Lockdown Life Day 12 - We're apparently stock piling parsley

This week's grocery delivery came OK, just one mixup with milk - but that was the fault of the orderer, not through lack of stock (although we can no longer get Dia own brand milk, haven't been able to do so for the last couple of weeks).

Day to day life hasn't changed, but I guess it won't. And other than not being able to go to pick asparagus, it's not really any different to life pre-lockdown.

Farmers are using their tractors to disinfect the streets, but given we're not allowed out, we don't really see this.

So, it transpires we are now stockpiling parsley - therefore, should there ever be a world shortage - we will be well placed! We buy little packets of dried parsley and other dried herbs, and we probably use more of these than many people as we cook everything from scratch (because of the lack of vegetarian food options - even most packet soups have meat or fish in them) so we decided to buy a kilo of parsley, oregano etc. I guess it shouldn't have been a surprise when these great bags arrived, but even so, I don't think I was prepared for how much size in volume a kilo or parsley would be!

We've also started running again! A few years ago we did the NHS 'Couch to 5k' running program, which was excellent and got us both regularly running (or perhaps more accurately, for me, slow jogging). So Ian had a suggestion we do the program again, but this time in the backyard.

So we used the GPS on the phone to track the run - and this is what it looked like! Lots of running back and forth. We take Daisy with us, and the first day she happily ran up and down with us, but yesterday I think she caught on to what we were doing and decided it was a futile activity, so she just sat in the middle barking encouragements as we passed her!

Lockdown Life - Day 10

So, it looks as though the state of alarm (Spanish state of emergency) will continue for another two weeks past the first two weeks, which I imagine will be the first of many extensions.

We have just had notification that people are not permitted to come from other regions, and if they do, they have to stay in and not leave the house for any reason for 15 days. Lots of families have people in other regions which are worse hit - and of course - they are wanting to return here.

Ian took Bobbins to the vet yesterday and on the way back he had to show identification and proof of his visit. The fact Bobbins had two great scars down the back of her legs helped - but he did have the vet bill which was all the proof they needed.

Bobbin's staples were removed yesterday and I think everyone was pleased that the scars had healed so well. Pleased, and perhaps a little surprised, as they were very big scars and it is difficult to keep it clean. I think we were probably helped that she can't bend round to her rear end anyway, so even though she's wearing a cone, she wouldn't be knocking the wounds with her cone - and she's quite a sedentary dog, so she wasn't running round falling into disgusting things.

The tumour has been analysed and it is a 'grade one', which means that is may come back or it may not, but it hasn't spread to organs or other places on her body. So that was good.

After last week's success with shopping, we'll be placing our online order again today and see what happens.  I haven't heard of any major problems.

Shops are currently allowed to open on a Sunday to reduce congestion during the week - so that's helpful.

We've had a rainy few days, which has been good for people staying inside. Think we're moving towards a fine sunny spell, which might make things a bit different!

Lockdown Life - Day 6

Our food order arrived completely fulfilled yesterday, including toilet paper and all the staples - so that's good. Long may it continue!

The latest in the village is that the entrances to all the buildings currently open (shops, post office, bank etc) will be disinfected periodically. Ian saw a lady in the street this morning wearing a mask - I've offered to knit him one, but he's surprisingly declined.

There are instances of the virus here, but nowhere near like the density of Madrid - as you'd expect. In fact, one of the very first known cases in Spain was in Llerena, but prompt action on behalf of the lad concerned and the health service seem to have stopped it spreading or becoming an hot-spot.

We've had a yellow warning for rain yesterday and today, so that will help people feel more content about staying in - but although it rained heavily overnight, we woke up to sunshine.

It is undoubtedly quieter. We're not hearing people out in the street or cars going by. I did hear the whistle of the knife sharpener earlier this week, but not since.

Bobbins continues to improve and is now doesn't seem uncomfortable with the staples in her leg, although Sam is very frail again after his last seizure. He's sleeping soundly currently, which is a good thing. Hopefully he'll bounce back but we're prepared for him not to.

Lockdown Life Day 5 - What a Difference a Week Makes

So, today is the fifth day of being 'closed' as the Spanish translation for locked down and how life has changed!

I asked my Madrid students what the atmosphere was like there, and they said it feels a bit weird as the streets are so quiet, but there's a problem with younger people ignoring the rules. The police have started giving fines - and I do wonder if it will get even stricter there. Hotels have been turned into hospitals and I believe that the military are being drafted in to help.

Cristina, the girl student, says her family are worried about her grandmother, who, at nearly 100 and who lives independently elsewhere in Madrid, will insist on going to the church to check on the priest as make sure he's OK because there are no services!

They have both said it's really difficult to get a feel for how things are as everyone is in their homes. They said there is bulk buying going on, but not like they've seen on the news is happening elsewhere.

The male student is from here, but has been living in Madrid for many years. His family have told him not to return to the village!

Here, it seems quiet and the mayor sends out regular broadcasts keeping us informed of things.

