This is a fairly rushed idea of the week with an eased up lockdown. I had planned to take some time with it but then the radio show happened. So much for sunbathing and writing a blog post.
Saturday 11 April – Friday 17 April.
I just this second got back from doing my Baking Bad with the Cookie Queen live radio show. It was planned that I return on the 1st of May, but they called today and asked if I wanted to do a two hour show tonight. I had nothing prepared but said yes anyway. So excited to go back. A little bit of normality. I have the playlists from the last ten show so just picked a few tunes from them. Apart from disinfectant bottles in every corner, and wiping down the equipment before and after the show, it was pretty much the same.
Easter was nice. We went to my in-laws after four weeks of isolation. We had a socially distanced schnitzel in the garden, and only stayed a couple of hours. Was a really hot day which made hanging out on the lawn, with them in their garden house ideal.
Tuesday saw the reopening of all the shops under 400 square meters, all garden centers, and the hardware and building supplies stores. This included our shop. In case someone is reading this who does not know – we have a bike and cookie shop. My husband was and is absolutely snowed under. Manic. So much work. It has gone crazy. High season overnight, There is usually bit of a build up around before Easter, but it was shut then. I made some cookies for some of the stores I supply, and delivered them myself, for them to give away to their order-and-pick up customers. The restaurants and hotels will not reopen until at least the middle of May, so we all do what we can to support each other.
We have to wear masks in all the stores now and also make sure our customers are wearing them too. Everyone is just doing it though. And you could feel a lightening up in the air with the change in the lockdown. Social distancing will go on for months obviously. There will be no large events until the 31st of August, if then. I cannot imagine summer here without all their different fireworks and fests and ……. but I know that is gonna be the scene for all of us, wherever we are.
Not much else to report really. Bumbling along in this new reality. I did have one morning where I burst into tears in the shower. Not that it helped much! I should know to have coffee beforehand. I washed and ironed our cotton facemasks and no way in a million years would I ever have imagined I would be doing something like that. And yet here we are.
If you feel so inclined update us here at ABR as to how your lockdowns are going. I know I have an easier time than many others. Don’t get me wrong, it has been the strangest of months, and my old life seems like a dream, but it has not been hard, not really. You wanna know what really stresses me, big time? The USA government and the lockdown stories there. I have had to stop looking at it, as it makes me so upset and so angry.
(Easing up) Lockdown Perfumes of the Week.
Malle – Rose & Cuir. Lutens – Un Lys. Jorum Studios – Trimerous. Hermès – Galop. Neela Vermeire – Mohur. Chanel – Bois de Iles Parfum.
I have to go to bed. I nearly had a normal day.
“Those who feel the breath of sadness, sit down next to me, those who find they’re touched by madness, sit down next to me, those who find themselves ridiculous, sit down next to me, in love, in fear, in hate, in tears ….” SIT DOWN. JAMES. 1989.
CQ.
A Bottled Rose 
Hey there Val,
YAY for your life getting a BIT back to regular viewing.
Down here Jin is still working at about 70%, I’m off but decided to do a LIVE Turbo Trivia at 7pm OzEST on Sunday evening here from the FB page. It won’t be interactive, Me asking 20 Q&A and a couple of games. Hopefully it will be a mildly entertaining thing to do for people in isolation.
LA: 2am/ NYC: 5am/ London: 10am/ Austria: 11am Sunday
Wearing a bunch of stuff frag wise. Trying to empty some decants still. Today’s thunk was CdG Blackpepper 20+ sprays and now empty! Happy and VERY fragrant day.
Hugs,
Portia xx
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I will try and watch that. Cool. 🙌🏽
I can smell you from here, which just about gives that horrible CdG time to calm down.
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HA! It’s surprisingly flat, I was expecting super dooper fireworks. It was only huge for about 20 minutes before softening to comfortable.
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I did not know you had a show! How cool, and I love the title. It sounds like life is going in a similar vein where you are to where we live. I was struck by your last sentences on the USA and both sad to read this, but also sort of confirms what many of us feel and think. I’m from California, and we are really thankful to have our governor, Gavin Newsom. The “leadership” at the Federal level sinks to new lows every day. Keep us in your thoughts.
