Gardengirl

I’ve been leaving the cold frame open for the last couple of nights as the chilly nights have gone. Everything seems to have flourished so far - growing quite a bit more than usual as we can’t be in the Gard this season as normal. There I grow salads on the balcony but I don’t risk them here - far too many slugs and snails run up from the wild area to feast.

Chris Rea; he had a song with the same title in 1991, Looking For The Summer.

Chessie, most of us can’t help, but we’re with you as others have said; come and talk on here as much as you want, we’ll listen and try to support you. I’ve found an Alzheimer support group in 47; their website says they are open on even days during May from 15h to 18h, free calls on 0 970 81 88 06. Even if your French isn’t very good, somebody sympathetic will be on the other end of the phone, who will be trying to communicate with you. Website for Alzheimer in 47: https://www.francealzheimer.org/lotetgaronne/ Big virtual hugs from me ?

Thank you for updating your thread, Idun. We are still fine, not champing at the bit to partake in the free licence to go out wherever we want given by our government. We’re approaching 10 weeks of self-isolating and no problems. We had a lovely birthday party for my husband this week with our sons and families taking part - via Zoom! Each of the three households had the same Tesco chocolate cake (ours delivered the previous day by our son who lives locally), which we cut at the same time, with my husband failing to blow out the candles on the other cakes! ? We even showed one another our fruit bushes and strawberry plants - I had collections of them to be delivered to each of us a few weeks ago. We took our ipads into our gardens to show off the growth; our younger son got the booby prize as his blueberry bush has died! ? Interesting what the highlights of our lives are now! ? None of our family will be heading out anywhere, not those in Sussex nor family who live round the corner. However, our DIL has been working a few days each week on a rota at the pre-school she manages on the school site for children of key workers; only 1 for a time, but a few more this week as people have returned to work. We continue to have weekly deliveries from Waitrose - interesting to see what isn’t in stock each Saturday. Paracetamol for the first few weeks - thank goodness my GP gave me a prescription for stronger painkillers. Then it was frozen peas for a couple of weeks. Now it seems to be our favourite Languedoc wines that they don’t have in stock - we’re trying to support local Languedoc industries! We’re very grateful for volunteers delivering medicines from the pharmacy, so many acts of kindness more than offset the behaviour of the minority, wherever we live. I hope that everyone is managing to cope OK and none are under the weather. Maybe we ought to have a hair competition - possibly the worst haircut while in isolation, or the longest hair. Actually, my husband’s hair is looking quite distinguished, curling round his skin graft. Mine is very long and irritating 15 weeks since it was cut - I was unwell on the day of my appointment just before self-isolating. ?

I think ‘the old bat’ is probably a good name for her and her views. I suppose that ALBF is referring to those who run a newer French forum - to which he won’t be readmitted; he believes that he left of his own free will.

Mint, a very good post on the various effects many of us can be feeling. I think that my husband and I are doing very well, but do have odd occasions when some of them have been popping up. We’re into our 9th week of self-isolating, our only 2 short outings have been a brief walk early on a Sunday morning to see the bluebells in the ancient woodland beyond our garden and today’s brief outing to ensue that our hybrid car’s battery was charged driving to and from the local bottle bank. We set out around 07.30 so that nobody was around. My hair was due to be cut 8 weeks ago, but I cancelled; it’s normally cut every 6 weeks, so it’s now 14 weeks since it was cut - heaven knows how long it will be, but it’s many years since it was as long as it is now.

I had thought of leaving my frame open as it’s been partly open for a few nights now to start hardening plants off. But with temps of 12-24C forecast for today. 5-17C tomorrow and 3-11C on Monday, it seems that these weeks of balmy weather here in Berkshire are to end. So my frame will nearly close at night for a little while longer.

I understand the same from what I’ve read, Mint, the same as leaving shopping deliveries in the garage for a time, 3 days for us. I don’t buy clothes very often and really dislike the trying on involved in shops; it would need to be online now anyway. M&S now has a 90 day return period, but although another company I occasionally use, Cotswold Collections, has extended theirs to 28 days, that won’t tempt me. I find that having spent most of my time in the last 8 weeks in the garden, I wear the same clothes, wash and wear again, apart from Sundays.

