Gardengirl

i couldn’t decide either, Idun, so I called it orange/yellow.

Some of you will already know, but a friend has mentioned in an email that there were mistakes on the map regarding figures. So the Cher and the Haute-Corse will be changed and not be red. There may be other mistakes and in any case, orange/yellow areas will no doubt change to green or red, depending on whether or not they can pass all 3 government thresholds. 1. Circulation of the virus is not active 2. Hospital resuscitation is not up to the threshold 3. Testing for the virus cannot meet the required numbers

Insulation for next winter! ? The 40x packs of 4 rolls are quite tightly packed and make up a big, heavy lump. Separated, they were easier to handle and are now stowed. Our son shops at The Costco warehouse and as we’re self-isolating, have weekly deliveries from Waitrose, which didn’t have toilet rolls, kitchen rolls or boxes of tissues available online at the start of this changed way of life. We still had a few toilet rolls as we normally buy a large-ish pack of Andrex. When our son asked about supplies I mentioned about those shortages at Waitrose and he dropped off a couple of packs of 4 rolls, which we’re still using........... Then he went to stock up at Costco this week which he does regularly for his family, hence my delivery of compost and toilet rolls. Actually, we’ll continue using Costco toilet paper in future (if our stock ever gets used up!) as it’s good quality and extremely cheap at £12.59 for the whole pack of 160 rolls! There’s a new joke for our 2 sons - what does Mum remind you of? Compost and toilet rolls! ? Bet none of you can top that! ?

I first came across the tradition of posies of muguets in May 1967, when they were being distributed where we were in Paris, around rue des écoles. Ever since then I’ve tried to have some in the house on 1st May. We have so many flowering this year that I did think of making little posies of them but as I’m not venturing beyond our garden, I decided not to. Maybe next year.

That’s a kind thought of your neighbour’s, Mint. Everything in our garden has/has had more blossom than ever before in the 38 years we’ve lived here - apple trees, lilacs, magnolias etc, plus primroses were outstanding. But the muguets have really surprised me - most years I dig a few up by the roots and bring them indoors to force them into flower ready for May 1st. This year they’ve spread far further than normal and the amount of flowers is amazing. This evening after clapping for carers I picked a good bunch - such a lovely fragrance.

Thank you for putting a live link Norman.

Yes, sorry I couldn’t make it live - you’ll need to cut and paste. The Gard is green today; May 7th is decision day though.

Provisional map - the final map will bevdecided on 7th May. https://www.francetvinfo.fr/sante/maladie/coronavirus/coronavirus-votre-departement-est-il-rouge-orange-ou-vert-decouvrez-la-version-provisoire-de-la-carte-de-france-du-deconfinement_3942205.html#xtor=CS2-765-%5Bautres%5D- (Sorry, I can’t make this live on here.) Odd that the Lot is red and the Gers, Dordogne and Tarn are yellow. To be green there are 3 givernment thresholds to be met and all must be cleared: 1. Circulation of the virus is not active 2. Hospital resuscitation is not up to the threshold 3. Testing for the virus cannot meet the required numbers

Most flour seems in good supply along with dried yeast in my grocery deliveries. I was very excited about 2 bags of compost our son dropped off for me yesterday, hadn’t asked for any but he knew I’d had no luck with ordering never mind delivery from B&Q and garden centres. He went shopping at Costco, saw compost and thought of me! ? He also brought us 40x packs of 4 toilet rolls - the garage needed a bit of reorganising today! Sunrises and sunsets, yes, but the dawn chorus is fantastic just now!

It was apparently a preliminary discussion, so a lot to sort out - here’s a link I’ve found, sorry about all the adverts, and ut probably won’t be live, as I’m on my ipad: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1274931/EU-news-summer-holiday-coronavirus-passport-travel-UK-EU-latest-update

Excellent that Pilates is having results, Mint. I was reading yesterday that Croatia and other EU countries with large tourist income are trying to organise green passports, so that EU tourists can travel within the EU and help keep money circulating and save jobs. The green passports are to prove that tourists don’t have COVID-19, so presumably after a blood test has been taken and a certificate given.

And now he knows! ?

Thank you for looking for his number and making the call, Mint. I think that quite a few of us have noticed that Norman hasn’t been around for a few days, nice that Wooly actually posted about it. None of us wants to be intrusive, but are concerned. Sending Norman my very best wishes and a few xx.

