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Saturday Question: How Are You Doing? What Are You Doing?

Following great tradition started by two wonderful bloggers, Birgit (Olfactoria’s Travels) and Portia (Australian Perfume Junkies), once a week I or one of the guest writers will keep the lights on in this virtual leaving room, but I hope that you, my friends and readers, will engage in conversation not only with me or the other host, but also with each other.

Last week I asked you to name 3 most favorite Serge Lutens perfumes. 33 perfumes got nominated, some of them more than once. Top 3 were Iris Silver Mist (10), Ambre Sultan (7) and De Profundis (6).

This week I want to do something slightly different. I want to try to “document” what’s happening in different parts of the World where you, my friends and readers live in these strange times.

 

Saturday Question on Undina's Looking Glass

 

Saturday Question #4:

How Are You Doing? What Are You Doing?

What is the situation where you live – city or country, be as generic or specific as you wish. Did you get any extra food and supplies?

What is the situation with your job (if you were working)?

If you’re staying at home more than usual, what do you do?

Have your perfume habits changed recently?

My Answer

All individuals living in the State of California have been ordered to stay home or at their place of residence, except as needed to maintain continuity of operation of the federal critical infrastructure sectors. This was announced on Thursday night following the last week’s “shelter-in-place” order in the county where I live. But my office sent everyone to work from home a week before then. So far, everyone I know personally is healthy (or at least not symptomatic).

After some initial panic last week, currently it’s calmer in our area. And while all the stores seem to be permanently out of toilet paper, cleaning supplies and some random items, in general, food is available. But of course, uncertainty breads fears, so, just in case, we stockpiled more food that I’ve probably ever had at one time in my house. My only excuse is that we bought almost nothing that we normally wouldn’t buy. So, I hope not to waste any food.

While I enjoy working from home once in a while (and last week it was quite convenient since I wasn’t feeling good – not virus/flu/etc.; getting better now), doing it every day is not fun: the boundaries between work and home life blur and not in a healthy way. And since both my vSO and I are doing a number of meetings and phone calls each day, one of us periodically has to leave the office not to interfere with the other’s activities. But we manage. Rusty, so far, seems to enjoy our company, though I suspect he’ll get tired of us soon.

 

Rusty Sleeping

 

My perfume habits followed the change in the work environment: I stopped wearing perfumes. If I were telling you this, I would have kept a longer pause. But I won’t do it here in writing and hurry to tell you that while I’m not wearing perfumes, I use this opportunity to test and re-test a lot of samples, trying to resolve some of the issues discussed a couple of weeks ago in the SQ#2. I tested more than 30 perfumes during last week and wore just one perfume – Amouage Dia for the grocery shopping today. But this weekend I plan to dress up for dinner (just for a change) and wear one of my favorite perfumes. But after that I’ll continue going through the piles of samples.

I want to share with you several links I collected during this week from different sources:

The Metropolitan Opera every day does HD streaming of famous operas. The one that was streamed the night before (7:30 PM EDT) is available for 20 hours. I’m not a huge opera buff but I figured out that it was a good opportunity to listen to/see some famous singers.

12 Famous Museums offer virtual tours. I haven’t tried them yet myself but plan to soon.

For the US readers: a grocery tracker that shows if grocers have made operational changes for your safety and theirs as well as whether or not employee benefits may be offered to those hard workers that help you get the items you need. This is a great way to choose where you shop during this craziness. There is detail on each grocer below the main list.

 

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63 comments last week means that there was no draw. Let’s lower the bar this week and shoot for 75 comments. If we reach it, there will be a prize: a random draw for a $25 (or equivalent in pounds or euro) gift certificate to an indie brand of your choice (I suspect they’ll need our support).

 

How Are You Doing? What Are You Doing?

 

Disclaimer: this blog doesn’t use any affiliated links or benefit from any of the G-d awful ads that some of you might see inserted tastelessly by the WP engine inside the post and/or between comments. Encouraging readers to post more comments does not serve any purpose other then getting pleasure from communicating with people who share same interests.

93 thoughts on “Saturday Question: How Are You Doing? What Are You Doing?”

  1. I heard California is ‘on lockdown’. Londoners are advised to say home but no laws are in place to this extent… YET.

    I look at Italy and fear that is where we are heading. I hope it won’t be as bad but who knows? I will have to learn how to work at home. I’ll be moving in my parents in a couple of weeks so we can see this thing out together.

    It’s hard to come to terms with. Every time I wake up it hits me all over again.

