Lockdown - Week Five Recap!

We find ourselves in a pretty good routine, after five full weeks of lockdown!  We stay busy, with doing less.  The weeks are going by quickly, even if at times the days don't seem to be.  It is hard to believe we have been at this since March 17!

There is not much new to report.  School, working out, meals, sleep, repeat.  So let's see how that translates into pictures this week.  

A few school photos:

Will finished cursive this week!  

Will working on his rainforest research project.

Weekly science lesson with Aunt Judy!  This week Edy and Will
shared their classifications of the Paris Metro trains. 

The attendees.

Edy and Will's presentation.

After weeks of research, the kids purchased their first stocks. 

Edy and Will now have "Tic-Tok" lunches, where they watch videos.  
I am calling it educational, because they make their own lunches.

A few photos from the neighborhood:

Even the Starbucks is closed!

A new church I found on one of my walks.  

Waiting in anticipation.

A heart in the sidewalk.

On one of my walks, I found this section of the Seine where many houseboats reside.  

Just beautiful!

Our neighborhood church.  

A few photos of us exercising:  

Trying out two scooters.

Staying in shape with Ring the Bell workouts.  

Playing tennis and soccer at Parc de Princes.

Bikes just waiting to be riden.

A few photos of just random things:  

This pen is a lifesaver!  It is erasable so we can use the same attestation paper
every day.  We just erase the date and time and rewrite the new.  This has saved us from printing off so many pages of paper. 

New week, new nail color.

Will discovered he loves artichokes!  He especially loves dipping the leaves in butter.

Special delivery to the G20 grocery store - toilet paper...

...and beer!

Here is an example of the police stopping to check cars and pedestrians.  

Here the police are speeding along the Seine River.

I passed this building the other day.  

France still plans to start opening up May 11.  I appreciate how deliberate and cautious the government is being about opening the country back up.  In everything they say, it is always stated as a "plan," warning that things could change.  

The plan is to begin opening up schools and small businesses first.  In regards to schools, the students will resume in three groups.  The week of May 11, they will start with 5-6 year olds, 6-7 year olds, and 10-11 year olds.  This is basically allowing one grade level per school to return.  Think of it as returning one preschool grade, one elementary grade, and one middle school grade.  The week of May 18, they will return the 11-12 year olds, 14-15 year olds, and the high schoolers in their second and third year.  Finally the week of May 25, all the remaining students will return to school.  This will continue until summer break in early July.

On May 11, we will be able to resume exercise as before.  This means we can run at all hours and we will no longer be restricted to just our neighborhood.  Gyms and athletic centers will not open until June 15.  In August and September, they will resume sporting events with crowds.  

Cafes, restaurants, museums, and movie theaters will remain closed for awhile longer.  I don't know their proposed opening date at this point.  

We will be allowed to travel again by Metro and bus, as long as we wear masks.  The transit authority is making sure there is hand sanitizer on board and at stations.  

It remains exciting to think of things opening back up again, albeit slowly.  Already, I am seeing dry cleaners and florists allowing one or two people in at a time.  I even saw the tailor across the street working for the first time in five weeks.  

We continue to be reminded of the many blessings we do have during this time of uncertainty.  Even on the days we feel cramped and frustrated, we feel blessed that we are all together, healthy and safe. Each of us is getting something out of this that we otherwise would have missed, whether it be in books read, movies watched, friendships deepened, new streets explored, new sports understood, or conversations had - there is joy in these spaces.  We know we are lucky.  

Take care,

Betsy