So after staying in or close to the house, and interacting only with Walt, since March 14, today will be my first excursion out into the world. We need supplies, and I'll be going to SuperU to pick up items I ordered on line a couple of days ago. Tomorrow, Walt will be going to the other local supermarket, Intermarché, to pick up another order. There are products from each grocery store that we like to have on hand.
Yesterday morning I got up at about five and by 5:30 I had this capon roasting in the oven. We ate some yesterday for lunch with mixed vegetables, below. We'll have meals including capon for the next week or so, but probably not every day. This morning I'm going to cut it up and put legs, thighs, or wings in the freezer. Then I can get them back out and prepare and serve them in different ways. Survival skills are good to have or develop right now. We've been developing ours ever since we left California and moved to this rural environment in central France in 2003.
2003 was the year of the Grande Canicule, the great heat wave, which was one of the biggest public health crises in modern French history — thousands died — until the current one came along. At the time, we thought we might end up roasted ourselves, for lack of air-conditioning. Then, for several years, we watched the U.S. dollar decline at a time when we didn't have any significant income. We thought we might have to return to the U.S. because the worthless dollar meant we were running low on euros. More recently, we've both seen old friends and close relatives in the U.S. pass away without being able to get back there in time to say goodbye to them. So many things we never really thought about happening when we made our big late-life decision to come live here have now actually happened. These realities are things to think about before you make a big move as we did.
One of the weirdest things about this whole coronavirus crisis is that there are absolutely no jet plane "condensation trails" in the skies out over the vineyard. There have never been skies as clear in the 17 years we've lived here. Air traffic has been halted.
Walt and I have lived here more or less isolated for the past 16 or 17 years. really, but this not being able to go out when you want to is a new experience. Not being able to travel, and not being able to have people visit us is a strange experience. We used to have a lot of visitors, and we had many more neighbors when we first got here. At least seven of them have passed away since 2003. Now we have very few neighbors, and the three who live closest to us are all older than I am. We four are all in our 70s now, so we are all vulnerable (personnes à risque) risk during this coronavirus crisis. Two of the neighbors have had heart surgery over the past three or four years. The other one was just recovering from bronchitis when the Grand Confinement was decreed. I guess I'm the healthiest of all us senior citizens around here, though I have had severe pollen allergies for decades. I'm doing everything I can to stay healthy, so today's excursion is a big deal to me. I undertake it with some trepidation. Am I being overly dramatic?
No, you aren't.... in answer to your last question.
ReplyDeleteFor something like this, where there is no known vaccine... precautions are well advised!!
We have stocks for at least another month... possibly two if the salads and things start to go on stream. The only thing that is possibly running low is bread flour....
Good luck with the pick-up... and don't forget your "Attestation".
We certainly don't have as much food on hand as you describe. But we do have 8 or 10 cuisses de canard confites, and loads of beans, some in tins and some dried ones in bags. The more I think about, the more I realize that we do have. Kale, chard, pulled pork, couscous soup, containers of broth, two duck magrets, etc. My pick-up appointment is at SuperU at noon. I put flour on my list and I hope they don't tell me it's not in stock. Stay healthy.
DeleteMalheureusement nous sommes dans la même situation (âge !) et selon le ciel le moral est plus ou moins bon... Continuez à nous faire partager votre vie, à vous et à Walt, c'est un des petits moments que j'apprécie le matin.
ReplyDeleteProtégez vous, si vous n'avez pas de masque il y en a de faciles à faire même sans couture (ex masque papier cristal) :http://stop-postillons.fr/#collectif-masques-pour-tous
J'en confectionne moi-même pour un grand hôpital parisien !
Belle journée, bien amicalement.
Merci pour le mot postillon, que je ne connaissais pas. J'en parle sur le blog aujourd'hui.
DeleteThe goal when this passes, is to say "well no one near me got sick and died." By doing what you are doing, being careful, staying home or close to home, you are increasing the chances we will think we overreacted, if we under react we will regret the sick and the dead that could have been avoided. A hamlet like yours could be devastated at times like this. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been up close to my neighbors in a few weeks now. We are all practicing "distancing". I agree with what you are saying — better safe than sorry.
DeleteDon't blame you for worrying about going to store. I went yesterday for the first time in nearly 2 weeks (usually I go frequently) so I had a long list and did have gloves (left over from husband's projects) I also had a mask but couldn't breathe comfortably when I tried it on so I figured I would be touching my face more with it on than off. Off I went to Ingles which is 5 mi away. Hardly anyone in the huge store and pretty well stocked, though tp shelves almost bare and paper towels about gone. My cart was stacked high and I spend more money than ever but I hope to not have to return for a couple weeks anyway. I was anxious the whole time!
ReplyDeleteToday's was my first shopping trip in three weeks. More tomorrow...
DeleteYou are not overreacting but you also could use some balance in the calm direction. We are living through a world event. We want to survive it to pass on knowledge to younger people. I bought 50 lbs. of bread flour the other day - I intend to be here to use it! Keep a light heart and keep protecting yourself.
ReplyDeleteAre you 70+ years old? Do you have chronic respiratory trouble? I am, and I do.
DeleteBuying 50 pounds of flour — I'm sorry, but that might be considered hoarding by some. Will you be able to use it all before it spoils? I bought three one-kilogram bags — less than two dollars' worth. That should hold us for a month or more. Let's just agree that we all have different concerns and different points of view on these matters. Thanks for your interesting comments.
I always buy flour in 50 lb. bags - it is just my usual. There were several bags that size left on the shelf so I don't think I am hoarding. I am 76 with no respiratory trouble. I feel for my friends that do have health concerns - my brother is 90 and my sister is 84 and my sister-in-law is 96 so I do understand being extra careful. I follow you guys every day and want that to continue! Lowering panic is a plus for the immune system. Stay safe.