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  2. As I just posted on A bottled Rose, I am commando, there is no room in me for scents at the moment. We are not in lockdown (yet) but restaurants etc are closed. Many people are hoarding, I suppose it is the reptilian brain taking over. Our PM made a work visit to a supermarket, where a woman offered him toiletpaper. He replied: “There is enough toiletpaper in the Netherlands for the coming 10 years. Everyone can poop for the coming 10 years!” We had a dramatic moment where our Health minister fainted in parliament, no covid19 but just a too heavy workload for any human to carry. Hospitals are doing a wonderful job. There is a Dutch word which would translate to ‘togetherness’ I think, and besides some of the more primitive reactions we see, which I can understand but don’t condone, there is a lot of care and support for each other. As long as this doesn’t last too long (the Spanish flue lasted for more or less a year) I suspect that feeling will continue. Counting my blessings helps. It always does. Spring has started, free of charge. The universe has me for that.

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    • I think we all should try that togetherness (interestingly, my auto-suggestion knew this word) for as long as possible: harder times are coming, there will be enough unpleasantness, so we should do whatever we can do to counteract that.

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  3. First up, glad to hear that you are safe and healthy! Lots I want to say, but first up, while the Met is streaming opera everyday, they also just sacked their chorus and orchestra. Spare them a thought if you watch! Artists are often paid by performance, not rehearsal and show, if they are unable to do a performance, there’s no money! Also force majeure means no money. Not meaning to say it’s worse for artists than many others, small business owners etc etc, or that indeed this is the most important aspect of this terrible heath crisis, just wanted to weigh in with something not many people know. Obviously, the worst is the loss of lives! And the strain on heath systems and personnel everywhere.
    Spare them many, many thoughts!
    I too have not been wearing much perfume, but wanted to do testing instead, if not now, when… Vega the one eyed cat is quite happy I’m home so much, she can beg for food in the most annoying way, until she gets it! I’m happy she is there, it means I do get to give some hugs 🤗 crazy how difficult it is being separated by distance to others.

    I’m happy it seems Denmark did a good job of enforcing strict laws quickly, I’m also aware of how lucky I am to live in a country which can afford to help most businesses and people to a certain degree, and with a well functioning (relatively speaking) health system which is free for all. I will need some sort of financial help, as part of my jobs are based on one off payments. We all worry health wise, financially, job-wise, how long will this last, and what will it mean at the other end.
    Take care

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    • I’m extremely upset by the fact that Met stopped paying their ununionized workers. They might cite force majeure all they want, but I don’t understand how it happens that one of the most famous and the largest performing art institutions in the U.S. doesn’t have an emergency fund. Maybe if the general manager’s salary wasn’t 1.45 M, in 2-3 years they would have collected a fund for such situations. Just a thought.
      I’m glad that your country is in a position to help its citizens. The U.S. is too large, so I don’t want to criticize it for not being the same as smaller countries with more homogeneous population. But I do wish some aspects of our lives and politics were different.

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  4. Hey Undina,
    Love reading that you’re doing a bunch of testing. I’ve been going through some old decant boxes to find ands up the ones dehydrating. It’s been fun to thunk and gift a bunch of them.
    Work continues for Jin and I but some of my Drag Queen hostesses bars have closed. That means the Barstaff, DJs, Cleaners and Entertainment have all lost their livings. Notoriously a group with little savings to keep them afloat. It’s worrying.
    I’m quite enjoying not being so social though and have done a few odd jobs around the place that needed doing, the list is still arm length.
    Netflix has also beed my buddy.
    Dogs are oblivious but I’ve noticed on our walks that there are almost no people on the streets. Eerie.
    Portia xx

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  5. I survived 5 days of working from home. Now I have to find the best way to rinse and repeat for an indeterminate amount of time. I made several changes to help me adapt. I moved my “office” to the kitchen. I joke that this is closer to food (and indeed it is), but doing this actually made my surroundings airier and brighter. While I miss my walk to and from work (after and before a train ride), I managed to take a short walk around the neighborhood 3 out of 5 days. I am enjoying a little bit extra sleep. I’m documenting some of this silver-lining in Instagram with #hajusuuri_wfh more as a way to keep my posts organized than to start anything catchy. I’ll be back with a few other things because I have to prepare for a work call – yes, there’s no break other than Saturdays and Sundays will just be touch base calls. Be well.

