To the end of November
September – November
So much has happened since my last blog; I’m still trying to catch up. Can’t be sure it’s all in chronological order but I’ll do my best.
I found we had a short window of opportunity to get away for a few days as my son was around to take care of things between 3 lots of bookings. So we did the changeovers on Saturday 17th September and went off to visit friends who have also upped sticks and moved to France. They are located near Agen and had invited us to spend a few days with them off-season when Ian had helped them with their pool area earlier in the year. Yes, they are gite owners too. It was perfect timing too as it meant that my son could stay in our place and not rough it in a tent as both my gites were rented out that week.
We made our way south early on Sunday morning, had lunch on the beach at La Rochelle then by passed Bordeaux by taking the Libourne road and reached Clairac in the early evening. As we were due back on Friday night for Ian’s changeover (my rentals were finished) we decided to make the most of our time and sightsee every day and my God did we pack it in. Monday we went to Villeneuve sur lot via a lot of beautiful villages
but found, as it seems everywhere in France, that Mondays are not good – everything is closed. Still we returned by a different route and managed to enjoy the countryside as the weather was fantastic, almost too hot to do a lot of walking around. Tuesday, I followed Ian around the local golf course and explored some more. On Wednesday I’d heard that Agen had a market, unfortunately we didn’t manage to find it and eventually drove over the Garonne to visit Nerac. Agen’s prunes may be the best but I was les than impressed with the city, however I don’t suppose a couple of hours is anywhere near long enough to form a true opinion.
We got to Nerac still in time for lunch and found a lovely restaurant opposite the city museum. We also found that there was a boat tour still operating, we had almost given up as all the others seemed to be seasonal and firmly closed for the winter. But it was not to be as they wouldn’t budge with less than 8 passengers and there were only 5 to be found. So much for my theory that if the operators extended the season they would still have business.
The boat trip that wasn't to be.
We decided that we’d leave on Thursday and travel to another location that Ian had worked in which was kind of on our way home. We went through Bergerac, stopped for a break in Perigueux and Limoges reaching our destination of Valencay just north of Chateauroux by early evening.
Spent the night with another friend and after yet more sightseeing, Valencay, Chinon, Saumur (Chateau closed until next year) and a very strange troglodyte home we crossed the Loire at Angers. Big mistake, it had to be the first traffic jam we’d encountered since leaving the UK and it was a lulu. It took us nearly 2 hours to get out of Angers and by 9pm we were home. Great trip but totally exhausting.
So much has happened since my last blog; I’m still trying to catch up. Can’t be sure it’s all in chronological order but I’ll do my best.
I found we had a short window of opportunity to get away for a few days as my son was around to take care of things between 3 lots of bookings. So we did the changeovers on Saturday 17th September and went off to visit friends who have also upped sticks and moved to France. They are located near Agen and had invited us to spend a few days with them off-season when Ian had helped them with their pool area earlier in the year. Yes, they are gite owners too. It was perfect timing too as it meant that my son could stay in our place and not rough it in a tent as both my gites were rented out that week.
We made our way south early on Sunday morning, had lunch on the beach at La Rochelle then by passed Bordeaux by taking the Libourne road and reached Clairac in the early evening. As we were due back on Friday night for Ian’s changeover (my rentals were finished) we decided to make the most of our time and sightsee every day and my God did we pack it in. Monday we went to Villeneuve sur lot via a lot of beautiful villages
but found, as it seems everywhere in France, that Mondays are not good – everything is closed. Still we returned by a different route and managed to enjoy the countryside as the weather was fantastic, almost too hot to do a lot of walking around. Tuesday, I followed Ian around the local golf course and explored some more. On Wednesday I’d heard that Agen had a market, unfortunately we didn’t manage to find it and eventually drove over the Garonne to visit Nerac. Agen’s prunes may be the best but I was les than impressed with the city, however I don’t suppose a couple of hours is anywhere near long enough to form a true opinion.
