Spain

https://english.elpais.com/spanish_news/2020-06-17/an-analysis-of-three-covid-19-outbreaks-how-they-happened-and-how-they-can-be-avoided.html?prm=enviar_email - this an interesting article from El Pais on the transmission of the virus , 18/6/2020

Anita Dixon

I have not ventured out much at all, leaving John to do the shopping and any essential journeys. Like many others, I now have so much free time and few excuses not to catch up with the chores around the house. I am good at finding alternatives though! one of those being working on the JBC website and developing online play. Everyday I try to chat with my Spanish intercambio friend in the hope that we will both come out the other side of this situation fluent in English and Spanish. 🤞

Sadly, many friends have had extremely difficult situations to deal with, so, I feel very fortunate that my immediate concerns have been much more mundane, such as, when will I get some proper exercise and my new internet connection be installed so I can communicate with the world and perhaps watch some Netflix. ¡Well a girl can dream! My intercambio and I already have my connection partyplanned as a huge event on the future calendar. 

A D Moraira ~ 30/4/2020

Sonia and I are getting on fine, we are still speaking albeit, through Solicitors! Only kidding. We went out for dinner last week, we met friends on the Arenal this morning, Lockdown 65, and had coffee with them. I have caught up with all my paperwork, first time since I started in Accountancy which was in 1956/57. The feeling is amazing. Now I'm looking for things to do, but not too strenuously.

The Internet is a life saver. I read, and I managed to finish a very difficult JigSaw, which I have started and put away at least 3 times, because it was in the way. The most difficult, although not the biggest, since I started them about 70 years ago. I used to be able to read a paperback of up to 300 pages in a day. Once I started, I would not put it away until I'd finished. Not anymore, I get bored, frustrated, whatever, and after 20 pages I want to do something else. Bridge online is a must, and I've found a section on Bridge Base that has different levels, and you can check where you went wrong. And I try every, Crossword, Soduko, and other quizzes that I can find. Then we have Whatsapp, and emails, I'm not into Facebook, although, apparently, I have zillions of friends on it. It's interesting how the 'Zillion' has become part of the language. When I was growing up, a Zillion years ago, you rarely heard the word Billions, and I'm not certain that there were any Billionaires at that time. Contact with friends, family, acquaintances, have all helped. I've tried to keep in contact with many of the members of JSBSC who live on their own. Especially Pety and Vera. I think that the fact that the weather has been poor, unreliable, has helped. Hot, sunny days, cooped up in a Flat, albeit with a large Terrace, would have been much harder.

M K 18/5/2020

For the first week of lock down, I was feeling very unsettled, and thought it was going to be very difficult to handle. 
Then I found I began to relax, and go with the flow. Did not have any pressure on myself, and I was able to paint more, read 
a lot of books that I had been meaning to read for some time, and play cards with Michael.  All of a sudden the time was flying
 by, and not enough hours in the day. We both kept very cheerful, and had many laughs. Did miss seeing my friends, but we all 
kept in touch on What’s App, or Skype, some days finding it difficult to keep up with everybody!!!  Wonder if life will ever
 get back to how it was, think it will be awhile before we will feel comfortable in crowds, so going to the cinema or theatre 
is a long way off.  Think the lock down has made a lot of people change their priorities, as to what is important and what
 not, which is no bad thing.

A M  Javea 20/5/2020

14th March 2020, the day we were all confined to our homes.  The last 11 weeks have given us an opportunity to get things 
done, but at the same time it has been sad when we witness the number of casualties that this virus has imposed on humanity.
We have seen those in power act with real leadership, the Prime Minister of New Zealand springs to mind. Unfortunately
 there are others who have failed to rise to the challenge, and have acted with stupidity. Do you remember Donald Trump a
sserting that maybe we could inject ourselves with disinfectant? Above all we have seen the world’s citizens fight the virus
 by staying at home. Those people are the true heroes of the situation.  On a personal note, Brenda and I have enjoyed being
 locked up together. It’s fortunate that we get on so well! Our only ventures out, until last week, were the trips to the 
supermarket and the chemist. Last week, however, we treated ourselves to coffee at the yacht marina in Denia. Such bliss!!! 
 I have also been playing bridge online with my bridge partners Lyn and Chris. This is the first time I have played online 
bridge and I have really enjoyed the experience. I’m sure this will continue for some time.  We have kept in touch with 
friends and family via Skype and Zoom, a great way to communicate during lockdown.  Brenda and I hope that you all continue 
to stay safe and well.