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    • I’m trying to figure out the best way of separating my work from my home life. Not succeeding so far :) I’ll need to work tomorrow to prepare to the presentation on Monday. But I’ll probably try to “take back” some time during the week and do a walk or maybe find some exercise routine on YouTube…

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  6. Hi Undina, here in New York the situation gets worse as hours pass. We are the new epicenter of the virus in the USA. The whole state will be “in pause” from Sunday. Only essential workers will be allowed outside and the rest of us can go out just to get the essential items that are needed. Only banks, grocery stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations and take out/delivery service from restaurants will be open. I have enough supplies to last me for a while. Hope to be ok.
    I started working from home this week and I have been insanely busy with barely time to breath. At the end of the day I am so tired that I just eat, take my dog out and go to sleep right away. I miss going to the office. I have always liked to keep my work separated from home, but under the circumstances and comparing my situation to other people losing their jobs, I am grateful I still have mine. My old pomeranian dog seems to enjoy having me at home and I am glad I still can take him outside twice a day (very early in the morning and very late at nightime) for short walks that allow me to decompress for a while. I have been wearing perfumes more than usual. I am finishing decants and samples that are almost gone by evaporation. Perfume has become my new therapy to make me feel more relaxed and go thru the day. At the same time they are a beautiful distraction in the middle of this dark situation.
    I am glad you are dressing up and wearing one of your fancy perfumes tonight. My very old aunt who lives alone is wearing and using her best items every day now. As she says, it is time now, because it may not happen for her later. She is in a very positive attitude.

    I hope everybody stays well and healthy. Keep patience and let’s hope for the best to come soon.
    I am ready to have my first cup of coffee of the day, sit down for a while, catch up on perfume blogs posts and comments and keep myself busy with my regular weekend stuff at home. We’ll see what next week will bring. For now I just don’t want to bother to think much.

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    • I read on NST about your aunt, and that story gave me the idea – so, thank you.

      It’s hard to imagine New York ”closed”: our suburban area, and even San Francisco, is nothing compared to that.

      Take care of yourself (and your four-legged friend). And let’s hope we’ll get over it soon.

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  7. Reporting live from Poland!
    We haven’t been yet ordered to stay at home but it is highly advised to not leave your house. Many companies have sent their workers to the home office. Personally since I work in the lab and working from home is close to impossible for me, at the time my and my colleague are taking shifts in the lab. One day she’s in, the next one it’s my turn.

    Since the beginning of this week schools, universities, pools, cinemas and other public places are completely closed. It was supposed to be for 2 weeks but yesterday it was prolonged until easter.

    First days were madness in the shops. No toilet paper, no pasta, no fresh meat and no frozen foods. Now it has calmed down. Shops have restrictions regarding the number of people who can be inside the shop at once so you often have to wait before they let you in. Many businesses are shut, restaurants provide only take-away food (with Uber eats for example) and many places have shorter working hours (like post offices)

    You all stay safe.

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    • In our area shops also control the number of shoppers inside. I was impressed yesterday by how one of the stores organized it: they had a guard at the entrance who allowed in one person/family at a time. Each one had to stop and apply disinfecting liquid to hands. The store had marks made with a masking tape in front of the counters – that’s where shoppers were expected to stay not to endanger workers. And they didn’t allow personal shopping bags and packed everything in paper bags.

      Are you paid the full salary when you work this way in shifts?

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      • They’re doing that here, too. Plus, with the nonsense that happened last week, early opening hours are for the elderly or anyone working in the health services.

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  8. Hello perfume friends
    I’m in Canada where everyone I know is trying to stay at home as much as possible and learn from how things went in China and Italy, and now France and Spain. It seemed so far away before and I think 2 weeks ago we still didn’t understand how bad things could get as this virus was apparently like a mild flu and most people seemed to get a very mild illness. When you look at a statistic like 1 or even 3 percent of people dying it just seemed remote and we didn’t get it. I think most of us do now. We’re talking about trying to flatten the curve and looking at very helpful models put up by statisticians that are helping us see that while there may be only relatively few cases in our country now, that if we don’t take extreme measures now we are going to be hit by a tidal wave later.
    I feel bad for all the people around the world suffering illness and loss and uncertainty and sudden unemployment and fear. I feel such gratitude to everyone doing all they can to help whether it’s doing their part to stay isolated, or helping to look after the sick, or help keep us informed, or post messages of hope and fellowship to each other.
    I feel thankful to you Undina, for being a part of keeping us disparate humans connected in some fashion. After one week of working online and not seeing another human in real life I can say I’ve noticed a small struggle to keep a sort of mental hygeine. I’ve been house bound except to walk alone outside along the strangely empty streets. Nodding at the odd person one comes across from a polite distance. Yesterday a roofer working on a new build made my day by waving and calling out to me as I walked past. I stopped and we have a brief sort of in person chat for a few seconds, him 2 story’s up working shirtless in 4 degree sunshine, before he returned to working and me to my stroll. Such a small thing but it really helped me remember that we are connected, that things will go on.
    Electronic connection is not the same but it certainly helps. Today I’m having a virtual cup of tea with a friend and and going for a ‘walk’ with another. ie, I’ll walk in my park and chat on my phone while she walks in hers. She has to take a gift and a cake over to her 89 year old mother’s and leave it on the door step, step back 2 metres and sing happy birthday to her as she opens the door to receive her gift, song and wave. The most loving gift of all to stay away from her.
    As to perfume, well since I don’t have any worries about burning out anyone else’s nose hairs I’ve been burning out mine. Bam, Andy Tauer!! Amouage!!! Carnal Flower!!! Even Chanel Coco, 5 or 6 sprays if I want. I’ve been bringing out all the ones I’m usually very careful about and just blasting them. I’ll Spray something on one wrist and wait a few hours and wake up my nose with something else on my other wrist and something else four hours later on my chest. A little later I’ll start over on my other wrist. It’s been crazy and wonderful.. Oh that and the amount of garlic I’ve been eating. I look quite presentable because I’ve had to put my mug online for working but the people I’ve been ‘seeing’ have no idea how much their eyes would be watering if they were actually in the same room as me.
    Stay well friends, keep on the sunny side

