Week six. Starting on Tuesday this week we were supposed to host a young boy from Berlin, Théo. My son’s dedicated and wonderful German teacher has established an exchange programme between his school and a school in Berlin. The French kids were scheduled to travel to Berlin on 10 March for a week and their correspondent students were expected in Paris on 21 April for a week. When the French part of the exchange was cancelled two weeks before the lockdown, we felt the decision was unfair, even exaggerated. We still hoped that the German part would go on and then the French would go to Berlin in the autumn. Little did we know. It is all irrelevant now, we don’t even mention it. I remember it, because I wrote the date in my calendar.

The weather is playing all its charm. In the morning, I first check if the sun is still out there. Such a relief, it still is. We have the most beautiful morning light in the dining room aka open space of our home office. Sometimes I have difficulties concentrating on my work, as I follow the light rays traveling in the room. When they hit my back and neck, I almost feel like taking cover. The light and heat are so strong, and we are only in April.

Days go by so quickly, I still have not even started all the projects I wanted to accomplish during the lockdown. I enrolled in an online photo class with Deb Schwedhelm called Project Development and Fine Art. I’m an alumni in the class, I’m no longer counting how many times I have taken this class, Deb is wonderful, a great artist with a perceptive eye and open and honest guidance on one’s work. Feeling so good.

We are starting to be less strict about the confinement. Still following the safety instructions to the letter, but now my husband and son go out for a walk. For the time being, it has only been once a week, but we’ll see, maybe a bit more often next week. In addition to my shopping day / one-hour-outing on Friday, I took my first photowalk on Saturday, just turning around the neighbourhood. So strange to see the streets empty. And feeling so guilty being out there, even if it is allowed and I’m wearing a mask and following the social distancing instructions.

Monday was my husband’s anniversary. Rather light present wise, but we spent a good moment together. Recklessly, I went out again to buy a cake. Cherry on the cake was the neighbours who first clapped the health care staff at 8 pm as we always do, and then sang and applauded for his birthday. Life is good.