'Minutes Before a Lockdown, a Civil Ceremony in France' diff viewer (0/1)

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Minutes Before a Lockdown, a Civil Ceremony in France	Minutes Before a Lockdown, a Civil Ceremony in France
2020-04-26 10:56:09 UTC	2020-06-08 02:30:16 UTC (about 1 month later)
Victoria de Lambilly remembers the exact day in September 2017 when she and Oscar de Poncins met at her London home — it was also the same day that her family’s new puppy, a three-month-old Border terrier named Brexit, had arrived.	Victoria de Lambilly remembers the exact day in September 2017 when she and Oscar de Poncins met at her London home — it was also the same day that her family’s new puppy, a three-month-old Border terrier named Brexit, had arrived.
Mr. Poncins was there to begin tutoring Gabrielle de Lambilly, one of Ms. de Lambilly’s five sisters and an eighth grade student at a French lycée in London. (She needed help mostly in math.) Her mother, Mathilde de Lambilly, had found a message posted by Mr. de Poncins in a closed Facebook group offering to help with homework for a French family, for a fee.	Mr. Poncins was there to begin tutoring Gabrielle de Lambilly, one of Ms. de Lambilly’s five sisters and an eighth grade student at a French lycée in London. (She needed help mostly in math.) Her mother, Mathilde de Lambilly, had found a message posted by Mr. de Poncins in a closed Facebook group offering to help with homework for a French family, for a fee.
Mr. de Poncins was studying for a master’s degree in corporate finance at Skema Business School in Lille, France, at the time. But he had recently traveled to London for an internship as a business development associate at Christie’s, the auction house. He said he was feeling “a bit homesick.”	Mr. de Poncins was studying for a master’s degree in corporate finance at Skema Business School in Lille, France, at the time. But he had recently traveled to London for an internship as a business development associate at Christie’s, the auction house. He said he was feeling “a bit homesick.”
“I wanted to get closer to the French community,” said Mr. de Poncins, now 26 and a finance business partner at Murphy and Partners, an international art advisory firm based in London.	“I wanted to get closer to the French community,” said Mr. de Poncins, now 26 and a finance business partner at Murphy and Partners, an international art advisory firm based in London.
Ms. de Lambilly happened to be in the same room as her mother when she first placed a call to Mr. de Poncins on speakerphone. “It’s the voice that did everything,” said Ms. de Lambilly, now 23 and a director assistant at Gagosian Gallery, an art dealership in London. “I found it seductive.”	Ms. de Lambilly happened to be in the same room as her mother when she first placed a call to Mr. de Poncins on speakerphone. “It’s the voice that did everything,” said Ms. de Lambilly, now 23 and a director assistant at Gagosian Gallery, an art dealership in London. “I found it seductive.”
Mr. de Poncins was slightly taken aback when Ms. de Lambilly answered the door for his first lesson. She was wearing red jeans and a multicolored pompom shirt. “Victoria had a real bob cut at the time,” he said. Yet, for a moment he forgot that short hair wasn’t his style. “Who’s this girl?” he remembered thinking. “She seems really charming.”	Mr. de Poncins was slightly taken aback when Ms. de Lambilly answered the door for his first lesson. She was wearing red jeans and a multicolored pompom shirt. “Victoria had a real bob cut at the time,” he said. Yet, for a moment he forgot that short hair wasn’t his style. “Who’s this girl?” he remembered thinking. “She seems really charming.”
Ms. de Lambilly was studying art history and Russian at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. She wouldn’t return to school until later in the fall. This gave her plenty of opportunities to engage in joyful chatter with her sister’s tutor three times a week.	Ms. de Lambilly was studying art history and Russian at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. She wouldn’t return to school until later in the fall. This gave her plenty of opportunities to engage in joyful chatter with her sister’s tutor three times a week.
Both realized art was a shared passion. They held the Finnish architects Alvar Aalto and Eero Saarinen in high esteem. The French artistic duo Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne was also a common source of inspiration for the two.	Both realized art was a shared passion. They held the Finnish architects Alvar Aalto and Eero Saarinen in high esteem. The French artistic duo Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne was also a common source of inspiration for the two.
