OUTSIDE MY DOOR – ONE MILE; 40 MINUTES!

BREAKING NEWS!!!  I got stopped by the police again this morning!  France has tightened restrictions regarding jogging and walking for exercise because people (young and old) were just going about their business, as usual, as far as getting together to exercise, laugh, and enjoy the spring weather in Paris.  Damn!  I have waited to do this ALL MY LIFE!  AND, the weather has been gorgeous!!  But, now – NO JOGGING OR WALKING ALONE OR OTHERWISE between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.  AT ALL!!

What?????  Yes, I have been donning all of my gear – mask, hand cleanser, and attestation paperwork and walked out of the door every day for a week. Out the door around 10:30 a.m. for a couple of hours.  Welllllll, I feel better when I get some exercise.  Don’t worry.  I stay away from most people.  AND, they stay away from me.  In general, everyone is being very considerate.  What????  The French being considerate???   I know, I know.  That is not generally the case. haha.  That has now come to a screeching halt!!  SO- This morning I was up at 7:30, doing stretches and out the door at 8 a.m. , determined to get in a one-mile, 40-minute walk.  Haha.  Guess what?   So was everyone else!  A girl on her bike; guys in groups (all far apart from each other); women with grocery carts, old men with canes, old women with canes (ME!!). 

AND, the homeless people who are regulars  in the neighborhood, especially around the Odeon that I have seen (at the Odeon – photo below- a guy with a cardboard house on the left side) were all still sound asleep.   But, the rest of Paris was up and running.  And, I was determined to walk a mile (I did.) 

 

On my way home, a car pulled up by my side.  I thought it was stopping for the flower shop that I was passing.  A female cop asked me (in French) for my papers.  I started to argue because it wasn’t 10:00 a.m.  Then I thought better of it and tried to hand her my paperwork.  NOPE. She did not want to touch it. She wanted me to show it to her, which I did. I knew there was no problem except that I needed to pull my scarf/mask up.   She motioned for me to do it.  I did.  No problem.  She and her co-officer drove away.  Meanwhile people were on the other side of the street, and she did not stop for any of them.  Hmmmm.  Why me?  I think it was because I had a cane and was not wearing my mask.  She thought I should be reminded to keep my mask up.  Maybe.  I don’t know.  But, no problem. (I am getting pretty good at this). So, yesterday, when I was doing my walk, I took a lot of pictures. I was walking up by the Jardin du Luxembourg (up the street).  I would put my camera inside the bars for better shots.  So, I am posting them. 

Plus, the day before (Monday) I walked down by the Seine (down the street). So, I am posting some of those.

Bottom line – I won’t be walking that much.  I am trying to exercise inside.  That works.  The good news is that this street usually has nobody on it, especially at 8:00 a.m.  So, I will be fine if I go early.  Not in the late afternoon.  Too many people.  And, the numbers in France are still not good.  (Sigh).  I hesitate to say, but I don’t think the world will ever be the same anymore.  More on that later…… Now, it was time for some pretty photos. 

Stay well and Jayspeak appreciates any support you are willing to give.  Thanks in advance!

Best, Jay (posting a photo from 2017 by photographer Helen Ahonen for acting headshots, taken in Nice, January 2017 – 3 years ago.)  I will get some new headshots one of these days.  Stay tuned……..