April 2021

 

 

April started well with fine weather for an early Easter but I'm not daft enough to bank on it continuing. Once again we've been limited to a 10km radius from the house for at least a month. I had my first vaccination, Moderna, locally. Only side effect was a large red patch. Next one due in four weeks time. 

Went on a few walks locally, through the retreat grounds. It really is a walk that keeps on giving; always some new path or viewpoint to discover. With the advance of Spring, there were different wild flowers and trees to appreciate, not to mention tadpoles.

No coastal walks this month because of the travel restrictions; in exchange for the Mediterranean we came across donkeys, mountainan sides in flower, another decorated water tank and a dolmen.

One walk with Jacques brought an unexpected river crossing while trying another route back down to the village. Took what we presumed would be a more interesting route off piste and ooops ..... the path disappeared and we had to keep an on eye on where we were treading, follow our noses and keep our fingers crossed. A few ups and downs and we found ourselves at the river. With no fordable stepping stones, it was off with the boots and socks, roll up the trousers and over we went. With the sun on the water, it wasn't the shock to the system that I'd expected. Was pleasant, actually. Arrived back only 10 minutes late for our visit to Michel's to take tea in the sun. 

Of course there were meals, apéritis and tea with friends as usual and when I was on dessert, I tried out a couple of new recipes. Françoise's verdict was that the iced marmalade cake was better than the apple and rosemary one. Sunday lunch at Michel's ended with a he and Jacques entertaining us on guitar. Easter Sunday lunch up in the mountain part of the commune at the home of an artist with an international reputation, brought Michel and I roast chicken and travellers' tales.

I managed to return hospitality, too, also on a Sunday. Entertainment came in the form of lively conversation.

It wasn't all leisure and pleasure. Dominique came to paint the shutters on the small terrace while I beavered away with my gloved green fingers on the psychologically Herculean task of dealing with my outside space which had become horribly overgrown. Took a few days and even though at some point I'll need to get onto hands and knees to clean the terrace tiles. All looks much better and the conscience is no longer niggling. Talking of niggling, a trip to the dentist was need to deal with a tooth ache.

Sad news came out of the blue in the middle of the month. Hearing that Helen McCrory, the acctress,  had died aged 52 made me gasp out loud and husband Damien Lewis’s tribute brought a lump to my throat. 

"I'm heartbroken to announce that after a heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family. She died as she lived. Fearlessly. God we love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you."

Coffee at the little Saturday market with Françoise is still the only form of legal wider socialising and St Jordi's (George in Catalan) day was marked with books and roses as is traditional. Small pleasures and all that.

We've now heard that from Monday, 3rd May there will be no geographical limit to travel with no need for any documentation. Curfew still stands. 19th cafés and restaurants can open their terraces and the curfew moves back to 21h. Little by little.

Weather: All sorts. highest temperature 23°, lowest day time temperature 14°, sunshine, cloud, 6 continuous days of rain.