Mr. de Poncins learned Ms. de Lambilly, whose parents were from France, had been an expatriate her whole life. Her father, Hubert de Lambilly, has worked since 1994 for a French company with an international presence. Her mother, Mathilde de Lambilly, was a stay-at-home parent. Ms. de Lambilly was born in London but her family moved to New York before she could speak. She was 3-years-old when they set up shop in England again and had never lived in France. All but one of her sisters was born abroad, in England or the United States.	Mr. de Poncins learned Ms. de Lambilly, whose parents were from France, had been an expatriate her whole life. Her father, Hubert de Lambilly, has worked since 1994 for a French company with an international presence. Her mother, Mathilde de Lambilly, was a stay-at-home parent. Ms. de Lambilly was born in London but her family moved to New York before she could speak. She was 3-years-old when they set up shop in England again and had never lived in France. All but one of her sisters was born abroad, in England or the United States.
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Mr. de Poncins’s mother, Catharina de Poncins, a reflexologist, is Finnish. His father, who requested not to be named, is head of risk, insurance and security for a global distributor. The eldest of three children, Mr. de Poncins grew up learning French and Swedish, which is spoken by a minority of Finns. In the summer, his family would leave Fontainebleau, a provincial town southeast of Paris where they had lived, for a month of swimming and saunas at Pappila, his grandparents’ residence in the south of Finland.	Mr. de Poncins’s mother, Catharina de Poncins, a reflexologist, is Finnish. His father, who requested not to be named, is head of risk, insurance and security for a global distributor. The eldest of three children, Mr. de Poncins grew up learning French and Swedish, which is spoken by a minority of Finns. In the summer, his family would leave Fontainebleau, a provincial town southeast of Paris where they had lived, for a month of swimming and saunas at Pappila, his grandparents’ residence in the south of Finland.
When Ms. de Lambilly returned from Saint Andrews for a midterm break at the end of October 2017, she and Mr. de Poncins planned their first date. On a windy but sunny Sunday, they met for Mass at St. Francis of Assisi, a Roman Catholic parish in Notting Hill, and then had brunch at Snaps and Rye, a nearby Danish restaurant.	When Ms. de Lambilly returned from Saint Andrews for a midterm break at the end of October 2017, she and Mr. de Poncins planned their first date. On a windy but sunny Sunday, they met for Mass at St. Francis of Assisi, a Roman Catholic parish in Notting Hill, and then had brunch at Snaps and Rye, a nearby Danish restaurant.
Mr. de Poncins was so focused on keeping the conversation going that he didn’t give one look at the menu. When a waiter came to take their order, he picked one item at random. He ended up with smoked herring, “an awful thing” to have at 11 a.m., Mr. de Poncins said.	Mr. de Poncins was so focused on keeping the conversation going that he didn’t give one look at the menu. When a waiter came to take their order, he picked one item at random. He ended up with smoked herring, “an awful thing” to have at 11 a.m., Mr. de Poncins said.
Later on, a stroll along canals in the Little Venice neighborhood gradually morphed into a hike. “I had rarely walked that much in such little time,” Ms. de Lambilly said. She and Mr. de Poncins held hands as they crossed a busy thoroughfare. They didn’t let go once on the other side.	Later on, a stroll along canals in the Little Venice neighborhood gradually morphed into a hike. “I had rarely walked that much in such little time,” Ms. de Lambilly said. She and Mr. de Poncins held hands as they crossed a busy thoroughfare. They didn’t let go once on the other side.
Ms. de Lambilly, who professes a deep familiarity with South Kensington’s topography, knew they would soon be back to her house. Her companion was yet to make a romantic move. So, she offered to accompany him to his bus stop back home to buy him time.	Ms. de Lambilly, who professes a deep familiarity with South Kensington’s topography, knew they would soon be back to her house. Her companion was yet to make a romantic move. So, she offered to accompany him to his bus stop back home to buy him time.
When his bus pulled over at the stop, he finally kissed her. “Your bus has left,” she remarked after a moment. “It doesn’t matter,” he said. “This man next to us is giving us a look,” she said, nodding in the direction of an older man near the bus stop. “It doesn’t matter,” he answered, kissing her again.	When his bus pulled over at the stop, he finally kissed her. “Your bus has left,” she remarked after a moment. “It doesn’t matter,” he said. “This man next to us is giving us a look,” she said, nodding in the direction of an older man near the bus stop. “It doesn’t matter,” he answered, kissing her again.
By November 2017, it was clear to them that they were in an exclusive relationship. Ms. de Lambilly graduated from her program, was hired as a business support administrator at Christie’s and moved back to London in the summer of 2018. Mr. de Poncins formally proposed in December of that year.	By November 2017, it was clear to them that they were in an exclusive relationship. Ms. de Lambilly graduated from her program, was hired as a business support administrator at Christie’s and moved back to London in the summer of 2018. Mr. de Poncins formally proposed in December of that year.
