@Steve Angus, where did it say you have to take passport out as well as attestation? Or are you just being cautious?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Pirate42 It is nice weather indeed! And well done for doing your bit... yes the 'tonic' aspect is symbiotic for me to... nice release for me!
LindsI intend to do so yes on both counts
andy1234 - doesn't say it anywhere really but its more of the 'thing' in Europe to have a 'carte d'idenity' - in the same way in Europe you HAVE to carry your driving license on you you can't produce down the line like the in UK - having passport on you makes it easier for the police if they want to speak to you and I think the less time spent with me, if they wanted to ask me questions the better - they could go onto other things if needed!
Day 4
I think its the repetitive nature of the days and the fact that you can't really switch off is the hard bit - the kids dont know what day of the week it is and whilst we could park Olivia in front of the tv for hours at a time we can't with Ben therefore have to constantly be 'on it'
However having said that it was another OK day!
The highlight of my day was three things... I had a brainwave - teach Olivia about the Trojan horse so a few video clips and telling her the story and then we decided to build our own trojan horse! It was quite a fun hour or two! We then called my half sister and spent a long while skype'ing her and catching up with her. She lives alone so should be OK and is quite used to being on her own so is getting ready for it as a formality!
The other thing I am enjoying doing is taking Olivia on a walk to the Le Cret U/G parking (which is deserted but open as you can imagine) and there is a sign in there and Olivia and I have a game of throwing the ball for points depending on what part of the sign you hit. It sounds mundane but its great to get up there and run about without a care in the world for a little while! Her catching and throwing is really improving now!
We also all enjoyed a family meal together of fajitas!
Egg update: Still 77 BUT I am having eggs on toast for breakfast and then everyone bar me is having an omelette for lunch! So we should be into the 60's by tomorrow evening. The fridge is still full thankfully!
On the local front I now have a friend who lives down the valley who confirms her best friend has contracted it and diagnosed!!! Its getting closer! Arghh. Furthermore the police are clamping down on people being out and about and in number or not... day by day they are getting stricter... so now we are not allowed to go more than a km from home and no cycling etc!
Anyway as the numbers and deaths etc stack up it is getting more and more intense. Stay safe everyone.
TTFN
It was a lot colder today and we even had some frozen puddles this morning - but the clouds and chill sorted itself out by lunchtime and it turned into a very warm afternoon in the end. Should have put the washing outside in the end shouldn't I!
Spot the ducks!
My wives photo of the kids working this am... about the only time the two of them sat at the same time in the same place since..... ever!
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quote:
The lovely weather outside must be making things even harder.
Looks jolly cold in that last photo. Brrr..
After all it is free
After all it is free
Thanks, @Steve Angus!
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
I remember that view from the PV apartment one sunny afternoon in March sipping a G&T after a brill spring day skiing happy days
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Hurtle, PeakyB, Iski and Jehu - thank you
muppet - you might think so but easier actually as when we go out we can enjoy it AND not being grey and miserable out there gives a better 'fresh air' feel.
pam_w - not heard from you for a while.... compared to recently it has been chilly yes! But not too bad!
Pirate42 - maybe not a G&T (yuck!) but sneaked in a beer on my balcony this evening!
Day 5
Getting used to groundhog day now. Clare did her usual run first thing and I woke up to Olivia coming in to tell me that she had been doing her 'work' (word search in her room after taking the stool through from the kitchen). She and Ben were on top form right from the off.
I treated myself to some eggs on toast.... down to 74 eggs now as we didnt have omelettes for lunch in the end. Then there was some play and outdoor time. Olivia was brilliant at doing some chores to earn herself some money - good girl! I can't remember what else we did in the am although there was something key I wanted to share with you but I can't remember now - thats gonna be the problem I think as the days are pretty repetitive and tiring! Arghh!
Lunchtime the kids had a picnic in the sun on the balcony (I had cleared the balconies up so we can start using the space more efficiently) which was nice - gave Clare and I a little time to ourselves (all 2 mins!). I think that is the trickiest bit as you never get any time to yourself with the kids about - a toddler needs lots of attention all the time!
I had a brainwave and made a basketball hoop and also a 'target' on / out of cardboard and Olivia has decorated her bit so when Ben has made his we should have a basketball hoop to play with in the hallway - yay! Its amazing how imaginative you can be when pushed!
