Franprix, jam jars, Paris Letters/Maps

This week went by in a state of unreality. While others were making no-knead bread  and redesigning their lives, I wrestled with a jam jar. The jam jar won. True I got a stiff calf early on from too many squats without warming up. I elevated, iced with a bag of frozen peas and rested (RICE). 

Sunday morning I went out again early At 9:15. No one out except tenacious runners. Parisians left the city Tuesday a week ago, gone to their country homes. Its 'August in Paris' except boulangeries are open and the weather is crisp and cold (34 feels like 28). 

It's good occasionally to get out in the fresh air (we are allowed out 1 hr  per day with documentation) away from information overload and the tragic daily numbers so hard to comprehend. My building is all but empty. No garbage to speak of - the tell tale sign. 

The shelves are well-stocked at Franprix except for pasta. Maybe cos Parisians are now picking berries dans la campagne? 

I've never understood French cleaning products. Cleaning is not one of my strong points. Evidently good ole soap and water are lethal to CV. Who previously appreciated a simple bar of soap? Now I want to bathe 24/7. Can we inhale soap bubbles? Did your mother ever wash your mouth out with soap and water? Please be kind to your grocery store worker. Marjorie Williams wrote a terrific post about finding good food from your local farmers.

I noticed the jam shelf was seriously decimated.

French people, in general, have a big slice of toast for breakfast slathered with gobs of butter and jam/confiture along with their coffee/tea. Forget eggs and bacon.

Most prefer to eat only jam home-made by relatives and eschew the store-bought stuff but when travel is restricted... I couldn't resist the last jar of orange/citron/ pamplemousse. The French refer to this combo as agrume, which sounds more romantic than citrus. Most of this week I tried to paint that jar. Finally, after buying some croissants (also painting subjects) I dug into the jam, combined it with Roquefort on the 🥐and went to town 😳.

I ❤️ this Spring Bonne Maman poster from the Metro pre-lockdown.

My haul from Franprix supermarché. Those red balls are granade/pomegranates. Another jar of anchovies, a jar of 'Provençal' French-style tomato sauce, bubbly water far left, dill in upper right, marinated artichoke hearts great in salads,a pretty yellow tin of tuna I hope to paint, grainy German bread,and the jam jar.

The Big News on 💌 Paris Letters is: They will be 'sent' out as emails until post-Lockdown when I can send actual letters💌.My local post office is closed and my copy shop/printer is closed. ALL IMAGES WILL BE RESENT AGAIN AFTER LOCKDOWN👍🏻 Please understand. Stay home, stay well PBers Xxx🙏🏻🥐☕️🐻❤️