The couple celebrated their engagement in Pappila in Finland in the summer of 2019, along with their respective families. One morning Mr. de Poncins suggested they go for a swim in the lake that abuts the family residence. He arranged for his brother, Axel de Poncins, to drop the engagement ring on a pontoon as they swam away. They returned to the shore to find it glittering in its jewelry box.	The couple celebrated their engagement in Pappila in Finland in the summer of 2019, along with their respective families. One morning Mr. de Poncins suggested they go for a swim in the lake that abuts the family residence. He arranged for his brother, Axel de Poncins, to drop the engagement ring on a pontoon as they swam away. They returned to the shore to find it glittering in its jewelry box.
“I had both feet in the water and she was sitting on the pontoon,” Mr. de Poncins said. “That’s when I put the ring on her finger.”	“I had both feet in the water and she was sitting on the pontoon,” Mr. de Poncins said. “That’s when I put the ring on her finger.”
The couple made plans for a civil marriage on March 21, then a religious ceremony in June, both in France — all against the backdrop of Britain’s divorce from the European Union. The irony wasn’t lost on them. Yet, the biggest challenge they would face would not stem from Brexit, but from the byzantine ways the coronavirus pandemic would ignore them altogether.	The couple made plans for a civil marriage on March 21, then a religious ceremony in June, both in France — all against the backdrop of Britain’s divorce from the European Union. The irony wasn’t lost on them. Yet, the biggest challenge they would face would not stem from Brexit, but from the byzantine ways the coronavirus pandemic would ignore them altogether.
When it became clear that France was readying for a lockdown, the couple hastily arranged for the civil marriage to be held earlier than planned. On March 16, President Emmanuel Macron announced that most French citizens would be asked to stay at home starting from midday the next day.	When it became clear that France was readying for a lockdown, the couple hastily arranged for the civil marriage to be held earlier than planned. On March 16, President Emmanuel Macron announced that most French citizens would be asked to stay at home starting from midday the next day.
	Updated June 5, 2020
	The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.
	Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission.
	Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home.
	States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people.
	Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
	Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
	If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
	Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications.
	The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.
	If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
	If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested.
Mr. de Poncins and Ms. de Lambilly were married Tuesday morning, March 17, just 40 minutes before the measures kicked in, at Digny town hall, 70 miles southwest of Paris. Christelle Lorin, the mayor of Digny, was the officiant.	Mr. de Poncins and Ms. de Lambilly were married Tuesday morning, March 17, just 40 minutes before the measures kicked in, at Digny town hall, 70 miles southwest of Paris. Christelle Lorin, the mayor of Digny, was the officiant.
The couple were joined by the bride’s mother and two of her sisters, Emily and Félicie de Lambilly, as well as grandparents on her mother’s side, Claire and Jean-François Gautier. Charlotte and Axel de Poncins, the groom’s sister and brother, also attended.	The couple were joined by the bride’s mother and two of her sisters, Emily and Félicie de Lambilly, as well as grandparents on her mother’s side, Claire and Jean-François Gautier. Charlotte and Axel de Poncins, the groom’s sister and brother, also attended.
They arranged for missing family members and friends to tune in via a live stream on Instagram, including the groom’s mother from Finland and the bride’s father and sisters from New York and Paris.	They arranged for missing family members and friends to tune in via a live stream on Instagram, including the groom’s mother from Finland and the bride’s father and sisters from New York and Paris.
Just before the ceremony, Ms. de Lambilly and Mr. de Poncins took off the surgical masks and gloves they had donned as a precautionary measure. “We come from London, Paris, all over. We wanted to show we were cooperative,” Mr. de Poncins said.	Just before the ceremony, Ms. de Lambilly and Mr. de Poncins took off the surgical masks and gloves they had donned as a precautionary measure. “We come from London, Paris, all over. We wanted to show we were cooperative,” Mr. de Poncins said.
Ms. Lorin seemed to acknowledge that much. “Exceptional circumstances today,” she said before the brief ceremony, which started at 11 a.m.. “In the name of the law, I declare you united in marriage,” she said a few moments later.	Ms. Lorin seemed to acknowledge that much. “Exceptional circumstances today,” she said before the brief ceremony, which started at 11 a.m.. “In the name of the law, I declare you united in marriage,” she said a few moments later.