Confluxed – Week 3, Lockdown 3
It’s the end of week three of lockdown. Or is it?
I’ve lost my grasp of the flow of time. I’ll count the hours and then I’ll lose count, much like a string that’s pulling away which I try to grab, but can’t quite get a hold of. Despite over 15 months of this business I’m not used to it, and still have days where I surprise myself with the revelation that we’re in a Pandemic. I remember feeling some of that when we lived in the RV, back in the day. We’d be walking towards “the beast” and I’d catch myself feeling amazed at how big she was and thinking “do we really live in that thing??”. Somehow the wonder of it never really seemed to cease, and in a very strange (yet much more tragic) way this Pandemic feels the same.
It’s been a confluxing week, on top of it all (and yes, I just made that word up)
Last week I noticed Polly had some excess gum inflammation which didn’t look quite right. A quick vet visit on Monday revealed a cracked tooth, plus one more that needed to be extracted. Of course, the poor old girl had to go under anesthesia for the process and for an elderly dog that’s a big deal. She went in the very next morning and obviously I was a nervous wreck having barely slept for worry. Thankfully our girl made it through just fine, but she’s on antibiotics and soft food for a week, and I won’t be able to fully relax until all that is done and her mouth is healed again. Old age and anxiety, both are a bitch….
Oh and my vax plan fell through, or rather there were no excess doses this week at our local vaccine center where I’m on the waiting list (my age-group is still not officially eligible in France). So Plan C is launching tomorrow, which may or may not succeed. It’s based on a rumor I heard through the grapevine of a spot where I might get lucky…in the vaccine sense. It’ll take me a few hours to get there and back, and it’s a bit of a long-shot, but I figure it’s worth a jab?
As you can see, I’m really on a roll here LOL….
Ah yes, confluxing is definitely the right word for this week and we’ve got another 7 days of it to go before our lockdown (apparently) eases up.
At least the weather’s still good, the Pyrénées are keeping us company and the garden is springing enough weeds to keep us both physically occupied and distracted from the world at large.
The End Of April Is Nigh
I can hardly believe a third of 2021 is already gone. It’s whipped by, and I’d likely have missed it altogether if it weren’t for the joy of tax season (as US citizens we still have to file, even if we live abroad) and the garden frenzy of Spring.
This week has actually given us hints of summer with a warm dry wind that swept across the fields sucking all the moisture in the earth with it. In truth it’s far too early for such things, and and bodes ominously for a really hot and dry summer, a trend that seems to be getting worse each year, or so the local farmers tell me. Our garden plants are already looking a little thirsty, and the fields down by the local village are already getting their first dousings of water. Not a good sign.
Water is going to be the oil-currency of the future IMO….
The prospect of a hot summer and our (possible, hopeful) travel plans means I’m only planting a modest veggie garden this year. We’ve got a selection of herbs (most of which come back by themselves every year), a bunch of salad and some tomato plants and that’ll probably be the lot. My laziness in seeding (i.e. the fact that I didn’t) means I bought all the latter from the local garden store which I actually find to be a total bargain. The salads only cost a few euros for 24 or so, and the tomato plants are all 90 centimes each, so for ~$10 I got everything I wanted.
How can you beat that?
Vaccine Passports Are Coming
As the virus rages on, vaccines are our future and IMO soon vaccine passports will be too.
They’re all the talk at the moment in Europe, and for nomads like us (and Americans wanting to come to Europe) they’ll be the key to travel freedom. The pass will allow for easy border crossings and, perhaps more importantly, the abolishment of testing & quarantine requirements for those who have proof of vaccination.
Denmark has already launched the program, integrating a new feature called “Coronapas” into their smartphone app MinSundhed (MyHealth) which is linked to the Danish ID system. The app stores everything (including negative COVID tests) and is already required for entry into restaurants, bars, museums and other public venues.
France is surprisingly not far behind, and will use the app TousAntiCovid (which we already use for exposure & contact tracing, as well as the forms we have to fill out during lockdown) to store test & vaccine information.
On an EU-level, they’ve proposed a “Digital Green Certificate” that will do the same thing.
Personally I have zero issues with this and can’t wait to get mine sorted.