After some more time outdoors we called some family AND then I put together a BBQ - just love a BBQ BUT I sure as hell have never done one in March before! Ha ha!
Meanwhile the virus is getting closer... an old university friend of mine, her best friend whom I have met a few times over the years... well the father of her best friend (sorry VERY tenuous for you but semi tenuous for me!) died of it today in the UK! Meanwhile more cases have sprung up in Bourg and it looks like word on the street links these people to La Plagne but can't get confirmation of that... all I know is that it is still 'quiet' up here! Long may that continue! Also apparently the cinema in Bourg is going to be converted on Monday into a makeshift hospital / medical centre - had that confirmed from 3 different sources today - this is because of the numbers of cases now cropping up in this part of the world - eek!
Stay safe tomorrow people... it was ONLY a week ago that we were 99% certain (NOT 100% i hasten to add!) that we had JUST had the last day of the season... how things have progressed in the last week eh! Where will we be in 7 days time.
TTFN
Olivias 'desk' this morning! Bless
The view is changing ever so slowly!
Been trying to get a little momentum behind this - if someone wants to get on twitter and retweet with your pic! Thanks!
Sums it up!
Stuck in time... look closely these are all dated last weekend when we closed!
Yum!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I make that a total of 3 eggs consumed today.
No eggs consumed here but one bottle of bubbles, one packet of crisps and a cheeseboard this evening at Chez Sno Trax.
The highlight of our day was a delivery of dog food. Small things.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
sno trax wrote:
I make that a total of 3 eggs consumed today.
No eggs consumed here but one bottle of bubbles, one packet of crisps and a cheeseboard this evening at Chez Sno Trax.
The highlight of our day was a delivery of dog food. Small things.
Yea thats it only 3 eggs - not good enough - Clare now talking of making a bread and butter pudding tomorrow - that will eat through the eggs!
Wow sounds like a gourmet meal that!
'Delivery of dog food' - you mean you went and bought some dog food???
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Just as well we are in confinement; otherwise you may have found yourself sharing that bread and butter pudding with more than just the family.
The dog food delivery was shipped from the UK but half an hour collecting from the concierge, unpacking, checking and storing in the cave was a welcome change to the routine. It was dispatched on Thursday (DPD/Chronopost) and so deliveries are still ok for now.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I had a delivery of Wiper And True pale ale yesterday they are a small brewery in Bristol their orders have dried up from the pubs so they have converted the tap room into a takeaway and do free deliveries.
Got to keep the brewers going
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
sno trax - ha ha. The B&B pudding was awesome!!!!
Day 6 - Lazy day
It was Mothers Day and with Clare out running first thing we could get the Mothers Day cards all ready on the table! So there was much fanfare when she came in the front door which she appreciated! Being a Sunday morning breakfast was baguettes and nutella and I had eggs instead! (later in the day Clare made Bread and Butter pudding so egg update we are now down to 65 eggs.... another couple of weeks surely there! Ha ha.)
A few activities then happened - I cut out a couple of printed out candles and the kids coloured them in and we could then put them in our window as a sign of solidarity to those battling the virus... we played a little target practice in the hallway. Clare and the kids did a good hour of cleaning with Clare too for some more pocket money! The sun was shining so it was time for the second BBQ in as many days and it was chicken and burgers on the menu... so we ended up having our main meal of the day at lunchtime!
I decided to do a massive BBQ clean up before they settled down for a film with Clare which gave me a chance to go for a long walk - ALL BY MYSELF! Yay! So I got about 1.5 hours to myself and went for a long walk!
To be honest there was lots of cabin fever going on so I gave the kids a slightly warmer than a cold bath before getting them into bed. I wouldnt say it was parenting fail today but there was lots of lazing around!
Ho hum
The views the same - the details changing little by little.
Deserted
The Village lift looks a sorry sight!
Yummy
Our window candle
TTFN
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Thinking of you guys in La Daille. The window candle is a lovely idea - neat colouring too Olivia!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Steve Angus, looks like Val D people observing social distancing rules better than some in UK.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@PeakyB, but that picture could have been taken in Tignes or VDI last Sunday. Unfortunately, the UK media hasn't used the example to best effect. Less listening to whining celebs and hard fact would be welcome.
@chocksaway, noted, can’t speak for VDI and Tignes last Sunday.
Little doubt from my observations, and reliable sources, that social distancing and observance of health guidelines in UK is poor to date.
