What a gorgeous day today !

[Lori]

First time I've been out in 15 days.  Had planned to go out last week for provisions, but managed to get an online order placed for a few items.

So, out today I went.  Oh the most wonderful weather.  Sunny and warm.  No jacket needed.  Wore my bandanna and a pair of those thin rubber gloves....  Felt so odd, but I wasn't the only one doing this.  Yet there were many others with no protective gear.

You can see the top third of the Eiffel Tower when you walk out of this building and of course, all around the neighborhood.  We're 5 minutes walk from the Seine and 10 from the Eiffel Tour.  It was very hard to stick to shopping and not take a diversion to walk along the river.

I didn't go out until 13h30 as I wanted to enjoy the warmest weather of the day (said to be 24 C today).  There were a fair amount of folks on the streets. 

I was very pleased to find my local Franprix stocked top full of EVERYTHING you could think of - except rubbing alcohol.  We can't really order anything fresh online these days and a lot of non perishable items are not available either - not to our address that is. 

I presume the online supermarkets are simply being very careful what they make available on their sites.  Otherwise, I presume people would hoard everything they can get their hands on and the bricks and mortar stores would suffer.

I was pleased to fill my trolley with lots of fresh food and supplies and roll it back to the apartment.

It will be hard to stay inside with such nice weather all week.

[NormanH]

The weather down here has been like that for quite a while...but it just makes having to stay inside worse for this very 'Mediterranean' culture that habitually live outdoors at every opportunity..

[Lori]

I agree with you Norman.  I think it will be very hard to keep people indoors when the weather is so nice.  May not be such an issue for those who have private gardens.  But, the plus part of Paris does not have such luxuries and we are ALWAYS outside, even in bad weather.

We would always take a very long daily walk along the river before the confinement.  We miss that so much.  It will be one of the first things we do, when we get the right to..

My quest to mail my postal document (this time a requested form to Amelie) was a loss.  My local post office (the one I used 23 March using the self service machine) is now closed, even the self serve machines closed off from the main postal service aren't accessible.  !!  I presume they aren't maintaining those machines.  Stamp paper not reloaded into machine, etc.  Frustrating as this document cannot be uploaded online.

I'll have to try to find where the nearest 'operating' La Poste is..  All I need is a stamp...  Self serve would be excellent...

[mint]

Lori, can you not print your own?

[url]https://www.laposte.fr/lp/timbres?&at_medium=sl&at_campaign=[HM%7CMTEL%7CTimbre]&at_platform=google&at_creation=[Timbre%7CImprimer%7CBroad]&at_variant=[415648834453]&at_network=search&at_term=[%2Btimbre%20%2Bimprimer]&&gclid=Cj0KCQjwybD0BRDyARIsACyS8mtoWZ74-DDGEKwG6OSKbyLPY95xmAd34A9QOCqOjnqo9LI3hZUMFC8aAvLhEALw_wcB[/url]

[Lori]

Thanks Mint.  Already looked into that.  Can't do it without the proper 'sticker' paper.  You can order the specialized paper (that is actually stickers) on Amazon, but they sell them by like 50 minimum stickers.  I don't think I could use that many in a decade of living here.

I'll try to go to another La Poste tomorrow. 

[nomoss]

Lori. You can print a stamp directly onto an envelope. From a single stamp up to 120 at a time.

Just follow the instructions from Mint's link to "Choisissez votre support d'impression" and choose the format of your envelope.

[idun]

As we strolled along the Prom, I said that it was a perfect english summers day. A gentle warm breeze, glorious blue skies and just 'right' as far as temperature is concerned.

We were out for our Boris Walk and very pleasant it was too.

[Gardengirl]

We’ve been having lovely weather here in the UK too, beautiful sunshine and more warmth have had the magnolias and apple trees in our garden opening rapidly.

We’ve spent the last few days outdoors from mid-morning, coming in at around 18h. We’re really counting our blessings that we have our garden, even if it’s too big for us to manage now.

We’ve thought of moving into a smaller house or apartment over the last few years - so glad that we aren’t in an apartment with no garden or balcony, not that we’d be likely to buy anywhere with neither.

[cajal]

[quote user="Lori"]  Can't do it without the proper 'sticker' paper.  [/quote]

Oh yes you can.

If you are able to use and print from the link to la Poste then all you need is This

[nomoss]

[quote user="cajal"]

[quote user="Lori"]  Can't do it without the proper 'sticker' paper.  [/quote]

Oh yes you can.

If you are able to use and print from the link to la Poste then all you need is This

[/quote]

Or print the stamp directly onto the envelope, as I suggested earlier [:)]

[cajal]

[quote user="nomoss"]

Or print the stamp directly onto the envelope, as I suggested earlier [:)]

[/quote]

Ah, caught on the hop there. About an hour passed between me writing and getting around to hitting the post button as something of a distraction cropped up.

[Lori]

Thank you all so much !!!  I will try to print the stamp onto an envelope in the morning.  I can't thank you enough.

[nomoss]

[quote user="Lori"]Thank you all so much !!!  I will try to print the stamp onto an envelope in the morning.  I can't thank you enough.

[/quote]

And if it comes out in the wrong place or on the back, if you put the envelope in the wrong way round, as I often do, just cut it out and use Pritt as cajal suggested [:D]

[idun]

Well, you don't write the name and address etc on it until you have the stamp on it, do you? ............ why would you?

IF it ends up on the back, then treat the back as the front and then mark on the front TSVP merci.

