Apparently you can walk by the rivers

You can walk by rivers but you cannot stop and sit on benches or have picnics.

Lovely walking along the river banks in Varen this morning.

taglines 82@ gmail.com

Can we walk by rivers now?

This photo was taken down by the river in Varen of some people having a picnic.

Have I got  it wrong? I thought rivers and river banks were still out of bounds ?

Lovely photo though taken by  Gareth Brown

I will let you know when I find out

taglines82@gmail.com

How many of us feel like this ?

Sunday 10 th of May, storm warning

Tarn et Garonne

A storm is now forecast this afternoon ,this evening and possibly tomorrow

In another department there was thunder, lightening and hailstones as big as golf balls. The friend reporting had seedlings and newly planted plants smashed.

I have just been round the garden covering vunerable plants and moving chairs to safety

Stay safe not only from the virus but from storms ❤️🌺

From the British Embassy in France

The following has been issued by the British Embassy in Paris; 

Covid Update - 8 May

British Embassy Paris·Friday, 8 May 2020·7 minutes

A further update for British citizens in France following Prime Minister Edouard Philippe’s press conference with ministers on de-confinement yesterday

Deconfinement Summary

The Prime Minister confirmed that a very gradual de-confinement process will begin on Monday 11 May for all of France.  Over the coming weeks, a balance will have to be struck between resuming ‘normal’ life and respecting the health measures which protect us. Further detail will be made public in the coming days. The objective is to be able to live with the virus and learn how to protect ourselves without a vaccine, treatment or collective immunity. Monday 11 May will mark a new phase. Collective responsibility, including by respecting social distancing measures, is even more important in de-confinement.

The de-confinement strategy has been guided by three key indicators in each département: the level of the virus circulating, the strain on hospitals and the capacity for testing. As we previously reported, this has resulted in some parts of the country being designated green, and others red (l'Ile-de-France, les Hauts-de-France, le Grand Est et la Bourgogne-Franche-Comté). However, the epidemic evolves daily and the red and green areas of the map could change. If green départements continue to see a low number of cases over the next three weeks, they will enter a further stage of de-confinement which could see lycées, restaurants, and cafés re-open from 2 June in line with health measures. The less good news is that red départements will adhere to stricter and slower de-confinement measures – parks and gardens will not re-open next week, and collèges will not open from 18 May.

There will be no compulsory confinement for the most vulnerable, such as the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions. However, these groups should continue to observe strict prudence, resembling the measures of the last two months, in order to protect themselves and others.

Health

If you have Covid symptoms, act immediately: contact your doctor or call 15. After answering some questions, a test will be made available to you at a lab, hospital, drive-through or at home – you should stay at home to await results. Self-isolate until two days after you recover (between 8-10 days). The cost of the test will be 100% covered by l’Assurance Maladie. If you test positive, you will be taken care of and l’Assurance Maladie will begin an investigation into who you have been in contact with. When self-isolating, stay in one room if you share a home, do not touch others or objects they might touch, air the room frequently, disinfect objects you touch, wash your hands regularly, do not accept visitors unless from doctors, and wear a mask. If you are contacted by l’Assurance Maladie because you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, you should self-isolate, take your temperature twice a day, and work from home if possible. After seven days, if you test negative, you will self-isolate for a further sevendays. If self-isolation is not possible at home, you will be directed to a designated hotel.

Visits to retirement homes will be possible but limited as carers progressively return to work. For non Covid-19 illnesses, consult a doctor over the phone, and go to hospital for emergencies. If you are vulnerable, you should always wear a mask outside of home. Consultations are 100% covered by l’Assurance Maladie. Contact the Red Cross if you need help for loneliness (and take a look at our previous post on health and wellbeing).

Education

A strict health protocol has been implemented to re-open schools – you can access this on the education ministry’s website – and classes will be limited to 15 students (or 10 in maternelle). In green départements, on Monday 11 May primaires will re-open, and on 18 May collèges will re-open. On 11 May all elementary school teachers will return to work (or 12 May depending on the size and location of the school); however, students will not all return to school at the same time. Priority will be given to children of key workers, disabled children and children at risk of marginalisation. Parents will be informed this week as to the gradual return of their children’s schools. Four different educational options vary from home schooling to returning to school, depending on the local situation. Between 80-85% of schools will re-open to a little over one million students from 12 May.

Transport

The French government wants to achieve a resumption of ‘normal’ services by 2 June, whilst continuing social distancing measures. RATP will increase its services from 30% today to 75% from Monday 11 May. In the Ile-de-France, transport will be limited at rush hours to those with an attestation for essential travel, for example, for childcare, healthcare or work. Some stations will be closed to avoid overcrowding. Travelling on a TGV or on transport in the Ile de France at rush hour without an attestation will result in a fine. Those who can continue to work from home should do so.

To avoid traffic and keep pollution low car-sharing schemes or bicycles are recommended. Transport to other regions will be very limited, with TGV and Intercité services rising from 7% to 20-30% by Monday 11 May and 100% by the end of the month. Train capacity will be limited at 50% and tickets must be booked in advance. Travellers over the age of 11 must wear masks or face a fine of €135. Masks and hand sanitiser will be made available. Floor markings will be put in place to aid social distancing measures, and all means of transport (trains, busses, trams and metros) will be disinfected at least once a day.