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    • Forced isolation is hard: those little interactions that we took for granted, being taken away, are very noticeable. But at least we have phones and internet.
      I’m glad that you get to enjoy your perfumes: at least something good had to come from this awful situation. I should start wearing my favorites in the evening: this way I’ll get both to test my samples and to wear perfumes I love.

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  9. I just posted my update over at A Bottled Rose, but I will expand on it here:
    The U.S. is a mess, too. I love quarantine, actually. It simplifies everything, including spending. I sleep. I rest. I read. I stream shows. It is relaxing for a Type A person who is always going going going to the point of dropping. But, I lost my job yesterday. Indefinite layoff because the company is losing money and made cuts. Here, that means getting less than 1/3 what I made on unemployment, paying $400-500/month for COBRA insurance continuation then trying to live on $1000 per month. So, I am going under and have no savings. My cat had major oral surgery yesterday, as well. He is my only baby left at home; otherwise, I would be alone. It was a high-anxiety day. I am glad it is over. Today, we are comfortable and together as I worry about the future and bills I can’t pay. Last night, I finally put on perfume. Hadn’t had time to even deal with it all day. I wore Serge Lutens La Participe Passe. Appropriate. Today, I am still in my jammies cuddling with a sleeping kitty, but have to wash and dress to head to the barn and spend time with the horse I can’t afford. I was great until I lost my job. I had hope. Now…
    As for the situation here with COVID: We are advised to stay home but many people still are going to work. Companies are hurting though. They closed dental offices yesterday in Ohio. Restaurants are take-out only or closed. Vets may close soon. Grocery stores have the bare minimum and you can’t get many items (toilet paper and alcohol and eggs and bread). I didn’t hoard. So, I hope I can get things in the future when I run out. The streets are like ghost towns. Hardly any traffic.

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    • Gina T, I’m so sorry to hear about your layoff. I hope we can all get back to business as usual in a month, maybe two at the most. Hugs to your kitty and hope he gets better soon.

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    • Hello, Gina,
      I wish there was something I could do to ease this time for you. I’m so sorry about the job loss. I’m glad you have your cat, and your horse. We’ve never met but I’ll be thinking of you, and hoping for good things for you.
      Sending love,

      Carole

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    • Gina T., are you sure you won’t get your job back within a 2-month period?

      I’m asking because you do not need to enroll into COBRA immediately. You have 60 days after the event (loss of your job) to enroll, and you’ll be covered retroactively if anything happens during this time and you’ll need medical help. You’ll have to pay for the previous 60 days, if you choose to enroll, but if you were to find another job within that period of time, you wouldn’t need to spend those money on COBRA unless you actually need the coverage. Of course, it won’t help you in case you don’t find job and still have to enroll and pay, but it won’t make your situation worse if you put those money aside and wait.

      It’s an awful situation, I sympathize a lot. It’s probably one of the worst type of the situation: to have a problem and not be able to do the regular expected things to resolve it. Since right now there is not much you can do to find job, spend some time looking into what’s available in terms of getting financial help and reducing costs.

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      • Thank you for caring and offering such lovely advice!!!!! I don’t know is the answer. The company said minimum of 30 days, maybe 90 days or longer for them to recover. I have health issues, including an internal bleed they still are trying to find and three allergy shots per week. So, I can’t afford to go without medical insurance as I wait.

