Day 1 - SkyLines from the French Lock-down:Time to Write

Bonjour enfin (Hello at last)

It has been a very long time and I kept saying, "I'll blog this week."   Well, at last I'm going to have

The village of Argeles-sur-Mer as seen from the coast path

enough time to do it.  Every single day.  It's the law.  No, not that I have to blog, but that I'll be at home all day, every day, except very limited outings.  For at least two weeks and very likely longer, we in France are obliged to stay home.   We can only go out for food, medicine, exercise, or to care for those who are vulnerable.  So, here we go.  I'm just going to chat with you from our village by the sea. 

 A new blog at last.

 Until today life had a way of keeping me so intrigued that I kept putting off writing for fun.  I mean, I love to write but I just hadn't been blogging to sharing joy and beauty for a long time.

 You know, I had excuses - there just wasn't a good topic, or a super photo to share.  And then there was Facebook, Instagram, Word with Friends... Right.  Sound familiar?  In other words I was being lazy, self-indulgent, and distracted.   

Oh sure, I had been working at my keyboard or scribbling in notebooks every day.  Yes, I finished my eighth book and it came out last September, so why wasn't I blogging as well?   Easy - I was falling in love with my Frenchman (I'll call him Y just to be a bit mysterious).  Bet you didn't see that one coming.  I sure didn't until I realized that I'd found that guy I'd been looking for: someone to join me in the adventure that is life.  

We spent a year getting to know each other.  Finally moved in together and are in love with the life we're building.  It's romantic, sporting, literary, and a gastronomic delight. We  work on the house, write, read, binge watch The Walking Dead, and do lots of people-watching from the many cafes in our village in the south of France.  

Both retired, we get to do the things we love. We've been skiing in the Pyrenees and Wind-Surfing on the Lagoons and the Med.  He might even convince me to go for a short hike... a very short hike.  One with wine and cheese at the end of it.  None of that "several days of pain stuff." 

And then... this nightmare started.  Not for us personally, but for the world as we know it.  It's all anyone is talking about.  You know, CV-19.  And today, the Lock-down began in earnest.  Well, we're home for the duration.  Suddenly I have plenty of time.  I realized I should get writing.  Not just working on book number 9 which I've been writing and am half-way through, but writing about life as it is unfolding.

I want to share the positives.  I want you to share with us.  As the world contracts to the size of our own homes, let's send messages of love to everyone.

I'm starting out with this very short shout-out to get started.  I want to share a yummy recipe with you. Tonight it's comfort food.  We're having a hearty veggie soup to start and we spent the afternoon making a casserole for dinner - well, Potatoes Dauphinoise. A French classic!  And my lovely Frenchman and I are expanding our repetoire of dishes every week.  Must be careful not to expand our waistlines at the same time!

Layering the sliced potatoes

This dish also goes by the name of Potatoes au Gratin.  Today we made it using Greek yogurt in place of Creme Fraîche and we used Garlic Flakes on each layer to make up for a lack of fresh garlic.  

Hopefully we'll get some the next time we dare to go shopping.  But strictly by the new rules.  One meter between us and a limited number of people allowed in the store and don't you dare forget to carry your official papers with you.  A fellow writer joked that it was time to watch Casablanca again...

The layers are mounting!

Tomorrow I'll tell you more about the lead in to this.  But I hear my partner calling me to the dinner table, so here's a share for the day.  I hope you'll share what you're doing with us too.  What are you cooking?  Listening to?  Binge watching?  Reading?  It's all good.    Must stop now and eat this amazing looking gratin!  

À Table! (Come and get it, in French!)

Here's the recipe we worked from: https://www.recipetineats.com/potatoes-au-gratin/

So, bon courage, mes amis.  We have each other, even if at a distance.  Let's share what's beautiful or interesting.  Be positive.  Tell us what you are doing, reading, thinking, or hoping.  It may get dark, but the dawn must come.  And we will be stronger for having gone through it together.  

A demain! (Until tomorrow)   Link to DAY 2