Things have this way of working out. For better or for worse, when they’re good and ready. It does no good to fret and stamp your foot, although I still do this. There is a natural cycle to things and it is a lot easier if you just go with it.
It feels that things are finally coming together in this new life we chose a year ago. Nothing major. Just a general sense of freedom, of being able to get out and do things, plan things, live again. To breathe freely. Natürlich.
It helps that the summer season is finally here. Nature is in full swing, from the birds on our terrace to the sheep next door. When I go for walks or a bike ride around the village, I see more than the usual number of people with backpacks and walking sticks. The tourists have arrived and the cafés are busy, both indoors and out. The lake is dotted with sailboats and the sky offers up the spectacle of paragliders. I watch them land on the field below, some with such grace that they land in a single swoop, coming to ground with their sail erect above them before it gently crumples.
My husband went back to the office last week. For a whole day! From next week he will be going back again, at least from time to time. That will give me much needed head space. Don’t get me wrong: we have plenty of room. But we’re both used to doing our own thing, and I’m thrilled to see things returning to their natural order. Natürlich.
Our local swimming pool, indoors but on the waterfront with views over the lake, has opened with limited hours and numbers allowed, and I’ve gone and swum laps a few times. And after a hiatus of more years than I can remember, I’ve returned to the gym. Crazy, eh? Just as summer starts and still with masks required. But I’m determined to beat the creep of pudge that’s come on suddenly, surprisingly, after so many months when I thought I’d managed to keep things in balance. And I’ve rediscovered how much I love the way it makes me feel to move my body in a space dedicated for that purpose. Even without speaking (much) to anyone, being in a place with other like-minded people somehow feels inspiring.
It also helps that I know my way around the area now. Words of German are beginning to break through the static of my incomprehension. I know a few people well enough to say hello. We have a history here now, however short. This is where we sat last summer after seeing our new home for the first time. That’s our neighbour who runs the language school where I tried (and notoriously failed) to take a German A1 course last fall. And there’s the doctor I saw just before Christmas when we had our encounter with SARS-CoV-2.
I know we’re not there yet. Corona (as it’s often referred to around here) is still with us, and its nasty variants may yet sweep through on another wave. But we’ve armed ourselves with vaccines and masks and new ways of interacting. I think I’ve seen more of my Canadian family on Zoom in the last few months than we did before. And client calls are usually with video now, so I can put faces to names.
It’s the little things, I guess. Like this (not so small) apéro plate from a local restaurant we discovered in the nearby town of Morschach. A kitschy kind of place up the mountain where the charcuterie is home-cured and everything is local including the lingo. And you just go with it.
How are things in your world? Are you ready to get back to any kind of normal?
FranceSays 
Well done on getting back to the gym and being able once again to guide your life instead of your life guiding you.
Things are almost back to normal here. I say almost because Boris has sensibly put back Freedom Day by a month as we assess he new Covid19 results which are showing an increase under the new variants. There’s also the chance he might make the vaccine mandatory for all health care professionals. Which I think is another good move. It remains to be seen whether we will have to add restrictions, like movement again.
Life goes on.
Massive Hugs
Guiding your life instead of letting it guide you — YES! Glad to hear things are getting back to a kind of normal chez vous. Vaccines mandatory for health professionals seems like a no-brainer to me (although why they would need to be mandated among that presumably educated group remains a mystery…). Thanks for the morale boost — still very much needed and always appreciated. Massive hugs right back to you, David. Stay well!
Covid or Corona is here to stay and our government has suggested it will become an endemic and be a part of our lives in Lil Red Dot. We have a large community cluster now from the wet market and we are being careful. All we can do is go out when necessary, Work From Home if possible and practise all safe distancing measures. I am glad where you are, there is lots of land space and so, it is less crowded than a city like ours. Stay safe MeLewis and have a lovely weekend ahead and stay safe.
I can only imagine how the density of your country would play into the scary equation of Covid. Endemic it will be, I think, just about everywhere until we get the vaccines rolled out enough to stop the new variants from happening. I hope we have learned a few things from this whole episode. Working from home makes sense for so many, and keeping one’s distance too. Thanks for your wishes and hope you are staying well, dear Garfield!
I am preparing to check into Bates Motel in in another month’s time for surgery. Garfield, my inanimate furball will be with me. * rolling my eyes*
Good for you. I, too, was doing really well weight-wise for over a year and then, all of a sudden (well, it felt like that, anyway) poof! the pooch. Sigh. It’s slowly going down thanks to running and cutting down on junk…
And natürlich is a word I like to use. I just love the sound of it over “natural” 😉
No, those who say Corona, Covid or whatever you wanna call it, is so not done, eve if it is seemingly getting better.
No, I have to agree that sadly, Covid is not done. But it will be one day and in the meantime, we will have to live with it! Glad to hear you are also battling the mischievous pooch (or pouch — ha ha). It’s amazing how these things creep up on you, eh? Nice to know I’m not alone. 💪
Yes. Darn it! I can’t wait to be able to travel to and from the States without hassle.
Pooch, Pouch – whatever it is, it is NOT welcome! You are so not alone, my friend. Let us battle on!
A great post to read. I’m happy that you’re healthy and settling in and feeling in balance again. Breathing deeply is always a step forward. Carry on
Thank you! We all need encouragement, and never more so than when we’ve been through a long, bleak period with no end in sight. Hopefully that is changing. Reminding myself to breathe is always good. Hope it’s the same for you!
Nice
Yay!! You are a few months ahead of us here in Toronto, but we will be there by September, I am sure. Enjoy your freedom! I can’t wait to visit one day and see your piece of paradise in person!
Liz XO
Yes, small steps but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully transatlantic travel will soon feel possible without quite so many restrictions. Our paradise awaits! x
We are making a slow comeback to our blog with photos from our first excursion outside of Montreal (first post today). Life is also going to a somewhat normal in Canada; don’t know if it will become a new normal with things that have changed forever. The jury is still out on that one. We are fully vaccinated and ready to start travelling again though borders are still closed for us and our government is still being very protective as the guidance is still not to travel outside of Canada for non-essential trips. I certainly hope it will change soon… Good to catch-up with your posts! (Suzanne)