Day 6 - SkyLines from the French Lock-down: Kindness

Bonjour les amis!  (Hello Friends!)

There are clouds in the sky and
and in the headlines

Today it was cloudy when we stepped out to hang the laundry on the little terrace.  Yes, there are two, a small one off our bedroom that faces the sunrise and a big one at the back of the house that looks out at Canigou Mountain and the sunset.  We know we are very lucky to have landed here, especially now.  It's only Day 6 here in the south of France, but the cracks are appearing in the facade and I don't mean the walls of the house....  

Day 6 - People are feeling the strain already.  Not around me, but on the internet and in the news.  Please, hang in there and don't get pulled down by that.  One of the most important things you can keep in your heart during difficult times is "La Gentillesse" - Kindness.  And I'm not just talking about kindness to others.  I want you to be kind to yourself.  Keep your head above water and swim away from the negative thoughts.  So, my little ideas for coping today:

Let's keep fit, mes amis!  When I get up, I'm never thinking, "Oh goody, time to exercise!"  Nope.  But as I start to wake up and it's a new day, I turn on my music, roll out the mat, open my fit8 app and do my routine.  And it's a kindness.  A kindness to myself.   I finish my routine and now I feel full of energy and good.You need to do that - take care of you first.  You can't help anyone else effectively unless you feel good.  I see too many friends frazzled from caring for others when they need healing themselves.  And the ones they are helping probably don't realize it.  So please, find a way to do yourself the kindness of energizing yourself. 

Breakfast - It's tastier than it looks!

Let's stoke our engines, mes amis!  Breakfast is another kindness.  Whatever it is you choose, this is your fuel to move through the morning.  Mine is cereal with strawberry protein powder to boost my vegetarian diet.  Yum!  It's like eating dessert for breakfast.  I find drinking water the toughest part of being kind to my body.  I aim for two liters a day (8 glasses)  But only in summer is that easy.  So, I drink a lot of herbal tea when it's cool.  I find it warm and soothing.
I'm pretty sure the coffee is a bit hard on my system, but I do love it.  Especially the moment I’m holding the warm cup in both hands and taking a deep breath of that gorgeous aroma.  So I linger at the table, savoring the coffee and I read your posts, the news, and my emails.  The coffee may be sinful but, like chocolate, it gives me a ton of pleasure.  And so it is a kindness in my eyes.

Kay & I decided to go for it!

My dear friend and fellow writer, Kay, told me about her 80-20 plan years ago.  It works.  80% of the time I eat healthy.  I try to mix it up every day and get some vegetables or fruit at least in two of my three meals.  I limit the carbs, though I believe they are important too.  I drink my water.  AND THEN.... 20% of the time I pamper myself.  I have the coffee, I eat the square of dark chocolate and close my eyes in bliss!  Sometimes when we eat out I say, “yes!” and try the decadent delight at the end of the meal.  We have ice cream in the freezer as well as fruit from my french kitchen garden.  So, every now and then I make a dessert for us.

A crumble, or baked apples can feel like a big splurge if you only do it once every ten days. 

frozen fruit with a bit of oats, butter,
cinnamon and brown sugar

(And it fills the house with good aromas!)  But we have to be extra careful about not over-eating while we're in quarantine.  I've stopped eating while watching films or tv.  It's way too easy to eat more than you realize.  Stoke the engine and enjoy your food.  But think about how much.  Don’t overfill the tank. (PS, I use that scale in the bathroom every 3rd day and it's easier to say no when I see the fluctuations....)  I try to stop while I still have that feeling that I could eat more.  Be kind to your body and just enjoy enough to make you feel pampered but never eat so much that you feel full (for the sake of your self image.)

Wise woman and author, Kay

Let's be creative, industrious, or curious, mes amis!  We have this time given to us against our wishes.  But use it.  Yes, we're binge watching movies and series in the evenings, but during the day we read, make music, write, talk, or watch informative/educational programs.  I go out on the internet and think seriously about leaving only positive messages and comments.  (I don't always succeed.  I'm human and idiocy is very irritating!)  Try it.  It's a kindness to your mind and will help to avoid depression. Your heart will feel lighter.  

