Bonjour les amis! (Hello Friends!)
Have you wondered how we would survive this pandemic lock-down if we didn't have the internet and streaming TV? I'm sure we would manage it, but it's hard to imagine...
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| "Il pleure dans mon cœur, comme il pleut sur la ville" It rains in my heart like it rains on the town. - Paul Verlaine |
Day 35 - How can it be that I have only finished one chapter of the new book? I was certain that with a month of stay-at-home days, I would have completed the first draft and be on the edits by now. But no, I have found the perfect cover, outlined all the events to come, made some changes and dreamed a little but actual writing to develop Chapter 7 is just not happening.
Somehow I run out of time each day. So strange. Or maybe not. I manage to fill the days with so many other things that interest me more. And we seem to be sleeping more. I think it's
possible the world is sleeping more, except for the essential workers who are at breaking point! People say these heroes should get a break after this is all over. But you know, they won't. They are "essential." It would be nice if there was a way to show how much we appreciate them. Clapping from our balconies and windows is a beautiful gesture. I hope the powers that be find an even better reward for them in the long run.
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| Rain spouts are keeping busy |
It was raining again this morning. Y rolled up the shutters and announced that the weather was "Merdique!" Yes, that does mean what you think. A whole lot of manure. And so we got up late once again. After breakfast it was time to make our masterpiece video of me trying to amuse friends by inviting them to exercise with me and Y being a wonderful French film director. I must find him a proper bandana to go with his dark glasses and black beret! He refuses to wear a stripy shirt. Shame. t's a really short challenge that lasts only 8-10 minutes and manages to take us at least an hour
to film. We laugh a lot. Afterwards, Y does his workout. We both want to be in shape when the beaches finally open. No, he's not going to let me film him for Facebook. Sorry.
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| Vibrant mural in the rain. |
There was lunch to prepare and eat. We had coffee afterwards shared the Facebook posts with each other. Y did the dishes, looked out the window, and exclaimed, "La Vache!" (The cow!) No, there wasn't a cow in the street. It's a French expression that equates with "Holy Cow!" The rain was really pounding down. Sigh...
So, it was time for me to get to grips with writing and Y turned on the TV. I ended up looking at photographs and pretending that I was getting ready to write. Time passed. A lot of time.
One of the first things Y told me when we met last year was that he watched very little TV. I told him that I was the same. His habits at the time were an hour of the French news and then a police drama or a documentary show. I, on the other hand, never "watch" news. I read it. I just can't take the hyperbole. I preferred to end my day back then with a movie or a single episode of a favorite series. Mostly, I went for sci-fi but I can get into mysteries and rom-coms too. As we put our lives together, I started watching the news with him and he watched a few sci-fi films and series. TV was definitely a tiny part of our lives. We love to be active during the day and to read at night.
Enter the pandemic. TV becomes a major part of the background noise. And we are binge watching until midnight most days. True Confession.
We've gotten addicted to watching strange things. Last week we ran out of Walking Dead as well as Fear the Walking Dead episodes to watch and have to branch out. Y is watching so many daytime shows, I can't keep track! Right now it's Vintage Mechanic but often it's an
American series about life in Alaska and then there is this Extreme Truckers one. I can hear the English language underneath the French over-dubbing. I'm trying to tune it out as I write this to you. Please don't let this quarantine thing last forever!
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| At least my mask matches. |
At least we are not binge eating while watching TV. There are no snacks other than fruit or nuts. Thank goodness Y has a resolve of steel. I might not be so disciplined if I didn't have his resolve. We do indulge in some wonderful meals but we have reduced the daily baguette to a half baguette and we are reducing our cheese intake. I refuse to give up wine or my square of dark chocolate at the end of the day! That said, there are a number of calories in tonight's soup so no seconds!
I asked, "Cheri, laquelle préférés-tu faire ce soir, la soupe de Carole ou notre Pois chiches-Coco?" (Darling, which soup do you prefer to make tonight, Carole's soup or our chick-pea coconut milk?) This was a trick question.
I sorta knew which one would win. Carole's soupe is a delicious healthy one - 1 onion, 2 bullion cubes, half a cabbage, 3 potatoes, and 2 carrots, salt & pepper. Our soup is decadent - 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 bullions, 2 cans of chick-peas, 500 ml of coconut milk, 2 pots of Greek yogurt, 350 grams of spinach and spiced with ginger sauce, turmeric, paprika, chili flakes, and a bit of pepper. We brown the onions or onions & garlic then add everything into the pressure cooker, top up with water to reach the 8 liters mark and cook for 10 minutes. Afterwards, we use the plunge blender to make a smooth creamy soup. EASY!
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| The makings of an indulgent soup. |
I sorta knew which one would win. Carole's soupe is a delicious healthy one - 1 onion, 2 bullion cubes, half a cabbage, 3 potatoes, and 2 carrots, salt & pepper. Our soup is decadent - 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 bullions, 2 cans of chick-peas, 500 ml of coconut milk, 2 pots of Greek yogurt, 350 grams of spinach and spiced with ginger sauce, turmeric, paprika, chili flakes, and a bit of pepper. We brown the onions or onions & garlic then add everything into the pressure cooker, top up with water to reach the 8 liters mark and cook for 10 minutes. Afterwards, we use the plunge blender to make a smooth creamy soup. EASY!
He answered as I knew he would and I said, "We need Greek yogurt for that..." So, we filled out our forms and got out the rain gear. The streets were pretty much empty and it didn't take us long to get the
required yogurt. On the way back, I noticed how beautiful the colors were in the rain. The dinner will be wonderful - soup to start and Chili with Rice for afters. There will be a small amount of bread and a sliver of cheese - camembert, of course. Y will be healthy and have a banana or an apple and I will savor my single square of dark chocolate as I finish my wine.
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| Not beautiful but delicious, I promise! |
It's day 35. As long as we all keep having days, then we have hope. We're here and you are there. And the numbers of new cases and deaths in Europe have begun to drop. Keep being safe, and we will see this though - together!
A demain, les amis! (Until tomorrow, friends!)
The television is always on when my husband is home! He says he likes the noise because he grew up in a big, noisy household. I prefer to watch the news, and then maybe a detective series. Otherwise, I would turn it off.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been writing in my book, either! I've been doing my blog and picked up my pastels from time to time. Now, I have to try to contiue my story. Ideas have popped up on how to improve it. I just have to write them in!
That’s super! I read a great Psychology Today article that said it’s understandable that creating is difficult at this moment. It talked about Maslow’a pyramid and how tight now we are al on 1. basic needs and 2. Safety. We may manage 3. Love but getting up to 4. Esteem and 5. Creativity was very difficult when we sense we are in danger. So, it was good if we could just work at getting through this in one piece. I felt better!
DeleteI thank D-L for this post. I thank you for giving me a glimpse of yr life during quarantine. Mine is the same, even to the number of days. --Eulalie
ReplyDeleteEulalie, thank you! It does help to share doesn’t it? D-L is an amazing woman. She inspires me all the time. I hope you are not getting as much rain as we are! Stay safe and
Deletetake care.
I can't imagine lock down without streaming and internet! I said yesterday that I was going to write today, after months and months of layoff! I didn't!
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to be creative when there is this unease and tension over the crisis. Don't kick yourself over it. I am also having a very hard time with my kid's book at the moment. Hugs!
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