We got to Nerac still in time for lunch and found a lovely restaurant opposite the city museum. We also found that there was a boat tour still operating, we had almost given up as all the others seemed to be seasonal and firmly closed for the winter. But it was not to be as they wouldn’t budge with less than 8 passengers and there were only 5 to be found. So much for my theory that if the operators extended the season they would still have business.
The boat trip that wasn't to be.
We decided that we’d leave on Thursday and travel to another location that Ian had worked in which was kind of on our way home. We went through Bergerac, stopped for a break in Perigueux and Limoges reaching our destination of Valencay just north of Chateauroux by early evening.
Spent the night with another friend and after yet more sightseeing, Valencay, Chinon, Saumur (Chateau closed until next year) and a very strange troglodyte home we crossed the Loire at Angers. Big mistake, it had to be the first traffic jam we’d encountered since leaving the UK and it was a lulu. It took us nearly 2 hours to get out of Angers and by 9pm we were home. Great trip but totally exhausting. Meanwhile my son and his girlfriend Kerry had been looking for work to tide them over until they could take up their winter season jobs in the Alps. Except for a bit of labouring there was nothing on offer and their already low morale hit rock bottom when Mish fell ill. For 2 weeks he suffered intermittent fevers, sweats, headaches and general fatigue, eventually after two lots of blood tests and a great deal of anxiety he was diagnosed as having glandular fever. This put paid to all their plans, even when the symptoms went, Mish wouldn’t be able to work for quite a few months in order to allow his body to fully recuperate. After a great deal of thought, we decided that the best place for him to do so would be with his father in Saudi Arabia. There he would have guaranteed care, no stress of having to work to keep himself alive before he was fit enough to safely do so and at the same time he could around for potential jobs. However, it would still be a while before he was fit enough to travel and his father had to arrange to somehow smooth his way there.
On the 9th October, well into the bonfire season, Ian decided to help me clear the field and set a couple of fires going. As my old British car is still lodged in the corner, I did say he should be careful as there was still petrol in the tank – famous last words ‘don’t worry, I’m in control’ - well the car didn’t go up in smoke but the neighbour’s hedge did. It was horrific how quickly the fire caught and spread, it wasn’t even a windy day but unfortunately we hadn’t had enough rain to make a difference and the hedge was tinder dry underneath. The next thing I know, Ian is yelling for me to call the Pompiers (fire brigade), Mish and Kerry are filling anything they can lay their hands on with water and I’m holding the hose on the tap for dear life as Ian tries to extinguish the blaze. Later friends said they could see the mushroom of smoke from quite a distance away. Luckily the Pompiers arrived quite quickly and put it all out, they were very pleasant about it all and when we derided ourselves as the ‘crazy English’ they said many a Frenchman had made the same mistake. 1st October is officially the date from which you can light bonfires but one is supposed to use one’s discretion as to whether it’s actually safe to do so. The Gendarmes arrived soon after and it occurred to me that this wasn’t quite the way I’d envisioned myself getting to know the neighbours. However, they were also really nice about what was left of their hedge, I felt really awful because the couple who actually live there are very old and their daughter said that her father was extremely ill and in fact he died 2 days later. I just hope that the commotion didn’t hasten his departure.
Luckily my insurance did cover this and now I’m awaiting the arrival of the loss adjusters from both their and my insurance companies as the claim seems to me a bit OTT - €2500! Quite a lot to replace a few conifers, thank goodness my excess is only €167.
Ian and I attended M. Taillandier’s funeral and were amazed by the turnout, the church was filled to the gunnels. How wonderful to be so well thought of in a community.
As if that wasn’t enough, I noticed that Simba was scratching his ears to the point of drawing blood and took him to the vet. The vet diagnosed a fungal infection and prescribed an ear wash and antifungal drops to be administered daily. The first went in with no trouble but the after the second dose, Simba totally lost his sense of balance. He was like a drunk on the high seas, complete vertigo, unable to cross the room without falling over. I took him back to the vets, and was told to continue with the drops but not the wash. By the end of the week I was really worried as there was no improvement, he wasn’t eating, he was falling down the stairs although I’d put his food, water and loo on the first floor as he seemed to prefer living under the eves. He was a pitiful sight to behold. At the next visit to the vets 4 days later, I was told to stop the medication, this time on looking in his ear, she’d found that there looked to be a tiny tear in the side of the ear drum and of course that’s where the drops were ending up. In the following week, he gradually improved and now 2 weeks on, only looses balance when he shakes his head and the vet assures me that even that will eventually be back to normal. The downside of all this is that he was a dreadfully fussy eater pre France, on arrival here. He appeared to have turned over a new leaf much to my delight and positively relished Lidl’s best but no more …. He’s back to his old ways and I’m still trying to put the meat back on his bones so it’s the a la Carte menu again.