It has been a strange time. Time itself goes by quickly–or not at all, like a child’s summer time, but filled with vague fears, uncertainties, shadows. It has given me time for reflection, tears, plans for the future, more goals, lots of sleep, lots and lots of sleep–a surfeit, too much food, and days spent more attentively enjoying the leaf and bud of spring, shattered by numbers of deaths. I haven’t worn a lot of special scents. I think I’m just trying to pare down. I splashed on a ton of Atelier Cologne Tuberosa today more in an effort to empty the travel bottle than from fondness.
One bright part of our daily lives: the color of the sky, the cerulean. In Cali we have not had blue skies in decades. They are usually a pale grey-blue cornflowerish hue. Now it’s a vivid backdrop to days with no clouds and few airplanes. I wonder if we will act on the link between this pandemic and the environment.
Cheers and good health to all.
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Hi Shiva-woman! You can tune into the show livestream if you are ever so inclined. First and third Friday of each month. 6 to 8 CET. That would be 09.00 am for you. Although on saying that I think because of social distancing the show will be cut down to and hour, not sure yet. Things are not quite running to the old schedule. Ha! I mean, who is? I have been following California, and you have an awesome governor. The while way the State has dealt with it. I was generalizing and not picking on anyone or anything. He is a Democrat. I need say no more. I have family in California, even if they are a bunch of rednecks! Time has changed hasn’t it? The way it goes by. The slowing down is good, my food tastes better, people on the street and in the shops are so nice, our customers are so supportive and accommodating. And you are my thoughts. The US is a wonderful country and has always been great, and this is just heartbreaking on so many levels. And since I am half American I feel I have the right to bitch about it all!!
I have never felt the need to empty anything, hahahahaha. I wear perfume every day, as I have said before, but have been giving airtime to some of the less used ones. AND I have total lemming. This for me is a very rare thing, and you are the first to see it in writing.. Fanfare. It is L’Artisan Couleur Vanille. I even went to Linz last week to try it, but it had not been delivered yet. Soon.
The sky sounds exquisite. Nature is having time to draw its breath. I step out onto my balcony many times during the day, just to look and to smell.
You too – look after yourself and keep in touch. Big hugs.
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I am sure we all read Typo- 😉
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Washing a face mask would be enough to make me cry too. Says everything about how our lives have changed.
Your show was fantastic and actually one of your best.
I really am worried for people in the States.
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I did not cry about washing the facemask. It was just everything, for a moment. How fast life can change. Was a fun show and so great to have you listening. ❤ Yeah, the States is gonna be an interesting one for sure. xxx
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Only 2C with a high of 10 today, so definitely not sunbathing (except the dog lounging on the windowsill next to me). Days are long and boring. Despite having all the time in the world, I have no desire to do anything productive, but will try again today. I loathe the thought of wearing a mask, fortunately it’s not required here right now. Wearing lots of lovely perfumes and dreaming of better days to come. All our festivals are cancelled, the only thing I’m still hoping for is possibly the national parks reopening by late July so we can go camping. This is basically a lost year, a big gaping black hole. I feel sad and angry at the same time. Hopefully when it’s all over I will look back and think it wasn’t so bad but I’m not feeling it right now.
So glad to hear you & Chris are somewhat back up & running. May it happen here soon too.
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That is bloody chilly. It is hard to make yourself do things you don’t wanna do, especially if you don’t have to. Not a soul here wants to wear a facemask, but much better that we all do and see the gradual opening of society again. They are also opening some of the museums, but I am not sure when and I cannot find it, just looking online. Hmmmmm. I cannot see why they would not open the parks huh? I mean social distancing is easy in a huge space.
Definitely turning int a strange year.
Running but only half way up! I hope that the middle of May sees the cookies go back to some sort of normal, and will update here when they announcedany kind solid decision on how they will reopen the restaurants and hotels etc.