It has been a splendid sight, but it was missing last night, hidden by cloud here too, mint.

After looking at the terrible lists of new deaths and new cases each evening, the number of cases per million and deaths per million are what I look at next. They don’t alter the sadness of the huge loss of lives, but help to somehow put it into more understandable numbers.

I don’t know where you get your news from, unless it really is the Daily Wail, but everyone we know, in places around the country, as already mentioned, are doing fine. There’s a huge amount of help available from volunteers with shopping etc for those who need it if they aren’t able to go out and great spirit generally. It’s almost 8 weeks self-confinement so far for my husband and I, although we didn’t go outside for a week before that either. We’re quite prepared to continue or as long as it takes. I think you’ll find that your maths isn’t up to par on the length of time since the PM’s second message to the country, everything closed the following day - 6 weeks, according to my calendar. I agree with you on the subject of the PM, but I certainly didn’t vote for his party, nor for brexit.

I think you’ve been seeing too much of the Daily Wail or similar - those not abiding by the guidelines are obviously hot news! Every single person I know is doing exactly what is required- not going outside their home, if not in an at risk group, going shopping for themselves and elderly/ at risk neighbours once weekly. Grocery deliveries are taken in with gloved hands, anything needing the fridge being washed diwn with weak bleach, everything else being left in garage for 3 days after being washed down with weak bleach etc. That’s people here in Berkshire, Hampshire, East Sussex, Yorkshire as well as elsewhere. But that diesn’t fir with your chosen scenario, of course.

I don’t think that even numbers of COVID-19 per million or deaths from COVID-19 per million can really be compared. The UK is now including cases and number of deaths at home and in care homes, but who knows exactly what a level playing field would be throughout the world? Having self-isolated for 7+ weeks and not been at all unwell during that time, my husband and I have’t had it, but we are in ‘at risk’ groups because of our age and health conditions. It irks me not to be helping others, but the best way forward is to stay at home for as long as it takes. A friend who is a nurse and who has lost a friend and colleague to COVID 19 says: “Please everyone stick to the rules ,don’t think it won’t happen to you it could. If not yourself think of others.” When I do eventually go out, I will be wearing a mask.

I’m varying between just above and just below my normal weight. I’m not exercising nearly as much as usual as my husband and I are self-isolating. Walking up and down the garden or up and down the stairs and from room to room bores me. I try to keep an eye on my intake, usually a good breakfast and lunch and a salady snack in the evening. Somewhere in the mx there’s a mimi Magnum and/or some Maltesers, plus a glass of wine. I reckon that if I stay near my normal weight I’m not doing too badly. But I do wish I could do my usual interesting walks in countryside. At the moment if I hit 4,000 steps I’m doing pretty well - my normal target is 10,000+ steps though. Over 30 active minutes on my fitbit is good; clothes fit OK at the moment, but who knows when this self-isolation will come to an end ....... in UK?

Idun, that has a good ring about it! I don’t regard myself as elderly - older, probably past middle age, don’t quite know how to describe someone my age. It’s always the last tick box on insurance forms etc though!

So you’ve visited the UK since COVID-19 arrived in Europe, ALBF? Oh, no - you thought it a joke. I posted: “from Paris or anywhere else ”, but you must have missed that.

Thank you, Mint. An interesting release of info by the Élysée - and on a Sunday! ALBF, you can rest assured that I have no intention of travelling anywhere before the autumn - if then. Unless a miracle happens, of course ? Stay safe everyone.

Sue is aware that these people have arrived very recently in their 75-plated car from wherever they live. They are risking the health of others by travelling. In our apartment in the Gard, I know all residents apart from one couple who moved in since we left in December. If I was there and knew that neighbours from Paris or anywhere else had arrived contrary to current rules, I wouldn’t hesitate to phone the deputy maire. The risk to other, mainly elderly neighbours, would be too great to ignore.