Enough of that.  You get where I'm at.  I watched the news and the nurses need masks.  The gendarmes are having to give fines and use bullhorns to break up people who think they have a right to meet at the beach or stand around talking like nothing's changed.  Everything has changed.  It will pass but people are dying and more will.  This is a fact.  But - No, we're not "all going to die" (from this virus, I mean).

Quarantine will slow its spread and hey, it will save your life and or people you are not being exposed to if you can do it.  It's not easy.  My partner, Y, says that not only will many babies be born in nine months time, but that once we have the vaccine, there will be many divorces.  (I'm pretty sure he's not talking about us - we aren't married.)  You can see how it's probably true.  Some people are going to realize for the first time, exactly who that person is they married.  And decide that's enough of that because life is short and nobody gets to know how long they'll be here.  

Even making a salad can be art
Think about how you would
share it if you were blogging!

We went out to the bakery for bread and walked home again.  Lunch was Y's special mixed salad for the starter followed by my Chili and cornbread for the entree.  I told him we should do some recipes in a blog for our friends and figure out a way that they could share theirs with us.  We plan on starting a yoga routine together.  Maybe I'll do one of those exercise challenges with all of you again.  That was a lot of fun.  The problem was Facebook was taking so long to upload and then sometimes muted the sound.  I finally got frustrated with that.  Maybe if I use YouTube we can do it all again.  


We did the dishes and watched a series about the survivalists in

It will take a bit of work
to return to the form
of our challenges!

Alaska.  
It's amusing to hear the American voices underneath with the French dubbing on top.  Sometimes the person talking is saying something like, "It ain't pretty." and the translation comes out as, "It is not a very pleasant thing to see."  Yes, the idea is the same but the accent sure isn't!

Lunch had settled and because he had run around the block for an hour yesterday, Y, my partner,  was ready to try something new.  I had suggested yoga a few days ago.  So, we found a few French YouTube videos for beginning.  We streamed it to the TV and half an hour later, he said, "That is amazing!  I can feel the energy!"  I smiled and said, "I'm sure not as flexible as I was a few years ago!"  I told myself that I was going to have to do this everyday, just like the blog.




And so, the day finished and the sun set was prettier for having a few clouds around it.  Now is a special time.  I'm right here writing to you.  You are in my heart and thoughts.  We are a kind of family.  A world family.  My partner wonders if I'm working on my book.  "Not yet, maybe tonight.”  I have something more important to finish.  This blog.  It's my way of hugging you from a very long, social distancing ways away.  

We can keep the kindness going around.  I think of you out there, feeling the same way we do, reading these sad headlines, feeling sorrow for the friends and families of the nearly 15,000 recorded deaths so far.  Yes, it's bleak.  But it will get better.  The news from China tells us that if we really work on staying home, really quarantine we might keep the hospitals from getting overwhelmed and that will save lives.  We will come out of this stronger than ever.  Together.

Soon, I'll go through my picture file over the last 16 years in France. I'll try to find some beauty to share with you over the next week.  I'll tell you what's going on here but I'll also bring you some pretty pictures.  Take care, mes amis.  You are important to us.   

It is the darkness of the clouds that makes us aware of the light

A demain!  (Until tomorrow!)

Link to DAY 7

Day 5 - SkyLines from the French Lock-down: Coffee

Bonjour Nos Amis! Quelle Belle Journée! (What a beautiful day!)

The library - glad we were there last Saturday for new books

It may not be as sunny as yesterday, but it's nice in the south of France.  It should be market day.  Of course, it isn't...

We woke and opened the shutters to discover that a light veil of pretty white clouds webbed the

I'm missing the social aspect, for sure!

blue sky.  The sun poked through time to time as we prepared our breakfast and discussed whether or not there would be a street market in the streets today.  Our television news showed us a big market in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, with people practicing social distancing this morning, so we knew it was possible.  We'd even seen a bit of it at last week's market.

But Argèles-sur-Mer is not Paris.  Not even close.  Neither in distance nor population. They have a big clientele and our village is only about 10,000 people.  There are always more than our resident population as tourists come here year-round. 

