Even despite the proximity of Italy I haven't seen any evidence of panic buying of anything as yet. For some reason I bought a bottle of hand sanitizer about a month ago, probably the day I went hiking up to the waterfall and felt pretty grubby on the way down. I don't usually carry it with me unless I'm on my travels but I'm pleased to say I have some to carry around with me for the time being. And as for the "rush" on toilet paper - nope, not seen that at all. I had to laugh though at the chap in Australia who accidentally ordered 48 boxes of toilet paper online a month or so ago instead of 48 individual toilet rolls. Apparently he had the mickey taken out of him by his friends something terrible, so in light of the latest panic buying in Australia he published a rather funny video of "who's having the last laugh now"! Gotta love the Aussies!
 |
| His wife on her toilet paper throne! |
Talking of Italians and toilets (we were weren't we?), at my Italian lesson on Wednesday we were learning the use of c'è and ci sono - "there is/there are". It makes sense in English but in French they don't distinguish between the two - il y a means both, so it was a novel idea for the French-speaking students in our group. Anyway, our teacher was asking us about our homes, our gardens. Do you have a garden? Do you have a balcony? etc. to get us to use c'è and ci sono. One of the things she asked was did our homes have doppi servizi, which basically means a full bathroom. Then she somehow wandered off on a tangent about how weird it was for her, as an Italian, to find bathrooms without a bidet. She said her grandmother would have been horrified to find no bidet and even she, as a 40-something Italian, found it strange that most homes round here do not have bidets. So then the conversation degenerated wandered on to the subject of bidets and their uses until I burst out laughing and asked if anyone realized we had just discussed bidets for the past 10 minutes!!! Either way we covered a lot of ground and it was a fun class! In amongst the different words we were learning she asked me if my home had la cantina, which, it turns out, is what the French call a faux ami, in the sense that la cantina is actually a basement and not, as the name would suggest, a cantine/kitchen! These are the kinds of words that trip you up when you learn a foreign language. For instance, in French sensible means sensitive and not sensible, so a faux ami! Gripping stuff isn't it!
Anyway, in other news I've managed to get some work done in the basement (la cantina) and the garden this weekend and it's been really pleasant. The crocuses (crocii?) and primroses are starting to bloom and my little patch of lawn is looking lovely - well at least to my eyes anyway - I don't need it to look like a bowling green! While I was outside working there was a knock at my door and a young lad asked if I would like to buy an Xbox 360 for €30! I told him I already had one (I don't but it seemed easier than turning him down), but since I saw he was going door-to-door I asked him why he didn't just put a notice up on the mail boxes round here. Well that must have sparked an interest in him because guess who ended up making him five flyers to put up!! I recognized him as the young lad who my neighbours had kicked out of my garden a few years ago when he was just coming in and breaking/stealing my ornaments. Actually he's the reason I put my side gate in, truth be told, but that's all water under the bridge now I guess as it was five years ago. At one point I asked him to write up one of the flyers (since I had a few to make) and he told me he "couldn't write that well"! I was stunned as he is 11 now! So I told him to just copy what I had written and he couldn't even do that! This is the youngest from the family I wrote about in another post where mom has run off with another man leaving dad and the last four of her seven children with dad - who is now in the process of drinking himself to death apparently! Remember - the one where their golden retriever followed me on my walk! It's sad really but what can I say. It didn't take him too long to see the sweets I had out on my cabinet so I told him to take one from each bowl. Well he ended up taking quite a few ("one of each colour", I think he said) and left with a bunch of flyers and pockets bulging with candy!
Then last night I did, indeed, go out with Ginette to the Soirée Réunionaise in her village but ... meh! It wasn't so great. They had four young women from Réunion who did a couple of African dances and that was pretty much it for the entertainment. I have to say the food was very good but pretty expensive, all the more so since they didn't include even one drink in the price. When I went to buy a glass of white wine they told us they only sold it by the bottle (????) so we both ended up having a glass of rum punch that nearly had us on our backsides!!! After that we stuck to water! She was telling me re her ex-boyfriend that she had recently sent him a "cease and desist" letter, which he probably received that very day, as he has been pestering the life out of her since she split from him, calling, showing up at her house and begging her to come back. She said it's funny how he was a miserable sod for three years and tighter than a duck's bum and now all of a sudden he can't do enough for her and wants only to lavish money on her!! In any case she told him to get lost and if he doesn't leave her alone she will take it further. Crikey, all that drama at 72!!! I don't do "drama" so I'm so glad I'm not in that situation. Maybe it'll be one of the requirements of the French citizenship aptitude test - how to throw a wobbly à la française! If so I'll have to practice! At about 11.30 it had turned into a blaring disco with strobe lights so I told her I was getting a headache (I wasn't but couldn't stand much more of it) and that I was going to leave. She agreed with me and we decided to leave at the same time but in the end I don't really regret going. If you don't try these things out you'll never know if they are good or bad will you! On the negative side, in order to make it on time to this do I missed the last five minutes of the England/Wales rugby match and it would seem that Wales managed to score two tries in those five minutes and I missed it!!! What a bummer! Just as I was leaving though she asked me if I skied. When I told her I didn't do cross country she said "no, downhill". Now I haven't done that for about 20 years but she asked if I wanted to go one afternoon when the weather is fine and we could try out a few easy slopes. So I guess it looks like I might be scratching around in my cantina some more looking for my ski gear very soon!
