Category Archives: coronavirus

jeannie & steve

13 Monday Apr 2020

Posted by in casa azahar, coronavirus, friends, home

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The evening appreciation applause continue around the country, and the other day I met Jeannie & Steve after they had put a banner out on their balcony celebrating their 50th anniversary (I ran to fill a wine glass and toast them too). Then I heard Jeannie saying something to her neighbour across the street and I thought… hmmm, definitely not Spanish! So the next evening after the applause I shouted hello to them and asked where they were from.

Turns out they are from Florida and got trapped here when the lockdown happened and, after their hotel was forced to close, were lucky enough to find temporary accomodation in my street. So we are now in touch on WhatsApp and Facebook and it’s lovely, this getting to know the neighbours thing. There’s a bright side to everything, isn’t there?

lockdown day 27: one day at a time

09 Thursday Apr 2020

Posted by in coronavirus, sevilla

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So I have put in for what is called the “prestación extraordinaria”, for self-employed people. Apparently people on salaries are being paid 75% of their usual wages, but us autónomos just get something like 600€ a month. If eligible (still waiting on that one). And while that is better than nothing, it’s really not much. It doesn’t even cover my rent. And who knows when we will even receive it? Plus they still charged me 300€ for social security in March, so… wut? Anyhow, TONS of red tape. Well at least those guys still have a job!

I’ve really been trying to just deal with this situation one day at a time because, if not, I could end up on a very slippery slopes leading to The Depths Of Utter Despair. Once again my cancer training has come in handy, especially the finely honed living in denial skillz. Because while I did get help with covering my rent and bills this month, for which I am very grateful, this thing isn’t ending any time soon. What about next month, and six or eight months from now???? Eh, not going there. Yet. See? It almost works.

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netiquette

06 Monday Apr 2020

Posted by in coronavirus, friends, internet, social media

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I think it’s safe to say that people are making much more use of the internet to stay in touch in these Days of Coronavirus. Aside from the usual written platforms like email, whatsapp and messenger, the video options (which I never do) such as facetime, skype and zoom are also extra popular now. And of course there are all the social media platforms. I’ve never tweeted so much since, well, ever. Honestly, if my internet connection down I don’t know what I’d do. And neither would you because I wouldn’t be able to tell you about it.

One thing I’ve been wondering about these past three weeks (okay 24 days, but who’s counting) is how netiquette has changed with this new situation. I mean other than the usual “be polite”, “never tweet drunk” and “you don’t have to post every single thought in your head”, there are probably some new unspoken guidelines that we may not know about yet because, well, nobody talks about them.

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yeah, one of THOSE days

03 Friday Apr 2020

Posted by in coronavirus, sevilla, spain

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Had to go out for a rubbish dump run and decided – fuck it – I’d also make a quick trip to the supermarket (last one had been ten days previously). As I’ve said before, these days it feels like I’m dodging bullets at the supermarket, even though they are giving us plastic gloves while we’re there and (most) people now know to stay a hockey stick apart. But I just “needed” (okay, wanted) a few fresh things.

Anyhow, as soon as I hit the street with my trolley and a few bags of rubbish my street guy Nico (yep he’s still out there every day) saw me and came rushing over. At first I thought he was going to ask for some money, and nothing wrong with that, but he actually asked if he could help me carry my rubbish to the bins. Awwww… well obviously for money but at least he wanted to “work” for it. Let’s just say that Nico doesn’t really get the “keep two metres away” thing so I thanked him, said I was fine, and that I’d see him on my way home from shopping, after I’d had time to sort out some cash for him.

Noticed that El Corte Inglés is even more vigilent these days, or else it was a busier time of day than last time, as there was a queue outside with everyone standing 2 metres apart. When it was my turn I went in, started shopping and then started to cry. Maybe in part because such a “normal” routine had become, well, what it is now. But it actually started after I bought some swordfish from the fish guy, who was so lovely and pleasant. And I looked around and saw all the staff stocking shelves and being helpful and I looked at all the fresh produce still available and that’s when I lost it.

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