However, it's pretty quiet at the moment.  Way more than it usually is in March and the build up to Easter.  We didn't think there would be a market here and fortunately, we are well stocked, even for fresh produce.  But we decided we would go check, as we did need to get out in the fresh air, buy a newspaper, and get a bit of exercise.

Before - our lively market

The neighbors were busy in our tiny quiet street just one block over from the church.  The clock rang eleven as we set out, shopping bag and newly dated and signed papers stating our intention to buy essentials. (Yes, a newspaper is considered an essential!)  We waved and said hello to one at a balcony, and another smoking from his first floor window.   I wonder if he's read the connection the Asians are seeing between higher mortality rates from this virus and smoking or being obese.  I'm guessing not or that he doesn't feel it's important.  

We were at the end of the block now and one lady was busy scrubbing a doorstep here while another walked her dog there. (Possibly a bit of connection there, I suspect!)  We all carefully sidestepped one another to keep a good distance between us.  Yes, even my partner and I are walking on opposite sides of the street.  Of course, the street is only about three meters wide...

Once we'd stepped out into le rue de la république, we knew there would be no market.  The

Before - elbow bumps

usually busy street was quiet.  The sausage man's stall is usually here.  The goat cheese stall is next.  Normally, you can buy fresh eggs, olives, olive oil, organic fruit and veg, or not-so organic but fresh and beautiful at several other stalls.  And the cafes with their closed doors and stacked chairs gave mute testimony that life is very different right now.  The only thing open was the church.  I saw people inside lighting candles.

That was when I thought of last Saturday.  Just one week ago.  The market had been busy.  People were being careful not to shake hands or give bisous, but we did go to market.  We sat in the cafes with our tables farther apart than normal.  I saw people giving elbow bumps or boot

kicks as ritual greetings.  That seemed like a lot longer ago than just one week!

I'm betting Madame Prez is satire

This morning, the streets were fairly empty, though there were more people out than yesterday.  The greengrocer, Elizabeth's was open and doing a good business.  We bought a newspaper at the newsagent's and listened to his pessimistic outlook on the days to come.  Then Y said that made him hungry enough to buy a croissant.  So we went to the bakery and he got in the line.  Since there were nine people ahead of him, it was a very long line!!

To avoid being too close, I walked down three doors and read all the book titles at Mag Press on the corner of La Route Nationale.  On an ordinary Saturday morning, this would have been a crowded spot.  Not today.  Four people were inside standing far apart in the line to buy newspapers, magazines, writing materials, tobacco products, or to play the lottery.

Ah... memories...

We headed home.  "Tu le veux?"  Y asked as he ripped off part of the golden, flaky croissant.  (You want some?)  He held it out to me.  I could smell the sweet buttery aroma.  My mouth said words they didn't really believe.  "Non, merci,"  I  answered.  I explained that of course, I love croissants.  I do want some, but I prefer to continue to lose weight after our tropical holiday at the beginning of the year.  He said he wanted the same thing.  I told him there was a difference - it was that he wanted to lose weight but he preferred to eat the croissant. He agreed and it was gone in two more bites.  And that's okay.  The dude is slim. 

Café at home... not the same

At home we settled down to read the newspaper.  And it hit me.  Jeez!  I miss the café!  I filled the stainless steel capsules we bought ourselves for Christmas.  The machine whirred.  And presto!  Cafe Y and R.  Thank goodness we have lots of biscuits to give it that finishing touch.  It's not the same, bien sur, but it's good.  We sipped and sighed appreciatively.  There is coffee.  As long as there is coffee, civilization will survive. 


Okay, nos amis, that's a bit silly, but we need to smile.  Now more than ever.  Don't let this get you down.  It is necessary.  My partner is putting on his running gear.  I say, I'll be right there.  He's asks, "Tu viens avec moi?"  (Are you coming with me?)  "Ha ha!  Non!"  I explain, I'm just coming down to close the door behind you.  I'm going to write my blog, work on my book, then play some guitar and piano.  If there's anytime left after that before making dinner crepes with you tonight, I'll do some aerobic dancing.  I started my day that way.  I'll be fine.  We each deal with the confinement in our own ways.  I may even have a second cup of espresso... at home.

