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The new US Secretary of State has the French Foreign Minister impressed. Anthony Blinken promised to restore U.S. alliances in the world and phoned foreign ministers from Japan, South Korea and elsewhere. He scored points with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian by conducting the Wednesday morning call in French. Blinken, who moved to Paris at age 9 is fluent in the language.

The US Capitol insurrection - Our friends here (American ex-pats and native French) have expressed great concern about the American election and what culminated (so far) in the Capitol riots on January 6 and the need for massive defense of the inauguration on January 20. So far the US pulled through and arrests, investigation and an impeachment trial are ongoing. That trial will present to the Senate and the world more videos of the Capitol attack and of several of Trump's rallies, so they will see exactly what happened.

Covid - France has warned that a second pandemic coming with 4 new and more contagious variants from UK, South Africa, Brazil and California/Denmark. Professor Jean-François Delfraissy, president of government scientific advisory council Le Conseil scientifique, said that "we should probably move towards a lockdown" and follow the example of Ireland and the UK, both of which have imposed lockdowns as the new variants continue to spread.

On the subject of the new variants, the professor said: "The public must understand that the new variants - from the UK, South Africa, Brazil, and now California - have completely changed the game over the past three weeks. Why? Because they appear from many directions. Because they have a higher contagion rate, and they 'accelerate' the virus. These variants are the equivalent to a second pandemic. I don't say these words lightly. If the wave of the virus and the UK variant are confirmed, this is an essential moment of vigilance. We cannot stop it from spreading. If we continue to do nothing more, we will find ourselves in a very difficult position from mid-March." The UK variant is now 10% of cases in Paris.

CovID-19 variations are now in France, other European countries, the US and other countries around the world. American and European health organizations and ministries recommend that we wear double masks or N-95/KN95 or the European equivalent FFP2. And, of course, continue to keep your distance and wash your hands.

The South African variant is of high concern because of many mutations, greater transmission, more serious symptoms and the lower vaccine effectiveness.

John and I live in eastern Brittany. Brittany is the only area of France with a mild CovID-19 impact. 90% of France is either moderately or severely compromised by the virus. French Health Minister Olivier Véran presented the latest data on Thursday, cautioning that the Covid-19 virus was still spreading at an increasingly rapid pace across the country.

About 1/3 the way down this page is a map of the incidence of the virus per 100,000 population and below that is a map (in blue) of the occupancy of intensive care beds in hospitals. We live in Ille et Vilaine above the city Nantes (Nantes is where the giant robots live). We live in the lowest threat area. Here is a map of France with cities. On the very far left is Brest. Look to the right a bit and you'll see Rennes, our home town.

Vaccinations have started in France after a delay but the EU (which purchased vaccines using it's large purchasing power) is having great difficulty getting supplies from Astrazenica. That is delaying the vaccine rollout once again. John and I won't be eligible for the vaccine until mid March at the earliest. Three regional health authorities will stop vaccinations until mid Feb or March due to shortages.

John and I are doing well. The pandemic still feels surreal to us but hopefully there will be less than one more year of this thing. With the mutations/variations people might need to get a new vaccination every year (similar to flu vaccines). John and I started wearing double masks and we recently ordered some N95 masks (well, the European equivalent which is FFP2).

Very soon, maybe this week, we will have imposed our 3rd (and more strict) lock down. The 6PM-6AM curfew is not effective enough. We aren't experiencing as many cases and hospitalizations as in the spring and in October but the cases and hospitalizations are on the rise again. However, this lockdown will be strict because we have the original CovID-19 virus and 2 variants (UK and South African). The one from South Africa is of great concern because it is more contagious and may be more deadly. Current vaccines are less effective against it. "Moderna said this week that its vaccine appears to be less effective against the South Africa variant, and a Pfizer study also suggested a less robust response. Thursday, biotech company Novavax said that early results from its trials in South Africa also showed a lower effectiveness against the strain." But at least one "antibody cocktail" is effective against it. "Laboratory testing found that Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc's COVID-19 antibody cocktail can combat a coronavirus variant first found in South Africa, but a similar drug from Eli Lilly and Co is inactive against it, according to a study released on Tuesday."

The US has the South African virus in South Carolina so far. Nearly 50% of all new coronavirus cases in southern California in January alone are traced to the new variant, CAL.20C, one of the pathologists to identify the strain said.

