Flouting rules

 

Before and after rain

I guess an increasing number of you will be affected as time goes on by the pandemic.  We have just emerged from a fortnight's self-imposed isolation because the parents of a close friend had become seriously ill - one has now died, so we are sharing the grief of our friend.  But it has also caused us to rethink our daily lives and the risks we take - I was going to say 'elderly parents'  before remembering that we are ourselves vulnerable because of age and underlying health issues.

So this week has been stranger than most as we cancelled some commitments (an orchestra for Mary, a choir for me) because we could not really believe that the rehearsals could be run safely (and in her casse because she was often the only cello, and the repertoire was too loud and popular!).  And we decided not to go to a wonderful cello recital.  In the end it was lucky we stayed away - the storm broke during the concert, the parking is in a muddy field with a long walk to the Cathedral at Maguelone, in the dark, and we have long experience that such events often start late.  I'd told the organisers that we were unhappy to attend in vies of press reports of lack of respect for distancing and masks by members of the audience at previous events this year, and in the end I had a good exchange with the man in charge, so I am satisfied at any rate that they are taking these things seriously, and we hope to go again next year.

The cellist we missed

Many of you know that we are keen followers of sport - the cricket this summer has been a delight, seeing so many players arriving in the UK for short intense series of all three formats, the top players on show including, I'm very pleased to say, Jimmy Anderson who has become the leading test fast bowler of all time.  So many events have been, and are being, played to empty stadiums, but the Tour de France did allow some spectators.  

The cycling was often thrilling and we watched avidly from beginning to end, but when spectators were allowed there were times when the behaviour was awful, unmasked people rushing out to yell in the faces of competitors.  I'm glad to say the UK tv commentators  were as horrified as we sere, but the 'tradition' of rushing about on the steep hills as cyclists toil past is longstanding and it is becoming clear that, in crowds, people forget all restraint.  If, as seems to be the case, we are going to live with Covid for a long time, there will need to be a fundamental change in people's gut reactions at times of excitement.

Meanwhile the storms are past for now - we in Lunel were once again in a drier patch (only 35mm in one night), but only a few km to the north the flooding of the Gardon and the Hérault in the hills has caused terrible damage.  The autumn equinox is past; now we walk dogs in the dark at the beginning and end of each day, and we look forward to October.

haul from current Intermarché wine fair