The Place de la République now....

A demain, nos amis!  (Until tomorrow, our friends!)




Link to DAY 6

Day 4- SkyLines from the French Lock-down: Serious Reflections

Salut nos amis!  (Hi there, our friends!)

Good morning village!

It's another sunny day in the south of France.  Hard to believe that there is anything to worry about.  Until you step outside or pay attention to the news.  Then it's a different story.  And it makes you reflect on  the fragility, not only of life but of society and civilization...

You know that game with the blocks piled high to create a four sided tower and each player pulls out a block without causing the tower to fall?  Yeah, that's what life is starting to feel like.  Not so much personally, because we are in a good space and adequately provisioned - at the moment.  But it's what I'm hearing and seeing from people in the streets and online that makes me feel discomfort.

Some people are already complaining and it's only Day 4!  They can't understand why they shouldn't be allowed to go wherever they please.  And if they are saying so, it makes me think that they are also doing so.  If we want to break the chain on this epidemic and flatten the curve, that's not the right thing to do.  My partner and I fear it will mean more drastic measures later as the number of people exposed and contaminated continues to grow.  It's time for reflection on what is more important - a few weeks of your life, or your life.  I know which I'm choosing.  Enough said.

Sping has arrived!

It was cooler this morning and I grabbed the fleece robe immediately upon rising.  Then I remembered, "Hey, it's the first day of Spring!"  My heart lifted and when I did my morning exercise routine, I danced with joy. I know I am very lucky to be quarantined here in a beautiful place with a man that I love.

130,000 French people have found themselves stuck outside the country.  I know of British people who are here in my village that had intended to return home this week.   But, instead, they will ride it out here.  A family in the house next door came to help their grieving father deal with being newly widowed.  They cannot leave  and will be here for the duration.  However long that is.  They wave to us from their terrace and we wave back.

The sounds of people saying good morning from terraces and balconies told us we'd better hurry and implement our plans from the night before. There was laundry to hang out and a

Keeping a meter apart

quick trip to the bakery on the way to the car.  There, the meter apart rule was being used correctly.  That made me feel better.  

My partner and I read every rule and knew that we were allowed to go up to two kilometers from home for provisions that were not available in our quarter of the village.  That is as long as we took our appropriate papers, kept our distance, and made it brief.  The car was running on fumes when we last returned from shopping six days ago.  The price of gasoline has fallen by over twenty centimes and if we needed to evacuate at some point, we didn't like the idea of the tank being empty.

So we drove to the big Intermarché (A French Supermarket chain, somewhat like Raley's except that they have their own gas stations too.)  It is 1.8 kilometers from the house according to Google and so just within the limit.  We hated the idea of giving up our parking spot in the beautiful plaza a few steps from our front door, but we felt it was a must.  Also, I'd made a list of further provisions I wanted to get.

You know, the essentials - like fresh garlic and creme fraîche.  Right.  Maybe you have to live in France to experience it.  But I can tell you it makes ordinary sauces into gourmet food.  It's a bit like Philadelphia Cream Cheese... but not.  It's more liquid and lighter.  And different.  Right....

Anyway.  We drove to the station and filled up the car.  The price of gas today was 1 Euro, 21.9

You can see others had the same idea

per liter - oh come on, you can do the math if you really want to know the price in dollars per gallon.  Let's see.  The Euro today costs 1.07  Multiply 1.219 by 1.07, yes, that's $1.30 a liter.  There are 3.785 liters in a gallon (American gallons, not Imperial, before my British friends correct me.)  Multiply again and you have $4.92 a gallon.

Hey, are you smiling now, my American compatriots?  I know you are paying a whole lot less.  And that's cool.  A whopping 60% of the price we are paying is in taxes to the government.  But I know precisely what my tax on the gasoline is buying every time I drive on the well-maintained highways, the beautiful bridges, and  good local roads with pretty roundabouts.

Next, it was into the supermarket with our list.  This time there were no lines and no waiting.  The only thing different was that a clerk asked us to sanitize our hands and the on our shopping cart, which goes by the charming French words "Chariot" or "Caddie."  Love that!  The aisles had all been replenished, we shopped quickly, and drove home.

