The Diary Game //A Weekend Turned Upside Down.

Hi guys, accept steem greetings from the motherland, Cameroon and welcome to my blog where I share my lifestyle content.

What a weekend! I woke up this Saturday morning with a bright smile on my face, excited about spending a peaceful weekend at home. As a mother, weekends are my little slice of rest that is time to bond with the kids, cook something nice, and maybe even take a nap for once. I had planned to prepare a hearty meal, do some light cleaning, and relax while listening to good gospel music. But as the adage goes, “…man proposes, and God disposes.”

Just as I was making breakfast, the radio broke the news: “…a national lockdown has been declared for 3 days starting 3rd November 2025 by self-declared opposition leader after the 2025 presidential polls”. My heart skipped a beat and I froze for a moment, trying to process it. A lockdown? Again? Memories of the previous one came rushing back, empty markets, restless children, and that feeling of uncertainty hanging in the air.

^{You could see the empty streets}

Without wasting time, I decided to rush to the local market to buy a few essentials; rice, oil, fish, and vegetables. But the moment I stepped outside, I could already feel the tension in the air. The usually busy street looked unusually quiet, and the sound of vehicles was replaced by the occasional bark of a dog or the cry of a distant child. It was as if the “ghost town” had already started before the official lockdown.

I waited by the roadside for nearly twenty minutes, hoping to catch a taxi or a bike, but none came. Interurban transport had already been paralyzed. The few drivers still around were charging triple the usual fare and fuel scarcity was envisaged. I shook my head in disbelief but what madness! I decided to walk to the nearby market instead.

^{Walking to the local market.}

When I finally arrived, it was chaos as prices had skyrocketed overnight, the omatoes that usually cost 500 francs were now 1500, and fish sellers were shouting prices that made me wonder if gold had been added to the fish.

With the little cash I had on me, I realised I could not afford much. My heart sank, frustrated, I walked back home empty-handed, feeling defeated. But a mother’s spirit never dies easily. I decided to check what was left in the kitchen and found some fresh tomatoes and a few pieces of fish in the freezer. “Well,” I told myself, “we’ll make do with what we have.” I prepared a lovely fish tomato sauce and served it with rice. The aroma filled the house, and seeing the kids enjoy the meal gave me some comfort.

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Later in the afternoon on Sunday 2nd November, I thought it wise to step out again and this time to withdraw some cash. One never knows what tomorrow may bring in this kind of situation. On my way, I met a woman selling bananas by the roadside. When she told me the price, I almost laughed. Bananas? At that price? But I had no choice as my kids love them, and their little smiles are worth more than a few francs. I bought some and headed home.

As the evening set in, I joined the Hallelujah Challenge online. Lifting my voice in praise after such a stressful day brought me peace. Despite everything, I ended the day with gratitude, thankful for life, for my children, and for the simple blessing of having food on the table. What a weekend! Until my next diary, it is good night from my end and I wish us all a successful week ahead.