I’ve carried a vaccine passport since I was a kid, when a long list of vaccines were required for travel to/from Asia. And I’ve updated it multiple times since, when traveling to countries in South America and Africa where jabs such as Yellow Fever are still required today. Even my immigrant visa for USA, when I first got there years ago, required me to have proof of a slew of vaccines including Polio, Hepatitis, MMR and a few more (that is still the law today, by the way…). So yeah, I’m A-OK with vax passports
By this summer I expect EU borders to be open, and digital vaccine passports to be the key to easy passage. Get ready, my friends.
France Is Still On-Track To Re-Open In May (Despite The Data)
Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead….at least that seems to be the current French COVID strategy.
Week 3 of the lockdown is done and the virus numbers have only budged slightly, with ICU’s still hovering at critical levels. Despite all this, the government did a very nice speech this week to assure everyone that the peak of the third wave is now behind us and the plan to re-open next month is on track. Huh? The whole happy re-launch starts on Monday with schools first, followed by release of the 10km rule 3rd May (night-time curfew remains in force, go figure) and restaurant & café terraces in mid-May. By summer, everything will be more or less “back to normal”, or so we’re told.
I’m happy for the businesses who desperately need this, but I’m deeply concerned for the hospitals who are struggling to keep up, especially since the national vaccine program is (still) lagging. On-going supply issues, worsened by the recent AstraZeneca and J&J “pauses” have made slow plans even slower. So although Pfizer & Moderna vaccines finally opened up to 60+ last week, the next major “age-tranche” isn’t expected until middle of June. At this rate it’ll be Christmas by the time everyone is done!
I’m Confluxed, But Remain Focused
All of this admittedly has me confluxed, which I describe as a rolling state of confusion that likely requires some kind of capacitor to correct it in time and space. See, the word makes sense…
The numbers tell us we’re still in the heat of the 3rd wave of the Pandemic, yet we’re re-opening like nobody’s watching. Everyone is just so very, very tired and they all want out, so much so that it seems the wanting of it has gotten the upper hand. In many ways I can’t say I blame them. All I can do is focus on what I have control over; get vaccinated by any means necessary, focus on Polly-girl healing, and stay healthy so that we can all…hopefully…feel a touch of that open road again.
With a bit of luck, I won’t remain confluxed for long.
Those of you that are travelers, would you like to head abroad once you have the vaccine? Or will you stay in your home country for now? What would change it for you? DO share your thoughts and feels below….
Thanks for sharing your perspective. I always enjoy your posts! This pandemic has been so painful for so many and I too have certainly felt the weight of it.
My husband and I are in the States and received the second vaccine a few days ago. It is now widely available here and I hope that will be the case for other parts of the world very soon. The vaccine availability has given me hope for a life that resembles the one before Covid-19 emerged. Hope is coming!
“Water is going to be the oil-currency of the future IMO….”—-I so agree Nina! Here in bone dry, no moisture in months and months Arizona the farmers are still drilling wells for center pivot irrigation, HUGE pecan orchards are being planted and wells drilled to irrigate the trees. Two huge dairies are now located in this county (100,000 cows each!!)–cows drink lots of water! Where does it end??
Here are good wishes for Polly’s recovery and for your getting the vaccine! You sound like me–when Michael received his I was constantly searching for a vaccine for me and I ended up driving to Phoenix twice–a three hour drive one way! It was worth every mile!
Get well soon Polly! I know that gnawing worry.
Hope France does not re-open too quickly. I’ve often thought that rather than say we are in lock down for a certain amount of time, it should be tied to the number of cases, ie. once the cases are down to 100 a day, we will slowly begin to open up. Here in Ontario, Canada we are enjoying the benefits of opening too soon (big thank you to our Provincial Premiere) with a re-surging of cases, mostly the British variant. Tying lock downs to getting cases down would give us all a goal instead of just waiting out a time frame. For some reason I cannot fathom, I have not been asked to rule the world so …
I heard on the radio today that apparently with the pandemic people are changing their clothes less often and bathing less frequently as well. I took that as a hint and showered today which is, alas, my big news.
Stay well. Enjoy that beautiful scenery and give Polly a kiss for me.
I hate it when Tessa needs to be put under and worry the whole time as well. Following her tooth extraction last month she was on soft food (I soaked her kibble and she loved it) for two weeks and I was so happy when it was finally behind us.