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        • Waiting doesn’t mean without insurance. You can get the treatment first and then officially buy COBRA. Of course, if you know for sure that you’ll need treatment in the next 30 days, there’s no way around paying now. But if you’re not sure you’ll see a doctor before you know whether you’ll get your job back, then of course there’s nothing to gain from waiting.

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      • Thanks, Cassie. What’s funny is the two people on my team laid off were the hardest workers on top of everything, organized, responsive, dedicated. The two dead weights who never finish anything, take forever, forget things, are late to meetings, late to work, etc., are still there. Go figure.

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        • Most likely, they are “cheaper,” so the management figured out they will be sufficient for now, and since you cannot possibly find another employment at the moment, if things pick up, they’ll hire you right back.
          I really hope things get better rather sooner than later, and you’ll find another job – so that you don’t have to go back to this one.

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    • I’m so sorry to hear about the hardships you are enduring already Gina. It’s frightening to see how real this is all getting so quickly. I truly hope you are able to stay well and get all of your needs met through this crisis.

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  10. I am sorry to hear of your lay-off, Gina. My husband is very worried about the economy. As for us, I’m a preschool teacher so off indefinitely; fortunately my part time job isn’t a huge part of our family income. We’re trying to keep my teenage son on somewhat of a schedule until his online instruction starts on March 30. PA closed non essential businesses; stores have toilet paper and cleaning supplies for the first half hour of opening only. We are shopping for my elderly in-laws who we have asked to stay at their retirement community. My husband is working for home and quite busy; I’m starting to work on those projects that never get done. Also doing food pantry deliveries – we expect our church’s food pantry to only get busier. Hunkering down, worried about how long this will last. I expect PA to declare a shelter in place sooner rather than later; there are still too many people not taking this seriously enough. As for perfume, this week I have been wearing “not suitable for work” perfumes. Will pick another theme next week!

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    • What are your “not suitable for work” perfumes?

      If anything, preschool will be back as soon as the situation with virus improves: people won’t be able to stay at home indefinitely, and they’ll need somebody to take care of kids why they go back to work.

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      • I’ve worn a few “unsuitables” myself being at home: Boadicea Complex, Annick Goutal Ambre Fetiche, Alien, the ones that fill a room and would overwhelm my open-office coworkers who sit two feet away. Excited to hear what yours are!!!!!

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  11. I’m in the UK. The situation is very simikar to everwhere else. A nightmare !!
    I wore a different Guerlain AA everyday last week.
    I’m self isolating as much as possible.

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  12. Germany is not in a lockdown, but I don’t think it won’t be long. Boyfriend has take days off and then there is short work at Bosch. As I am a doctor I still have work to do, but if my practice is closed down I fear I will be ordered to work at a emergency hospital. I am a radiation oncologist, so I will be no great help. But I fear to get the virus as I am nearing my 60ies.
    We have planned a wedding in July, but I also fear this will not take place. So many things to worry about. Stay safe, you all

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    • I’m sorry both about your worries and uncertainty about your plans. Hopefully, even if you have to work at the hospital, you won’t get the virus. Though, unless you have current health issues, nearing 60s is still not in the highest risk group.

      Not knowing whether you’ll be able to have a special event is upsetting. I also have a big event planned for July, and I have no idea what will happen by then. But I hope we’ll come up with a solution.

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  13. Things in Florida are interesting. My county started drive through testing this past week for coronavirus and the local hospitals are doing a great job telling everyone what to do if they are concerned they have covid 19 symptoms. Gyms, movie theaters, restaurants, etc. are all ordered closed, but restaurants can do takeout orders. Most everyone seems to be abiding by the guidelines for 6 foot distance from others and staying home. Local grocery stores are limiting all items to 2 of any item for each person/family.

    Unfortunately there are a lot of people in Fla and Georgia buying guns and ammo. I do not understand why. I don’t think you can shoot a virus! And I seriously doubt someone is going to hold them up to steal toilet paper and paper towels! A number of people in the South are crazy, that’s all I can say.

    I would ask everyone to be very thoughtful of all healthcare professionals. If you need to see a doctor and have a checkup scheduled, please call and ask if the appointment can be done by telephone/telemedicine. My son is a physician (rheumatologist) and he is doing a lot of telephone consultation appointments for established patients to avoid exposure for the patients and health care providers. He sees new patients in person, of course.

    If you are coughing or have a fever of 100 degrees or more, please do not just walk into your doctor’s office. Please call your doctor and don’t expose them to your germs if there is any way the matter can be handled by a phone consult and medication called in for you. My next rheumatology appointment will be via a 15 minute phone call with my doctor.

    As for me, I’m catching up on sampling, doing lots of cleaning, cooking, reading and enjoying having nowhere to go! I’m an introvert, so this is not too hard for me. I’m keeping in touch with friends and family via phone calls, doing lots of blog reading and posting, and I’m having fun posting on Instagram. I am eternally grateful to be retired now!

