The view from my window

The view from my window
The view from my window

Thursday 14 January 2021

Not much going on here!

The French Prime Minister spoke to the nation tonight to announce an extended curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. throughout the entire country as from Saturday in order to try to bring the covid numbers down further. The situation will be reviewed again in two weeks and there have been rumours of weekend lockdowns being introduced or even another total lockdown if the new variant covid continues to gain ground. André was saying that they are trying to discourage people from socializing for an apéro before the 8 p.m. curfew so that's why they've extended the curfew to 6 p.m!

"Due to the new lockdown, exceptionally 'apéritif' time
has now been brought forward to 9 a.m."!

I told him if they do introduce weekend lockdowns it'll be just me and him and won't it be fun spending time discussing politics together (not - we have very different political views)!

On Tuesday night we got our first real snowfall of the season - about eight inches I would guess - but by the next morning temperatures had risen enough to have thawed most of the snow on the roads, but still leaving great pools of slush! Great fun! I was leaning out my bathroom window watching the snow falling when I noticed paw prints that had me somewhat intrigued, so André and I were trying to think of an animal that has four linear legs that "hops" about half a metre every fifth step! I don't know - the gaps between the sets of prints had me intrigued, or could it just be that covid isolation is getting to me!

I guess maybe I am getting bored since little things seem to amuse me at the moment. My sewing teacher sent our group a picture of a car covered in heavy snow and I commented could you imagine getting home late at night piddled out of your brains and seeing that? No? So I guess it's just me then!

My neighbour told me about a new store that has opened up selling imported Italian produce so I decided to check it out when I went out shopping. It was bloody cold though (-4°C) and when I went to wipe my hands on the disinfectant wipes I keep in my car I opened up a packet of solid ice instead. I guess I'll have to keep them in my purse for the time being! The store was nice and I'll be interested to see if their fruit and veg have the wonderful taste of the stuff we buy in the market in Turin as the season advances. If so, it'll be a definite "yes" from me. After that I went on to my usual produce store - which is also lovely - and yet again I bumped into Chantal - she of the long fur coat and shedload of make-up. This is the third time I've bumped into her while shopping so I might have to change my shopping routine I guess. I don't understand why but yet again she had on six inch stiletto heels and came skidding into the shop through the snow and slush like an Olympic speed skater! Compare that to me with my thick winter boots and newly-acquired Yaktrax! I guess one of us is doing something wrong then! A few years ago we had another colleague who frankly made Chantal look "understated" and she was the same. Weighed about 200 kg and always wore stiletto heels, whatever the weather. Of course one day she fell on the ice and broke her ankle and when the work's doctor gently suggested she lose some weight (and offered to get her help to do so) and wear appropriate footwear for the snow she went ballistic. Then she tried to claim for a cleaning lady on the medical insurance and tried to have leave days recredited to her for Christmas because "everyone else got to enjoy themselves at Christmas and I didn't"! And this despite the fact that no leave days had been debited from her account because we closed over Christmas. There is a mentality amongst certain people that your employer "owes" you so much and these two were the specialists!


Much as I like Sarah Jessica Parker, what this picture doesn't
show are the aides basically carrying her to her car!

To add to the winter experience, my bloody heating started playing up again last week. Oh the heating downstairs is fine but the radiators in the large bathroom and the three bedrooms on the first floor started coming on at 10 at night and going off around 6 a.m., and this despite the fact that the daytime temperatures were below freezing. I hadn't touched the settings at all so I figured we'd better get Max to come back out but would you believe it, as soon as I called him the bloody things started coming on during the day again as programmed. I have no idea what's going on here, but at least the house is warm all over again!

I've been keeping up with the walking even though I haven't been too enthused lately, and Isabelle and I are planning to go out again tomorrow despite snow being forecast. She's quite keen and since she has the day off I'm up for going if she is. Other than that there's not much going on. Oh I'm doing a lot of cooking and André can sure put the food away (hollow legs I think). I told him if he keeps going like this he'll have to get the doors widened in his new apartment to get his belly through! I finally managed to finish sealing all the windows and doors, putting in new sealant strips on every one. To be honest it wasn't a very difficult job but I'd just do one door then forget about it for a while and so on, but at least they're all done now. And I finished my latest 1,000 piece wasgij - you know, "jigsaw" backwards. To be honest, when I first start doing it it's a pain in the butt and very frustrating, but once I've plugged away at it for a few hours and the pieces start slotting into place it ends up very satisfying. Would you believe I got all the way to the end - so 999 pieces fitted in - and one bloody piece was missing! Then I remembered that Jen had knocked a few pieces on the floor so I looked under the sofa where she was sitting and voilà, I found the last piece. Think I'll give it a rest for a while now though!