I’ve seen furious front line medical and other NHS staff complaining about the selfish and irresponsible behaviour of many. Whining celebs I tend to filter out.
Hope for a big improvement very soon.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Steve Angus,
This evening I went to the supermarket to avoid sitting in the long traffic jams getting in and out of the supermarket car park. "Social distancing" keeping 2 metres from others wasn't a problem because the supermarket was empty.
The roads and car park and were empty. The only problem was that amongst many other items there were no whole chickens, potatoes or eggs.
Boris is about to make a ministerial broadcast on the box. I suspect more draconian measures are about to be anounced.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
MissElectra - thank you. Yes the candle is our little bit of solidarity! Olivia is being very good trying to understand what this is all about! But a 5 year old will never understand what is happening truly I dont think!
PeakyB and chocksaway - Yes I think now everyone has left the resort it means the social distancing is easier to partake in shall we see but last weekend it was chaotic thats for sure!
I do have to say having just seen the PM speak that I knew that the UK was only a week behind us in terms of a total lockdown... so France is about a week behind Italy (reports today of people in Val showing signs of the virus now!) and the UK a week behind France so hence Italy went into lockdown 2 weeks ago, us a week ago (the announcement was exactly 7 days ago!) and now the UK... the next month or two is going to be grim folks unfortunately! We're all in it together! Arghh!
Day 7 - at least the weather is nice!
Was it really Monday morning - apart from consciously knowing that you have to home school it felt like a normal day as of recent - because it was! The usual mix of activities, play, shouting, bit more of that, outdoor time (although looks like the are tightening up on that even more now from tomorrow!) was the order of the day. Again being sunny it makes it a little easier - could sit on the balcony for a little while and have a cuppa. One of the big things I was happy about was the completion of my indoor sports facility.... basically the kids decorated the basketball ring and I put it up on the wall. Yay!
Ben loved watching the ducks on our walk this morning!
Tomorrow I am planning on teaching Olivia all about an animal of her choosing so she can choose and animal then we might watch a video, draw a picture, pretend to make a nest for that animal - goodness knows how my imagination will develop! Ha Ha
One new thing we tried was facetiming one of Olivias school friends which was nice - a good 30 mins taken on that!
In local news there are more and more reports of people 'possibly' having it - in fact the Dad of Olivias school friend she called this evening is 'self isolating' (as best you can in little apartments like this!!!) with a large and persistent dry cough!!!! Blimey getting closer folks! In these 4 walls all is good though!
Eggs: Clare made a cake today so 62 now. On the general food front we know we are going to have to venture into the supermarket probably in about a weeks time possibly less - will be driving up to Cash 2000 to do the shopping and when we go there we will try and get a weeks worth of shopping in in one go! Minimises exposure then - fingers crossed!
TTFN
After all it is free
After all it is free
If you start to be worried about your eggs safety, boil them. They keep for a month
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Steve Angus wrote:
Tomorrow I am planning on teaching Olivia all about an animal of her choosing so she can choose and animal then we might watch a video, draw a picture, pretend to make a nest for that animal - goodness knows how my imagination will develop! Ha Ha
Sounds risky to me. What happens if she choses an Elephant or Blue Whale? Gonna be a big nest
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
This blog is such an inspiration, it's so positive.
Good luck Steve, Clare, Olivia and Ben, I think we are all rooting for you all, I was even hoping to book a lesson with Clare! Next season I will x
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Steve Angus,
If Olivia happens to choose the Elephant, there are happy ending videos of a baby one being rescued from a ditch. Features a digger; always fascinating!
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@Steve Angus, Hard to believe that exactly one month ago I was in Tignes / Val. Hard to believe how things have changed and no hugs for anyone now but stay safe and keep up the blogs.
Best wishes.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
^^^ aww elephant vid is cuuuute <3 <3
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
margaret - thanks - good tip.
Judwin - she chose a cat but we ran out of time to actually do the stuff on it - have it all ready to go if we get a chance tomorrow - hopefully we will but the days (surprisingly) do seem to run away from you!
HoneyBunny - thanks, as always I try my best! Clare is ready and waiting - just as soon as we can get skiing again - ha ha!
PeakyB - ahhh they loved that video - cute!
Zermattandchips - we seem to have entered a parallel universe - it feels that way - very strange!
