la peste ~ signs of the time

France is currently requiring everyone to stay home.  The exceptions are going to a doctors appointment, shopping for food, and walking a dog.  We need to carry a signed and dated permission slip.  Friends have been stopped and asked to show this document.

There is talk over here about Italian dogs.  At this point Italians have been home for over a month.  It turns out that dogs are tired from being walked so much.  Rumor has it that pets are shared between different people so everyone has a chance to get out of the house.

It's difficult not to see what's happening in America.  Things from that part of the world are well-reported on over here.  The runs on and fights over toilet paper and ammunition have been covered by the French press.  People here wonder how stocking up on toilet paper and ammunition will help fight a virus of pandemic proportions.  Perhaps America knows something the rest of the world does not?

By contrast, the shelves in our local markets continue to be well stocked.  Tabacs are open, as are most boulangerie.  In one exceptional case, a very small market around the corner from us was pretty empty of everything the day after strong orders were issued to stay home.  But a day later the little market was restocked, including, yes, with toilet paper.

Just as France entered this time of restricted movement, Jude and I headed out for a doctors appointment.  Along the way I spied two things that pretty much summed up the current situation.