The picture on the box!

The finished puzzle!

14 comments:

  1. It is cold and icky wet today with more icy snow coming. Pup is sound asleep now, but he's going to need to get out regardless of my wanting to stay under a blanket now that I a done for the day. Your "friend" sounds utterly ridiculous. I don't wish ill on anyone, but if she falls and breaks something, who's going to do her shopping! And then the dumb risk of putting first responders at risk to take care of her because she was stupidly dressed for the weather. I wish I liked to do puzzles, but I love playing solitaire, so I guess we all have something to keep us occupied mentally.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep that's "the deal" with a dog isn't it. They have to go out no matter what! As for Chantal, maybe it's just me getting older (even though she's older than me). I just can't see how anyone thinks hobbling along all bent over in high heel shoes makes them look sexy. And as for breaking a leg? It can happen to anyone of course, but you're right, she lives alone so what the heck will she do if she does break something! Still, not my monkey, not my circus!

      Delete
  2. I don't know if I'd have the patience for the puzzle. Lucky for us we don't have a curfew, most of the restaurants are open again. We've been lucky here in Central Pa. Let's hope we stay that way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't believe your restaurants are still open to be honest. Ours have been closed down with every lockdown. I feel so, so sorry for them as I know many will go out of business but .... It's strange how each country is handling this situation differently isn't it!

      Delete
  3. That car made me smile. I love unexpected art!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I loved the car too but I guess no-one else saw the comedy sketch writing itself through my eyes!

      Delete
  4. We had our first snowfall too but, it was just a little bit. Need lots more or else there will be water shortage in the middle of the pandemic. Loved the car. If we get enough snow, I may do that to my car to make the neighbors smile. My area was a COVID red zone but, during the last two days, my app started showing it as orange. Hope gets better soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was thinking of doing that to my car too if we get enough snow! It's coming down again right now but doesn't look to be enough!

      Delete
  5. Sounds like the French virus could be cleverer than the English one which used to tell the time (pub closing hours) but only recognised one day (Friday 25th December) rather than whole weekends. It is all getting a bit tedious though, isn’t it; another year and I might have a tidy home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. While different countries/areas are being affected differently I think the end result is still the same - the infection rates are just going up and up. The aim here of course is to stop people socialising (makes sense of course) so I hope it works and this will all have been as "worth it" as it can be, all those deaths and hospitalizations notwithstanding!

      Delete
  6. I can totally see the comedy you have in your mind with that car. The horror! The terror! Snow Monster! "I'll never drink again!"
    You're a strong woman to walk in the snow. And a persistent one to do that puzzle. Jeez. From what I've been hearing about the brain though, that is an excellent way to maintain yours. Literally changing the pattern of the things you do. Which- yes- maybe you should change up your shopping schedule. Stiletto heels in the snow and ice? Oh my Lord.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha, I'm glad someone else can see the "visual" of the drunk staggering home and seeing that car. Very Larsonesque! And I hope I'm recharging my brain cells by playing Words with Friends and remembering the letter combinations. If not, goodness knows what I'll be blabbering on about if I get dementia. As for the snow, I really don't mind it - except for the potential for slipping, so I REALLY don't get trying to walk in stilettos in the snow (and thinking you look great). I mean, most women are not elegant when they wear stilettos anyway. I looked more like the Hunchback of Notre Dame personally!

      Delete
  7. I so wish our snow would melt shortly after it falls, but no it sticks around. That car is quite frightening!

    As for the backward jigsaw, I doubt I could manage one at all. I'm working on a regular jigsaw and I'm stuck with trying pieces based on their shape rather than colors.

    Take care, stay well!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree about the snow. We know where to go if we want snow and it's easier to get around "down here" when it's melted. I feel so sorry for the ski resorts though as the weather is perfect and the lifts still can't open. As for the jigsaw, when I first start them I'm usually lucky to get three or four pieces in in an evening so it doesn't become "fun" until much later!

      Delete