It was no surprise at all, to find that our parking spot was taken when we got here.  So we unloaded the car at the front door and I sent Y off to find a parking spot at the train station.   I can tell you it took some juggling to fit the new items into the fridge, pantry, and cave beneath the stairs!

Snacks - check out DeGaulle

 Then, wonders of wonder, he returned in less than a minute with a large smile, "J'ai trouvé un parking just a côté!" Yes, someone else had left the plaza while we were unpacking and so he'd parked just a few yards from the house.  Hurrah!  That's it - we're not going anywhere in the car for a while.  Gotta keep that spot!

I'd done the logistics while he was parking and was quite pleased to have found a place for all the new bags of potatoes, onions, beans, and more.  The fridge was nearly bursting.  My partner eyed the pantry and exclaimed, "Mais Robin, tu nous as bien approvisionné pour un siège!"  Yep, he was saying I had prepared us for a siege.  You betcha, I did.  I take good food very seriously!  My closest friends can tell you I get grumpy when I'm hungry.  And we will eat it all eventually no matter what the next step in this lock-down is.
  

We're still allowed out...for now

It could become a long wait.  If it takes two weeks to show symptoms and some never do, we are going to need far more than the two weeks they've told us.  It will take a month or more of people doing the right thing to ride out this epidemic.  And because there will be rule-breakers, at least at the start, that will prolong the wait.

It feels strange, especially when the streets are empty, but we CAN beat this.  By next year there will be a vaccine.  And the important thing is to keep yourself and your family as isolated as you can right now.  We can do this - together!  And, as I'm adding these days - at a distance.

Take care, nos amis.  It' will get harder but we are all a lot tougher than we realize.  Be brave, be happy.  There is beauty wherever you find yourself.  Life is going to change in ways we can't imagine.  The economy is going to suffer in spite of the measures being taken.  But we are alive.  We have each other.  Tell me what you are thinking and how you are doing.  We care about you.  

Meanwhile, dance or do whatever it takes to keep happy and safe.  Spring is here.  From the darkness, seeds of a new life will sprout.  There will be a renaissance.  It's just going to take time.  Be patient.


A demain, nos amis!

Link to DAY 5

Day 3 - SkyLines from the French Lock-down: Hope

Salut, nos amis! (Hi, our friends!)  Greetings from France under lock-down!

Pretty flowers give me such a feeling of joy!

It's almost Spring.  There is sap rising in the trees and flowers are beginning to cover the fruit trees here in the south of France.  I'd love to be driving around taking photos of the orchards in bloom with a backdrop of the green Alberes foothills or the distant snow-covered Pyrenees Mountains.  But that's not going to happen this year.  The flowers in the village will have to do for my hungry camera.  We're under quarantine...

The Mini Daffodils at home

Day 3 - It started out sunny and warm.  I realized that when I threw off the covers and didn't rush to get my robe for breakfast.  Spring, I thought, it's only days away now.  The mini-daffs on the terrace were the herald a couple of weeks ago.  So bright and beautiful!  Like sunshine even on a cloudy day.  

I was somewhat awake by the time I got my cereal together and as the water began to heat up for coffee, I looked out of the window over the kitchen sink.  Once again, I saw a sign that winter has just about given a last gasp.  On the pretty stone wall of the house across from ours, the potato vine is covered in small white flowers.

The Potato Vine, "Jasmine Nightshade"

At least that's what I've always called it because that's what the flowers look like to me.  I'll have to go look up the botanical name later, when I add some photos to  this blog.  Or as I call them, these scribblings. 
 Ah, my scribblings, I do love to write!  I know I go on about things, especially about how lucky we all are to be alive and sharing this all through the medium of the internet and books.  But it makes me so happy and you all give me joy when you post and comment.

After breakfast, my partner and I dated our official papers for taking some exercise.  The news last night told us that without this sworn statement to explain what we were doing outside, along with some form of photo id would result in a fine.  The fine on Tuesday and Wednesday was 36-38 euros.  If we didn't carry our "Papers" today it has risen to135 euros and can go as high as 375, I suppose for repeat offenders.  Don't worry, we're carrying our papers!  

