Hi Thérèse,

That is a nice initiative. I really hope "essential" workers like nursing staff will be better considered in the future, by the population, but mainly by the authorities. Right now, politicians have a lots of nice things to say about them, but I really wonder if they will not be forgotten when this is over...

Hello, I would like to share with you a solidarity initiative called " le repos des héros" . The french department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques has been the first at the end of March

to propose the nursing staff two hundred "bons vacances" with a minimum value of five hundred euros. I think it's a good idea, it's a way to thank them for their very tired and difficult work during the pandemic Covid-19.

Since, other department or tourism organization have taken similar initiatives.

Have a good weekend,

Thérèse

Hello everyone

It’s a pleasure to read you one after other.

My second listening permanence takes place today between 9 and 12.

As I wait phone call, I’m writing you.

Time flies relatively quickly.

As I practice less physical activities, I have to cook lighter than usually. It’s a bit difficult because my husband likes eating cakes every day. However he is slim. But me not! I found on a website light recipes with a little butter and flour and a lot of fruits. If you’re interested the site’s name is Rachel cuisine.

Fifth week of lockdown ends and there are still three weeks before the long-awaited date of the May 11. Three during which my two daughters will celebrate their birthdays. The youngest will be 32 on April 26th and the oldest 40 on May 1th. Of course il will be occasion to connect with our family to sing to them happy birthday. Low consolation!

But some people have so many difficulties than I shouldn’t complain. Also no one around us is sick. A friend of mine’s mother, who is 93 years old, lives in an EHPAD. He hasn’t seen her for six or seven weeks. A few days ago, he had seen her with required distance and she didn’t recognize him. He’s very sad!

After May 11th, we’ll to be careful again, because the pandemic will not be over! My daughters who both are school teachers are worried about the end of the lockdown.

By then, take care of yourself and family.

Thérèse

Laurence Writing…

While that my husband take pictures of flowers in our garden. I decided to do odd job in my house. Since a week, I has been taking off the old wallpaper in the toilets. It not easy because the room is very small. So,it is if as I have un double confinement : the first, as you, who can’t leave your house and garden, the second, confined in un room no bigger than a wardrobe. Since this day, the only time when I meet somebody, is when my husband knocks on the loo’s door when he needs to urined. I hope I would have finish on Monday the 11th may ! Because Yannick warned me that if I started, i had to finish…

I give you news as soon as possible.

Hello everyone

during the lockdown, I have seen my garden quickly blossom. One Cascade effect for My wisteria flowers. My lily of the valley is all blossom and now, are a rhododendrons whith colors of fire, while all a roses are in buttons.

Naturally, There are lots of pleasant smell. I see arrived many bees and this it's happiness.

I want to share those pleasant moment with all everybody.

Take care of yourself.

See you soon.

Hello everyone,

I had some problems with the acess to the forum. Thank you Françoise.

Normally I'd be in New York but the coronavirus decides otherwise.

Thank you Odhran for this initiative. It's a pleasure to read my english's colleagues.

It's not an easy exercice for me.

So, in these time of lockdown, like a retired, I garden, I do nordic walking in my garden, sophrology and yoga sessions. I cook, I read.............

Time goes rather quickly.

Sometimes, I learn English. I did exercices every week.

This global crisis is asking us about the globalization of trades, various supplies, food, health, The interdependance of countries.

We have all, The countries, made choices that are very linked to the financial report;

Let's be carefull. Pay attention.

For the moment, I stay at home, Speak to my neighbours...... phone regulary to may family and my friends.............. in the street and outside I respect the social distanciation..............Thank for the workers.............

Work together to go out this pandemic crisis.................

I am delighted to read you.

Excuse the mistakes.

Have a good day........;See you soon.

Monique Belliard

Hello Françoise,

Thanks a lot for your contribution, which is very interesting and actually full of good vocabulary. I'm just not sure to understand what you mean when you talk about the "scraps" that cause you worries ...

You mention gestures of solidarity happening everywhere, and I would like everyone reading this to share the best proofs of solidarity you have witnessed / seen so far.

Personally, I have appreciated the "auctions" (ventes aux enchères) started by Cyril Dumoulin, who plays professionnal handball in Nantes, where sports items (mainly shirts) are sold to collect money for hospitals. It started a personal initiative and it seems that hundreds of people have offered objects to be sold (. It has already reached 100,000€ (https://cyrildumoulin.com/ventes-aux-encheres/ ). I find this kind of things quite reassuring as they offer hope in these uncertain times.

Please share other stories like this one if have some.

Have a good weekend,

Odhran

Hello Odhran,

First of all, thanks so for this interesting suggestion, nevertheless a little bit difficult for my English level but beneficial to learn and enlarge my vocabulary.

For my part, I am retired also I used to stay home more often and may be I support this situation with more recoil !

Except that the lockdown deprives me of my sport activities (stretching - yoga - nordic walking) and even of my English lessons.

But we must respect the lockdown time. I take advantage to thank the health personal and others public services including the volunteer people for their dedication (I have a Family member that works in an Epadh).

Like you ask us, I will specify my different activities for this lockdown :

As everyone, I began to clean my house and my garden thoroughly (but at slow speed...the time is long...)