While our vaccination numbers are good here, too many are refusing to get them while gathering in large groups unmasked. So our hospital numbers aren’t great either. I feel hopeful and disgusted at the same time.
Your mountains are such a glorious treat.
I had my second Moderna a couple of weeks ago. My husband received the J&J a little over two weeks ago, Just before it stopped. We have booked a trip to New Zealand for our 30th Anniversary in Feb 2022. We will head to Seattle for 3 weeks at Christmas to visit our son. We have lots of house/yard projects to keep us busy until then. If water is going to be the new oil, I am so glad we purchased a condo in Seattle a few years ago. Lots of fresh water there. Hubby is still working from home in Maryland. We have no idea how long that will last. He really likes working from home though. 4 years until retirement. Then travel, travel, travel. We really want to see the world.
We got our second Moderna jab yesterday. After many months of chaos it seems organization has occurred in the US, anyway. There were EMTs sent by FEMA to help out! The water issue is so scary; we consider leaving our beloved RV park in the Phoenix area. Physical issues prevent us traveling right now, but I do have a strong hankering. I have American friends right now in Mexico, Costa Rica, Hawaii. Me? Armchair traveling while wondering if they’re nuts. One friend who flew from Portland to Rochester MN said there was little social distancing or masking. What? She was scared. Stay safe, find a jab! And Polly, heal up!
I would very much like to travel in Europe. We’ve taken a couple of the Viking river cruises but that is only scratching the surface. I’d like to buy or rent an RV and travel from north to south and east to west during a whole Spring to Fall season. We did take a driving tour of Spain a couple of years ago for two weeks but but that was too short as well. I’d like to drive a 100-150 km and stop for a week to visit and see the sights with a repeat every week. What’s holding us back is our dogs. Our chihuahua is 15 and blind so he must stay close to mom. The maltipoo mix has health issues so we have a vet here in Arizona and one in Michigan (which is where we end up most summers). Our variety comes from how we get to Michigan each year or how we get back to Arizona. At 75, I’m beginning to think that RVing Europe is out what with the dog thing. That’s why, among other reasons, I hope you get to travel this year. I can vicariously tag along and enjoy through your eyes. As for the virus, I wonder if, not when, we will be over it. The vaccine only promises that we will not die from the virus. We can still get it, some say, and even pass it on so masks and social distancing will be the norm for some time. Eventually, I’m sure that a true vaccine will be discovered that keeps us from contracting it or it’s variants. Until then, avoid large groups and wear your mask. Wishing you continued writing ideas and lots of time with your husband to enjoy Europe.
Hello Nina. I am spreading the word conflux, although spellcheck initially rejected it, I asked it to recognize it and it immediately did. Lol. I have lost track of time, and note the passing of each week with receiving notice of your latest post, I kid you not. In Washington State, the counties are in phases of reopening based on metrics of infections, hospitalizations, ICU Occupancy, and number of deaths. We ditched the time period approach for a metrics approach, although the metrics keep getting weakened under pressure to fully reopen. I finally got vaccinated and it was a crowded clinic when I got my shot but now doses are outpacing takers. The resistance has started and pockets of protests on a potential requirement to show vaccinated status have popped up. I fear a prolonged endgame. Very confluxing. Best wishes on full and speedy recovery for Polly and kudos to you for your vigilant eye in quickly noticing it.
Always enjoy your thoughts. We’re both fully shot now as are our kids as of this week–two grandkids are not. It is nice to start having a little normalcy in our lives. It’s been 2 years and 2 months now since we have used our RV!! Our kids and grandkids have been using it recently so that’s nice to see them enjoy it. 2019 we were having a house built and a move from VA to OH so that was keeping us busy and then COVID hit so we stayed put. This week I got notice of my 50th class reunion in MA in September. We usually try to get back to MA every other year in the fall so I decided to plot a trip. I was shocked at how many of the campsites were already booked up this far in advance. I always planned months in advance but usually had the choice of many campsites. This time it was a couple at each campground–all state parks. Definitely not the cream of the crop sites like I usually get. Today I found this article. Hmmm. Will things return to normal after COVID or will it continue to get more and more crowded. https://www.rvtravel.com/campground-crowding997/
Best of health to you and Polly and your dad and may you get your shots soon!
