Day 33 - SkyLines from the French Lock-down: The Future

Salut, chers amis! (Hi dear friends!)
 In spite of the fact that we're in confinement, it's time to plant the seeds of what will be. I'm not talking about gardening, you're already doing that if you have one. I'm talking about in your heart, in your mind, and in your life. Let's focus on creating the future. 

A summertime field of oats outside my village "potager" garden

Day 33 - "J'ai le cafard" (literally, I have the cockroach -EWW!)  No. I haven't seen a cockroach. It's an idiom. I love the French language. Like every language it has some funny expressions. People use "avoir le cafard" when they have the blues.  I ought to qualify today - along with half the population of the planet. I've managed to lock myself out of my online bank

I do love to garden

account. The cat is afraid of the new toy I ordered specially for the lock-down. It's overcast.   Oh well. You know what? I'm not feeling blue at all! I just wanted to share that funny little phrase. How do I really feel? Like this: Life is beautiful.

We got up early so I could contact the bank and tell them that I'd blocked myself out of my account. It was telling me I'd tried too many times with the wrong password. I knew the password was not wrong. After breakfast my French partner, Y, asked, "Are you ready to go?" "Go where?" I asked. "The bank." Oh, I told him, I will call. The website said to call. "Tant pis!" he said, (too bad) and off he went to buy our daily baguette, a true French "essential purchase."

I called and the cashier knew it was me before I spoke, thanks to the marvels of technology.

Planting Potatoes

"Mme Salley, your counselor is working from home. He will call you." The guy actually sounded pleasant and wished me a good day before hanging up.  I realized that answering the phone was easier than ever for him. After all, no customers to clog up the works and it appears there is no staff to send him on errands either. The phone rang shortly and my counselor explained that I had asked for a new password a few days ago on my phone app.

 Ohhh! I had done it by accident when I installed the app. Not to worry, the new password was mailed to me and should already be in my mailbox. In my village house. Ooops. I explained to him that I was spending the quarantine in Argelès and he told me a new one would be mailed here. That all straightened out, I asked how he and his young family were doing. He said, "I caught the virus and was quite scared. It took a month to recover and I still feel weak. Thankfully, my wife and baby are fine.  I was so happy for them. We talked about the things we were doing to keep busy and I got inspired to write to you.

And as soon as I sat down, the cat approached the new toy and sniffed it. Even better. So, what

Potatoes on the way

about the grey sky.  Hmmm... still cloudy. Oh well.  Y returned and he told me everything he'd seen in the village as we ate the "crouton" (tip) of the baguette. He told me the papers reported that 40% fewer people died in traffic accidents than during the month of March compared to last year.  That's a positive in the midst of all this "merde." Well, from manure, the best veggies grow, I guess.

We made ratatouille for lunch and discussed some really cool windsurfing gear Y had found online for us yesterday. Should he order it? I gave him a big smile. "You bet!" And so we dreamed and made plans for the picnics on the beach - no matter how far in the future that is going to be. One day, we will be there, unpacking the gear, splashing and laughing again. Meanwhile, we have something to inspire us to keep fit. As we sipped our coffee, he told me there were lots of YouTube videos we can watch on how to do a better Jibe. (Or in my case, just not fall off...)

 Before I came back to finish writing to you, I went through my digital photos for all the months of March I've lived in France. And it struck me. Now is the time to plant. And while I am too

Not what I'd envisioned
but beautifully delicious carrots

far from my "Potager" (French kitchen garden) to dig up the beds, plant potatoes, and trim away the winter debris, I can plant the seeds of hope. I'm making a list of a different kind. Instead of tomatoes, it will be the wish list for when this is over. Not the projects which may or may not get finished.  Those are to-do lists. It's time to focus on the dreams - things I'd love to see and do "After the War," (to quote a tv mini-series from the eighties.)


I dream of:
Sandy beaches. I put it on the list.
The warmth of the sun and the sound of the gulls. On the list.
Talking with friends face to face at the cafes. On the list.
Provence, Tuscany, or even nearby Barcelona. 
A decadent chocolate dessert after a restaurant meal.
Taking Y to meet my dad, family and friends.

It will take time. And nobody knows exactly how much time. Some dreams are easy - they are the radish seeds. You only have to water them and presto - a few weeks later, you have them in the salad. Others will take planning. They are the broad beans. (Fava beans) Make sure to support them and pinch them back at the right moment. Be patient with them! Suddenly you

Broad Bean Heaven

will be in bean heaven. And finally, the long-term dreams! They take planning, luck, and money. They are the new fruit trees in the garden of hope. The harvest won't be immediate, but have faith and tend your dreams. 

Some people may laugh at the idea that these ordinary things are special. But they are what makes life beautiful. The everyday plans are all seeds and dreams. Plant them. Take care of them. Weed out the ones that don't work out. Look toward the positive things you have done. (Like, yes, you have read this whole rambling blog! Well done!) Let the negative things wash away with the 20 seconds of scrubbing with soap.  Leave the disappointments behind. They do not matter.

A garden is the epitome of hope

We can all have a garden full of dreams and hopes. It will sustain us through these tough times. You are part of what sustains me. Sharing hope and positive thoughts with you is very special. Thank you for being there. And my French Potager garden that is so far away right now? It will still be there, waiting for the future to arrive. The sun just came out. We are alive. You may be far in distance but you are alive and in our hearts. And that is us - looking to create the future. Life is beautiful.

There are no dreams too small, too unrealistic, or too silly. Let yourself imagine the garden you want to live in. And embrace hope. It won't turn out the way we envision it, but it will sustain our souls just

A garden of hope doesn't need much room.

to hold it in our hearts. There is only winning in planning for the future, no matter what comes of the seeds.  

A demain, nos amis!
Link to Day 34