Anyway, in other news I've managed to get some work done in the basement (la cantina) and the garden this weekend and it's been really pleasant. The crocuses (crocii?) and primroses are starting to bloom and my little patch of lawn is looking lovely - well at least to my eyes anyway - I don't need it to look like a bowling green! While I was outside working there was a knock at my door and a young lad asked if I would like to buy an Xbox 360 for €30! I told him I already had one (I don't but it seemed easier than turning him down), but since I saw he was going door-to-door I asked him why he didn't just put a notice up on the mail boxes round here. Well that must have sparked an interest in him because guess who ended up making him five flyers to put up!! I recognized him as the young lad who my neighbours had kicked out of my garden a few years ago when he was just coming in and breaking/stealing my ornaments. Actually he's the reason I put my side gate in, truth be told, but that's all water under the bridge now I guess as it was five years ago. At one point I asked him to write up one of the flyers (since I had a few to make) and he told me he "couldn't write that well"! I was stunned as he is 11 now! So I told him to just copy what I had written and he couldn't even do that! This is the youngest from the family I wrote about in another post where mom has run off with another man leaving dad and the last four of her seven children with dad - who is now in the process of drinking himself to death apparently! Remember - the one where their golden retriever followed me on my walk! It's sad really but what can I say. It didn't take him too long to see the sweets I had out on my cabinet so I told him to take one from each bowl. Well he ended up taking quite a few ("one of each colour", I think he said) and left with a bunch of flyers and pockets bulging with candy!
Then last night I did, indeed, go out with Ginette to the Soirée Réunionaise in her village but ... meh! It wasn't so great. They had four young women from Réunion who did a couple of African dances and that was pretty much it for the entertainment. I have to say the food was very good but pretty expensive, all the more so since they didn't include even one drink in the price. When I went to buy a glass of white wine they told us they only sold it by the bottle (????) so we both ended up having a glass of rum punch that nearly had us on our backsides!!! After that we stuck to water! She was telling me re her ex-boyfriend that she had recently sent him a "cease and desist" letter, which he probably received that very day, as he has been pestering the life out of her since she split from him, calling, showing up at her house and begging her to come back. She said it's funny how he was a miserable sod for three years and tighter than a duck's bum and now all of a sudden he can't do enough for her and wants only to lavish money on her!! In any case she told him to get lost and if he doesn't leave her alone she will take it further. Crikey, all that drama at 72!!! I don't do "drama" so I'm so glad I'm not in that situation. Maybe it'll be one of the requirements of the French citizenship aptitude test - how to throw a wobbly à la française! If so I'll have to practice! At about 11.30 it had turned into a blaring disco with strobe lights so I told her I was getting a headache (I wasn't but couldn't stand much more of it) and that I was going to leave. She agreed with me and we decided to leave at the same time but in the end I don't really regret going. If you don't try these things out you'll never know if they are good or bad will you! On the negative side, in order to make it on time to this do I missed the last five minutes of the England/Wales rugby match and it would seem that Wales managed to score two tries in those five minutes and I missed it!!! What a bummer! Just as I was leaving though she asked me if I skied. When I told her I didn't do cross country she said "no, downhill". Now I haven't done that for about 20 years but she asked if I wanted to go one afternoon when the weather is fine and we could try out a few easy slopes. So I guess it looks like I might be scratching around in my cantina some more looking for my ski gear very soon!
 |
| Typical dancers from the Island of Réunion |
30 Euros for an xbox is pretty pricey.
ReplyDeleteI"m not at that age where I need to seriously be worried, and I too can self-quarantine, but because the Idiot Jerk's been spewing nonsense, there are a lot whose families will pay the price.
I wouldn't know the price of an Xbox to be honest but then I wasn't buying anyway. And I'm not really worried about the coronavirus either - it was just the logistics of dealing with it that had me scratching my head, although I do believe it's going to be much bigger than anyone thinks, if Italy is anything to go by!
DeleteA friend of mine and I were talking today about the "lock-down" in Italy. We, too, wondered what in hell that meant?
ReplyDeleteI dreamed the other morning that I went to breakfast with Michelle Obama and then we went shopping for antique costume jewelry. It was fun even though there were secret service agents.
