Sunday 5 April 2020

A Weekend Alone

Ever since O.K. and I have been together (a bit more than four years now), there were maybe one or two weekends every year when we did not see each other, mainly because of things such as rehearsal weekend before the village band's annual concert and other band-related stuff, or (very rarely) because one of us was ill.

O.K. took this picture on a lone walk after work on Monday, from above his village. The next two are from the same walk.

This weekend, we are both fine, there is of course nothing happening with the village band right now, but we are staying each at our own places.

The reason? The partner of one of O.K.'s colleagues has been tested positive. Her work is with a local care and nursing service, and she is not the first of her colleagues to be infected. She is now in home quarantine (she is fine apart from a bit of a cough), but of course, living with her partner means that he has to be tested as soon as possible, and before the result is known, everyone who has been in contact with him should stay away from others. 
O.K. and his colleague have last seen each other on Thursday, and only briefly; still, they worked in the same room for a while, and even with keeping their physical distance and very carefully and thoroughly observing all the usual hygiene standards, there is no guarantee the colleague has not unwittingly spread the virus in their department and elsewhere.
Walking on Wednesday after work between my town and the next smaller one.
Same walk, view towards Asperg with the castle on top of the hill.
We sensibly decided that, unlike the last couple of weekends, O.K. stays home. Depending on the result of the colleague's test, further action may be necessary. For now, he does not even know yet whether he'll be working next week, or ordered to self-isolate. We'll see.

As we only found out about this late on Friday evening, I had already done all my food shopping with nice weekend meals for the two of us in mind. Now I am doing my best to use the perishable parts up on my own, such as the baby spinach leaves I bought two bags of; I have given one to my Mum who will certainly make something nice with it for my Dad and herself.
Plum cake, as enjoyed by O.K. alone yesterday afternoon - that would have been one of his contributions to this weekend's food.
Fillet of trout with horseradish cream, fried spuds and fresh parsley - that would have been one of our meals together.

Yesterday, I met my Mum at her newly established "Dustin Bar", and we had sparkling wine together mid-afternoon before I went for a walk. In front of the house where my parents have a flat on the top floor, there is a concrete housing with metal doors where the dustbins are kept. We stood well apart (further than in this picture) and never got closer to each other than the recommended minimum distance, and my Dad was upstairs on the balcony, every now and then joining in our conversation.


Today is the start of the warmest period of this year so far. I don't know yet when, for how long and in what direction I am going to walk; I expect it to be rather full of people no matter where. Hopefully, so many people being out and about won't lead to more restrictions, but I wouldn't be surprised.

20 comments:

  1. Love the idea of your 'dustbin bar' - expect like me you are looking forward to the promised period of warm weather - it is lovely here today.

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    1. You are right, I am enjoying the warm weather, too. It's been around 20C here today in the sun!

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  2. So sorry to hear about O.K.'s colleague's partner. I hope he will not be infected and need to self isolate. Even though, sadly, you could not share the delicious food your had planned for the weekend, I see you did share it in a virtual way! And I love your Mom's "dustbin bar". People are being so creative these days! Hope you have a good week!

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    1. You too, Kristi!
      We hope the same, and I also hope that the other nurses working for the care service will remain healthy and able to look after their patients.

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  3. Hoping that O.K. and his colleagues are not found to be at risk in this situation. Insidious virus. So many lives at risk. Sorry that you two are not able to be together this weekend, but certainly it was a wise decision given the circumstances. Hope you were able to find a good and safe place to walk.

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    1. We have many means of communication and make use of them, even though it is of course not the same as being at the same place.
      Today's walk of 10 km was a bit more relaxed; there were parts with many cyclists and other walkers, but other parts where I was on my own for quite a while.

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  4. At least you have lovely places to walk. I love the scenery.

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    1. We do, too! I know how fortunate I am; I can just walk straight from my door and it takes me only about 10 minutes to the edge of town.
      This is your first comment here, I think; welcome to my blog, and thank you for reading and commenting!

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  5. Meike, I really hope O.K. is fine and hasn't picked up the virus. That plum cake looks delicious! I'm not much of a fish eater but the actual meal looks good, too. Gourmet food, from the looks of it!

    Enjoy the warmer weather and your walks! The weather here has been absolutely beautiful lately.

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    1. I hope the same, Jennifer!
      That plum cake was at least as delicious as it looks - I know, because O.K. sometimes buys it for our weekends at the same bakery.
      It's been wonderful today, I was able to be out in short sleeves and without tights under my dress, for the first time this year!

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  6. Dear Meike, I also hope that OK is okay! Four years? Where has that time gone?
    I do believe that we should all be wearing masks, if the rates are going down in Asia and they all wear masks, then shouldn't we be doing the same? (And not the medical ones that should be used for hospital workers but the cloth kind that we can make ourselves!) Oh dear Meike, I do need to do a post on this, I believe it so strongly.
    Now, can I just say that food looks delicious! Those potatoes...I am drooling.

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    1. My Mum's friend who lives in the same house (hers is the bay window behind the Dustbin Bar) has been sewing masks for everyone in the house as well as my sister and I. I should take a picture of myself wearing it! So far, I have not been wearing it, but maybe I will when I next go to the supermarket, where it is not easy to avoid others or give them a wide berth.

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  7. My ex-wife works at one of the busiest hospitals in Detroit I have not seen my youngest son in two weeks because he lives with her and it just would not be a good idea. At some point she will probably get sick.

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    1. Maybe being infected, sooner or later, is unavoidable for those working at hospitals. I wish all their hygiene and safety measures would be more effective.

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  8. I hope O.K. is well and does not get this virus. But I do think you are both doing the smart thing in your decisions. There is still so much not known about this virus and how it spreads so easily. It is always better to be on the safe side.

    I love the picture of you and your Mother! How nice you could see her like that. I know you must be missing O.K. this weekend but I do hope you have been able to enjoy your time off work in other ways. Take good care of yourself!

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    1. I hope the same, Bonnie.
      My weekend was still beautiful - how could it not have been with the most gorgeous spring weather!
      O.K. and I talked on the phone several times a day (not only to share our meals), I went for walks both Saturday and Sunday and for a run with my friend yesterday evening.

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  9. Unusual times call for unusual and creative alternatives! :) A blue sky does help a bit towards feeling more cheerful, though - especially when one can at least still get out for a while.

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    1. Walking is essential for my physical and mental wellbeing, and this fantastic weather certainly helps.

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  10. I do hope that all goes well for O.K.. You do pretty well in the circumstances seeing him as many weekends as you do. I'm rather envious of your warm weather. The warmest we have achieved here is a theoretical 10℃ however there was a strong wind so it still felt cold working outside.

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    1. O.K.'s colleague was tested yesterday, and the result is expected for tomorrow. Everything else depends on that outcome, whether we'll be spending the (long) Easter weekend together or not, whether he and his colleagues will still be going to work or not, and so on.
      It's been lovely again yesterday and should remain so until Sunday. 23 Celsius today or tomorrow!

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