Stark reminder of the quarantine

But one look at the cafe where we've spent so many happy hours is a reminder that we are living under lock-down.  As we walked past two gendarmes who were giving advice or checking the papers of a fellow citizen, one of them spoke very politely to me and quietly said, "Madame, Vous êtes trop proche du Monsieur." ('M'mam. you are too close to the Mister)  We were the regulation meter apart but never argue with the law as my dad always said.  So, I said, "Merci, Monsieur" and moved another meter away from my partner.  

The empty street seems strange

We walked through basically empty streets.  This view looking back at the church was unusual because on a normal day, there would be neighbors discussing the weather, sports, the recent elections, and why it's taking so long for the work on their street to be finished!  (Seriously, this has been going on since last year, I can't imagine how much noise, dust, and mud they've had to put up with all this long while...)

Some say it's like living in a ghost town and I understand that feeling.  But the village is not deserted.  People looked out from windows, or from balconies, and terraces called out to us, "Bonjour Monsieur-Dame!"  (Hello Sir and Madame)  and we smiled at them and waved back, "Bonjour!"  And we wished each other, "Courage!" and "Bonne Journee" (Have a good day!)

Springtime promises

So,while we took our exercise, we were surrounded by inspiration.   Here is the courtyard across from the library - lovely!  We need to concentrate on the message of spring - after every hardship comes a rebirth. The fear around us is real.  It's cold like snow.  It's normal and it may help us stay safer by taking this seriously.  

But Spring will come.  It may take time... maybe longer than we think we can stand.  But we are stronger together.  Every day we have gives us a chance to think about the better times to come.  We must remember that in the face of adversity,  every one of us has some part that is unique, that is special, and is wonderful to share.  Let's make sure to keep that part of us at the fore and defrost those cold fingers of fear with the warmth of our human connection. 

I've been sitting on the terrace as I write this to you.  It's time to go inside and add the photos from my phone.  It's time to fix dinner and share thoughts with my partner and give thanks for another day.  Be strong, nos amis.  We are all together now in a way that we've never been before.  And if you are feeling a bit down, remember, I'm thinking of you and sending you wishes for strength and hope.

A demain!  (Until tomorrow!)

link to DAY 4

Day 2 - SkyLines from the French Lock-down: In Quarantine

Salut, nos amis! (Hiya our friends!)

Day 2 of the French quarantine - or lock-down to my mind.  Of course, maybe I'm just being a bit dramatic.  Writers tend to be that way....

The view of Canigou Mountain from our terrace

But it does seem strange to have to carry a sworn statement of  intent to go out and buy your daily loaf of bread - or baguette, as we call it!  Anyway, it sure has cut down on the car pollution!  I said I would talk about the lead in to this yesterday, so here goes:

Just two weeks ago, my French partner, "Y" and I celebrated our birthdays.  They are a week apart so we reveled in several days of happiness and topped it with a trip to the spa at Banyuls

Lunch at the Thalasso Spa

sur Mer, a little sea-side town just a few miles closer to Spain than we are in Argèles sur Mer.
The day was beautiful, the gourmand lunch fabulous, and the baths, sauna, and other pampering treats were a great way to relax and be warm. 
We knew the epidemic had arrived in France but our region had no reported cases. We also knew the chlorine in the water would kill nearly anything.  We did not worry.  It was good to float in the warm magnesium infused waters on a winter's day.  

Les Angles Ski Resort

A week ago, we skied with a neighbor.  It was sunny and warm.  Another great day out.  Nobody was worried about anything except the fact that no new snow was forecast.  We were afraid there would be no more skiing this season.
But  just four days later, on the 15th of March, all cafes, bars, and restaurants were closed for two weeks as a precautionary measure.  While disappointed, we understood.  There was snow forecast for the following week.  We planned to go for a short ramble with Y's brother and sister in law.  We hoped the closing of cafes would be enough to slow the virus down.

Some of that pasta & frozen veg!