The Spanish word for "pregnant" is "embarazada". You may know this already. But I always chuckle a little bit when I hear that. I always thing of a shy bride who turns up pregnant.
Yep "embarazada" took some getting used to as did "constipado". All good fun though. And I would much rather go shopping with Michelle Obama than on a bus ride with ol' Bojo! Or anywhere with Bojo to be honest!
DeleteYou lock people down who have jobs then what happens to their jobs?
ReplyDeleteAnd do the hoarders realize that while they may have all the hand soap and sanitizers in the world, it won't stop an infected person from sneezing on them; but if you shared, you might all be safe.
I agree with you absolutely Bob. Many office people can work from home, although according to my last boss that was "impossible" (hence the reason I resigned). But what happens to the waitresses and bar staff and those in service industries? Do they get paid for not working? Many people couldn't make it even one month if their salary wasn't paid for some reason (but that's a whole other story isn't it). And yes hoarding!!!! While I will continue to hoard my one bottle of hand sanitizer I agree that if people were just reasonable everyone would benefit. I'm not against people who routinely stock up in the sales - that makes sense - but going crazy nope, that's just selfish in my opinion.
DeleteI really enjoyed the news from Italy and France. Keep us informed. We got a laugh from the toilet paper throne and the name of the tp. The Italian lessons were interesting. I would not let that kid in my house if he stole or destroyed my things. He may come back looking for your xbox to sell. Was the one he had his xbox or one he stole? I like to go places just to see if I like the activity. Take care with the virus about.
ReplyDeleteAs for the kid I didn't recognize him at first. It was only when I started asking if he lived near Stan and how was his dog that I realized who he was. Sadly I think he may go off the rails eventually but then kids like that didn't stand a chance to begin with. No parenting and mom's solution to everything (according to Stan) was to drug the kids up to the eyeballs and let them run wild before running off and abandoning them herself. The proof? At 11 he can barely write!
DeleteSo many quarantined in Italy, really quite frightening. I basically have to turn off the news right now, things just seem totally out of control. I need more peace in my life versus the chaos the news seems to spew out. Toilet paper and antibacterial lotion is about the only thing that people have stockpiled here. I don't get the toilet paper thing...maybe there are people out there who live day by day with their toilet paper?!? I usually buy a 1-2 month supply at a time.
ReplyDeleteI feel like just turning the news off too actually. I think you do need to keep up with some of it but sometimes, if there is nothing you can do about it, why watch it and get worked up?
DeletePoor kid! Lack of parental attention and guidance is terrible. I am shocked though. I would not expect that in a civilised western nation. Aren't there Government resources to help these kids? Social services for instance? I am glad you helped him and gave him candy. It may not be a big deal for you but, I am sure an adult's attention and kindness is important for him.
ReplyDeleteMy friend Stan (who knows them well) says that what those kids need is someone to parent them and discipline, not drugging up so that they are compliant (it can't be right that 5 out of 7 kids are on medication for ADHD surely). I think the next kid up from this one is actually about 20 now and social services know them well. Mom had 3 kids with the first husband and 4 with this one and quit working when she was 42. From what I understand this husband works only occasionally so there isn't exactly a great work ethic there either. But yes I agree, if he/they had parents and rules they might be better off. I'm not sure what the future holds for this kid but I doubt it's good.
DeleteI found a box of little hand sanitizers that were bought back in my youngest s middle school days where the trend was to carry them all around. It was a major score apparently.
ReplyDeleteDon't shout out about it - you could get mugged for that!
DeleteHand sanitizer has become near impossible to find in my area. Even prior to the corona virus, I always used it when out and about ~ and also never hesitate to offer it to others. Stopping the spread of all infection is so important.
ReplyDeleteI would carry it when travelling (in Sri Lanka for example I always had sanitizer wipies on me) but it makes sense to keep it in my bag all the time anyway. I mean, when using the loo at the supermarket the number of people you see who DON'T wash their hands and then push the door handle. Yuck. I haven't looked this week but I will probably get another bottle if I find it. If not oh well, what can you do?
DeleteI love the tp throne!
ReplyDeleteI keep a ton of toilet paper all the time (Im cheap and buy a lot only when it is on sale) so I missed the frenzy.
I am a hand sanitizer user but I tend to go to some really grubby (sketchy) places sometimes.
I am amazed that people have just figured out hand washing is essential! Where/how have these people been living?
I tend to keep a fair supply of tp and soap (and just about anything really). Not a prepper but I always seem to be well stocked. I guess having parents who lived through the war and then rationing drums it into you. But I have always been careful about washing my hands and drumming that into my kids too. You can actually feel when your hands are grubby anyway can't you, even if they don't look it!
Delete