I hope Polly gets better soon and I wish you well. I know My thinking is different from most people here, but I’m a little concerned about how much authority the governments have assumed and how little people care that many of their essential rights and freedoms are gone. I’m not anti vaccine, far from it. It’s plentiful here in CA. You can get a shot at anytime 16 yrs and older now. But, The requirement to carry “papers” at All times is soon. No longer is do you have the freedom to take a walk without the police being able to stop you and check your papers. It scares me.
I laughed when you mentioned having to have vaccines for a visa and that it’s still the law. You can have severe Covid-19 as long as you enter ILLEGALLY, then you are sent into the US population????? 100,000 a month at present time 1/2 COVID-19 positive. People are merely told to social distance? How crazy is that?
Oh well, I’m getting up there in years, so constant lockdowns, travel restrictions, mask mandates, carrying papers are what younger people will just accept as part of life. I’m planting a garden and ignoring as much as I can….
Yes, narrow it down and do what you can do. I think you are coping wonderfully. And maybe that final shot of the mountains can help you a bit. It’s beautiful.
Thanks for your posts., and best wishes for rapid healing for Polly….
Hello from Cottonwood AZ!
Our crazy Governor flip-flops on the virus like a fish out of water.
My soulmate, Sheila has made it a year with Pancreatic cancer which is now in her liver as well. Still in Chemotherapy every two weeks so no going to the Bayfield Riverside RV park in Colorado anytime soon. It’s our favorite stop Spring and Fall. Sure miss fly fishing the four trout pounds – got a 21” rainbow last trip!
I’m 86 and grateful the Caregivers NGO teamed up with some retired Drs and nurses and so far have given more than 400 vaccines to homebound seniors. They also provide free transportation and friendship to more than 800 “neighbors.” There is still goodness in this world and we live our life full of gratitude.
Thanks for the info on vaccine passports. Much better option then taking the expensive PCR test within 72 hours as is required now from/to US.
We really miss our place in the coast of Portugal and very much hope to return there in August but I’m glad to be “stuck” in the US during this pandemic, my family in Europe suffered so much more with pandemic and all the forced lock downs, also vaccine availability/distribution in US is much better.
The vaccine passports are going to be great for Americans who want to travel this summer. I’ll make sure to update the blog when they’re fully available.
Nina
Speak about being confluxed, we in Oregon are now on the same path as we were in February. Out of nowhere we came from one of the lowest COVID states to one of the highest this week. Like really? How did that happen? Fortunately 70 percent of the seniors have received their vaccines. Now it’s creeping down into the younger set. Three million souls have now been lost to this worldwide Pandemic. It’s not over until it’s over as the numbers ramp up in so many parts of the world. Wishing you and family continued good health. Thanks for your wonderful blog!
Ugh…I’m so sorry to hear that. The new variants are causing much faster transmission, and affecting the younger here in EU too. As you said, it’s not over until it’s over.
Nina
Give sweet Polly kisses from sweet Lewis please? It’s always scary when they have to have any procedure done (as if we don’t already have too many scary things to think about!) so I’m glad she’s through it.
Polly says thank you for the kisses. I think she even blushed a little 🙂
Nina
The US is a bit ahead of Europe thanks to a sane and compassionate President, in vaxing its people. Age 16 and above are eligible and gaining in numbers. But until other countries are open and all sites and amenities are available, I will not travel. I am fully vaxed and have very little concern about getting the virus, but if the Louvre is not open, why would I go to Paris. Etc. In April of 2020 I was supposed to be in Venice and then tour Poland. Still would love to go – just waiting for some “open for business” signs. You both will feel so good once you’ve been jabbed and no longer “confluxed”. Praying for Polly’s rapid healing. ❤
I think that’s a sensible plan. Re-openings are coming, but slowly and we’re still not out of the woods in Europe. I think summer will be mostly open, but it’s impossible to tell.
Nina
We’re in our third “lock-down” in the province of Ontario, with cases rising in other provinces as well. Now, with hind sight being what it is, it’s easy to say that the measures taken earlier on were lacking. Because well, they were. Federally and Provincially.
If we look at Australia, they went the Draconian route, but now they’re mostly back to normal.