John and I both lived in San Diego CA for more than 25 years and we have several friends there. San Diego has some cases of one or more of the variants of Covid that are more contagious than the original. CDC and WHO are recommending that people in communities with those variants wear 2 masks or use N95 masks (95% effective filtering of the virus). Either will provide adequate protection. The double or N95 masking is only needed if you'll be indoors with people you don't live with.

A young friend of mine in San Diego caught CovID-19 in December. I don't know which strain he had. He's OK now but there are many long term post-illness concerns that some people have. Because CovID-19 sometimes attacks the brain it can cause many changes that match the brain structure and chemistry of mental illnesses including mania, depression and psychosis and other brain function degradations such as mental fuzziness, forgetfulness and stuttering.

Fun with Neighbors
John and I live on the ground floor in a large apartment complex in a middle class neighborhood with lots of families. The neighborhood kids liked our window Christmas display so much I decided to have a display year 'round and incorporate holiday icons when appropriate.

Our neighbor upstairs sent me an email thanking us for sharing our creativity with the neighborhood. We don't have any new holiday stuff yet but dolls of famous scientists, a jurist and an artist (so far) sit on a bench near the window with a few stuffed toys. In the first photo (from the outside) Justice Ginsburg is tilted and Frida Kahlo's label is too low. The photo from the inside has those details corrected but I don't yet have a photo of the corrected version from the outside. Dr Fauci is a finger puppet which is why he is so small compared to the dolls. And, of course, there's Buster in the middle of the dolls looking all the world like ET in the closet full of toys.

In a day or two we will add Mardi Gras/Carnival and Valentine decorations. Pics will be in next month's blog. The near term holidays we will incorporate into our window display are Valentine's Day, Carnival/Mardi Gras, St Patrick's Day, Easter, Fête des Mères (Mother's Day), Fête des Pères (Father's Day), Labor Day, Le 14 juillet, la Fête Nationale Française - Bastille Day and others.

John gives me dolls like these on occasion so there will be more later. Moms tell their kids who the dolls represent (especially Madame (Dr) Curie). John gets the dolls at the Unemployed Philosophers' Guild.

Tommy and the kittens
Tommy is adjusted very well to the kittens now. He's regaining a lot of his playfulness and he grooms the kittens a lot (to reinforce his dominance, I think). He and the kittens chase each other and wrestle and share toys. Sometimes Tommy takes one end of the yarn and both kittens take the other end and they play tug. Charlie is mellow mellow with some interesting quirks. He looks to the ceiling a lot. He stares off into space a lot. He wants to be petted a lot but only in a specific room. He's tolerant but not fond of being picked up. Buster loves to be picked up. He slobbers a lot, though, so I need to throw a small towel over my shoulder when I hold him. He's like a drooling baby. ewwww! Buster is calmer these days - suddenly much less manic than he had been. Well, except for when he got his head stuck in a Kleenex box and raced backward for a few minutes steamrollering everyone and everything in his path. After I removed the box he was fine. No signs of fear or anxiety. He and Charlie play a little aggressively still (normal) but Buster isn't as wild and crazy as he was. For the most part he doesn't cry at night like he did. He's calmer - not ADHD-like at all. I think everything will be copacetic soon.

Buster enjoying the fleeting winter sun.	Charlie likes his feather toy.	Buster alseep in his toy box.
Charlie on his favorite chair.	Charlie and Buster in their kitty tree.	Tommy in all his glory.
Charlie enjoying kitty TV.	Buster watching the rain on kitty TV.	Frida Kahlo, RBG, Dr. Fauci, Buster, and Madame Curie.

Recently John and I went downtown on an errand and then we went shopping. John took a bunch of photos, of course. We live in a pretty and interesting city so there is always something new to see and capture on film. There are also pretty murals and statues everywhere.

Carnival/Mardi Gras
I love European Carnivals with their heavily political (often risqué) floats. Only the floats are risqué. Unlike Rio and New Orleans the people are fully dressed. I want to go to Nice for the 2022 Carnival celebrations and maybe visit some nearby towns that we missed when we lived there. Carnivals in Europe have been cancelled again this year. The one in Nice was cancelled half way through last year. Carnivals the world over have been cancelled but you can see what they would be like if they were operating this year.

The Best of Carnival 2021 Around the World - This article is written as though these Carnivals are still scheduled for 2021 but they've all been cancelled. Nonetheless, if you have an interest in Mardi Gras and Carnivals you'll enjoy this read.

