In the Age of Social Distancing, the Stairs are Your New Best Friend.

Monday 30 March 2020

It’s another beautiful morning in Paris — the sky is clearer and bluer than I’ve ever seen it. And yet I have no idea how to make the most of it. While spring has arrived, the last remnants of winter are still blowing about. Just a few minutes ago the window shutter in front of me was rattling in the breeze.

Yesterday was the coldest day I can remember, which was partly the reason I steered clear of going outside. It was also the first day of Daylight Saving, which had the immediate effect of making me wake up one hour later than normal. 4:30 am mornings don’t sound quite as bad when they’re now 5:30am mornings. Still, the lack of sleep remains a concern for me: I don’t know how long I can keep this up before my mood eventually gives way.

With the clock hand moved forward an hour, I had to reschedule a Facebook Messenger video chat with friends yesterday. I had only found out about the change a few hours before yesterday, which was just as well; had I not been made aware of it I might have missed the call entirely.

Longer days mean brighter dinners, which always come as a shock for the first few nights. Before you know it, the darkness of dinner has given way to a more laid-back occasion, which feels completely at odds with the…