“Happiness and good health make you the wealthiest person in the world.” - a maxim that those who haven’t had ill health or bad injury may not understand. I can understand some of your problems with your very painful shoulder and your back injury. I can’t raise my arms as normal since breast cancer operations, which still causes me problems such as when drying my hair and even holding the steering wheel when driving, but at least I’m still going strongish, thank goodness. ? Bedoin, we know it a little from various visits to Mont Ventoux from Uzès over many years.

Lori, it could be bursitis, which I’ve never had, but which I understand is extremely painful. I think you really should have it checked out. I know that overuse can lead to tendonitis, which is bad enough, and can lead to very painful rotator cuff tears, which can be helped by rest but surgery could be needed. I had a fall a couple of years or so ago when at our place in the Gard and tore a tendon in my hip - the pain was just appalling, worse than anything I’d suffered previously. I had to rest it, take strong painkillers and keep it elevated for quite some time and had to cancel our golden wedding anniversary trip. I had to use a stick to help my balance until this self-isolation started, don’t know if I’ll still need one after it’s over. Do get it checked when you can go out and about more freely.

They should be reported, Sue - they could be spreading it to you locals, some if whom could be in real danger if they caught it. I’m not a snitcher by nature, somebody going for 2 walks in a day might make me a bit cross, but in that case I would definitely report them!

You’re trying to tempt us Norman! ? I’ve enjoyed delicious icecreams all over the world. But as little treats are so important when not going out, I’m content with those lovely drivers from Waitrose delivering my mini Magnums - and our wine. Fruit and veg too, of course, must keep healthy!

Lori, lovely to have something so exciting to look forward to as a house move - I’m sure all will go well. Just about 6 weeks to go! Not long for resuming your walks either. I do miss our walks, just little ones round the nearby woods and lake would be great. We did escape from self-isolation (into our 7th week now) early last Sunday before anyone was up and about and walked in the woods behind our garden - the bluebells were just beautiful. Sunday should be the annual dawn chorus at the nearby country park; if we’re in the UK I manage to get up in time to drive there for 04.30, but I’m not certain I’ll manage to go out into the garden by then! ? Lori, I do hope that your shoulder pain clears up soon - how long have you had it? Mint, it sounds nasty for a walk. Edit - I’ve changed ‘tomorrow’ to ‘Sunday’; I’ve kept thinking it’s Saturday all day!

Mint, I have a mini Magnum every day - it used to be a couple of times a week until the sky fell in. I usually put 2 boxes each week on our Waitrose delivery order. We get the boxes of 6, with 2 each of classic, almond and white; my favourites are the almond and white, G has the classic ones. Our next delivery is due tomorrow afternoon, so the fridge is ready for stocking up and there’s plenty of room in the freezer for the mini Magnums! We’re both supporting home industries too, a few bottles of Languedoc rosé and red are also on our weekly delivery order. We can’t be there in person, so we do our best.

They were very kind people, and it’s a bit of concern for you,Wooly. You might consider sending flowers instead of payment - if you can track down a florist near their address. Interflora isn’t one I’ve been happy with, so I look for local florists now for friends in other countries. I love sending pretty Flowercards, but haven’t sent any to France recently as I knew that there were hiccups with deliveries in places. Edited to say that things I ordered from Amazon were held up in Spain - they weren’t from Spain, but it’s all a bit topsy-turvy these days. I had a repayment from Amazon but a couple of weeks later the goods arrived. I was told to keep the repayment. Jigsaw lovers - do you know Wentworth wooden jigsaws, “whimsies”? They are jigsaws with a twist and are challenging, as sometimes pieces that look as though they are edges may not be. I love that some have intricate pieces relating to the subject of the jigsaw. My favourite out of several we have is of Inverewe Gardens, with pieces reflecting a garden, such as a spade, and it’s a lovely memory of many visits we made to the garden. Quite a few NT shops sell Wentworth jigsaw puzzles. I’ve now decided on what I’ll do this evening - our Gardens jigsaw.