End of week one and the value of being a secret "prepper"

So as predicted, the UK has followed a similar path to Spain and France. First it was the schools, then it was pubs and restaurants and then people were sternly told to stay at home, only of course that didn't work. When the order came that everyone must stay at home, the decision was blamed on the actions of the people. It was in part true for those who continued to go out in the exact same way as before, but for those who work, the lack of clarity and uncertainty about jobs and money really placed them in an impossible position, torn between the request of the government and the demands of their employers.  However, it's always easier to blame and divide the people rather than take full responsibility, and that's what happened up until the announcement. Four days was all it took!

Here in France we are on the start of our second week of isolation. Everyone knows it is going to go on for much longer so I doubt we will even bother to listen to the announcement when it comes. Some things have apparently got stricter (because the people weren't behaving ). Leaving the house for personal exercise and  to walk dogs was an example of a situation where the regulations were unclear (if you design legislation in four days its never going to be perfect).  Now it has been clarified that you can only go out once a day for no more than an hour, on your own, and no more than a 1km radius of your home. Of course full compliance depends on enforcement. In areas where there are lots of people living close together then there are plenty of police with their measures and watches. Out here, where we barely see a tractor all day, we have yet to see the police. Many aspects of the rules don't really make sense from the point of view of the spread of the virus, but they do from the point of view of enforcement. Strict and simple rules are easier for the police to enforce.

Anyway, back to the end of our first week. We've been cracking on through the jobs. Gardening, cleaning, cooking. The weather has been lovely with not a spot of rain since the start. The grass continues to grow and we have had plenty of time to cut it! Ian is reorganising the soil in the garden so that we can install our fencing. We are hoping that at some point we can find somewhere to buy the materials so that we can at least finish that job. In the meantime, the dogs have decided to help us by digging in the garden .

Unlike the UK there hasn't been too much problem with panic buying here. For a few days the shelves were a bit sparse, but once people had to limit their shopping it settled down a bit and most of the stores have had adequate supplies. However it hasn't been a particular problem for us, because ever since we moved here, to the middle of nowhere, I have become a secret "prepper". First it was the tea... Yes you can buy it in France but it is expensive and so much more sense to bring it in bulk when we are in the UK.  As you can see our supplies are ample and should last a while and see us through at least some of the apocalypse. Then there is the wine. I usually stock up when there are offers, or when we visit various places. We must have at least enough to last a year, which is good, because in some areas they are starting to ban the sale of alcohol! I also have three crates of beer for Ian that I bought when it was on offer, so we won't be having a dry apocalypse.





And then there is the general supply of non perishables. Homemade jams, beans, tomatoes etc. I just make sure I have one or two extra in stock just in case!  I also have 23 remaining tins from a case of Heinz spaghetti that we brought with us when we moved over 10 years ago. I don't know why we bought them in the first place really, but I have a feeling that if we don't eat them soon then we might have to admit that we never will.

Add into that a full freezer and cupboard, and I don't think we will be hungry.

I am sending Ian out to do the shopping for fresh stuff tomorrow. I might ask him to get a few extra tins!