What else is new? Oh, in what is obviously a huge disappointment in France, the Tour de France has now been postponed to September. They had been scheduled to spend the night in La Roche on 17 July. Well now that's pushed back to 17 September, assuming France has opened up by then! And in totally unrelated news, what about Trump suspending the US contribution to WHO during a pandemic!!!! That just blows my mind, it's so unbelievable. Every time I keep thinking he can't do anything more outrageous he "excels" himself!! Or how about Bishop Gerald Glen of Virginia who refused to stop holding church services because "God is larger than the virus"! Well guess who just died of it (and I wonder how many more of his congregation are now sick)!
In a totally other world, I had a "zoom" appointment with my tax guy today to get my 2019 taxes sorted. This was the guy who told me that the other "expert" that I had consulted last year about taxes on my lump sum basically didn't know his arse from a hole in the ground, although he was somewhat more diplomatic than that of course. The first guy told me that apart from the tax on my pension, I would pay an additional €21,000-ish in a tax called CGI. So my second guy said that was BS since (a) my pension is not derived from France and (b) I'm not entitled to sécurité sociale, which is basically French medical coverage and unemployment, so the CGI tax is not payable!!!! Phew, that took my tax down on just the lump sum from €21,000 to €9,100 - I'll take that any day. And while it obviously still has an ouch factor, I'd put the money away anyway so it is there just waiting to be paid out. On a personal note, I have thought more than once that if I was still married my husband would have found a way to spend that money, that's an absolute certainty!
And I suppose any Brits out there have seen the story of Captain Tom right? The 99 year old WWII veteran who volunteered to attempt 100 circuits of his garden (with his walker) to try to raise £1,000 for the NHS. Well he reached his target and just decided to keep going, and as it stands right now he has so far raised £27 million (and still climbing) and was invited to open the newly-built NHS Nightingale Hospital in Harrogate (from the safety of his own home of course). Well done Captain Tom - I think a knighthood should be in the offing there don't you! The wonderful thing about the NHS is that not one single patient will walk out of any hospital with a bill (so Mr. Trump can shove that where the sun don't shine next time he says the NHS will be on the table in any Anglo-American trade deal). After all that's going on right now any government who even thought of selling out the NHS would be committing political hari kari!
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| Captain Tom - a real hero! |
These bloody american preachers who think they are bigger than god, yes that is right, they endangered their entire community leading bloody sheep down the path. Anyhow....yes, we are all getting on each others nerves. Me and hubby included. He is so type A, has a hard time relaxing even if I want to - the very reason we travel a lot (other than loving it) is that he can't relax at home. At least we still have business or I might have hurt him by now :)
ReplyDeleteI think either way it has its drawbacks doesn't it. I'm sometimes lonely but then I know I would go insane living 24/7 with someone too.
DeleteI keep reminding myself that there's nobody to argue with me and second guess my every move! Even happy partners count on getting away from each other a bit. I remember it's peaceful living alone. When I chat with myself I get good answers.
ReplyDeleteI loved the firefighters tribute!
Sometimes talking to yourself is the only way to have an intelligent conversation isn't it!
DeleteOh yes-I am short on fuses some day. My husband is a TV addict once home, and I think he doesn't really understand what working from home is like. He leaves for the empty store at 8:20, home at 5:10, and basically does nothing but watch TV-except on Thursday when he is home and is so loud and forgets I am working, or daughter may be on a class. I was so happy Sundas was nice as he spent a large amount of time outside getting things done, and seemed in a much better state. The story of the 99 year old man raising so much money is so heart warming! I may have teared up.
ReplyDeleteI think my brother that died last year would have been like your hubs - I suppose until they realize this is getting them nowhere - but he certainly would have had cricket (or whatever) blaring from the house from any available device. And Captain Tom was marvellous. Physically frail (hence it was such an achievement) but totally on the ball mentally!
DeleteWe all have our moments of being down. That's just part of it. And frankly, I don't think I'm even having as many as I usually do. A lot of the guilt I live with because I never feel as if I'm doing enough has been erased because hey- I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing which is staying home and taking care of myself and my husband! But still- some days are just darn hard.
ReplyDeleteYou are exactly right about Trump. He's so far below what we would even need as a president in a time of normalcy and here we are with him at the helm as truly difficult times are upon us. He's effing it up left and right and my hatred for him grows daily. I do not dare to watch any of his briefings.
I'm glad you got your taxes sorted. And I'm glad that on the whole you are doing well. I send you best wishes across this big and yet, so small world.
I think the guilt is actually part of it isn't it. I signed up to volunteer in my local region but pretty much the only thing I could do is deliver food/medicines and so far they've been able to manage with more local people (I'm more remote), so I'm just making a few masks for neighbours. And as for Trump, I try to keep it off here because I don't want it to be political but he makes me go from 1 to 100 in about 10 seconds flat! Stay safe your side of the pond!
DeleteTheHub is considered an essential worker so he is still going to work. Except for going to Mom's daily I have the brunt of the day to myself___but the nights! We usually go out to eat a couple of nights a week which is nice for both of us. It is not happening now and I am getting tired of the slug in the den who thinks the remote control is his.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, the bum-shaped imprint on the chair in front of the TV, I remember that well and am just so glad I'm not stuck with it (although he's probably feeling just as grateful on his end, to be fair). But as I've picked myself up a bit now I'm going to try out a few more recipes, hopefully more vegetarian, to keep me occupied. Not that I don't have enough to do anyway but - I'm thinking spiced apple cake for the neighbours today as the wife doesn't bake!
DeleteI had a down day today, made no easier when Carlos looked at me over the dinner table and asked if I was ever gonna getout of my pajamas.
ReplyDelete"When I go to bed," I said.
That said, I need to be more like Capt. Tom! What a joy!
Ha, I love your relationship with Carlos!!!! I do get out of my pyjamas every day but it's still not a very fetching get-up. And yep Captain Tom was an absolute joy to watch and very humble!
DeleteI'm glad the Tour was only postponed, no hot days in the saddle, of course that doesn't mean they won't run into some early snow in the Alps or Pyrenees.
ReplyDeleteI think it's amazing how one thing this pandemic is doing is uniting people in spite of the social distancing. One strength for All.
I hope some of the kindness remains after this is all over because we really are so dependent upon each other. And I haven't forgotten the sign I'm supposed to make if/when the Tour rolls in to town - have written it into my diary. Cancelling the Tour over here would be like cancelling the World Cup or the Super Bowl I guess.
DeleteWe all have a right to down days but I generally turn to your blog knowing that you are going to be chipper. Was a little concerned when I read your opener but you haven’t let me down yet! Keep it up, we shall all do our best to get through this alone, but together.
ReplyDeleteOf course we all have down days, they just surprise me sometimes as I'm usually so "up" but you're right, we will all get through this somehow and sticking together is so very nice to see isn't it!
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