Travel & Social

You will be free to travel up to 100km (as the crow flies) from your home, including outside your home département, or to travel more than 100km if your trip remains within your home département, without restriction or attestation. If you are stopped by the police, carrying proof of address, e.g. insurance documents, will suffice. In order to travel more than 100km from home, you will need a new type of online or paper attestation, which you can find on the Interior Ministry website from 11 May. Travelling more than 100km for urgent family or work reasons is permitted, e.g. to help an elderly parent, attend a funeral, for childcare, but travelling to a second home or travelling for leisure would not count. 20,000 police and gendarmes will be checking attestations at stations, tourist locations, and on the roads, and you may be fined €135 if you travel more than 100km without the attestation. If you travel, you will need to carry proof of address. Anyone who has been in confinement away from home, e.g. at a second home, is now allowed to travel home.

Libraries and small museums will re-open from Monday. Cinemas, music venues and indoor sports halls will remain closed. Individual outdoor sport will be permitted. Gatherings will be limited to 10 people, and you must observe social distancing measures. There will be no events of over 5,000 people until September. Beaches and lakes remain closed, unless re-opened by mayors and préféctures if they can guarantee social distancing measures – please check with your local authority in the first instance. A discussion on re-opening places of worship for services will take place at the end of the month.

Border restrictions on arrivals from outside Europe remain in place until further notice, and current measures at the border with neighbouring European countries will remain in place until 15 June. There will be some exceptions, for example for essential schooling,  or for workers, for example seasonal agricultural workers.  Borders will re-open to European countries through joint decisions as the health situation improves.

Business and Working Practices

All business will re-open on Monday 11 May, except for those designed as social spaces such as cafés, bars and restaurants - the date for these will be determined at the end of May. 400,000 businesses will re-open on Monday, from hairdressers to clothes shops and florists to book shops. Large shopping centres of 40,000m² will re-open, except in the Ile-de-France. Factories will re-open. The self-employed and SMEs will continue to have access to solidarity funds until the end of May even if they re-open for business. Social charges for businesses which closed from March, April and May will not be maintained.

Health precautions such as social distancing will be implemented at work. Masks will be made available in shops, mairies, pharmacies, online and at work with VAT at 5.5%. People should continue to work remotely if possible – this is especially crucial in the Ile-de-France. Staggered working hours will be brought in to avoid rush hours. 54 online guides are available for businesses such as hairdressers. A separate guide for apprenticeships will be made available.

Travelling more than 100 kms

You can get the certificate on the interieur.gouv.fr website.  For moving more than 100kms 

For example I had an inqury for going to an appointment from St.Antonin area to Toulouse, I felt your appointment letter would be enough to show but for belt and braces this document may be best to have

Latest update

Thanks to the Connexion once again. Latest update from President Macron

Lockdown measures will be eased in France from Monday May 11 as hoped, the prime minster has announced.

The rules explained today are largely as previously announced, though with new details – for example to travel more than 100km leaving your own department, you will need a new kind of attestation form indicating that it is for an urgent work or family reason.

 As expected, France has been divided into green (good) or red (bad) areas depending on factors including numbers of new cases of people testing postive for Covid-19, how well the hospitals are coping, and availability of testing.

Areas classed as red are Ile-de-France, Grand Est, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Hauts-de-France.

In green areas, parks and gardens may reopen and collèges (early age secondary schools) may reopen from May 18.

In red areas collèges will remain closed this month, however in all areas primary schools will reopen in May, in most cases from Monday, though parents can choose whether or not to keep children at home in distance learning.

For the most part however the same rules will apply everywhere.

Beaches and lakes and water sports centres will remain closed, unless prefects decide otherwise. 

There will also be a need for particular vigilance in Mayotte and Ile-de-France, the prime minister said, as Covid-19 cases are increasing in the former while in the latter they are not reducing as quickly as had been hoped.

The situation will be reevaluated at the end of May in hopes of further relaxation of rules from June 2.

There will be no obligatory confinement for ‘at risk’ groups, and no more attestation forms for ordinary trips outside the home.

However those who know they are likely to be more vulnerable due to advanced age or chronic health conditions should nonetheless continue as far as possible to maintain similar measures to during the confinement period or for example they should use masks if having occasional visitors.

Anyone experiencing likely symptoms such as a persistent dry cough, breathing difficulties or loss of taste or smell should contact their GP, a duty doctor or call 15 (Samu). You may be asked to take a free test in a hospital, test lab, in a drive-through service or at home. If you test positive your doctor will also alert the Assurance Maladie, who will make enquiries as to who you have had recent contact with.

These people will be contacted if necessary will be asked to self-isolate (and will be able to obtain free masks at pharmacies) and if will have the option of isolation away from home such as in a hotel room if it is difficult at home.

They will be asked to take sick leave from work if they cannot work from home.

They will be tested seven days after their last contact with the infected person, but even if testing negative will be asked to observe one more week of isolation so as to be sure.

A free number on 0800 130 000 remains in place if you have questions related to the epidemic and what you need to do.

With regard to struggling small businesses, the fonds de solidarité help will be renewed for May and employers’ social charges will be cancelled from March to May for all sectors that were forced to close.

Some 70 guides to work sectors will be available from the end of the week on the Work Ministry’s website, as well as a national framework on matters like physical distance at work. Homeworking is still recommended where possible.

Spanish Flu, there are similarities

And people stayed at home

And read books

And listened

And they rested

And did exercises

And made art and played

And learned new ways of being

And stopped and listened

More deeply

Someone meditated, someone prayed

Someone met their shadow

And people began to think differently

And people healed.

And in the absence of people who

Lived in ignorant ways

Dangerous, meaningless and heartless,

The earth also began to heal

And when the danger ended and

People found themselves

They grieved for the dead

And made new choices

And dreamed of new visions

And created new ways of living

And completely healed the earth

Pandemic, 1919

Photo taken during Spanish flu

The first of May

White rabbits

Wishing you all to be safe and well,and making the most of each precious day we have.

