Spent a couple of hours at my friend Susan’s place this afternoon. Four tangueros. It was a lovely time, chatting and eating and drinking — and a little tango thrown in. Here’s a taste.
lockdown
I Just Wanted to Buy Some Yarn!
Yesterday I decided to buy some yarn to do some more knitting. I finally gave in and subscribed to Netflix, but I don’t like just watching movies as an activity all by itself, so knitting at the same time is a good option for me.
There is a whole yarn “district” in Buenos Aires, consisting of about a dozen yarn shops almost side by side on one street called Scalabrini Ortiz. It’s in a different barrio, and since we’re not allowed to take the bus unless going to work in an essential service, I took a taxi there and back.
Check out the lineup I had to wait in! This was for my favourite store, but it was the same at all the others. I know there has been a surge in crafts, including knitting and crochet, while people are locked in, so I guess that accounts for it. I just didn’t expect it!
Anyway, I got some nice pink and white cottons to make summer tops, so it was worthwhile.
On a slightly different but related topic, the news yesterday was that the lockdown would be extended until September 20, but with some lessening in Buenos Aires city. For me, the most exciting thing is that restaurants and cafes can now serve outside — yayyy!! Some of my friends have already agreed to meet at La Biela on Monday afternoon, and I think it will be the first of many — masks or no masks, it’s a step in the right direction. Gracias a Dios!
Las Chicas in Puerto Madero!
When I told my friends in our WhatsApp group about my outing to Puerto Madero last week, one by one they all said, “Let’s go on Sunday!” So we did.
Venetia walked from her place in Palermo to my place and then we took a taxi. It was another bright sunny winter day and as you can see, we were all well wrapped up. This is the first time we’ve all been together since March — albeit illegally! We actually had problems recognizing each other wearing masks! Thanks to Venetia for once again talking the photo, which unfortunately meant she couldn’t be in it — nobody was passing to take it for us.
There is a market cafe where we met, and we all picked up sandwiches and coffee for lunch, which we ate sitting socially distanced on some benches looking out on the water and talked ourselves hoarse!
The only fly in the ointment was that there were no washrooms available! The one in the cafe was closed to the public because of quarantine and the Hilton Hotel, where we usually go to the washroom during our New Year celebrations down there, was closed like all the other hotels. That posed a bit of a problem and led to us leaving a bit sooner than planned!
All in all, though, it was great and there was general agreement we’ll do it again soon.
Well this was a funny old day
This was one of those days that I thought I had all planned, but as Rabbie Burns said, “The best laid plans o’ mice and men gang aft agleigh.” I think you get the drift.
I had a Zoom call set with a potential new book client at 11 am, so I made an effort, got dressed, fixed my ever-lengthening hair and put on some makeup. At 10 am he messaged me to say he is fighting an illness and could we reschedule for next Wednesday. Oh well, not a big deal, just a slight change of plans.
A couple of months ago at met a woman called Susan at a tango party I had gone to with Alejandro. She lives five minutes from me, but we had never got together. Out of the blue she emailed me yesterday and suggested we might meet with shopping bags in hand and go for a walk — we would be going to the store according to the rules, but just taking the scenic route!
I met her at 2.30 pm and we had a lovely walk. Socially distanced of course, but a nice conversation getting to know each other better. I popped into the Nataria Portuguesa and bought two Portuguese custard tarts (pasteis de nata) to take home. Then we stopped at the corner cafe and chatted a bit before she left. I was going to pick up coffee, when I realized I had forgotten to buy some fruit and veggies, so I walked just a few yards to the greengrocer. Then back to the cafe and picked up my cafe con leche.
Walking across the street, I think I was concentrating on the coffee and the bag, and I tripped over my own feet and fell flat, about 3/4 of the way across! I went down heavily and it took me a few minutes to get any strength back to stand up. When I looked up, there were about six people looking down at me, all speaking Spanish through their masks! Anyway, one woman asked me my name and where I lived. I was only a few yards from my building. Next thing I know, Alejandro, my portero, arrived. He picked me up bodily and carried me into the building — and put me down on the steps. Next thing I know there are two police officers there — don’t know who called them — but they took my name and address and document number. I don’t know what that was about, but hey, it’s Buenos Aires.
The woman who had called the portero was also there, and she gave me her name and phone number and told me to call her if I needed anything as she lived just down the road.
