Diary of Covid-19 confinement, day thirty-eight

Lockdown locked in - photo by Martin O'Neil

Day thirty-eight, 23^rd April 2020

Now what?

When this lockdown began, we were advised it would last two weeks. Just as this drew to a close, another two weeks were added, and by the time it was extended for a further month, we were just days away from our wedding anniversary and a week off Adrian’s birthday, so had something positive to look forward to. Today, with a head slightly cloudy from celebrating last night, the two and a half weeks until we reach 11^th May, when the government say deconfinement will begin, seems a long way off with nothing to focus on in between. We are not even sure exactly what will be allowed to begin with, although we do know bars, restaurants and cafés will remain closed, or how we will feel getting out and mixing with people once more. 

We are hopeful that the rules on cycling will be relaxed so that we can pack our coffee pot and a picnic and set off on the quiet back roads around here. The vineyards were nothing but twigs last time we went out and there was only the first hint of green in the hedgerows. Fields were ploughed and earthy, or green, but by now there should be the first vibrant colours from flax and rapeseed. I’ve always appreciated the changing seasons and the full sensory experience you get from a bike ride in the countryside, but this year it will feel a lot more special.

Adrian kept himself busy today with more mowing; round here there is always mowing, weeding and garden jobs to do, while I sought comfort from my kitchen cooking another batch of soup and preparing the lasagne for tonight. 

We then had a bit of a pamper session, or should that just be DIY hair trim? I even let him loose with the shaver at the back of my neck, mainly because it seemed a safer bet as he stabbed me while trying to trim it with scissors. I might be living in leggings, but it's still important to keep up appearances.

April 23rd 2017 Pays Basque

April holiday memory 23^rd April 2017

One of the places we were so looking forward to going back to this year is the Pays Basque in the Pyrenees. In 2017 we rented a gite for a week, took the bikes and had great fun exploring the local area as well as climbing our first mountain passes a little further afield. Today’s holiday memory photo was taken just down the lane from where we were staying. It was a lovely walk or cycle ride down the valley, to the water mill, the scent of the flowering Acacia trees was all around us, and we often stopped to talk to some friendly donkeys in a field. Pays Basque, we will be back.