Annnnnd, we still have the party goers and protesters who want to do whatever they want. Just ever so coincidentally, our hospitals are filling up, and it’s not just OLD PEOPLE. Funny about that? I’m afraid I wouldn’t do well in our current “PC” world, as I’d insist that all those who flaunt the notion of staying the hell away from each other gets a special bracelet (that can’t be removed, of course) and when they show up in hospital, they can have the “special” treatment. Not willing to say exactly what that might entail, as that might not be acceptable, of course.
We just wait. I can still do the things I need to do. Plus, we got all the money back from our cancelled trip from last year to Europe, so life goes on. We’ll figure out if we ever want to travel. Ever.
Hope your wee doggy is feeling herself again.
Good Morning from Florida!!
First of all I love that you made a word up and actually used it in print. I often make words up but don’t know that I’ve ever written any down. My hubby is never sure about unusual words when I say them. Real or only real to me? Makes me smile to think of it.
Secondly, why is it that in Europe a vax passport is happening and then here in the US many folks are just not willing to go there? Does everyone there just go along? I know that sometime in my past and in my kids past our vaccines histories have had to be presented. How nice it would be to have it in one downloadable, printable form or better yet – a phone app. With so many people traipsing all around the world it sure would make life easier for everyone. I think people here have short memories about things like that. I also think, based on things that go on in this country, many people like to protest and be loud and obnoxious. Maybe there are times when that’s a good thing, but often it’s just noise. I really don’t care if people know I’ve had various vaccines. Why on earth would it be a problem for this info to be available to us? Yes – I am aware that someone could hack into an account and find it out, but so what? I mean what are they going to do because I’ve had a flu vaccine, or a Shingles vaccine (or not)? So hopefully that bit is going more smoothly that it seems to be here. In fact, the FL governor has said that in FL – even on a cruise line – you can’t be asked to prove you’ve had a vaccine. Well I’m here to say – I won’t be going on a cruise any time soon if I can’t be fairly certain that all are vaccinated. A ship is a breeding ground for many illnesses – it would be nice to know that at least COVID isn’t one that will gain a foothold if everyone is vaccinated.
Oops – think I’ve gotten up on my soapbox! So anyway – hope that you can soon get out of the confluxed state. I’m not sure but what I live there too!! Maybe it’s the best way to be – always a surprise to see what’s out there and in front of us!!!
I’m so happy to hear that beautiful Polly is well on the mend. We are both vaccinated and will be traveling in our rv this summer. I am struggling with the fact that my son and wife refuse to get a vaccine. They are in their 30s and think masks are stupid. No overseas travel for us. Jim is 82 with many health issues.
Hi Nina & Paul,
Confluxed is a great word to describe this pandemic! When will “normal” return?!
So glad to hear sweet Polly came through her oral surgery.
Sadly, her buddy Molly passed away a month ago. She was always a happy Golden even at 13 1/2.
I hope the rest of the world gets the vaccine soon to free us from the lockdown!
Enjoy your view of the Pyrenees for us and thank you for your blog!
Kathy & Grant
I don’t hold out much hope for a vaccine passport for the US. The freedom loving right objects on principle to having to show vaccination status. Never mind that their children have to show their status to go to school. The CDC cards are being counterfeited and sold on Ebay, so they’re of little use. We were happy to see France may be onboarding tourists this summer. I don’t know if we’ll be there or not.
Angus (https://bobnsophie.blogspot.com) commented yesterday in his blog that he expects the wells to run dry early this year, and then his village will depend on the lake for drinking water.
Loved this blog post. I still have days when I’m surprised to see people wearing masks, as if I hadn’t been through more than a year of it. On our trip to the U.S. that was especially true, as we never saw the transition in those familiar places. Surreal. We are lucky to have had our vaccines, Mexico has been really slow, and while there are communities that have been fully vaccinated, others within the same state haven’t even begun. So I feel good that we didn’t use their resources. Hector and I have plans for the fall (October-November) but not sure the countries we chose will have been vaccinated, we’re skipping Europe this year because last year was such a heartbreak. We’ll see…Hoping you’re able to get your vaccine soon and that Polly heals quickly – give her a hug for me.
Your comment about water reminded me of the musical Urinetown. Hilarious but scary parody that feels very prescient as time passes…a world where everyone has to pay for the privilege to use a bathroom, or else, due to the water shortage.
Hope you get your vaccine soon!