But, within two days we heard rumors that drastic action would be needed.  They closed the ski resorts.  We knew it was getting serious and must be getting close to us too.  So, all plans to go out were shelved.  Each hour,  the numbers kept mounting on the Corona-Virus Dashboard. https://ncov2019.live/  We knew it was just a matter of time before we would be quarantined. So we thought about what we would need to have if we really couldn't go far from home and we went shopping.  
No cart full of toilet paper for us, just our normal shopping.  I'm a vegetarian and Y loves his meat so we bought an extra package or three of those things we have to drive to the big store to buy.  We hoped we will be able to buy fresh fruit and vegetables in our corner stores. 
The weekend passed and we heard that new measures were being considered.  We decided to stock up on pasta, canned goods, dry milk, and a couple of frozen pizzas and bags of frozen veggies.  This was the day before the announcement but already the cereal and sausages were

The Pasta Aisle!

running low.  The pasta aisle was nearly empty!  You could still find some, but mostly it was the organic or high end brands.  We decided it was worth the extra Euro or two and bought them. I'm sure glad we did because the quarantine arrived on Tuesday.
Although we live together in Argèles, my house is in another village.  We went there and deep watered the philodendron, and grabbed all the books, sheet music, writing material, and dry goods I had there.  I also grabbed the box with all the recipes saved from magazines and newspapers.  I realized this was a good time to finally make order of that mountain!

Papers, please...

This is the Wednesday after the mid-day shut down yesterday.  We took our papers with us and walked a meter apart to the center of the village.  The Gendarmes were in evidence and checked the papers of anyone who wasn't respecting the distance rules.  

Barriers at the Supermarket 

Y bought our baguette and I went to the little market store and bought a few vegetables.  I was reassured that the store looked like always.  The only difference was the check out.  Each of us waited a meter away from the person in front of us and also a meter away from the check-out clerk.  She wore rubber gloves.  I wished for her sake that she'd had a plastic shield in front of her like the clerks at the supermarket we shopped in on Monday.  Like most people, I paid with my debit card.  Nobody wants touch money at this moment!
I joined my partner and we walked back to the house.  We had a lovely lunch and watched a bit of the news, but not too much.  It's definitely not positive stuff!
The larger part of the afternoon was spent on the terrace reading and writing. 

One way to while the time away

 I did hear a police bullhorn tell someone to respect the rules and stay in their house.  I couldn't see where it was so I don't know why.  A few neighbors were on their terraces and we waved to one another and wished each other well.  We all were thankful for the sunshine and mild weather.
Then we took a short bike ride.  Yes - papers and more than a meter apart!  When my chain got jammed, some neighbors wanted to help.  But they could only stand at their doors or balconies and give advice.  Y worked it out for me - with me at an appropriate distance. of course. It's all good.  

We are thinking positive.  This is being done to protect people.  It's not a punishment or an inconvenience.  It's a moment to reflect on the fact that we are all lucky to be alive.  We're all in this together.  You may save someone's life by keeping your distance.  So, take advantage of the beauty of the world, reflect, read, think, sing, or dance.  Share with us what you're doing.  We're going to have dinner and be thankful. 

A demain, nos amis!  (Until tomorrow, our friends.)

Link to Day 3

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

Zermatt, Switerland - Voyagez Avec Moi (Travel With Me)

Coucou! (hiya)  I have been travelling a bit during the last two years and suddenly I thought - hey, you should come with me!



So, this series will be about sharing the beauty and fun of the journeys I've taken.  So... Faites Vos Valises, mes amis!  (Pack your bags, my friends!)  And since I live in the sunniest, warmest part of France... why not go somewhere cold?


"Non!"  is what my French neighbors said when I told them I was going to snowy Switzerland just as spring arrived in our sunny village.  "Mais si!  Je veux faire du ski!" I replied meaning that I wanted to go skiing.  Well, they thought I was nuts. I'd just spent nearly every Saturday for the last three months skiing in the Pyrenees just two hours inland.  But when I explained that there was also a five day Festival of music, they understood a little better.  Actually, it poured in Perpignan the whole week I was gone, so I had to laugh!