Not so sunny
Dejavu again this morning but the first job was to clear some space on our landing (which we dont actually own but in effect do as we have sole use of it being the only people on this floor). Anyway I moved lots of stuff around which has now freed our bikes and the kids scooters etc etc etc up! However the main reason was actually to have somewhere to do a little exercise having seen some of the online physical workouts floating about yesterday. It was all going well with the kids getting involved jumping about with Clare... this was great until Olivia got a little silly and ended up standing in the way of Clare and she tripped over her shoe and it all went wrong. Put it this way Clare has a sore knee this evening and is hobbling about. She doesn't think it is too bad but there was lots of swearing and tears for a good half hour. My initial thought was (if I'm being honest!) "oh no we are supposed to be on lockdown and not pestering the medics" - but I think its OK - she is going to ease off exercising on it in the morning - thankfully!
Eggs - we had an omelette for lunch for we are now on 56 eggs - getting there folks!
One of the activities for the day was to build a lorry out of cardboard boxes I have been hoarding so Olivia and I made a start on that - might take a few days! I also got another job in that the kids managed to snap not one but two wooden spoons in beating their musical instruments this am so I glued them back together! I took Ben out for a walk whilst Clare worked with Olivia on her homework which was quite intense by the looks of things today!
After lunch and the kids having a sleep Olivia wanted to do some art so all that came out but the highlight of the afternoon was actually venturing down into the basement of our building as the poor weather (cold and rainy!) meant going outside was not going to be possible or sensible. The u/g parking is open but only the top floor so we spent much of our time in the lower ground floor area running around and playing chase etc - the kids let off a lot of steam - yay!
After dinner we had kids bath time and then kids off to bed!
Clouds!
There are lots of 2nd home owners (check out the numbers in white which show non of these cars are locally registered (73 is the local savoie area number!)) here at the moment.
Nice art Olivia!
TTFN
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Steve Angus have a look at the Joe Wicks PE session online each day at 9:00 UK time aimed at children (good for big kids too!) - move shoes first though!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Audible are offering lots of free stories and nursery rhymes for children to listen to whilst the school are closed. Also some literary classics and folk/traditional tales for all ages.
https://stories.audible.com/discovery
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Steve Angus,
To test an egg hasn't gone off - drop it into cold water, if it sinks it's OK. if it floats it's gone off (a built up of gas inside it). You're down to 56 eggs, I couldn't find any in the 2 supermarkets I went to.
We're told to go shopping once in the week which is exactly what I used to do when I could get everything I wanted in one visit. Now I will probably have to make more than 1 food shopping visit in the week to find the provisions I need. I am trying to avoid crowded shops.
Keep safe!
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
MissElectra wrote:
@Steve Angus have a look at the Joe Wicks PE session online each day at 9:00 UK time aimed at children (good for big kids too!) - move shoes first though!
- yes it was his workout that it happened too! Her knee seems to be better today. Not perfect but not enough that she needs to see anyone about it!
Rappers - yes heard about this thank you. Heard David Williams on BBC R2 this am promoting his audible books too!
welshflyer - very ironic... but thanks for that tip - thats cool! Im sure if I tell Clare about this amazing new test she will look at me as if to say 'where have you been the last 42 years of your life' Ha ha!
Day 9 - Creative
Ben was making lots of noice this am so the day started a little earlier than planned but hey ho! A few more eggs for breakfast (53 think we are now on!) and the kids were on fine form playing about! The weather was not really sure what it wanted to do but with enough sun out it was nice to get Ben out for a good walk about. Olivia was busy doing her school work with Clare and Ben and I spent a fair amount of time playing! I also found a really nice video all about the Yellowstone National Park so the kids loved watching that and seeing the animals and scenery!
My main success of the day was finding a load of 'cat' themed activities and learning lots about cats... the kids then made a cat face mask and there was some nice colouring. As the day goes on and the kids get more cabin fever and fatigue it definitely gets tougher thats for sure! But hey ho! We had a really nice chat with my mum (she's in her 80's and in a care home in the UK - I have everything crossed the care home do their job and stop people coming into contact with her - ahhh!) and the kids were really nice chatting to her! That was good!
After bath time Olivia had a nice chat with her best friend from school on the FaceTime and then later than normal the kids went to bed - phew another day gotten through!
