So, our world has turned upside-down! What a difference a week makes. It is just six days since I came out of hospital with my Achilles Tendon sutured and my leg encased in plaster, and I’m still getting to grips with the effort of hobbling around on crutches. In the wider world, however, events have taken a horrible turn. The threat of Coronavirus has changed from a distant thought, to an immediate intrusion on everyone’s lives. The French ski resorts closed yesterday, along with all shops and services barring those deemed essential. The terrible impact this will have on those whose livelihoods depend on the ski season is only too obvious.
Closer to home, this morning I received an email from the Tax Office in Moutiers cancelling my appointment that had been booked for today to sort out the “Quitus Fiscal” on my car (an essential document towards registering my car in France). That was followed an hour later by a second email from the wood-burning stove company in Albertville cancelling the planned installation of a new wood-burner in our apartment later this week.
So, my enforced lay-up due to my leg now looks like nothing in the face of wider problems. Cate and I are effectively isolated in our apartment; no-one visiting and no reason to leave the apartment until my follow-up appointment with the surgeon in two weeks time. I hope that is not postponed, as I’m desperate to get on with the rehab that I’m going to need over the Summer.
Meanwhile, there are some brighter aspects: the sun is shining and our neighbours have very kindly given us access to their terrace, so we can at least relax in the sun and while away the time. We have plenty of food (and, crucially, wine!) to keep us going and the local supermarket in Bourg remains open with no sign of the toilet roll shortages that seem to be plaguing other places.
In the absence of ski news, and with time on my hands, I’ve gone through some of the pictures taken by Dave Etherington (our guide) the week before last. I have attached a few of them here, courtesy of Dave.