A donkey cart for a floral display

My project today is to finish painting the donkey cart, things to do in lock down !

No Friends of the English Theatre shows this year

No English Theatre at Les Cabannes this year

On behalf of the FET committee first of all we hope you are all surviving the COVID 19 threat and lockdown in the best way that you are able to.  Difficult times for everyone.

Although the end of the strict lockdown is in sight, things are still very much in the air as to what will happen over the next few months. Given this uncertainty the FET committee have taken the decision to suspend our programme for this year i.e. until Spring 2021.

Our best wishes go to you and yours for the future months and we look forward to seeing you again next year.

Stay safe

 Ruth Etridge FET Secretary

Coming up if we are lucky

The situation currently in France. 

Big update today as we enter our 7th week of lockdown here in France.  The Prime Minister presented to the parliament, the government's plan moving forward out of lockdown for a vote.

First, a few of you have shown an interest in how the French political system works.  For this vote, the parliament only allowed 75 people into the arena, sitting 2 meters apart.  Normally, there are hundreds.  But the top 8 political parties sent their representatives for a total of 75 people.  At the end, the Prime Minister got a standing ovation, so I have no doubt this plan for "déconfinement" will go into law.

First, the PM, Edouard Philippe, stressed that all decisions were made in accordance with 3 goals in mind.

1.  We have to learn to live with the virus.  France is far, far from "herd immunity".  It is here to stay and our way of life is going to change until a vaccine is found.

2.  They are going to try to avoid the "second wave" of infection once everything opens up again.

3.  There are vast differences between départements, (like counties in the US), and so, the government is going to make decisions based on which département is allowed to do what.

To control the 2nd Wave, they are going to be conducting around 700,000 tests per week.  Their math was calculated by assuming 3,000 new cases per day after May 11.  After confinement on 11 May, they calculate that those 3,000 people will have been in contact with 20-25 other people every day.  Since it takes, on average, 7 days for these 3,000 people to get symptoms and get tested, they will have come into contact with 175 people that week.  Which equals 525,000 tests per week but, to be on the safe side, they are allowing 700,000 tests per week.

These 3,000 people who test positive every day have a choice of going into quarantine in their own home or into a hotel the government is requisitioning.  

Also, to control the 2nd wave, they are not discounting its' use in the future, but, for right now, since it doesn't work, they are not going to be using the tracking app called Stop-Covid.

And, if at any time between now and the day of déconfinement, 11 May, the numbers go up and certain criteria are not met, they are reserving the right to change anything else that I am about to tell you and\or extend our lockdown.

So here we go.  

1.  We are all on probation between 11 May and 2 June.  If we all behave and follow the rules, we go into 2nd Probation, which is 2 June to mid-July.  In other words, baby steps.

2.  We are now divided into Red Départements and Green Départements.  Red Zones will have limited circulation.  Green Zones will have a higher level of circulation.

This is based on 3 criteria.  A) The rate of active cases in the population remains elevated over the course of any given 7 days, indicating an active virus in the area.  B)  The hospital capacity remains overwhelmed, and, C)  The testing capacity and the system of tracking the chains of contamination of each positive case are deemed to be insufficient.  BOOM.  Red Zone.

3.  Schools.  Starting from the youngest.  Day care centers open 11 May.  Health care workers and teachers are to be given priority to available spots.  10 kids allowed, maximum, unless it is a BIG day care center and they are able to divide into enough big spaces to ensure a completely autonomous space for each 10 kids.  None of the 10 kids or their caregivers can meet\mingle in any common area, ever, within the facility.  Masks obligatory for staff.  Masks prohibited for infants\children.

Preschools and elementary schools.  Open 11 May, but voluntary in both Red and Green Zones.  If you don't want to send your kid, you don't have to.  Masks are prohibited in this age group of kids, except the school nurse will have masks on hand to give out to a child between the time they start to exhibit symptoms and when the parent comes to pick them up.  

Middle schools begin in Green Zones 18 May.  Masks are obligatory for this age group, both teachers and students.  Middle schools in Red Zones to be determined.

High Schools and Higher Education in Green Zones start beginning of June.  Masks obligatory.  Red Zones, who knows?

4.  Work.  Employers must continue to find any way to let their workers work from home, even after 11 May.  If it is not possible, then the employers must try to stagger the hours their people are working in order to do 2 things:  avoid having multiple people in the office\factory at one time and to also alleviate the crowds on public transport.  If the employer cannot guarantee social distancing between employees, they must wear masks.

5.  Commerce.  All commerce is allowed to open on 11 May except cafés, bars, restaurants and hotels.  Masks are recommended while shopping, but not obligatory.  However, any shop owner can make the wearing of masks obligatory in their shop.  As far as malls, it is up to each préfecture, (county seat), to determine if the open areas of their malls where people like to gather shall remain open or roped off.  

6.  Public Transport.  Right now, public transport is running at about 6% of its' normal capacity.  On 11 May, they anticipate that public transport will be running at about 30%.  And, on these reduced métros, trains, buses, etc., it will be obligatory to wear masks.  No one is allowed on the public transport during rush hour except workers.  Social distancing will be maintained by blocking every other seat and taping lines on the platforms 1 meter apart for those waiting for the train, bus, métro, etc.

7.  Going Outside Your House.  After 11 May you no longer have to bring our famous piece of paper with you, (l'Attestation de Déplacement Dérogatoire), except in the case of traveling more than 100km.  The only two reasons you are allowed to travel from one département to another or one région to another is that it is imperative to your work or you have an extremely pressing family obligation.  