Ian said he saw a policeman patrolling the street this morning (and not one of our local ones) when he took the rubbish out - so that was quite sobering.

We've actually been unclear about the rules for going out - and it transpires that only one person should go out at a time, but we can walk the dogs, so I assume Ian and I can walk them together, just not with other people. It seems that unlike other countries, Spain is not counting exercise as an allowable activity for going out of the house.

People have been told to limit their internet usage - because with everyone at home and watching Netflix and other streaming services, the Internet is likely to be put under pressure.

We did push our luck earlier this week and take Daisy out for a walk and went asparagus picking. But the mayor sent a reminder out yesterday reminding everyone that they are to stay home unless they absolutely have to go out and dog walking is to be kept at a minimum. So, I guess that's that for now, but we may find asparagus if we resume our morning walks. Luckily, we can go for a walk easily without needing the car and we can avoid other people - but we'll see how things transpire.

There are all sorts of rules about supermarkets, but we've been getting our food delivered over the last few weeks anyway, before all this started, and will continue to do so while we can. Last week we couldn't get tinned tomatoes in the size we normally buy, and this week's delivery arrives today - so hopefully it will all be there. I haven't heard of widespread unavailability of items.

It's also one person per car - we've rarely been using the car anyway, other than for vet visits so that won't really affect us. But it does mean that any vet visits are going to have to be a one person trip. I am sure we could argue that it was necessary for the two of us to be there - but I'd rather not be in that position.

If this continues any length of time the main concern is going to be money, but we certainly won't be unique here - I can no longer do classes, although I will continue to do some via Skype. But our Internet connection isn't great and keeps dropping, so it's not the best experience for students.  And our printables site, which has been bringing in the most money in revenue from advertising has taken a severe downwards dip this week - not surprisingly given that the vast amount of our traffic is from teachers for classroom printables and parents for party printables.

And, of course, we will lose the tenants in the flat, as they are instructors at the outdoor educational center in Alston, and the shop tenant, who was going to renew for another year is not renewing her lease. We had already made our minds up to sell it - and will continue down that route - without expecting anyone to buy it this year. We'll probably be lucky to get 100k for it, so we're both hoping that some rich person in London will want to buy a getaway home to, well, get away from it all.

Happily, though, we've been here before and we have lots of experience of making money online, so we just need to pivot and find some new opportunities. Ian is currently making a website showing people all they need to run a business from home and which will help them make a business plan, so that should be well timed.

Our key concern is that we can continue to look after our four legged household (and Ludvig). We did stock up on their food and it does appear that animal welfare is allowed for in the lockdown rules. Animal feed stores and vets are still allowed to open.

Bobbins had a swelling on her front leg yesterday, but we were able to take photos to show the vet who said it was in the site of where they had given her drip and it would go - and it did.

She spent the first 48 hours unable to sit down because of the big wounds from the surgery, but she has now find how she can make herself comfortable and is currently snoring loudly.

Worryingly, Sam has started having seizures again. They've been light and he's come round quick, but we had said we wouldn't let him go through another seizure cluster.

And to think, my key concern 10 days ago was whether I was too old to wear sparkly eye shadow!

Bobbins goes to the vet

Bobbins went to the vet yesterday to have a tumour removed from her leg. She came back with two pretty large wounds, both stapled. The biggest is down the rear flank of her leg, and I think must be uncomfortable, she hasn't been able to sit or lie down since she's been back.

They obviously had to cut a lot away and appear to have done a thorough job, but it is quite apparent that this was a tumour and not a fatty lump. So we just have to wait now to find out whether it was malignant.

Ian took Bobbins on his own as we weren't sure what it would be like travelling, and also weren't sure whether more than one person is allowed in a car or whether the rule about one-per-car actually referred to households - however he said it was much like driving on a Sunday. The vets were all masked, but other than that it was much like business as normal.

Lockdown Life

So, today we start life in lockdown Spain. I don't think we'll notice much difference. Our biggest concern is that Bobbins is due an op on her leg tomorrow to remove a tumour, however vets are staying open and we are able to drive there.

The rules seem pretty common sense and are clear about things like people can take dogs for a walk and go to the food shops - but must distance themselves from others. Bars and restaurants are allowed to do home deliveries but are closed for customers eating in. Hairdressers are allowed to do home visits - this is because they are being asked to check on vulnerable people who they may be visiting.

I'm not sure about how driving to pick asparagus fits into things, but I can't imagine we'll have much of a problem. We'll see....

daisy after a morning in the olive groves

Here's daisy after going asparagus picking with us this morning. I think she enjoyed it!

Ian is a what...

Here is Ludvig practicing 'Ian is a pigeon'

Turned native

I took the rubbish out earlier this week and it was only later that I realized I had taken the rubbish out wearing my pyjamas.

I remember when we moved here, one of the things we used to smile at was how people wore their dressing gowns, pyjamas and sleep related attire while running short errands. How odd it seemed to us at the time!

So, the fact we have joined the pyjama wearing hoards must mean we have truly turned native!