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    • People watched too many apocalyptic movies, from there comes both hoarding supplies and desire to get armed. Let’s hope both will prove not to be necessary.

      Where I live, you cannot just do a walk-in visit to a doctor’s office (unless it’s an urgent care or emergency clinic). And when you call, they first ask you about the symptoms, recent trips, etc. But I do agree that in many cases it’s not necessary to visit a doctor in person. And especially these days.
      Be safe!

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  14. Here in the state of Massachusetts, USA, we’re not in full lockdown yet, so the situation is similar to what others have described—self isolation, restaurants open for takeout only, and Target store shelves empty of toilet paper but surprisingly well stocked on beer and wine.

    Also like many others, I’m grateful for the ability to stay connected with people virtually during this time. I’ve noticed from what people are writing throughout the days that moods are shifting back and forth along a spectrum of reactions to the situation, so we will not always be in sync, but need to accept that as well both for ourselves and others.

    I haven’t been reaching for any perfume or theme in particular, but have been rotating through my samples to use them up.

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    • I wonder if Massachusetts healthcare situation is any different company to other states…

      When I go to the store and see that, mostly, everything’s fine, I feel calmer and think that I overreacted with getting 3-4-weeks supplies of food. But then I read something while not seeing what’s happening, and I feel panic-y. I think many others go through the same cycles.

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      • I’m not sure, but doctors’ offices are rescheduling nonessential appointments or moving them to telemedicine, and some pharmaceutical companies are donating their personal protective equipment from their labs to hospitals (the employees are working from home so not using them anyway).

        Same here, cycling between thinking we are prepared and panicking that we’re not.

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  15. Like you Undina I’ve also been working through samples. I’ve been wearing them out while doing shopping for people, usually I only test at home. Gives me something to think about as a parallel to thinking about where varying items can be bought and how much can I carry and is my throat scratchy ?! Anyway 4 family members have lost their jobs. Lots of separation from family overseas, planned visiting was all cancelled and still waiting for refunds. We are in the very beginning stage here. If it was up to me I’d just stay at home indefinitely but people need help.

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    • I can’t believe how quickly companies laid off people! I think that for any business that is not mom-and-pop shop there should be some mandatory reserves to avoid this type of the situation. At least, a month or two cushion to support their employees.

      Good luck with your supplies duties, and let’s hope that your throat isn’t scratchy :) (though, I think, that one isn’t a symptom for this virus).

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  16. I’m in eastern Canada, and this province is traditionally very poor. People don’t stockpile because funds do not permit, and it would be against their nature to do it anyway. There is a tradition of sharing here. I feel for the people who have lost income or jobs because of the. Right now my job is ok-we deliver fuel oil and you cannot be without heat in this climate. The customers basically understand: we can still serve them over the phone, the drivers cannot deliver the slips. Only a few people got cranky and insist on paying in cash at the office. It feels strange to demand they stay out side in the cold, and to really wash hands thoroughly after each transaction but it’s what we have to do now.

    As for perfume being well groomed makes me feel sort of in control, a little bit. I’ve been wearing Eau de Fleur de Cedrat-just cologne but it makes me feel good.

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    • It’s not strange if you organize it well – first of all, warning people not to come, if possible. Then – posting a printed sign that explains that they have to wait. And then matter-of-factly instruct them on what to do once they are in. Your health is much more important.
      I’m not sure I’ve ever tried Eau de Fleur de Cedrat. But if it makes you feel better, it’s the best possible perfume!

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  17. We live in the country and I was raised in a very remote area, so the current travel limitations and social distancing guidance aren’t causing too much difficulty for me. I worked from home all week and very much enjoyed the peace and being in the company of my kids. Stores are limiting many household supplies to two items, but are generally well stocked with food–except no toilet paper. I am quite concerned about that situation, though, as our current supply is dwindling. I decided to pause my perfume use and have instead been reaching for my long neglected supply of body mist. Today it is Hempz goji lemonade.

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    • I hope that TP crisis gets resolved soon! For years there was no shortage of TP – why now??!

      I’m an extrovert, and I do like having people around. But for a while my vSO and my cat (plus all the online communications) are enough. I just wish I had less work to do (I said “less,” not “not at all”! :) – just in case, not to angry the Universe), but it’s fine, I’ll survive.