We are now allowed, after 11 May, to venture further than 1km from our house to pursue individual sports, like jogging or biking or hiking.  We must still maintain social distancing during this.  

Still not allowed:  collective sports, sports taking place under a roof in an enclosed space, (sorry gyms), contact sports.

Public parks and gardens in Green Zones will be open.  All beaches closed, red or green, until at least 1 June.  

8.  Cultural Life.  Libraries and small museums can open 11 May.  Community Halls can open 2 June.

No big museums, cinemas, theaters, concert halls until further notice.  (Sorry, Louvre.)

Maybe September:  big sporting events, cultural events, festivals, trade shows, anything of more than 5,000 people.  Soccer season (professional football) 2019-2020 cancelled altogether.

9.  Churches, Marriages, Funerals, Gatherings

Church doors can remain open, like always, even now, but mass cannot begin until 2 June.  (Americans, our beautiful churches here are always open for people to just come in and ogle at the architecture or light a candle for a saint or whatever.)

Marriages and funerals will be allowed after 2 June with a maximum of 20 people.

Cemetairies open back up on 11 May.

All gatherings in public places, (i.e. parks), or private places, (i.e. your deck), from 11 May onward are limited to 10 people.

The future plan

Admire them from a distance

An update on grass snakes

Hi Val,

My sister, Anne, alerted me to your comments on snake bites after I’d told her about our current situation. Alexa, one of our Salukis, woke yesterday morning screaming. On inspection, we found that her neck was badly swollen and bruised which it had not been the previous evening when she had seemed to be her usual self, apart from refusing her evening meal.  Initially, we assumed that she may have had  a skirmish with one of the other dogs except we had neither seen nor heard anything to suggest this. However, when we cleaned off the wound we saw the unmistakable signs of a snake bite which was confirmed when I was able to squeeze a large amount of infected blood from it.  I washed the wound with saline, then applied an antibacterial liquid and gave Alexa an antibiotic   and repeated the process in the evening. By this morning Alexa was once again eating and the swelling had gone down, as had the blood seepage, but there is  tissue damage  so I have applied some clinically treated veterinary Manuka honey which is antibacterial and should help the healing process.  Nevertheless, the wound remains an unsightly, nasty mess.

 

Clearly, the snake was not an adder. Had it been Alexa would probably have died, especially given the site of the bite high on her neck.  We are assuming  the culprit was a grass snake that had emerged from hibernation.  All of which is by way of reinforcing your warning to pet owners and gardeners alike.  Grass snakes need to be taken seriously because although not venomous they are toxic.

 

I hope that you are not finding ‘lockdown’ too tortuous.

 

Stay safe.

 

Helen

Spring is wonderful but.....

Not everything in the garden is rosy

Just found the first tick on one of our dogs this morning, fortunately I had a tick fork and removed it before it got too large

So watch your pets for ticks

Also be careful with snakes, last spring our cat Max ended up on a drip for 3 days after being bitten by a a snake. We think it was a grass snake which Max had taken on, we found it dead and mauled later. The vet explained when any snake wakes up it is full of toxins and even a  normally harmless snake can be worth avoiding in the spring.

Processionary caterpillars can also be about in the spring, many friends  and pets have been affected by the barbs they throw out if you get close, so just be aware of them.

A picture of some roses in the garden after such a miserable post.

taglines82@gmail.com

The market at Varen today

Very well organised but this was before 9 am

The wisteria is beautiful at the moment

The wisteria / glycine here in Varen does not know of troubles with  Covid 19 and spreads its beauty as it does every spring

I am sending you early happiness

My Muguet / Lily of the valley is flowering, now I know it is given on the 1st of May as a symbol of happiness

I just felt as it was flowering now I would like to send everyone some happiness, from me to you

In France, 1st May is a public holiday to mark Labour Day. It is also known as “la Fete du Muguet” or “Lilly of the Valley Day”, when thousands of bunches of these distinctive flowers are sold around France, and given to loved ones as a symbol of happiness.

taglines82@gmail.com

Take aways at Varen

We will overcome

A gloriously Happy Easter everyone

We will get through this, we will 💖

The Moulin in  Varen many years ago

A letter from Australia

I received this email this morning from a fairly new part time resident of Varen. I thought you would be interested

Dear Friends,

We have been thinking about you and France and our house in Varen. We just wanted to stay in contact even if just in a small way via email. Of course, we won’t be coming to France this year. No Saturday market outside our door, no sweating it out in the Summer’s heat, no walking, or riding or driving around the beautiful countryside. No vide greniers😿, meals at the Moulin, visits to surrounding towns, swimming in the river, etc etc, the list could go on! Sadly, it’s probably the same for you as it may be a northern summer spent largely indoors or social distancing.

Anyway, it is our hope that you, and all the elderly residents who are our kind and patient neighbours, are all avoiding the dreaded virus.

As winter here is just around the corner, we are both well and observing the stage 3 restrictions that are in place. So far, Australia has been doing quite well with the mathematical curve flattening below 1.0, which is good.

We are fortunate to be on our small farm with endless tasks to keep us occupied and we barely notice much change to our lives as we are pretty self isolating even when there is no pandemic! 

Hoping you all stay well and really looking forward to meeting up again when life gets back to post-Covid normal.

And my reply

How lovely to hear your news but so sorry you will not be able to get here this year

Us Brits thought Brexit was bad but now this.

Mains Tendues is closed ,  for who knows how long. All the staff and I am sure customers miss it.

