How are we all doing?

[idun]

I am doing well considering.

I am being, in comparison to many of my friends, terribly lazy.

I haven't done a big spring clean.

My windows are not gleaming.

Nothing has been scrubbed within an inch of it's life.

I have watched tv, listened to music, read a lot, and I mean a lot and been on the computer a bit, but not too much. Cooked and baked and the basics in the house are done, ie kitchen clean and bathrooms, and clothes and bedding, but in the grand scheme of things, I have done very very little.

And doing what I am doing is suiting me, in fact suiting me wonderfully. I am happy doing little, what is the song, busy doing nothing.

So that is Idun, busy doing nothing and feeling well on it.

To all take care!

[woolybanana]

Three weeks with no rain so the garden is doing great,though, as ever, more to do.

Hate that my little Bird is trapped in UK!

[suein56]

Idun wrote : I am doing well considering.

I am being, in comparison to many of my friends, terribly lazy.

I haven't done a big spring clean.

My windows are not gleaming.

Nothing has been scrubbed within an inch of it's life.

Idun you could be describing me too ..

though OH and I have cleaned the roller blinds with him doing the outside and me on the inside ..

He has cleaned some of the outside furniture .. whilst I have washed down some walls inside.

I have washed lots of stuff whilst the warm sun is shining .. OH has been preparing the potager for planting.

So, whilst we have both done stuff, I am way behind my French friends who are way ahead of me.

Tant pis ?

[Gardengirl]

Pretty much the same as you, Idun plus sudoku and very gentle pottering in the garden. I normally read a lot but I’m reading even more now.

I tried sorting out drawers and cupboards, but my back suffered and I’ve been on strong painkillers since, so my husband has been doing even more than usual.

I hope that all on here are keeping well. x

[idun]

GG, bad back eh! with such exertions, well an even better reason to take my own sweet time.

And having given it some thought..........I am not behind anyone actually, that friends have done all these 'jobs' is up to them, and it is they who have had a little whinge about time dragging. My days are going just fine for the time being.

Sudoku, yes, I love them too, so will get them out and with even more occupations, I doubt I shall get much else done[Www][Www][Www]

[Judith-aka-Judith]

I have no problem filling my time .. busy doing nothing .. no, but since I retired I've never had time to do all I want to do, never mind need.  What's cleaning .. that'll be done by my cleaner when she is allowed to come back ... it doesn't get dirty like it did in London anyway.  I'm concentrating on scanning old photos, a project that I've been trying to do for perhaps 5 years ... at least I'll have something to show for the days we've been confined ... and when that's done, well there'll be another delayed project to fill the time .. bored - never!

[NickP]

We made the decision to stay in France as in our tiny village it's not difficult to be in isolation. Biggest problem apart from the bathroom that I mentioned earlier, is the fact that we were starting the process of taking residency here in France, so that's all out of the window at the moment. I go for my walk every morning and apart from one or two people who tap on their window and wave as I go past, nothing has really changed. Yesterday my wife said: "I don't know whether to go shopping Thursday or Friday" I replied make it Friday as Thursday is Bin day and too much excitement on one day wouldn't be good. One little job we have acquired is that the only other Brits in our village went back to the UK for family reasons and now can't get back, so we are in the process of shutting their house down for the time being.Stay safe everybody.

[NormanH]

I suspect that life in big towns such as mine is a little different to that  of you lucky people in small villages.

On the one hand there is a lot more 'promiscuité' ( one of the famous 'faux amis'- it means people packed in one on top of another, although I wouldn't be surprised if the English meaning was there too [:)])

On  the other hand, we still have places like the indoor market open; and instead of going out to a restaurant for a meal at lunch time, I can get it from a 'traiteur'.

I think that only Lori and I live in flats; and that of course adds an element of uncertainty. Each time I come in through the main front door of the building I am aware that other people will have touched the handle and lock.

This area has a lot of rather "difficult"  inhabitants, and the police are very much in evidence, as the confinement and the curfew  could easily lead to social unrest, particularly  among those who feels it necessary to get out to make a "deal"

There has already been a riot  in the prison,  because visits have been suspended, and that is the principal way in which banned  Necessities can get in..

[Lehaut]

"I think that only Lori and I live in flats; and that of course adds an element of uncertainty"

We live in a complex with 106 flats, spread out over a number of buildings. I have wipes soaked in alcohol in a sealed bag whenever we go out. I use these to wipe any surface we intend to touch - including the lift buttons and door handles in our building. Protects us and others. We are lucky in that we have our own grounds to walk in and a great view of the city and Loire, things I did not have when away on extended under water patrols!

[PaulT]

Plan was to travel down to France in March and swap some furniture over between UK and France. January purchased a trailer, with the idea that once back from France it would be sold, and did some work on it so that the furniture could be safely transported.

Also emailed friends to tell them that we would be bringing down a trailer did they want anything brought down. So in the garage there is 100 litres of emulsion paint, weed killer and bitumastic paint. In the study are plastic boxes filled with Shreddies, tea bags, jars of lime pickle, jars of mango chutney, baking ingredients etc etc.