It was November when I saw Jack Savoretti post that he'd been invited to perform at the 11th annual Zermatt Unplugged festival.  My first thought was, nice, but too far for  a concert. After all, I'm closer to Barcelona than Marseilles. But then I started thinking... Next thing I knew, I was planning!  And so, you and I jump on the train, then a plane from Barcelona, then another train out of Geneva, make a couple of changes, and Voila!  Zermatt.




The thing you notice right away is that it really is alpine!   And it's a good thing we are wearing our thermals and cold-weather gear, after all it's April... yeah, the high is going to be... maybe 6 degrees Celsius. And the low?  -13 tonight.  Well at least the skiing is going to be great!


Our hotel proprietor is the 1984 Giant Slalom Olympic Gold Medal champion, Max Julen.  He and his wife, Karin, are so friendly and have arranged a vegetarian meal for me in the hotel restaurant.  They also arrange for us to rent our skis from his brother's ski shop.  You and I have rooms under the eaves.  What a view!  We can see out over the village and down the river Visp.  And gee... that pointy mountain looks familiar!





Zermatt is beautiful.  The festival takes over the whole village for six days every April and 2018 was the 11th.  The streets are filled with happy people, wandering musicians, acoustic bands, and in the center of it all is the Taste Village.  Wearing our hi-tech concert/festival wristband chips, we can enter all the general venues.

Everywhere we go, there are casual musical performances, some on stages, others in clubs and bars, and many impromptu on the streets.  It is a whole village party!  Our wristbands are also programmed to let us into the big name concerts because we bought tickets.



Tonight, we're going to see... Brett Dennen but he is just one of the many acts performing.  We are treated to a ride in the train up to the ski lodge where we are fed a four course meal that begins with champagne and ends with dessert and coffee.

Then we move to the next room and in the intimate setting, if feels as if we are all friends hanging out and that Brett is the cool kid in our class who is singing just for us.  In fact he teases us and says we are only here because we couldn't get into the Nora Jones concert.  I pipe up, "No, we got free food!"  That gets a laugh from nearly everyone.

We stay out late afterwards and it's snowing, but nobody minds as we are all wrapped up just right for it. Besides, in the Taste Village, you and I buy a nice hot mug of "Glu Wein" (mulled wine, though if you'd rather you can always have hot chocolate, tea, or coffee!)  Around two in the morning we decide that we are heading to bed as we want to go sking in the morning.  We walk home smiling, the snow adding to the beauty and the magical quality of this picture-book village.

And ski, we do!  The whole day is spent on the slopes.  We ride up after breakfast on the same train that took us to see the concert last night but this time we have our skis and helmets.  The sun has come out and all that lovely new snow makes it a joy to be out there.  We have lunch at one of the numerous restaurants and, of course, there is a Swiss rock band playing Phil Collins music, as well as a lot of other songs we all recognize.

We wear ourselves out skiing throughout the afternoon and then, finally, we return to the village on the train.  The best part about it being a ski village is that a bus arrives every ten minutes to carry folks with skis to all the hotels.  It is the end of the school day and we also have a lot of children riding home with us.  They are obviously very used to doing this.  Showers, naps, and dinner revives us.  Time for tonight's concert, Jack Savoretti!

The two hour show seems much shorter and afterwards, there is a huge indoor nightclub for the concert goers that has such an elegant ambiance, I wish I'd worn something sparkly!  It's our last night in Zermatt, so we dance, wander, eat, and drink until three in the morning.  There will be plenty of time to sleep on the 4 hour train ride back to Geneva.

And now I'm all packed, just time for one more selfie to remind myself throughout the coming year,, my personal mantra:  "Pack light - never check bags."  It sure makes everything easier when you have to catch two planes, and six trains.  You are ready as well, being a super travel companion, so we check out of the hotel and wish we could take the view with us. Off we go!


Ce que c'est drole!  (How fun!)  I have loved having your company on this, my first visit to the Zermatt Unplugged Festival.  Shall we save up for next year's concerts and stay the whole week?  We look at each other and grin.  

As the signs everywhere here remind us, "Every year in April,"   Oh yes!  I am going to do my best to be here next year!  If I am very lucky, you will be with me then.

 Merci, mes amis, for your company.

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