In local news Tignes have their first official case - bearing in mind that they ONLY test in hospitals here and of course you have gotta be quite severe to get into hospital in the first place! So that is closer still. In Val a fair number of people have told Radio Val and the 'network' that they have ALL the symptoms of it but without official tests as they are presenting quite mildly it is an assumption. So we are pretty sure there are now people in Val with it but no one being carted off to hospital yet a while - long may it continue! However the volunteer network is getting stronger here now and elderly and isolated people are being asked to register their details so the health people in town can help with food deliveries etc and of course with second home owners being in town they want to know how many elderly people their really are here!
Think thats all for today! Groundhog day - were into day 10 tomorrow and we are expecting to hear very shortly as to how long the extension to the lockdown will be - 6 weeks is the assumption - lets hope its not that long but needs must! For us we are thankful that the UK government has extended the grace period for car MOT's to another 6 months as ours was due in May - phew!!!!!
TTFN
Nice work kids!
P.S. Just realised forgot my standard photo from the balcony of the changing view today - whoops sorry!
Keeping an eye on the expat net there have been quite a few suspect cases in Tignes and in the UK with folks that have travelled back whilst incubating. Stay safe out there.
Thanks for all your updates Steve - there's nothing groundhog about them! Love to read about how you and your family are doing, and love the photos too. Also, one of the things I love about snowHeads is what I learn - that in France you know before I do that our MOTs have been deferred
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@chocksaway, +1 stay safe all.
@Steve Angus, you’re doing a great job structuring your days and establishing a routine.
Yellowstone-by coincidence, one of the pictures on our wall, as I read your post, is an aerial shot of the Grand Prismatic Springs.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@Steve Angus,
Eggs - I thought that you should be able to whisk eggs into a tupperware container and freeze eggs in the container. I've just done a "Google Search" and apparently you can freeze eggs in their shells. I would have thought the egg shell would crack when you tried this. If only I had some eggs!
@motyl,
Although MOTs have been postponed/deferred for 6 months your car still has to be roadworthy. I'm not sure how you know if it is roadworthy, I thought that was the purpose of the MOT. Have car insurers accepted this or will they say your insurance is void because the car is NOT roadworthy. Insurers will wriggle out of paying any claims, just look at how they are ducking out of paying travel insurance claims.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Day 10
Hurtle - thanks. You should see todays creation:
chocksaway - yea its about thats for sure!
motyl - public service broadcasting this is! Thanks!
PeakyB - well there you go!
welshflyer - another 'I never knew that!' That is an interesting point about insurance - probably blooming right!
Well never an easy day when its cloudy but today was one of those days - it was also colder too! Arghh!
The kids were on form again after a good sleep and with Clares knee dodgy I did the PE lesson today - thanks Joe Wicks was fun! Got us warmed up that is for sure! I then spent some time playing with Ben as Clare had some tricky homework to do with Olivia and then I took Olivia out for some play time - on a day like today she loved cycling around in the U/g parking! Had a whale of a time!
WE enjoyed another family lunch and we are now down to 49 eggs - yay getting there!
A long chat with my sister and then the kids had a teddy bears picnic which kept them occupied but I think Olivia needs more sleep as she was rather ratty and emotional at the end of the day - I think the strain is showing a little!
I thought the best way to put a smile on the kids faces was to play their current favourite game of 'monster' (where I chase them around basically!) in the parking area... with bikes and scooters out in force there was lots of energy expended - yippee!
They had a really good dinner and then I have just been batch cooking a carbonara for the freezer BUT having said that I need to make the first foray to the 'enemy' tomorrow as I am off to Cash 2000 supermarket here in town to stock up - arghhh!
Its been interesting seeing what the help for self employed people that has been announced in the UK today is... one of the problems in this line of work is the fact that we not only in effect have 5 months of the year to make a living but we are so at the mercy of the weather / snow etc. Not only is their fall out from this season and the guillotine of this season and the hit that has had for us but the potential problem now is thinking ahead to the Summer and even towards next Winter as the repercussions could rumble on and on. I know there is not going to be any coach driving work this Summer! It is too early to know obviously how things will pan out but at times like this I really wish I was an employee thats for sure! Arghh.
Cold and snowy out there! Well a little snowy thats for sure!
TTFN
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Nice updates, Steve. And more snow than we’ve got, that’s for sure.
Good work on the egg count, but no need to fret. If they were fresh when you got them they should last a couple of months (ime 4-6 weeks past the date on the box) but the water test is a handy way to check for sure. Hopefully we’ll all be done with this by the time the eggs have gone off!
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