So each time I see the trailer and the heap of boxes it makes we wonder when we will get to France, when will I be able to get rid of the trailer, when will the study be empty and will I have to eat the glace cherries before they go out of date.

All seems a little unreal.

[Gardengirl]

Norman, it must be extremely hard for people who live in flats, particularly if there isn’t a balcony to spread out on and enjoy the changing scene from.

You mention about the uncertainty when coming and going, which I can well understand, having a flat in France; handles, lift buttons etc that will have been touched by many.

We live in a suburb in Berkshire, and are very lucky to have a good-sized garden with a small ancient woodland beyond - the reason we bought this particular house. We normally spend a lot of time in the garden, whether pottering, working or sitting out there reading. Even when inside the house we both spend a lot of time looking outside and watching birds - binoculars live on the kitchen windowsill.

Favourites at the moment are great spotted woodpeckers and nuthatches, which we are seeing more often, and it’s rare not to see red kites overhead.

We have the best show of primroses we’ve had in our 38 years in this house, maybe due to our long, hot summer and very wet autumn last year. Before long, bluebells will be with us at the end of the garden and the woods beyond will be covered in their blue carpet.

We’ve been self-isolating for 3 weeks now and feels a lot more than that, still have a long way to go, but we would both find it a lot harder without our garden.

[alittlebitfrench]

I have lived in 4 flats in France.

On your own or with a partner is fine. But I could not imagine doing it with 3 kids.

But the problem will come when the hot weather sets in.

Imagine being locked down in a flat in a canicule.

[NormanH]

https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/faits-divers-justice/des-policiers-biterrois-attires-dans-un-guet-apens-dans-le-quartier-de-la-deveze-1585848353?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&#Echobox=1585848705

[Loiseau]

Crumbs, Norman. As if the police didn’t have enough on their plates.

As an aside, I do love that word “guet-apens". It always sounds so un- French.

Here in London, I am lucky enough to have a small garden, and to watch spring springing in it. Small local shops would deliver if I needed, though my month-ago supermarket run is still holding up.

I should accomplish much more each day than I do, but it’s amazing how one can scale activity down. I make soups and do baking; cleared out some drawers ( and found five hand-gels in the process!); do some Joe Wicks online exercises each morning; have telephone conversations with other friends on their own; and tonight am due to have apéro with my daughter and some friends using Zoom.

Biggest time wasters I am finding are jigsaw puzzles; you can always drift back to one for an hour or so, and let other plans go hang...

[idun]

My son also lives in a flat and he has a tiny balcony, but at least it is there.

I am glad that they moved from his girlfriend's small flat a few years ago, I really do not know how they would have coped with one another otherwise. It's alright usually getting on well, but if it had been in  40m2 I think it would have been quite another thing.

[Lori]

I guess like most folks, we are coping.  What can you do?  We have not been out in many days.  I mark the calendar each day to note that we did not delve out.  It does grow old of course and I do envy anyone with a balcony or terrace.  Can't even fathom the luxury of a private garden. 

It seems pretty much the same process each day.  Sleep as late as possible to shorten the length of the day; get up, have coffee, read the news, read other stuff., do some exercises (as best we can), have a snack, read some more, prepare dinner, watch TV, go to sleep.  And do it again each day !!   Yikes.   Going down to take the trash to the bin or check the mailbox is a treat.  Actually got a letter in the box today.  First time since the confinement..  Oh and today is laundry, what a delight. 

And, I won't go to the laverie to use the dryer.  I just dry things on the radiators.  Not the best economical choice, but my last visit to the laverie had me fuming.  So, here we are.

I would add that not everyone is finding little to do while cooped inside.  Based on my neighbors habits, my prediction of a baby boom will be right...

[mint]

Norman, I hadn't realised about all this stuff that happens in Béziers.  Are you now regretful that you didn't opt for your place in the Ariège after all?

But I did like to find out about "Biterrois"!  I'm always asking people what inhabitants are called where they come from[:D]  I think I have learnt most of the names of the inhabitants of all the villages round us by now.  Mind you, many have to think about it before they answer!

For the sudoku aficionados, do you do the samurai ones?  My favourites ones of all time are by Gareth Moore, particularly his 13-grid ones.  Alas, I think he only compiled 6 in total and I have done them all[:@]

OH does the Times Cryptic crosswords but, apart from contributing now and again, I do not have his agile mind to actually complete a whole one all by myself.

For flat dwellers with balconies, did you read about the chap in Marseille who completed a marathon on his small balcony?  He lost count of the laps but his girlfriend plied him with food and drinks and he had a pedometer to clock up the distance.  Made me smile, that story.

I am at a loose end this week as I was due to have a RV with the anaesthetist closely followed by an operation.  I only learned yesterday that everything's been cancelled.  Needless to say, I am relieved because I could not imagine the guilt I would have felt having elective surgery and taking up hospital resources when people are literally dying because of stretched resources.