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  18. Hey Undina! Yeah well, my post on ABR updates people and I wrote a short Instagram post every evening. @armadilloscookiequeen. We are in full lockdown here. One week down and three to go. But I think it will go on longer. We can go out to bike or walk or go to the supermarket. Alone or with someone you live with. Can care for loved ones if necessary. So far my small family are all surviving on their own. Have not seen the kids (25 and 27!) but they are fine. I have been despairing over the so-late-to-the-party UK and USA and wish they had joined us a fortnight ago. My cat has been practicing perma-lockdown for years and she is fine. I am so thankful for the online world. This is tough, surrealistic, and our old lives will not return, but we can continue our friendships. Lots of love to you all. ❤️🦠

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  19. Gina, I also am sorry for your job loss. So sad to see so much of that. My husband and I are retired and had been in Australia (my husband’s family home) since January. My airline that I got here on is no longer flying. I am not sure when I will be able to get back to the US to see my (grown) kids, and my Australian visa expires soon (I’m American) so needing to seek an extension. I would have never believed that all air travel would stop if you had told me a month ago. South Australia just closed its borders today, even to other Australians. A group of American tourists visiting Barossa Valley just got diagnosed yesterday with corona virus, so far 10 out of their group of 18. They must have gotten in just before the flights stopped. Anyway they are quarantined in their very posh retreat with the two very posh restaurants, as it has had to close to any other guests. So as far as quarantines go, it could be worse for them. Forgive me, I don’t mean to make light of their situation, I’m sure they’d rather be home, but we are all in a difficult boat at the moment, some worse than others. I am lucky to be in a place that is so far not seeing a lot of cases, but I do worry about my children in Texas, and how I would feel if they were to get the virus and I can’t get there to them. May we all be safe, and may this not live up to the direst predictions. I’m trying to distract myself with perfume, but just like last year when I was unwell, it doesn’t interest me quite as much as normal.

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    • Oh Cynthia I hope your visa gets extended, I know so many people in this situation :( People on work visas, no work, student visas, no school.. some people scared to go home because it’s worse there. But you can’t live in aus too long without income because the rents are terrifying. And no government assistance for people here on visas. At the very least they could try and extend everyone’s without too much drama. I know in Korea everyone other than tourists got an automatic 3 month extension but I suspect Aus will not do so. I hope you are comfortable where you are, so sad to be away from family.

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      • Thank you, narthscent! I do have a place to stay so I am luckier than some. And I am sure I am much safer in South Australia than I would be in Texas. It’s just hard knowing if my kids got sick, I probably can’t get there. I am optimistic that they will be understanding about the visa. I will soon find out!

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    • I think you’re safer staying where you are right now. Also, (sorry, it’s not a comforting thought but it’s the truth) if, G-d forbid, your kids get sick, there won’t be much you would be able to do: hospitals are closed for visitors, so you’d be almost as good as if you were to stay in Australia.

      I hope your visa situation will resolve quickly. Be safe!

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  20. Ok, third time to try commenting, WordPress is the pits!
    We’re not in lockdown here, though I suspect it might have to happen soon. Cases are escalating and our health service is already overstretched during normal times.The government has contacted all recently retired medical staff and it had an overwhelmingly positive response, so there are a lot of people on standby for when the inevitable happens. Hospitals have been getting unused wards and unused outbuildings ready for occupation for several weeks now. Our schools, colleges and childcare facilities closed over a week ago, followed by pubs, theatres, gyms, all entertainment venues. I’ve been off work since last Monday, and don’t know when I’ll be back. Thousands have been thrown into instant unemployment. I live in the country so isolation is nothing new to me, but I’m normally a very social animal. For now we’re entertaining ourselves at home. I can get out and walk for miles, luckily, to burn off some steam. I’m also tackling some little jobs around the house that tend to get overlooked. Spending a lot of time on the phone to friends and family, we have to keep each other buoyed up. The hysteria of last week has abated and the supermarkets are now back to pretty normal business as usual, though with lines marked out at the tills to keep people apart. And there’s lots of toilet rolls on the shelves! (What is it with the toilet roll?) A lot of shops have decided to close, apart from chemists, builders merchants, take out food outlets, and of course the supermarkets. Towns are eerily quiet. People for the most part are being responsible about distancing themselves, thankfully. My perfume habits have changed not one jot. I still wear what I like, when I like. And that won’t ever change. I hope we can all stay healthy and well until this filthy contagion passes. And sooner rather than later. We should all try to remember when we’re on the verge of losing our shit that our ancestors came through wars, pestilence and in our case, famine, to go on and live life to its fullest. Things will undoubtedly get much worse before we see the tide turning. We’re being asked to stay at home. I think we can handle this.