DeleteI've never heard of anyone but professional bakers buying 50 lbs. of flour at a time. Do you do a lot of bread- or pastry-baking? Do you live in a remote area, far from standard supermarkets? One of my best friends is 95 years old, and I'm worried about him right now. I don't feel panicked, just somber and vaguely sad about the current situation.
DeleteI like making bread - my mother did it. My sister also makes bread and the most economical flour is in 50 lb. sacks. In Seattle there is a place that mills it. Bread flour makes better bread. There were no other smaller sacks and I usually get 50 lbs. anyway. We live just outside Seattle in notorious Kirkland - the virus killed people in a rehab home just 5 miles away. I also have barley flour, garbanzo flour, whole wheat flour and some assorted little packages of other flours. Triticale flour is a favorite but I haven't seen any where I go. I have favorite breads from Bernard Clayton's Complete Book of Breads - probably a good first book. And I'm always looking for different breads to try - most cultures have something unique that gives you a sense of the people. So you see I'm a bread fanatic!
DeleteTo give you some hope right now the blood center here and in other places is looking into antibodies in people that have already had the virus to give new patients less symptoms - you can read more about it on the web. Take heart - we aren't dead yet!
I do understand about flour being less expensive when bought in large quantities. I enjoy making bread too, but we get such good bread from the boulangeries that it's less important here. I've always loved bread, and French bread especially since my first stay in France in 1970.
DeleteOh, I'm glad to see that you were able to get flour. I don't blame you for feeling trepidation, especially with the situation as it is in France.
ReplyDeleteOh, and the roasted chicken looks so very appetizing!
DeleteYou know, Walt (younger) could go out instead of me, but if he gets the virus I will obviously get it too. So I might as well go out. He went last week, and he'll be going again tomorrow. Anyway, all went well. I wore gloves (no mask), interacted only briefly, and washed my hands several times when I got home and before we ate lunch. I'm sure I'll be fine.
DeleteGlad it went well. Think how awful it would be if our groceries weren't stocked. Hand washing seems to be the important thing since the virus has a coating that dissolves in water. Being in the vulnerable age group makes us think of our mortality which is the unknown that we ponder as we age.
DeleteI love your big blue sky- enjoy your walks and good eats.
Going shopping - it's good to get out and about. Here (LA) they are saying to keep your interactions with people short; that the longer you are with someone the higher the odds of transmission, but who knows. Today they texted everyone to wear a face mask in public. We get a text a day. It's hard not to feel stressed when they have spaced lines outside the supermarket.
ReplyDeleteThat chicken you cooked at 5:30 am would not have made it to noon in our house. It looks so tasty.
Stay Safe and as always I enjoy reading your blog
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind comment. Stay healthy.
DeleteI don't blame you in the least for feeling nervous/worried about going out - on the contrary: I'd be worried if you UNDERestimated this virus, which some people still seem to do. The situation in Western Europe right now is pretty bad. Our government has been warning people to adhere to the rules over the coming weekend. Nice weather has been forecast and they fear that people will flock to the woods o sea side and not comply with the regulations. A lot of beaches and car parks have been closed off for that reason. I know one thing: we'll be staying at home, as we have done for the better part of the last 2/3 weeks. We try to have our shopping delivered once a week and minimise outings as much as possible.
ReplyDeleteAll the best to you and Walt, hugs for Tasha and Bert.
Stay safe, stay well!
Thanks, you too.
DeleteI will be going to the store later today or tomorrow morning and this time, I will attempt to buy enough for two weeks (the suggestion here). My appetite has been tremendous, and my interest in exercise has faded. I am spending far too much time reading about our situation; which I must change. Our french classes are going fine on the zoom website (although there has been hacking on that website that involves meetings being interrupted by pornographic photos) so that is keeping me busy. NO, you are not overreacting in my opinion as Dr. Fauci (our American Virus Scientist extraordinaire!) says we should overreact and protect ourselves more than ever. As you say, washing our hands frequently - however it IS NOT THE WATER but the soap that kills the virus. (I read one of the comments above that wrote that).
ReplyDeleteI wish I had an extra refrigerator/freezer like you and many of my friends have. If I did, I would have space to bake a large chicken or a turkey. This next week I must try to make space for that. Yours looks perfectly delicious. You are isolated in your voisinage and lucky for you! (neighborhood) I am in a PUD (Planned Unit Developement) but we are 40 families and of mixed ages. I have not been around any of them at all for at least 3 weeks. Not even to walk down to a communal mail box. My telephone is getting a workout, though. It is a good time to connect up with long-distant friends and share some companionship. One friend called last night to rehash a call he had made to a long-ago teacher (age 95 about, he told me) from the London School of Economics. The older gentleman was really eager to talk and glad to hear from my friend.
Keep up with your blog, please, Ken! I, too, look forward to reading you and Walt everyday!
Mary in Oregon
Telephones, internet, and television are crucial right now.
DeleteIt sounds to me as if you're being sensible about this. The frightening part is the uncertainty -- it's a new disease so no one knows how to deal with it, there's no vaccine yet, and at least in the US there is no national leadership.
ReplyDeleteI've talked to a friend who's an ER doctor, and he says Wash Your Hands, sanitize, avoid unnecessary contact. All of which you're doing. Some local groceries are limiting the number of people inside at once, and at Trader Joe's they had six-foot intervals marked on the sidewalk outside, as well as in the lines to the cashiers. Very sensible, and people did as they were asked without question.
As you know, it's pollen season, so everyone in North Carolina is snuffling and sneezing, which is normally annoying but now is scary. Especially so since all the tissues seem to be sold out, as well as toilet paper.
I'm one of those people who are sneezing, shedding tears, and wiping my nose a lot right now.
Delete