As I am a little bit Epicurean person, I cook delicious little dishes and I open a good bottle...

But more seriously, we are a numerous and very linked Family, also we connect each other to chat and we organize aperitifs from a distance (face time - whatsapp - zoom run at full capacity).

I do not forget the closed and distant friends (we call each other very regularly) and even less "my little old people" (my words are very friendly) : it is my list of aged and very closed people that I call very very often.

Then, every day I watch the news but they generate anxiety also fortunately I can escape thanks to my different activities : homeworks, my English lessons (I am sorry Odhran but I do not practise each day...) and my physical activities (I thank my coaches that send us videos to practise home or in the garden (we are lucky that the time is nice).

And for a softer activity, I listen to music or I immerse myself in reading without forgetting the small scraps that I receive which sometimes (even often) cause me a lot of worries !!

I do not forget this terrible epidemic and the worlwide consequences (health - economic - bankruptcy - unemployment - environmental protection...).

Also to finish on an optimistic note, I would like conclude and say that I am full of hope when I see the gestures of solidarity from all populations.

My opinion, this current and dramatic situation, it is probably a turning in our way of life with positive changes and we will adapt.

P.S. : just a small and interesting reflection that I see : all the very funny stories or videos received in the first weeks begin to run out of steam....

See you soon and be well.

Françoise Aillery

Hello

I also thank Odhran for his proposition,

i support the situation as well as possible, I live in a house with a large garden ; the weather is shine, so every day, I walk without going out in the street, I turn in my garden , during an hour, and as the same time I phone my girl, which walks too in her garden.

I garden with my husband , and together we play games and we watch a little more television than usually. We are fan of detective series on evening.

We watch the news only at 8 p.m. and we read the newspaper every morning. I think that television journalists arouse controversy and it makes me worried. But all solidarity actions reassure me. People are creative and generous.

I spend lot of time with my friends and family , every day I phone two or tree among them, specially those who are sick or alone, for example my mother ! She is 85 years old and she lives alone in her house. I miss real meetings.

Once a week or more if there is a birthday, we connect with our tree child and 8 great children. I like seeing all of them on my screen. We have to listen each other, because we are 16 online at the same time. It's a pleasure, but I miss them!

last week, I accepted listen tree hours a week during the lockdown people who call a green number. My first permanence took place on Sunday easter morning. Nobody called me.

I practise a little English with Odhran's propositions, i listen to the news on VOA, I use Rosetta Stone every day : it's easy enough but interesting for pronunciation.

I like crossword in french and Fubuki, Takuzu, sudoku.... and it takes me an hour every day.

I have another activity which fascinates me: biblical theology, and I train myself with podcast lessons. I appreciate having time for that.

Have a good day ans stay at home! Take care of yourself§

Thérèse

Hello everybody

Thank you Odhan for this initialive.

Currently, I'm teleworking and spend lot of time for to find some masks and other workers protection for my downhill.

Unfortunetly Many companies are out of stock.

During my free time, we have played parlour games and tinker in the home with Laurence.

Now, I will cook and to watch Tv for this evening.

Take care of yourself

good evening

Hello,

Thank you Odhran! That's a good idea. So, we'll hear from each other.

I miss Tuesday evening English class.

I work as an anaesthesiologist at the hospital of Cholet. Since 4 weeks, the whole team has prepared to welcome sick people. Our planning has changed and adapts every week. Up to now, intensive care capacity is sufficient.

I continue my part-time work in the maternity service and my colleagues haven't needed more help so far.

So, I have free time at home. I gardened a lot with my husband and our garden has never looked so clean!

We like also "hiking"one hour around our house and observe nature un spring.

My life isn't very different than before the lockdown because I work, but there is a very special atmosphere everywhere.

Friends call each other more.

I discover very surprising people.. I find hidden capacities.. some are very inventive, there is more solidarity and beautiful things are done!

Stay at home, keep safe!

Maïté

Hello everybody,

Thank you for this intiative Odhran, I think that's a good idea !

As I teleworked since June 2019, i'm already used to do it. But as consultant in recruitment I like to meet people for interview, customers or candidates and naturally I can't do it during the lockdown. Thanks to Skype and phone, I am able to go on working, on the few missions that are maintained by my customers. A lot of them has sadly been cancelled or postponed, due to the economical context that frightens firms. So I can say I go on working for half time. What do I do the half time left ?

I read books, in french, in english too, and in spanish. I also watch foreign series, such as "The Crown" which I find really interesting about Queen Elizabeth 2's life - and her family - or other ones. I also cook and play games with my husband and son.

I watch informations on TV every evening, but it brings some stress, seeing all this statistics... and dramatical cases... It's a pity to see that we are used to hear about numbers of death, the same way we could count other things... Behind this numbers, there are a lot of broken lives, people suffering alone, people far from ill relatives, people working to save the others, while risking their own lives...

And I feel that we are lucky when we don't know anyone of ours who is really ill. Our region is one of the luckiest.

And the weather helps : spring is the time where everything "relives". We habe to be patient and stay home as long as it will be necessary.

Let's use this time to take care of family and friends, to be good to everyone as much as possible ! See you. Corinne