My husband died in November from his cancer and two weeks after I moved into the village. How stressful it was a week before Christmas, but how thankful I am to be here in the village now. I have a house up past the Vival and school and I am pleased I have a nice sized garden. Friends can walk dogs and we have chats over the gate social distancing of course

I can see this going on for quite some time and it is terrible to hear of friends who have died.

Stay safe, enjoy your place which sounds perfect, a bit like Mas del Sol my former home which had two houses and two hectares, fabulous for two fit people.

Lots of love and I will pass your message on to other Mains Tendues staff

Love Val Johnstone

Macron speech Thursday 9 th April

President Emmanuel Macron is to make a speech on French television and radio tomorrow at 20:00 to update the nation on the evolution of Covid-19 in France.

The president is expected to clarify about a possible extension of home confinement which is currently due to last until April 15.

He is also expected to address the issue of whether or not people should wear masks in public as well as the potential digital tracking of infected people and the future date of municipal elections which are set to now be postponed to March 2021.

It will be the fourth time that the president has addressed the nation since the start of the epidemic. 

As the sun comes, it brings hope

Every morning we have been having the sun of late. It brings hope to us all.

Stay safe, stay in, stay cheerful

Plants can be ordered and delivered

Le Jardin des Bastides s'organise :     C'est le printemps, nous préparons activement toutes les fleurs, plants potagers, plantes vivaces et d'ornement qui embelliront vos jardins cet été...   Nous avons besoin de vous afin que les entreprises locales puissent passer le cap.   Nous vous proposons 2 solutions pour continuer vos plantations:   1. La vente directe à la pépinière  Le gouvernement vient d’autoriser la vente de plants potagers, désormais inscrits dans la liste des achats de première nécessité. La vente directe est "autorisée par arrêté préfectoral du 31/03/2020 sous réserve du strict respect des règles de distanciation et des gestes barrières".  2. Des tournées de livraison  Nous vous enverrons chaque semaine une liste de nos plants disponibles, afin que vous puissiez commander par téléphone ou par mail.

Nous renforçons notre gamme de plants de légumes, aromatiques et fleurs comestibles. Tous nos plants sont issus de graines ou de boutures rempotés dans du terreau Bio et cultivés sans aucun traitement. Nous vous proposons aussi une grande variété d'arbustes à baies comestibles (cassis, groseille, framboise...) et d'arbres fruitiers.

Disponible

Jardins des Bastides Le ségalar 81170 MILHARS jardinbastides@gmail.com

It could take some time

How to know when cities can reopen? 

From this morning's New York Times, researchers have identified these criteria:

1.Hospitals must be able to safely treat all patients requiring hospitalization, without resorting to crisis standards of care. That means having adequate beds, ventilators and staffing.

2.   Authorities must be able test at least everyone who has     symptoms, and to get reliable, timely results.

3. Health agencies must be able to monitor confirmed cases, trace contacts of the infected and have at-risk people go into isolation or quarantine.

4. Because it can take up to two weeks for symptoms to emerge, there must be a sustained reduction in cases for at least 14 days.

Not wasps but bees swarming

Seen in Varen today

These  are not wasps.  The only wasp to survive the winter is the queen which hibernates solitarily (although one nest can produce several hibernating queens) and then emerges in the spring when the weather is warmer and there is some food around and starts to look for a new site, build a new nest and produce some offspring. The only time there might be a wasp "swarm" is later in the season if an established nest is disturbed and they might come out in a fairly aggressive group.  On the other hand bees, which survive the winter as a colony, often swarm after the first few weeks of warm weather, i.e now in Varen after all the mild weather, as the nest (or hive) gets overcrowded. New queens are produced and the original queen leaves the nest with a large group of worker bees which swarm around for a short time and then suddenly settle somewhere (which you observed), usually in a tree quite close by, before eventually (a few hours to a couple of days) relocating to a new nest site which they have identified.  These swarms are not aggressive and rarely sting you.  If they are honey bees, a local beekeeper would be interested to capture the swarm, which can usually only be done at the intermediate stage when the swarm has settled in a tree.  If they are wild bees, just leave them to it.  In your case if they are not from a neighbour's honey bee hives,  they are probably wild bees with a colony based in an old tree or in someone's roof.  (p.s. Although I never took it up, my father was a beekeeper as well as both my brothers, my middle brother having been a commercial beekeeper in Canada with over 100 hives) 🙂

A polemique at Verfeil sur Seye

Thanks to the Depeche

How to make a mask

Stay at home

This made me smile this morning, Qurban one of our Afghan helpers at Mains Tendues 82 has made this his profile picture.

Qurban is one of our helpers we cannot do without, young, strong and has a wonderful rapport with all our customers now speaking French and English after three years here. The language is Farsi and it says

Staying home we don't shake hands # Corona - take it seriously

Qurban is stuck in a small apartment in Toulouse with no outside space but a tiny balcony.

At Mains Tendues we all love him.

taglines82@gmail.com

The sun arrives and give light and hope to us all

Isolate for heavens sake

This virus you know is not a game. 

We are not trying to beat Macron or the gendarmes, we are trying to defeat the virus.

After three messages from friends asking if I would make clear it is no joke this virus I feel it needs saying.

All these restrictions are not just to protect us but to protect other families working on the front line in the health service.

Because of Taglines which has been going for over 17 years I have built up a network of good friends.

Their stories  from them to me about others trying to beat the system and laugh about it are unbelievable.

Please, please even if you think you are not vunerable others are.

You have heard the messages, isolate to live, isolate to save others, just listen for heavens sake, you are not clever.

