offer people a false sense of security while in reality not offering that much protection.
Meanwhile people are wondering where the members of parliament are so that they can represent, debate and hold the government to task over the country’s running. They recently got Samsung Tablets which they are supposed to use and maybe convene virtual parliament sessions instead of trying to get the house to seat in these trying times. It turns out that according to some of the tablets have no sim cards and are configured to only work on the Parliament’s WiFi network… wait what?
If you were having coffee with me I would tell you how we had a bit of scare when the official cases for coronavirus jumped from 34 to 40 which is part of the basis the government used to extend lockdown by two more weeks. Then it later turned out that after a Quality Assuarance 6 of the cases were false positives. Such things makes one wonder; can we even trust the test results?
Meanwhilel in Tanzania the president is said to have questioned the integrity of test kits after a goat, a paw paw and a quail bird tested positive for the virus….
And Madagascar seems to have a cure…(although it is not officially recognised). I have been reading up on Artemisia Annua the miracle cure herb. Artemisia has a compound called artemisinin used in the treatment of malaria. I read an old WHO article from 2012 in which they do not encourage the treatment of malaria using Artemisia since the levels of artemisinin found in the herb were not enough to completely cure malaria and could lead to the emergence of a artemisinin resistant malaria
If you were having coffee with me I would tell you that a search of internet has shown previous mentions of the herb in Zimbabwean medical cures indicating we have this herb or variation of it artemisia afra or the african wormwood … Enquiries to some of the older generations shows they think this plant or one very similar it is used to treat respiratory conditions, seizures and also burned to chase away malevolent spirits or cure someone said to have been attacked by ghosts.
The roots, stems & leaves are taken as enemas, poultices, infusions, body washes, lotions, smoked, snuffed or drunk as a tea.
If you were having coffee with me I would tell about how the older generation seems to be ending and so is their knowledge of traditional remedies, homeopathic cures and other aspects of our cultures. With each white thread in my hair I am becoming the older generation too and I worry about all the knowledge lost to me.
My grandparents were a mine of information, I bet if I could show them a picture of the herb they would tell me exactly where I could get it and how to prepare it. They knew 1001 things about life and everything. Growing up I used to suffer from spells of nosebleeds which stopped after my grandma made me smoke elephant dung. Whenever anyone had an upset stomach you would be prescribed with a bitter herbal tonic from a redwood root (torani) which probably shocked you into a cure that when asked if you still had a tummy ache you say am all better lest you get a second dose! My craziest recollection of my paternal grandmother is when a tiny flying bug got into my eye, I was hysterical and thought I was going blind; and she licked it off my eyeball….
This is a part of why I blog that some of my thoughts and stories wont disappear with me in the way I now cant remember some of the stories my grandparents told me growing up. I write so that I can remember.
If you were having coffee with me, I would tell you that I was pleased and honoured to have my blog awarded with the Zim Blog Awards Best Blog Of The Year.
I might pretend that I write for myself but deep down it feels good to be recognised and that the world not only sees you but that you are somehow making an impact one blog post at a time.
Thank you for the time you spend on my corner of the internet
~B
PS For Afzah just to prove that you do have international friends ^_^
Becoming The Muse 
Your thoughts.. if you will?