France has been on lockdown for two and a half days now. I am used to working from home regularly and, so far, I haven't felt the confinement to be a particular hardship. It is a gloriously sunny spring day and I would like to be able to get outside and walk and I probably will, I just have to fill in an official form and swear that I am outside for physical exercise (not to secretly meet up with a bunch of friends to party).
I got my sewing machine down from the attic on day #1 and have been doing a little sewing (face masks!) since then. Teaching continues online although my classes were finishing up soon in any case. I am also trying to get a head start on a couple of conference papers but am finding it a little hard to concentrate in all honesty.
The highlight of today was a delivery of fruit and vegetables and a little meat from a place we buy from regularly. The delivery guy left the crate in front of the door. I shouted down from the upstairs window that I would be down to get it and that was that. Lifted it in, washed my hands thoroughly and then wondered about how long the virus can live on the skin of an apple or a leaf of spinach.
It is all very surreal and yet very normal at the same time. I am acutely aware that if one of us was to become ill, that would be a very different matter.
Stay well everyone. If there is anyone. I never come her anymore and just looking at the comments of some of these ancient blog posts has reminded me of so many of the people I have lost touch with since then. Where are they now, what are they doing? Others have since become firm friends in real life (you know who you are).
Tomorrow morning I have online yoga with some of my colleagues. Stay tuned.
4 comments:
I stopped by, just by chance, passing through my redundant old blog and noticed you on my sidebar feed.
I recognise 'very surreal and yet very normal at the same time'. In many ways it's not that different from our normal life, yet it really is. We've moved to a small town nearer to a bigger one, I still walk my dog on the canal path, attestation in pocket. No one's checking yet but everyone seems reasonable and compliant, practising gratitude, kindness and cheerfulness. We stop to chat discretely a bit but keep our distances and don't linger too long. I gather in the cities you can walk but mustn't stop.
I got French citizenship btw. Happy to do so, glad to be here.
Best to you and yours.
Lucy, I am so pleased to hear from you. I have often wondered how you are. I got French nationality too, just in the nick of time. Yes, going out for a walk is more complicated in town. The parks are all closed, and we are not supposed to be more than 500m from the house apparently. But we're making the best of it. Bon courage to you and yours too.
Hello Lesley! I was reading back through old blog posts of Frances about Bordeaux, our plans for a return this autumn being postponed, and clicked on the link to your blog. Lovely to see an update from you and to know you're fine. I've been reading and listening to the French media, partly to keep up my rusty French and party to inform myself about how France is handling things and to have news from other parts of the world that the British media doesn't report on. We seem to be entering a period of even more confusion with Boris's latest announcement, but thankfully the Scottish government is being clear. However it's very confusing to have mixed messages. We are fine, with one adult child with us for the moment, doing télétravail, and the other is in Glasgow. We've heard from our Bordeaux friends and they are fine. I am in the category of people who are shamefacedly admitting that they are enjoying the slower pace and being home with family, although my fledgling tourism business has ground to a halt. But the Scottish spring, even if we do have snow on the hills today, is a beautiful time to be able to look around. Lucky you with French nationality. We did consider moving to France but it's too late now - we are too embedded here. Will look forward to catching up for a drink when travel resumes. Meantime hope you all stay safe and well.
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