In the throes of all this, Ian left to make some money in order to complete his cottage’s extension but will be back for Christmas and New Year. Mish and Kerry left for the UK and eventually Jeddah with his father and so now I’m all alone with just Simba for company.
On the 9th October, well into the bonfire season, Ian decided to help me clear the field and set a couple of fires going. As my old British car is still lodged in the corner, I did say he should be careful as there was still petrol in the tank – famous last words ‘don’t worry, I’m in control’ - well the car didn’t go up in smoke but the neighbour’s hedge did. It was horrific how quickly the fire caught and spread, it wasn’t even a windy day but unfortunately we hadn’t had enough rain to make a difference and the hedge was tinder dry underneath. The next thing I know, Ian is yelling for me to call the Pompiers (fire brigade), Mish and Kerry are filling anything they can lay their hands on with water and I’m holding the hose on the tap for dear life as Ian tries to extinguish the blaze. Later friends said they could see the mushroom of smoke from quite a distance away. Luckily the Pompiers arrived quite quickly and put it all out, they were very pleasant about it all and when we derided ourselves as the ‘crazy English’ they said many a Frenchman had made the same mistake. 1st October is officially the date from which you can light bonfires but one is supposed to use one’s discretion as to whether it’s actually safe to do so. The Gendarmes arrived soon after and it occurred to me that this wasn’t quite the way I’d envisioned myself getting to know the neighbours. However, they were also really nice about what was left of their hedge, I felt really awful because the couple who actually live there are very old and their daughter said that her father was extremely ill and in fact he died 2 days later. I just hope that the commotion didn’t hasten his departure.
Luckily my insurance did cover this and now I’m awaiting the arrival of the loss adjusters from both their and my insurance companies as the claim seems to me a bit OTT - €2500! Quite a lot to replace a few conifers, thank goodness my excess is only €167.Ian and I attended M. Taillandier’s funeral and were amazed by the turnout, the church was filled to the gunnels. How wonderful to be so well thought of in a community.
As if that wasn’t enough, I noticed that Simba was scratching his ears to the point of drawing blood and took him to the vet. The vet diagnosed a fungal infection and prescribed an ear wash and antifungal drops to be administered daily. The first went in with no trouble but the after the second dose, Simba totally lost his sense of balance. He was like a drunk on the high seas, complete vertigo, unable to cross the room without falling over. I took him back to the vets, and was told to continue with the drops but not the wash. By the end of the week I was really worried as there was no improvement, he wasn’t eating, he was falling down the stairs although I’d put his food, water and loo on the first floor as he seemed to prefer living under the eves. He was a pitiful sight to behold. At the next visit to the vets 4 days later, I was told to stop the medication, this time on looking in his ear, she’d found that there looked to be a tiny tear in the side of the ear drum and of course that’s where the drops were ending up. In the following week, he gradually improved and now 2 weeks on, only looses balance when he shakes his head and the vet assures me that even that will eventually be back to normal. The downside of all this is that he was a dreadfully fussy eater pre France, on arrival here. He appeared to have turned over a new leaf much to my delight and positively relished Lidl’s best but no more …. He’s back to his old ways and I’m still trying to put the meat back on his bones so it’s the a la Carte menu again.
In the throes of all this, Ian left to make some money in order to complete his cottage’s extension but will be back for Christmas and New Year. Mish and Kerry left for the UK and eventually Jeddah with his father and so now I’m all alone with just Simba for company.
posted by Teresa at 8:18 pm
.jpg)
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home