ISOLATE your selves.

taglines82@gmail.com

Message from the hospital staff at Albi

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE ALBI HOSPITAL TO BE BROADCAST

 Hospital staff wish
 that this message be disseminated to all;
From tomorrow, do not leave the house and for bread, if you can freeze because the worst begins: the incubation date is respected and many positives will start to come out and many people can contract it, so it is very important to stay at home and not interact with anyone. From March 23 to April 3 we have to take care of ourselves because we will be at the top of the virus; the incubation period is two weeks, normally during these two weeks all the infected declare themselves, then there are two weeks of calm and then two weeks when they decrease. WE WILL BE IN THE STAGE OF MAXIMUM INFECTION. 👆👆👆
Please forward this message to all of your contacts.

Our contact

For Taglines our email contact has always been.    taglines82@gmail.com.  And it remains the same

An email address that Malc used more than me.  mail@bromlea.com has now been discontinued

For family and friends that is now my only email address

taglines82@gmail.com

Markets

A lot of the traditional markets will be closed

St. Antonins Sunday market is closed until further notice.

The Varen market will go ahead with social distancing measures in place.

Attention ! Officiel

St Antonin marchés

 Bio du jeudi maintenu

Du dimanche annulé

taglines82@gmail.com

Tonight the bells rang out in solidarity through out France

Candles were lit through out France and the bells rang out in solidarity

Stay safe everyone and thank you every Doctor, every nurse,every ambulance driver 

Every worker in the social care industry

We appreciate your efforts

taglines82@ gmail.com

Controle technique info

Good news that if your car needs a controle technique we now have 3 months extra to get it done

A relief as one of mine needs doing in April

https://www.challenges.fr/automobile/actu-auto/la-validite-du-controle-technique-prolongee-pour-cause-de-confinement-covid-19_703515

Two messages from Hans

Hi Val, I hope you are feeling better again.

I have two messages :

 

Help on computers still available.

 

If anyone within reasonable distance of St Antonin needs assistance on computers or wifi/internet you may contact me. I keep my shop closed in St Antonin, but I can visit people. 0643734697 Hans, VIDEPC

 

 

 

 

Solidarity in St Antonin

 

I recently became élu in St Antonin Noble Val. The team of the elected group have now announced the following for the inhabitants of St Antonin:

The "Solidarity" operation of the 19 new elected officials works and continues. Spread the word around you.
We have set up an organization for the elderly but also for single people who need to go shopping, who cannot move or just need a call to get news.
For your food and medication shopping, place your order:
Carrefour Contact: Aziz or Aurore at 05.63.02.49.8
Occitan Workshops: Patricia on 09 53 05 34 34
Mme Grare, Pharmacy: 05 63 30 60 94
We deliver to your home, weekends included.
If you need a "special travel certificate", send us a message with your name, address and date of birth and we will bring them to your home.
If you know people who have a need, thank you for notifying a member of the team or for putting a message on our facebook page. Do not hesitate to contact us. Take care of yourself.

stanto2020@gmail.com

 

Hans Buijserd

For those of us who hate hunting

Book sale at St Pantaleon

Dear Booklovers,

It is with MUCH regret that I have to tell you that the Book Sale for the 4th April has had to be postponed/cancelled - hopefully the former.

The announcement that people of 70 and over should avoid contact with others as much as possible, just put the tin lid on it.  A lot of our loyal customers fit in to that bracket - as do some of our team !  We feel that if we went ahead, numbers would be well down which would be a shame after all the hard work that goes into making it a good event for you.

Hopefully, when all this madness settles down, we will try for an early Summer sale, if not, full steam ahead for the Autumn !

Keep well,

Sue x  Glibbery, Poorpaws

Mains Tendues 82 at Varen

Today we all felt sad at Mains Tendues 82 as a group we took the decision to close the friperie until the situation with the virus improves. Just too many of us over 70 and some with husbands with chronic health conditions.

What more can one say but “keep well and a bientôt 

Cheering ourselves up with a coffee at the bar.

Generator for sale SOLD

Generator, the model is hyundai hg2700

Only used to try it, bought in error as we do not need one at Mains Tendues, as we use local electricity.

HYUNDAI GENERATEUR (NOUVEAU) - HG2700

cela n'a jamais été utilisé (une seule fois pour s'assurer que cela fonctionne). Coût neuf 289 euros. Une grosse économie de 100+ euros.

Groupe électrogène essence de chantier 2700 W 2500 W - Système AVR

Puissance nominale 2500 W

Puissance maxi 2700 W

Puissance du moteur 7 hp

Système AVR Oui

Autonomie 10.5 h

Voltmètre Oui

Capacité réservoir carburant 15000 mL

Niveau sonore 95 dB

Poids net (kg) 37

Half price

150 euros

Mains Tendues 82.     taglines82@gmail.com

Varen

Aristides last morning in Varen market

We will miss you Aristide

Aristide is dead

The saddest news as our group were worried we had not seen Aristide on the market for two weeks I went to see his apartment to check on him. I was met by his daughter who told me he was dead, had been in his apartment dead for some days.

It was the third time he had tried to take his life. If only we had known we could have done so much for him.

I am really sad as the rest of our group will be. He was practically part of the team

His daughter will let me know when his funeral will be at Albi

How sad that a man who gave so much joy was so unwell and unhappy

Ps he also played in St. Antonin market on Sundays

A big thank you

A thank you to all who have open hearts and minds and who have welcomed the Yedizi ladies and their children at Septfonds and Caussade. Yesterday Jill Williamson and I went to make a donation to each of the eleven ladies of 150 euros. It was money donated by you all instead of flowers after Malc died.