Alejandro wanted to call a doctor, but I really balked at that. In the present circumstances they would be wanting to test me for Covid-19! So he brought me upstairs and left me. I felt a bit wobbly so I lay down for a bit and then I was just fine.
Ten minutes later there was a buzz at the door, and there was the other portero (the weekend guy) standing there with a bouquet of flowers – sent by the lady who gave me her name and number! How nice was that? Another example of how caring Argentines are, and why I love living here!
So I’ve had my dinner and now I’m having ice cream and malbec. What ? It’s the perfect comfort food combination! And thus ends a very strange day.
Well at least something happened — a break in the monotony of lockdown!
Well This Is a Bummer
I’m not one to complain much about the physical isolation, being quite content to do some work, read a lot and chat with my friends on WhatsApp and Zoom. But this morning’s news was definitely not welcome.
As of this Monday, all those over 70 in Buenos Aires will require a permit to go out of their homes. The only exception is going to the doctor or to get medicine. Nothing else. No grocery shopping. No dog walking. Nothing.
The good news is that there are lots of mechanisms in place to help — volunteers doing shopping and walking dogs etc. And even under normal circumstances, in Buenos Aires you can get pretty much everything delivered, and the delivery services are all working. So it’s not the end of the world, and I’m not worried about the practical side of it. But psychologically… well, that’s a different story.
When I read the report this morning I was still in bed. I stayed where I was and cried for a bit. But then I decided to snap out of it, do my meditation and exercises and get on with it.
After all, I can still do my work — and am fortunate to have work, I love my apartment and don’t feel at all cooped up in it, and one of these days I’ll get back to my art. As someone posted on FaceBook, “Our forefathers were called to war. We are being called to sit our the couch. We can do this.”
I hope the seniors lockdown won’t last too long — but you won’t hear me bitching about it any more.
What I’ve Accomplished During Week 3 of Lockdown
- Cleaned up all my plants, loosened the soil and deadheaded them. Gardening is even less natural to me than cooking, so this was a big deal. One pot looks worse now than before.
There isn’t much more, other than what I’ve posted about. Surely I can do better than that! This week I plan to do some other things around the house that I never usually get time for.
What about you? Have you accomplished anything interesting this past week? Let us know in the comments.
Stay well.
Lockdown
Well, it’s here — total lockdown throughout Argentina. The President went on telly last night to make the announcement, and it wasn’t really a surprise. We have about 150 cases in the country, apparently all of which are “imported”, and there is no sign of community spread. That’s because of the precautions we’ve been taking so far and, amazingly, Argentines are doing what they’re told — not a natural thing for them! they are building eight emergency “hospitals” to deal with the situation, which I imagine will be kind of M.A.S.H. type places. Great idea. Of course God alone knows how we’ll pay for it as the economy is already in shambles, but hey, one crisis at a time.
We can go out for food or medicinal supplies, but police will be on the streets asking where we are going, so they are serious. Good thing.
I would like to say I’ve been working on my book and other business things, but sadly that’s not the case. Like many others, I’ve found it hard to summon up the energy, and even interest, to work. But I have done some things I’ve been meaning to do, like hemming a couple of pairs of pants. I’m also taking the opportunity to work on my new cooking skills. Check out this yummy rice pudding — which I decided to make from some leftover rice! OK, I know you may not think that’s a big deal, but for me it is. In the past I would keep the leftover rice until it walked out of the fridge!
Now that we are in mid-March, summer is winding down here. It’s not fall yet, but it’s not hot hot hot. I have a lovely balcony with plants, so I’ve moved one of my comfy living room chairs out there and I’ll be doing some work and some reading out there for a while. Good way to get fresh air too.
As I’m not a big movie fan, I’ve never felt inclined to get Netflix, but I’m considering it. In the meantime, there’s lots on YouTube to inform, comfort and entertain. I found old episodes of the British gameshow/comedy called Q1 hosted by the hilarious Stephen Fry. Falling off my red couch laughing. Check them out if you enjoy sheer unadulterated British silliness. Otherwise, forget it as you’ll just shake your head!
The other thing I’ve been doing is using video calling to stay in touch with friends. Four of my women friends here in Buenos Aires had a “virtual glass of Malbec” together a couple of nights ago, and I’ll be doing more of that with other friends both here and around the world. I highly recommend it. Might be a good idea to plan in advance to talk about things other than coronovirus though. No point in moaning all the time.
Well that’s it for now. Heading out to my balcony to sit on my chair and have lunch.
Stay well and safe.