[Lori]

Thank you Mint and all of you !!  Success, yeah !!  Printed my stamp directly on my C5 envelope.  Brilliant !!  And it even lets you print a sample to make sure you don't make a mistake.

Now, I'll just walk it to the letter box.  As of yesterday the letter box was full again.  However, I know La Poste is picking it up at some point as my doctor got the letter I mailed her on 23 march.  No idea when the mail gets picked up, but I presume it will at some point.

You guys are the best !

[woolybanana]

We all know that, Lori!

By the way anyone, I got post today for the first time in a few days and got to wondering whether it had been sanitised, whether thenpostie was wearing gloves or what. In the end I opened the envelopes, threw them away, read the contents, put thar aside and then went and thoroughly washed and scrubbed my hands.

Me, powernoidd? Just cautious.

[idun]

You are not alone, that is what one does these days.

[nomoss]

[quote user="woolybanana"]We all know that, Lori!

By the way anyone, I got post today for the first time in a few days and got to wondering whether it had been sanitised, whether thenpostie was wearing gloves or what. In the end I opened the envelopes, threw them away, read the contents, put thar aside and then went and thoroughly washed and scrubbed my hands.

Me, powernoidd? Just cautious.[/quote]

What difference does it make if the postie wears gloves, please?

If they have touched something infected, gloves are just as likely as are hands to carry and pass on the infection.

Gloves seem to give people a false sense of security. I saw people wearing them transfer their purchases from supermarket trolley to car boot, return the trolley, open the car door, sit in, close door, and drive away still wearing them.

Some maires are apparently making people wear them in the street. Do they think people become infected through their hands?

[Lori]

Yes, Wooly, that is what we do too.  Granted, we've only received one piece of mail since the confinement started.

We follow the same procedure after any delivery; food, amazon, etc.  We also have a big box of those thin rubber gloves we use too.

Letter has been placed in the postal box.  It was still full from yesterday, but managed to get the envelope in.  At least that means that I didn't miss a pick up from yesterday; wasn't one.  Of course, I have no idea when there will be one.  When it goes, it goes.

[Lori]

Yes, NM, we are careful how we use those rubber gloves.  I used a pair when I went out yesterday to Franprix.  Once I got back to the apartment, I took them off and used a second fresh pair to take my items out of my trolley to wipe them down before putting them away.

I know it may not make any difference, but I have them (a LOT of them), so I'll give them a try. 

I know they are just as capable of receiving the virus as un-gloved hands.  I try to use them carefully being fully aware of the issues you described.

[nomoss]

[quote user="Lori"]

Yes, NM, we are careful how we use those rubber gloves.  I used a pair when I went out yesterday to Franprix.  Once I got back to the apartment, I took them off and used a second fresh pair to take my items out of my trolley to wipe them down before putting them away.

I know it may not make any difference, but I have them (a LOT of them), so I'll give them a try. 

I know they are just as capable of receiving the virus as un-gloved hands.  I try to use them carefully being fully aware of the issues you described.

[/quote]

I worry about people who may not be as aware as you are.

As I mentioned before, I think of the joke about the man serving cakes with a pair of tongs.

[idun]

OK, I am not scientific etc , I don't understand how much works, so here is a question.

Why can you not leave these rubber gloves on and wash them in a warm mild  bleach solution. And then rinse in running water and then wash as you would your hands?

I sometimes get skin problems, and have to bake pastries and bread wearing gloves. And as I would when I am baking without gloves, I keep washing my hands, a lot, and with gloves on, wash whilst wearing them.

[Lori]

I wondered the very same thing Idun.  I have washed the gloves (while on my hands) in the past.  I have no idea how effective it might be in washing away the virus. Can't imagine it would be much different than washing it away from your hands.

[nomoss]

[quote user="idun"]

OK, I am not scientific etc , I don't understand how much works, so here is a question.

Why can you not leave these rubber gloves on and wash them in a warm mild  bleach solution. And then rinse in running water and then wash as you would your hands?

I sometimes get skin problems, and have to bake pastries and bread wearing gloves. And as I would when I am baking without gloves, I keep washing my hands, a lot, and with gloves on, wash whilst wearing them.

[/quote]

On the other hand, why wear them at all, and just wash your hands, instead of washing first the gloves, and then your hands?

The only time I have felt a need to wear a glove, was when I had a dressing on one hand which prevented me from washing it regularly, so put on a large Marigold glove.

I wore it to take out shopping from the car, then had my wife spray 60% alcohol on both hands, with one still gloved. I then spread this well around them before removing the glove and washing both hands with soap and water.

[cajal]

[quote user="nomoss"]

If they have touched something infected, gloves are just as likely as are hands to carry and pass on the infection.[/quote]

Very true.

[quote user="also"]

Gloves seem to give people a false sense of security. I saw people wearing them transfer their purchases from supermarket trolley to car boot, return the trolley, open the car door, sit in, close door, and drive away still wearing them.[/quote]

I am always well stocked with disposable gloves following trips to 'Action' as I use them for no end of tasks.

With the present situation and whenever I am out in the vicinity of joe/josephine public I wear disposable gloves, a face and nose mask and a full face plastic visor. However, what I would find as a beneficial would be a phd. in pure maths, preferably in Combinatorics, to enable me to calculate the different permutations I need to juggle in order to avoid self infection whilst transfering goods from chariots to the car and returning the chariot to the docking bay without coming into contact with anything with my bare hands.

Needless to say I carry several pairs of the gloves in my pockets to replace the pair I carefully remove into an inside out state prior to disposal and replacing with a fresh pair.

What is it they say "God helps those who help themselves?"