I walk everyday, never meeting a soul and so some days, I cannot resist the temptation to go a bit further than 1 km!!!

Also, in preparation for my op, I had lined up some one- to- one Pilates lessons.  When those got cancelled, I looked for videos on the internet and found one which looked doable.  However, my body, having stiffened over the years, I gave myself a terrific backache one day and had to ease off.  Now, however, I am able to do almost all of the routine though I am far from sure I am doing any of it correctly!

So, my life is filled with the usual cooking and a little housework (as little as my conscience allows), music, reading, sudoku, walking, gardening and Pilates.  In fact, I could do with at least 2 hours more every day!

Bon courage, everybody! 

[NormanH]

Biterrois is the name, but those unaware of etymology often mis-spell it as Bitterois

It is easy to remember since  it comes from 'terre'...in Latin Béziers was Bea Terra..

I rather vulgar joke is that Béziers is the town where  "La Bite est Roi"

I won't go into details if that mystifies [:)]

[Gardian]

Well, we're OK down here in the Gard.

I have to say that people around here seem to be pretty philosophical about it all. Although not completely clear, the level of infection seems to be low. I go out in the car every 2 or 3 days to get bread / fruit / veg, and the shops seem to have adapted really well. Sensible limits on the number of customers in a shop at any one time, protective screens for staff and customers. I always have an Attestation with me, but have only been stopped once and that was on the first day of the requirement for documentation. He let me go on my way, but he was extremely grumpy.

Back in the UK, elder son and family are fine and on directed (by his employer) self confinement because of an initial health scare a week ago - turns out to have probably been nothing, or just maybe they were very mildly affected.

Younger son lives and works in the Czech Republic where he is an English teacher. The borders have been closed for weeks now and the regime (incl the wearing of face masks when out) is very strictly enforced. The language school has had to close of course and face-to-face contact with his private clients is impossible, so his income has evaporated. However, social security payments have been suspended for 6 months and he may qualify under the 'help for self employed' scheme which has been announced. The good news though is that he has been able to conduct an increasing number of 'skype' type lessons, so all is far from lost.

In general, we're just fed up to the teeth with it all, but our irritation is as nothing compared to the worry that so many, in whatever country, must be feeling. For us, March 2020 has been the worst of months - let's all hope that as we get towards the end of April, there's a chink of light at the end of the tunnel.

[Lori]

[quote user="NormanH"]

I rather vulgar joke is that Béziers is the town where  "La Bite est Roi"

I won't go into details if that mystifies [:)]

[/quote]

I thought that was Paris.

[NormanH]

But the joke works better with

Biterrois =

Bite est Roi

[woolybanana]

Careful, Norman, Lori is a good girl. Do not teach her bad things!?

[Gardian]

Forgot to mention in my earlier post.

Around here there’s a chain of laboratoires (i suspect that its pretty much nationwide) which has set up a testing facility outside its lab in our local town.

Usual thing - a tent facility with a ‘capacity’ of 80-90 tests / day. Only available to health service professionals and anybody for whom an appointment has been made by their GP (people perhaps showing symptoms, people with susceptibilities etc).

There’s apparently a further 4 testing centres within a 40km radius.

Quite reassuring really and seemingly in stark contrast to what appears to be happening (or rather not happening) in the UK.

p.s. the word that got ***’d out in my earlier post was c*h*i*n*k. Ironic really.

[Lori]

[quote user="NormanH"]

But the joke works better with

Biterrois =

Bite est Roi

[/quote]

Got it Norman.  I still think the term could work for Paris - without the correlation.

[idun]

[quote user="Gardian"]Well, we're OK down here in the Gard.

I have to say that people around here seem to be pretty philosophical about it all. Although not completely clear, the level of infection seems to be low. I go out in the car every 2 or 3 days to get bread / fruit / veg, and the shops seem to have adapted really well. Sensible limits on the number of customers in a shop at any one time, protective screens for staff and customers. I always have an Attestation with me, but have only been stopped once and that was on the first day of the requirement for documentation. He let me go on my way, but he was extremely grumpy.

Back in the UK, elder son and family are fine and on directed (by his employer) self confinement because of an initial health scare a week ago - turns out to have probably been nothing, or just maybe they were very mildly affected.

Younger son lives and works in the Czech Republic where he is an English teacher. The borders have been closed for weeks now and the regime (incl the wearing of face masks when out) is very strictly enforced. The language school has had to close of course and face-to-face contact with his private clients is impossible, so his income has evaporated. However, social security payments have been suspended for 6 months and he may qualify under the 'help for self employed' scheme which has been announced. The good news though is that he has been able to conduct an increasing number of 'skype' type lessons, so all is far from lost.

In general, we're just fed up to the teeth with it all, but our irritation is as nothing compared to the worry that so many, in whatever country, must be feeling. For us, March 2020 has been the worst of months - let's all hope that as we get towards the end of April, there's a chink of light at the end of the tunnel.[/quote]

Good to know that the Czech Republic is helping self employed people too.