Since the last time we went to see them just after they arrived when Mains Tendues gave each one 200 euros, we were delighted to see how they had integrated into the French community. After four mornings a week having French lessons their language and communication skills were noticeably different. 

They looked happy.

Jill and I drove home also feeling happy  as I am sure Malc looking down would also have done.

Thank you

Book swap March 2nd

Book swap Monday March 2 nd at the Gazpacho at St. Antonin, 10.30 am

Please note no book swap in April

Helen Graham

Poorpaws book sale

Poorpaws

Dear Booklovers,

A  reminder for you to put Saturday 4th April in your diaries !  It's time for your favourite - I hope - Book Sale.  As usual, at the St. Pantaleon, (Lot), Salle des Fetes from 10am to 3pm.  Books, dvds at one euro and cds at 50 cents.  Your best loved cakes, we have it on record that Liz's carrot cakes and Pat's coffee and walnut, are the best in France - and possibly the universe !

Tea, coffee and snack lunches will all be on offer, so come along and spend a great few hours browsing, buying, eating and drinking !

I am responsible for the books that are chosen to go on sale so if there are authors you don't see and who you like, or if you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to tell me. (But please don't ask me to put them all in alphabetical order !)  I do categorise them but sometimes it is a bit difficult to know which genre to put them in so do look at miscellaneous and hard backs where different categories are put together.   I do try to ensure books which are in good condition but sometimes there are those which I think are cracking good and deserve to be read whatever state they are in, so they are given a chance.  This time - don't I always say this ?! - we have a really excellent choice, so come and indulge !

A service which I started last was a 'book search'; this proved quite popular, so if there is an author you really like, or a book you have been wanting to read, let me know and I will do my best to find it/her/him.

All proceeds to go to La Mere aux Betes, Cancer Support France and Poorpaws Dog Rescue.

So, come rain or shine your Book Team will be ready to greet you on Saturday 4th April !

Sue xx

Vide Maison

Vide Maison

Moya is having a vide maison on Sunday 1 March at Las Treilles, 81170 Itzac from 10am to 4pm. Her house is 1km up the hill from the centre of Itzac on the road to Vaour. There is a lot of great furniture for sale, including: 2 Stuart Jones chairs,  a nest of tables and a yew corner unit, as well as pictures, kitchen items, crystal glass and a wide range of books. The larger items can be bought in advance. Contact Moya on: graemoya@orange.fr for more information or to arrange a visit to see the furniture.

Remember Laura and Sid?

Glad to hear that you're happy in your new home.

We're fine, Sid's doing well, he's got past the first 3 months which apparently is the dodgy time after a heart attack & is now back to normal really. Portugal has taken us in hand totally... We're registered farmers now which was a bit of a shock to the system! But honestly everyone is so kind & helpful we really feel as if we're finally in the right country. We're now busy putting in raised beds for veggies, have pruned about 80 of the olives which hadn't been touched for years & made a start on double glazing and insulating the house, that in itself is now a building site but the weather's too glorious to be indoors so it'll remain a mess for a while. We seem to have a constant stream of visitors most of whom help.

We cannot believe how early spring comes to this area, the meadows are full of thigh high flowers, chamomile, marigolds, lavender, ash trees are in leaf it's just wonderful. Anyway here's a few pics of our place, we've got all the land both sides of the river just can't believe it.

Really if you ever fancy then do come & see us.

Look after yourself with love from both of us Laura & Sid

Val says.  There is life after France and this couple are now in Portugal

taglines82@gmail.com

A club no one wants to join

A club no one wants to join

A good friend who lost his wife a few years ago said to me, ‘’ Val we are in a club no one wants to join’’

I understood perfectly what he was saying. No one wants to loose a beloved partner but as we get older it is going to happen to us all, its a fact of life...or death.

There are  two other people in the village who lost partners around the same time as I lost Malc. It is uncanny how we are all going through the same stages of grief, but the over riding problem is the loneliness, after spending years of sharing ones life.

I am a great one for tackling problems head on. We must accept our lives have changed and prepare for the next phase, which we must try to make as much fun as possible.

Hearts  will ache at bedtime bit we still have our lives which are a gift to enjoy.

If you live in Varen or nearby and want for any reason to join the group no one wants to be in, then contact me to arrange having some fun.

Its a club  with no direction and no other aim than to make us happy.

Maybe we can discuss help we need with documents or jobs too difficult around the house.

So far I think I can  count on 5, not a bad start, and or course it will be a multi lingual group.

taglines82@gmail.com

Dogs are banned

Varen  frip takes a hard stand 

No more  dogs in the frip. 🦮

You know we love dogs at Mains Tendues, we all have one or two ourselves... but after a week end where 3 dogs lifted their legs copiously in the shop and the owners sneaked off without offering to clean up. We have a new rule now.

Dogs have to be tied up outside or if one of us is free we will hold their leads for you. 

We do not have washing facilities, although we do now have a smelly mop.

You brought it on yourselves you mutts.... I do mean the dogs.

Car wanted

Hi Val,

How are you doing? So hope all's well with you, often think of you, have you moved yet?

I have a request for tag

Please does anyone have an old car they no longer need, preferably English with French registration, anything considered.

Many thanks & lots of love to you Laura & Sid xxxxx

green.havard@gmail.com

Apero Concert, Verfeil

Mercredi 19 Fevrier, 19 h cafe de la halle 

Busy week end

This Valentine days week end and what a busy time we have had a Mains Tendues 82

We had a lovely visit from Sol handi à Verfeil. They are setting up two or three apartments for the handicapped people they help, for  them to learn to live independantly.