Yes, interesting about the swimming link, Mint. That specialist physio sounds wonderful. I had a specialist cancer physio for a time nearly 7 years ago, just wonderful and nothing like physio with others I had after she left Interesting also about you having trouble sleeping because of not being able to go for your walk. I hope you’ll be able to get out there very soon to get your exercise. We’ve almost lived in our garden for the last 6 weeks of lovely sunshine while we’ve been self-isolating - it doesn’t make up for not being able to go out walking, but it has helped, with so many trees and bushes looking the very best in the 38 years we’ve lived here. We haven’t been beyond our garden in the last 6 weeks, but early this morning we escaped and went into the little ancient wood beyond our garden. It was so beautiful and very still - “not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse”. We were totally alone, as we had hoped. When it rains in a couple of days the beautiful bluebells will start to be flattened if it’s heavy, so we wanted very much to see them before that, and in this morning’s early sunshine they were perfect.

Yes, you don’t need to wear a mask in your garden, Wooly. Mint, I have allergic rhinitis all year round and take tablets all year round, too - much better than streaming eyes and nose. I do still get it sometimes when pollen is at very high levels, can’t speak, keep choking, but generally it’s fine. There was a link yesterday from the CSF Languedoc to research on fabric for home made masks. What turned out to be best was cotton t-shirt fabric and cotton pillow case fabric - that was for a combination of effectiveness in keeping tiny particles a similar size to coronavirus out and ease of breathing through them. Double fabric improved efficacy but made breathing through them more difficult.

I love it! ?

Gardian, and anyone who thinks it’s anything else, it’s a hairstyle - one which I think looks elegant. I’m not really into elegance and think I probably couldn’t manage to style my hair in a chignon very well as I can’t lift my arms very high nor for long. example of a chignon: https://therighthairstyles.com/chignon-buns-formal-casual-looks/4/

Missing family is a biggie, I agree, but there’s nothing any of us can do but wait it out - and for those of us self-isolating, it’s a case of many months it seems. We normally see our younger son every weekday, multiple times, as his office is in one of the spare bedrooms, so we normally see him and his cheery face a lot each day. He isn’t self-isolating, but only goes shopping once each week or so to keep himself, his family and everyone else safe. He pops round by bike a couple of times a week as well as phoning each day (our elder son lives away but also phones daily) and we all skype at times. It’s been lovely to have such warm, sunny weather up to now, helps keep the spirits up. Hair - mine is normally cut to about ear length, but was last cut over 13 weeks ago; I was ill the day it should have been cut and started self-isolating a couple of days afterwards. It will be very long and unruly when we finally emerge from the house - maybe I’ll have found how to put it up by then, a chignon might be nice.

Oh, a young couple then, not the 90 year olds I thought they might be - no bathchairs or ear trumpets needed. ?

Sorry, me again. I put my post into notes and cut and pasted, but missed off a message to Lori. I was so pleased to read that you have signed the lease, and hope that you move will go ahead smoothly. ?

We’re fine here in Berkshire, almost 7 weeks into self-isolating, but luckily we have a reasonably big garden - with the lovely weather we’ve had, it’s a real blessing. Everything is coming up - well, not roses yet, but so much blossom on the apple trees, the magnolias have been/are terrific, fuchsias are flowering, both perennial and annuals lazily left in pots from last year, osteospermums and penstemons are flowering and primroses, going over now, have been the best in the 38 years we’ve lived here. We have regular deliveries from the supermarket, most things we need are available, but Brita jug filters are unobtainable and frozen peas haven’t been available for 2 weeks. Our son lives nearby and bought us giant packs of toilet rolls, tissues etc for us at Costco a few weeks ago, so we’re happy to pass some on to neighbours, who we see at a 2 metre distance on Thursday evenings to clap for all carers. We had a big surprise yesterday evening, not only did our 8 year old grandgirl accompany our son on the bike ride to see us, but the 5 year old tackled it for the first time too, undaunted by the hills - she had to push her bike up them. They couldn’t stay to chat from across the drive for long, as it had taken so long with the little one, but they did lots of self-cuddles for us, as we did to them, and lots of kisses were blown and caught. I hope that all on this forum are OK, and thank you for asking, Idun.

You jammy things - asparagus can’t come fresher than that! If only!

Mint, it makes excellent sense to open up the country in such a way that economic activity can continue in country areas where COVID has hardly touched. One problem I see is how to stop people from areas badly hit by COVID from heading to those country areas too soon and possibly creating another wave of disease.

Gardian, thanks for that. I knew that Uzès market wasn’t on, but not about St Quentin and Bagnols. Nice that yours has grown, so somebody has outlets for their fruit and veg.

Gardian, are local markets managing to open so that local producers can sell their fruit & vegetables? I know that they are allowed in some areas if there are fewer than 10 stalls and providing that social distancing and handwashing rules etc are in place. What about places other than the Gard - any experience anyone?