Elbow bumps from Domme

Dear all, we hope this blog finds you all in good health and spirit. There is no video update this time as I have not yet got my hair done! Like everyone else in most part of the worlds, we are trying our best to keep motivated and positive during this sanitary crisis. We monitor regularly and closely the situation especially in France and Canada. French government has lifted up the lock down since May the 11th but with strict sanitary measures put in place. Most stores are allowed to open except for restaurants, bars, or cafés. We are limited to travel within 100km perimeter and are only allowed to have gathering up to 10 persons with social distancing. Small cultural centres and parks are allowed to open. It is nice to see most shops along our street started to open. Local tourists from around the area started to visit, though mostly for walking to enjoy the spectacular Dordogne valley view from our village. Domme has started to be alive again! The government will review this déconfinement situation in early June. Let's hope we do not have second wave of this terrible pandemic. We do not know when French border will be open especially for non-EU countries yet.

As for our reservations, almost all of our clients have decided to postpone their visits to 2021. We are very grateful for them for not cancelling it but rather rearranging their travels in 2021. Merci beaucoup encore. We also have posted our full 2021 season availability on our website.

French government has encouraged their citizen to spend this year summer holiday in France. If the situation improves, the citizen is allowed to have their vacation across the country in July and August. We are hopeful to fill in our reservation for domestic vacationers starting this Summer.

Now, the next challenge for us is to catch up the renovation. We are about two months behind. It has restarted very slowly since mid-May. The plumber has returned to install radiators in all rooms. The mason has pretty much done. We have not heard the news on the stair. The drywaller is also yet to return to complete the walls and doors. Our project manager even does not know when the carpenter and drywaller will be able to resume their works, go figure. It has been very frustrating and stressful for us. Dan has decided to install the flooring by himself with the help of a contractor he hired. Surprisingly the project manager did not make a big deal of it. Thanks for his plan, the flooring in two bedrooms has finished now and the rest is progressing well. All windows are now painted. We take advantage of this déconfinement to go buy some more flowers for the garden and shop furnitures in local brocantes. We continue to practice the sanitary measure, we wear mask whenever going to store and use gel hydroalcoolique and wash hands very regularly.

Another Covid19 challenge that Dan has done is sending out local post cards using Google Maps to find addresses randomly in all provinces and territories in Canada. Some replied us back and said the post cards have made their days and put smiles on them. That makes us smile and happy too.

As for me, I continue to work remotely from Domme. This trend could probably continue for whole summer before travelling weekly to Paris office again in Fall. I do not mind at all. This has allowed me to spend more time cooking and baking. No wonder, most flours and yeast are gone from the shelves. Check some of them in the pictures below. Please focus on the food, not my hair!

That is our update for now. Please stay safe and healthy. We will go through this pandemic and come out stronger. Until next time.