We are helping them for free to furnish their apartments.

Then we had a visit from representatives of Citrus Laguepie, who we gave a cheque for 1,000 euros to help them with their work of integrating young people from around the world and teaching them to work together.

Then we welcomed two new helpers to the team both elderly French ladies who are my neighbours in the village. Well done ladies.

A young refugee, one of my young men who has just got asylum came for bedding and he happily went away with arms full

We are only open 2 hours on Friday and three on Saturday but we fit a lot into those hours.

The bureau of Mains Tendues 82 with Citrus Laguepie 

Foire des Couturières

Restaurant for sale at Verfeil

An absolute bargain, you can live there, rent rooms and have a restaurant

Go for it whilst you can

Vide Maison

Vide Maison

Moya is having a vide maison on Sunday 1 March at Las Treilles, 81170 Itzac from 10am to 4pm. Her house is 1km up the hill from the centre of Itzac on the road to Vaour. There is a lot of great furniture for sale, including: 2 single beds (never used),  a UK king sized bed (150 x198, excellent condition), Parker Knoll sofa and two arm chairs and pine bedside cabinets as well as pictures, jewellery and you guessed it, more cookery books! The larger items can be bought in advance. Contact Moya on: graemoya@orange.fr for more information or to arrange a visit to see the furniture.

MOYA’S ITEMS FOR SALE ON OR BEFORE VIDE MAISON

Please contact Moya via: graemoya@orange.fr or telephone Graeme on: 06 04 08 81 12:

2 single beds with mattresses, unused, still in their wrappers. 190 x 90. 200 euros for the pair.

Single bed: integral headboard, pine frame. Mattress vgc, hardly used. 200 x 90. 60 euros.

UK King sized bed and mattress. Mattress vgc. 198 x 150. 120 euros.

Parker Knoll tapestry effect sofa and 2 chairs 350 euros.

Corner unit/vitrine in yew. 181h x41/45w top/bottom sections. 75 euros.

1 pair dark pine bedside cabinets. 50w x 48d x 68h. 70 euros

 

MOYA’S ITEMS FOR SALE ON OR BEFORE VIDE MAISON

2 single beds with mattresses, unused, still in their wrappersMOYA’S ITEMS FOR SALE ON OR BEFORE VIDE MAISON

2 single beds with mattresses, unused, still in their wrappers. 190 x 90. 200 euros for the pair.

Single bed: integral headboard, pine frame. Mattress vgc, hardly used. 200 x 90. 60 euros.

UK King sized bed and mattress. Mattress vgc. 198 x 150. 120 euros.

Parker Knoll tapestry effect sofa and 2 chairs 350 euros.

Corner unit/vitrine in yew. 181h x41/45w top/bottom sections. 75 euros.

1 pair dark pine bedside cabinets. 50w x 48d x 68h. 70 euros

 

La grotte du Bosc above St. Antonin

The grotte du Bosc is set to open again yet another place interesting to locals and tourists alike.

There is a report in the  Depeche

2020 Municipal Elections

The 2020 French municipal elections will be held on 15 and 22 March 2020 to renew the municipal councils of the approximately 35,000 French communes

Many of us who have lost our European citizenship will not be able to vote this year 

Changes afoot

Now you may all have heard about this, it must have been in the Depeche.

The Abbaye of Beaulieu is going to be made an important Museum in France.

Daniel Cadiac, not sure of the spelling of his surname even though he is a friend, was in the frip this morning. He is the leader of a team who for the last few years have organised expos at Beaulieu, absolutely splendid. All that is set to stop and for about a year the site will be closed as extensive works get underway.

It is envisaged to be a huge, well promoted museum expecting thousands of visitors to the area ( I mean thousands )

I felt sorry for Daniel but for others in the area of tourism ,this could be a great opportunity.

The villages close by Verfeil, Varen, Parisot, Caylus could all benefit.

Imagine the potential of easily filling your chambre d’hote and gite. Restaurants nearby must be rubbing their hands.

On that subject there is a restaurant for sale at Verfeil, the nearest village. Anyone with a bit of go could do well there.

These villages need to elect Maires who can see the potential of making their villages tourist villages, parking for motorhomes, villages fleuris, plenty of car parks.

Like it or not, tourist invasion in the summer is on its way.

Sadly we leave the E U today

Time for the book swap again

The book swap will be  10.30 on Monday 3rd February at the Gazpacho at St. Antonin

Helen Graham

I remain European

No longer eligible to vote

British citizens resident in France,  unless they already have dial dual citizenship,  will not be eligible to vote- Je suis ressortissant britannique, "pourrai-je voter aux prochaines élections européennes et municipales ?

A compter du retrait effectif du Royaume-Uni hors de l'Union européenne, les ressortissants britanniques résidant en France ne pourront plus participer à l'élection des représentants de la France au Parlement européen ni, non plus, aux élections municipales. La condition de nationalité (être ressortissant d’un Etat membre de l’Union européenne) prévue par l’article 2-1 de la loi du 7 juillet 1977 relative à l’élection des représentants au Parlement européen et l’article L.O. 227-1 pour les élections municipales ne sera en effet plus remplie et les ressortissants britanniques perdront donc leur droit de vote pour ces scrutins. 

Les ressortissants britanniques disposant également de la nationalité française ne sont de ce fait pas concernés par ce qui précède. Ils pourront voter aux élections européennes à condition d'être inscrits sur la liste électorale d'une commune en tant que citoyen français'