In New Orleans this year, instead of floats, rowdy (and often bawdy) packed crowds and jazz music in the French Quarter, houses throughout the city are decorated as floats. Maps are provided with locations of the decorated house so people can view them from the safety of their cars (or while walking and socially distanced). It's much like viewing houses decked out with Christmas lights in selected neighborhoods around town except that jazz music and thrown trinkets are included.

You can see some of the incredible designs on the Smithsonian magazine's web page. Check out the Little House of Horrors theme. The Smithsonian web page also has links to more info, a map, a Facebook page which has links to costume, lighting, catering and other suppliers) and Hire a Mardi Gras Artist. Carnival artists who found themselves out of work when the parades were cancelled are stepping in to help locals who are less creatively inclined but would still like to participate in the festivities. Launched by the Krewe of Red Beans at the suggestion of Caroline Thomas, an artist who typically decorates floats for the Krewe of Rex and the Krewe of Proteus, the Hire a Mardi Gras Artist initiative has already "put about 40 people to work, which is nice."

New Orleans isn't the only city set to celebrate Mardi Gras with house floats. Cities including Lafayette, Louisiana, and Galveston, Texas, have similar events scheduled.

"I want to be very clear [that] Mardi Gras 2021 is not cancelled," Mayor LaToya Cantrell's communications director, Beau Tidwell, told reporters last November, as quoted by CNN. "It is going to look different."

Outside of the Krewe of House Floats, socially distanced alternatives to the city's usual festivities include the Krewe of Bacchus' app , which allows users to catch, collect and exchange virtual knick-knacks; scavenger hunts; a drive-by live performance by the Kewe de Jeanne d'Arc ; and a Mardi Gras for All Y'all online spectacular.

In my much younger days I went to New Orleans for Mardi Gras a half dozen times (I lived in Houston then). They've had a hard time coming back from Hurricane Katrina 16 years ago but they seem to be in pretty good shape now. My sister and brother-in-law volunteered for Habitat for Humanity there not long after Katrina devastated the city.

Next month is Black History Month so I want to share a few cool things about the holiday this year. Black History Month Film Festival In honor of Black History Month, which starts Monday, the Globe's film documentary project will hold a film festival highlighting "films and filmmakers documenting the Black experience and the continued plight of systemic racism in the United States." GlobeDocs kicks off the series next week, when it begins streaming online the film "The Inkwell." It's free, but you have to register by 9 a.m. ET Tuesday in order to get the link and password to watch it, which you can do any time from Tuesday to Thursday. You'll also get information on how to join a Zoom discussion about the movie with the director, Matty Rich, and Globe columnist Jeneé Osterheldt at 3 p.m. ET Thursday. Here's more information and a link to register for the films. Note to our friends in France: These films can be viewed streaming in France.

The Boston Globe also has additional information and links to help you further understand and enjoy Black History month. France doesn't officially celebrate Black History month but many French institutions have program about the history and stories of the Black French. Race identification by the French government is forbidden because of the experience of the Vichy government which assisted the Germans in killing Jews and others. Here are a couple of recent articles about Black Paris:
Black History Month in Paris
Entrée To Black Paris Blog

Also, did you know that the Black Lives Matter has been nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for the way its call for systemic change has spread around the world?

Stacey Abrams was also nominated for the Nobel peace prize. U.S. voting rights activist and Democratic Party politician Stacey Abrams has been nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize for her work to promote nonviolent change via the ballot box. Congratulations Stacey Abrams!

Mural in the playground of the local elementary school.	Ruth walking along the lovely La Vilaine. One of the two rivers that flow through Rennes.	Several small sculptures along the river path. This appears to be a chicken and some cattails.
And here's a turkey and some sunflowers.	The bridges aren't as pretty as the ones in Paris, but they do carry a lot of traffic.	La Vilaine looking west.
Street signs in Rennes are in both French and Breton. There is usually an explanation of the street name.	Attention grabbing mural as the sun starts to set.	La Vilaine opens up to Les Plages de Baud (a park at the river).
La Vilaine proceeds to the east past the park.	Ruth on the bus with St. Germain (15th Century) in the background.	Early morning Rennes at our bus stop.
Most bus stops in Rennes are covered and have digital displays for when the next bus arrives.	The view on the Quai Emile Zola bordering La Vilaine as it runs through Rennes.	These two friends fish in La Vilaine most mornings.