Page 12 - C.A.L.L. #46 - Summer 2020

--our lifestyle here allows us to have things much easier than for most people in the world

who are quarantining--we still have lots of space, financial support, etc. for which we are
very grateful. However, if the virus enters the cmty, in a way due to how we live so physically
closely, things could be much harder for us than in many individual living situations

--there is a good feeling of togetherness and connectedness during this time. Although we
have experienced increased polarization in the cmty in the past year or so, we have drawn
together during this time. This may become more challenging as we move forward with
deciding how to deal with how and at what speed to open back up.

--the american holiday of April Fool's happened during our quarantine, and there were a

number of humourous papers posted related to the pandemic. This was easier here because
no-one has been directly affected so we were/are still able to poke fun without it being too
sensitive. (eg. a member who had been staying in town was going to dig a tunnel from town to
directly underneath the quarantine building at Twin Oaks and enter the quarantine that way,
a member who is notorious for dramatic poly relationship proposed to quarantine here with
his 5 off-the-farm lovers all taking over our visitor building, the 7 people who are the
Planners and Health Team that I described above decreed themselves "The Council of
Seven" and granted themselves over-arching perks such as increased personal spending
money for themselves, the ability to take over any member space, etc.) These greatly
provided comic relief, and actually a couple of members at least partially believed them,
which is proof of the best kind of April Fool's jokes.

Forgebank Cohousing, UK

Chris Coates
April 26th

After a short burst of rather frenetic communal activity here at Forgebank Cohousing (I

think we panic bought an extra
washing machine.)- we have a
Covid19 emergency team sorting
out day to day issues, mainly
around safe use of essential
communal facilities and we are
grappling with quite how you do
online consensus processes.

Otherwise we have settled down into an oddly calm routine of not really doing very much -

which suits some folks and is I think driving others quietly stir crazy. Strangely I have more
work under lockdown than I had before - though too much of it is sitting in front of a
computer screen for my liking.

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