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    • I still can’t believe that TP situation! I understand that people are now at home all the day, so they need more TP there. But they are not elsewhere where they used to use it, so paper isn’t being used there/ So why don’t we see that paper sold? I know, it’s different from what we normally buy, but these are not normal times…

      I’m not afraid of the short-term inconveniences, we’ll survive, it’s not a huge problem yet. What scares me are long-term consequences to the world economy. We’ve never lived through anything like that, so I’m not sure what to expect. For better or for worse, we’ll see.

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  21. I’m so glad you mentioned posting difficulties cassieflower because I’ve tried to post several times and had whatever I’ve written vanish into the ether I guess. At least the posting doesn’t show up on site. Let’s see if this one makes it.

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  22. I’m obsessing over not having any butter even though it takes me a long time to go through it. Little things that my very small supermarket haven’t been able to get in and I’ve not thought of when I was still going out. But a package is supposed to come in today, perfume for lockdown. I see everywhere people are are saying they haven’t been using it, I think that will eventually change.

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    • Butter? Interesting… I don’t think we had a shortage of butter. At least not yet. though, I think it’s one of the items absence of which I wouldn’t have even noticed: in our household we usually go through the half of… whatever size if it is not in the freezer before we have to through away the second half. Hopefully, you’ll get it soon.
      I’m wearing perfumed for evening walks. Today I was sporting sports cloths and Blocki’s “this grand affair…”

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  23. The partial lockdown of society in Norway has been extended, so it means more weeks of working from home. People have been fined for breaking isolation when they had a confirmed virus infection. We have all been banned from going to stay at cabins and summer houses, so as not to put pressure on health care resources in small communities.

    I had a crown fitted on a molar on Friday, because the work had already been prepared before the partial lockdown. So much precaution taken to avoid any health risk for both me and the dentist. I now have a flare up of what I hope is a normal cold. Living in Oslo with a lot of people infected, I cannot know for certain, as I had to use a taxi to get to the appointment.

    I paid my Polish cleaning lady not to come, as her boyfriend had been quarantined due to someone in his restaurant having shown clear signs of virus infection. Apart from high blood pressure I don’t have other known risk factors, but I do seem to take very long to shake off infections, so I self-isolate in an attempt to worry less. Being used to spending much time alone helps, so I can cope okay and try to get both my job and the extra household chores done.

    My long awaited, and finally granted, physical rehab has been postponed. The institution still has patients, but if the situation gets worse, health authorities plan to use rehab facilities for patients there’s not room for in hospitals. Anyway, my old father,who is a retired specialist in internal medicine and specialist in hygiene and disease prevention, urged me not to go to a place where there would be more than 50 patients.

    I have friends who fear for their jobs, some have already been laid off, if not permanently. They will get a forty percent loss of income, harsh reality. We are lucky to have a welfare state. Still, government had to change many rules for businesses and for self employed. Even with people not asking for refund of concert tickets and generally paying for many new streamed concerts, it will take months before we know much about the future of the cultural sector. Same for nail salons, hairdressers and beauty parlours. Most of them have small margins and few savings.

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    • I’m sorry about your rehab situation and hope that it’ll get resolved rather sooner than later.

      It’s an interesting thought about cabins and summer houses: I haven’t thought about it from that side.

      I also plan to pay my cleaning lady for the missed days: whenever she needs to clean my house again, it will be in a much worse shape since I still have job because of which I had to hire the external help for cleaning, and for me this lock-down means just more work (because now I tend to work the time I previously spent on getting ready and driving to and from work). So, cleaning is done only to the extend not to spend time in dust and dirt, but not too attentively.

      I don’t want to think now how the landscape will look once we’re done with this virus: too many unknowns, too many problems that got intensified by this situation.

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  24. I have now written a blog post each on lockdown in France and the UK, and if I had to choose, would definitely rather do my time in my own country, surrounded by all my belongings! I have lost any chance of earning money from paying guests or market research (which had dwindled anyway due to uncertainty around Brexit and ‘digital disruption’ more generally, but the virus was the last nail in the coffin). I cannot see friends, not even to walk at a safe distance, and shopping in real shops is quite fraught with people not observing the rules, while an online slot for grocery deliveries is a far away prospect. I am scarcely wearing perfume and have lost most of my interest in the subject. Lots of social events have been cancelled, and it may be six months at the earliest that I can meet up with people I was expecting to see next week. In short, this social butterfly (as I now realise I am!) is not a happy bunny…sorry for mixing my animal metaphors. ;)

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    • Have you tried any online conferencing tools? Initially if feels a little weird but then you get the hang of it. Our friends had just celebrated their 30th anniversary online with several friends and family members.
      Why can’t you walk at a distance? Is it not allowed, or are you being extra-cautious?

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