Keep wearing your tons of perfume I love every drop that I wear and it brightens each day. As I keep saying, I know I have an easier time with the lockdown here. So far. May your weather improve soon, and allow you to lie in the sun and inhale the Vitamin D. Lots of love Tara. ❤ xxxxx
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Luckily able to work from home in swamp for now, public library closed to patrons Mar 18, but plenty of work to do that doesn’t show, first in library, now from home. Florida beaches are starting to reopen, but our county’s COVID still on rise. Hoping for rain as we are dry & crispy & 90F multiple days. Scentwise, picking gardenias from blooming bush & floating in bowl of water to scent cabin. On body, Attar Bazaar Egyptian Sandalwood is soft & comforting. Stay safe & best wishes to all.
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I am in The States. I have stayed home since March 20 with no contact other than a doctor’s appointment and taking care of my horse at the barn. I wear a mask in the doctor. Most are not listening, going out to congregate in parks, being entitled, not wearing masks or being safe. Supposedly, they are lifting the lockdown on May 1 and we probably all will be forced back to work in close quarters together in open office environments. I pray that if I get called back I am allowed to work from home but my company just let people work from home a week ago. They didn’t listen and made everyone come in. I had refused. Then 60 of us were laid off. So many are unemployed. We have no public healthcare; so, out of your little unemployment check you are supposed to spend $500-1000 on medical insurance and go deeper into debt. This system is so broken.
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Hellllooo Gina! Weekend again huh? Nice to see you. Yes, it is shocking in the US, and I hope that something good comes out of this, how do you even start to change things in such an enormous country? I have driven back and forth across it four times, and unless you have actually been there it is hard to grasp exactly how big the damn place is. Is there a chance of you being called back in? Didn’t they lay you off or was that a temporary thing? 60??? Sheesh. Taking care of your horse must provide solace, but feeding him/her probably takes a fair whack out of your money.
Hope you still find joy in fragrance. Have a good week. ❤
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They said it is temporary layoff, but the economy and company took a huge hit. I am sure they won’t be able to afford to bring us all back. Time will tell. Yes, the horse is about $500-600/month alone. And my cat just had surgery. We just are all crawling in a deep debt hole. I am enjoying many things: sleep, no schedule, more barn time, streaming shows, reading, movies, chatting with friends. Some things are more important than money!
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My week was almost normal with probably one distinction that I made an effort to work slightly less. And on Friday we took a day off (both my vSO and I were just too exhausted and stressed by the work, that we felt we needed a longer than a 2 day weekend) and went for a 3 hour walk on empty streets of the nearby towns (it’s allowed). We even got a take out coffee from a newly opened coffee shop.
Today and tomorrow will be some home work (now, in addition to my regular work and other chores, we have to do house cleaning – after paying our cleaning lady anyway since she’s completely off work these days), and on Monday it’ll be back to the “regular” 9 hours work day, which, luckily, doesn’t leave much time to reflect on what’s happening or being bored.
I’m glad your life is moving back into the right direction: it gives us some hope.
Everybody, stay safe (and sane)!
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Hi there Undina! I think asking us to stay sane is maybe pushing it a bit? 😉
It is good that you and vSO took a break. This pandemic has changed all of our lives and we need to allow time to adjust. A take out coffee? How luxurious is that? It is incredible that you are still working nine hours a day, I dunno if that is great or too much under the circumstances, Please take a three day weekend every week. Oh! I forgot to say in my post, last Sunday things got so bad that we cleaned the windows! Just managed before having to reopen the shop. Gotta laugh. However much free time one has – doing stuff you hate sucks. Procrastination is a b****.
Thanks – I hope it continues to move in a good direction and you guys too. xxxx
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I really enjoyed your show too, and thought you did great considering the short notice aspect to it. And you managed to file your blog post on time. I think I may be the only blogger who has nothing even approximating to a schedule, haha. Your ‘socially distanced schnitzel’ still makes me smile. Also the fact that you are ironing a face mask, of all bizarre things! How times have changed…
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Hey V! Sorry I missed this. WP used to inform me by email if someone said something, but I guess it too ha gone into some sort of lockdown because it does not do that any more. I was very tight to dealing with this blog, and will not be doing that gain in a hurry. At least I have time to prepare for the next show. I am still ironing facemasks. Bizarre indeed. I doubt that even TMS would have come up with a line like that! ❤
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