Lockdown Part Deux

Lockdown Part Deux

When I last left you I promised you an update re my driving licence.  Well I am very happy to tell you that after 2 years and 6 weeks, endless emails, phone calls and letters as well as completing the same form more times than I care to remember I finally received my driving licence!!!!  A huge relief after driving without one for the best part of a year as my temporary one had run out and no chance of it being renewed – eek.

Things were starting to look up but you know how it goes, just as you feel you are getting on with stuff, the universe decides you need a bit more testing.  So yes I’ve had a bit of a run of bad luck.

First up I had my workbag stolen.  Builder Dave was on a roof, I was footing the ladder and the van no more than 2 meters away and we could see it at all times.  All the back of the van was open not a single thing taken, just my bag from the cab of the van.  My purse, car keys, my glasses, which sadly as time is going by I am having to admit to needing to wear a lot more often, an aspect of getting older I am really not enjoying.  But I digress, also stolen was my mobile, and various work bits like safety glasses, head torch, and all those other essential things I carry around.  I searched all the bins in the area just in case it had been dumped but no joy.

Came home and cancelled all my cards and received new ones within the week so not so bad.  I nearly fell over at the cost of a new set of car keys – €300!  And as my glasses cost almost €500 I will make do with my spare pair for the winter and wait til my health insurance kicks in next year before I replace them.

Well imagine my surprise when I went to the police station to get a crime number to be told they were too busy and I’d have to make an appointment to come back 3 days later!!!  When I did go back at my allotted time I was told I couldn’t report it there, as I didn’t live there!  They did at least make me an appointment at the right police station for that afternoon.  Between my French and Google translate we completed the form that no doubt will be filed away for evermore.  

But there was some good news.  About a week later I got a call from one of the supermarkets to say they had found my purse in the car park.  When I went to collect it was a relief to see everything in it with the exception of the cash which was only about €30 anyway.

And so onto the menagerie.  First up was Luna’s behavior, although completely adorable and when she is good I couldn’t ask for a better dog, became unbearable.  Mostly due to lockdown she is very nervous when we go outside and so completely overreacts to people she doesn’t know, and anything with a wheel and as she is now coming in at 25kgs she is a big dog to hold onto, that coupled with her constant biting of me it was touch and go if she was going to stay with me.  In desperation, I contacted a behaviorist for advice and have been doing lots of work with Luna to get her to calm down.  Although lockdown has meant we haven’t actually met up more than once so far I am pleased to say that Luna is improving hugely and as much as she has been a total nightmare I am very grateful that I’ve had her with me throughout all this nonsense we are living through.  Right now as I type she is curled up asleep at my feet in her bed.

Sadly my adorable boy Merlot who has been loyally by my side for just over 17 years decided he’d had enough and it was time for him to say goodbye.  He had been failing since the beginning of the year but very rapidly went downhill over a weekend.  It was time to book the vets and as I carried him down to the car to go he died in my arms. I’m glad he went that way and I didn’t have to make any decisions but goodness me I miss him, as do Malbec and Luna in their own ways.

Not to be outdone in the attention stakes, a few weeks before Merlot died, Malbec went missing for a week.  I’d just resigned myself to her not coming back when she appeared exactly one week later so clearly had got herself locked in somewhere. But she hadn’t finished there, oh no siree Bob she hadn’t.

Last Saturday I had popped round to Builder Dave Junior’s (he’s just started living in a house round the corner from me) for a quick glass of wine to celebrate him moving.  Well having got there at 6pm thinking I won’t be long, still need dinner, not eaten much, imagine my surprise that I got home just after midnight!!    At 5am I hear Malbec come in and can hear what I think is her eating something.  I wake up and am faced with a cat that is covered in dirty engine oil and black footprints all over the bed sheets I’d just changed that afternoon.  Tried to wipe her down but became obvious more was needed – she is a black cat so it’s quite hard to see!  She then ran off but not before she’d been into another bedroom and left black footprints in there too. I scooped her up and got in the shower.  30 minutes of soaping, rinsing, repeat I stop and then clean myself up as I’m now covered in black oil.  I wrap her up and take her to bed to dry out and warm up.  I wake up a few hours later and notice I am still covered in black streaks so cue another shower.  Not feeling my best I continue to clean up; trails of black footprints everywhere, strip all the beds and start washing again.   

Lastly a bit of good news, a couple of weeks ago a little kitten started following me around at work, and out of all 4 of us chose my lap to curl up on for a sleep at lunchtime.  Slept in my jumper all afternoon and even though I had absolutely no intention of any more pets until Luna was older, the soft sucker that I am he came home with me.  He and Luna do surprisingly get on but she just gets a bit carried away when she is playing. He too is now curled up next to me asleep and likes to sit on my shoulder most of the time he is awake.  And his name? Well I thought I’d carry on with the wine theme and as he is white (I know!) he is called Chablis.

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It really was no surprise that we found ourselves back in lockdown but this one was 2 days before my birthday.  Not one for really wanting to acknowledge birthdays I was very happy that Builder Dave’s wife came to the rescue and arranged for me to have dinner with them.  So I had a very nice day of yoga, long walks in the glorious sunshine we have been enjoying until just this week, and a raclette in the evening with Builder Dave, Builder Dave’s wife and Builder Dave Junior.

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I accept that under the strict rules of lockdown we should not be in each others house’s but quite honestly if I am allowed to work with them all day why can I not see them for one evening.   I have, of course, had to cancel all my face-to-face yoga teaching again and have no hope of that starting until at least the New Year. Although our lockdown has apparently been eased, all it means in reality is that all the shops are now open.  Bars and restaurants will be closed until at least 20^thJanuary and we still have to carry our papers with us justifying why we are out until next weekend.  After that we don’t need papers but will be in a curfew from 9pm through to 7am.  So no, things are not really any better, in fact they are worse.

There’s not much work been done on my house recently; lockdown and other work has taken priority.  But I have found a bit of time to do some painting.

Not being one for Christmas most years; mostly I prefer to just hide until it’s all over I have decided that this year is different.  It’s go big or go home; the tree is already up, other decs that normally never see the light of day are out and up.  Crates of wine (essential) have been ordered along with pineau, the freezer contents are being eaten up ready to fill with treats and goodies, the firestick is fired up and the Christmas cake (my first ever) has been made.  Well I draw the line at cooking a full on Christmas lunch (never in my life have I ever cooked one and I see no reason to change that, there is a limit after all) and will have my own vegetarian option.

I look forward to new year with as much excitement as I do Christmas (i.e. none) but this year I may well stay up just to make sure 2020 does actually sod off!!!!

And on that note I wish you all a very merry Christmas and hope that you do get to spend it with loved ones and a very happy new year to you all.  

Sending lots of love and virtual hugs to you all