After last weeks ‘ no-show’, we seem
to have had an action packed week this time. Pieter and Tilly came to spend
some time with us and arrived last Saturday, leaving again on Thursday. Tilly
had not been to this area before so we tried to show her a bit of the
countryside, but we had to fit it in between the two of them desperately trying
to get a container cleared in Holland so that they could get the stuff they use
in their cocktail machines. Customers were calling on their mobile phones all
the time. As I have said before the mobile phone signal is not wonderful in the
house so they were having to run outside to be able to speak and be heard. Then
on Wednesday the phone and Internet went down and we were totally
incommunicado. I was so upset because I could see the two of them getting more
frustrated with the situation as time went on, but there was nothing we could
do about it. We eventually got back on air on Friday afternoon. So, you see,
these things happen here too. I think the difference, and one that really
surprised us, was that on Saturday we got a phone call asking if the technician
had been and asking too, if we were satisfied with what he had done, and was
the phone and internet now working properly. I don’t remember this happening in
SA!
Tilly was keen to go a market so
the day after they arrived we went to Villeneuve, only a short drive away to see
what the weekly market had to offer. As it happened, the day was really bleak and
very few stall holders turned out so it was not impressive and we didn’t stay
long. Instead, we drove along to Belcastel which we think is really the
prettiest village around here, with it’s restored castle and the River Aveyron
running through it, where we found a delightful place to have lunch before
ambling back home again.
During the week we also sold the
little Peugeot 106 – Goldie. The buyer was very keen and drove half way across
France to come and inspect it then said he would be back again on Saturday to
collect it, but in the end couldn’t wait longer than Thursday to have it. We were
sad to see her go but our needs have changed and it really was just too small
for carting firewood and suchlike. The new owner was very sweet and sent us a
text to say that they had arrived home safely and she had behaved very well!
Our neighbour over the back fence
arrived for a short stay but admitted that she seldom comes in winter unless
she needs to get the house ready for holiday tenants as was the case now. She
had two friends with her, whom we also met and had drinks with. They are from
Oxford in England and seem very interesting people. The owner will be having a
birthday party here in early August, to which we have been invited. It promises
to be fun.
Big news of the week though, was
having to go to Rodez to renew our residents permits. Due to the ever
increasing influx of illegal immigrants, everything has been tightened up and
we were really quite nervous of the whole procedure. Thank heavens Tilly came with
us and explained that we are still recent arrivals in France so our French is
not yet perfect. (Huh! Not anywhere near!) When we went into the office the
lady on the other side of the counter looked a bit grumpy which didn’t bode
well at all but we decided to take no notice and just be pleasant to her. She
dealt with us individually, doing my papers first, and one of the questions was
“How many children do you have” to which I answered “Four’. Then she wanted to
know if any of them lived in France and then went on to other matters. When it
came to Neels’ turn, she asked him if he had any children of his own. Before he
could reply, I spoke across him to Tilly and commented that obviously I looked
so young that she thought I was a second wife. At last we raised a smile on the
officials face and from then on it was plain sailing. Now we just wait for the
actual cards. Only for one year again because of the tightened regulations but
next year we can try for a longer one but it will entail an interview in
French!! Yes…….well……….we’ll see.
Anyone who has driven on the
Continent or in Britain will tell you how the road authorities love traffic
circles. They certainly seem to keep the traffic flowing but they take up a lot
of room. Some towns plant lovely arrangements of plants on them, others
decorate them in different ways. In Villefranche we have a traffic circle with
a stony path across it and wild grasses and flowers on either side of the path.
Walking along the path is St James on his way to Santiago de Compostela because
Villefranche is on one of the many routes to that famous shrine. Rodez, the
town we went to to renew our permits, is in an area known as the Aubrac,
renowned for its beef cattle and just outside the town is one of these circles
decorated with two enormous cows made out of straw. They each have a beer in
one hoof and are reclining in garden chairs. For some reason that we could not
understand, they are gazing at a blackboard on which is written ‘E= MC². Well,
I suppose it makes people smile while at the same time it reminds them of the
reason for which the Aubrac is famous.
The weather has been really weird
lately – cold windy and wet one day; warm and sunny the next; and then freezing
with hail storms the day after. We are hoping that this is a last fling for the
winter weather and that warmer days are on the way. Much as we love sitting in
front of a cosy fire in the evenings, wet and windy days are not conducive to
getting things done. We have seen reports of snow on the Drakensberg and feel
that this is quite unfair. How can the northern and southern hemispheres both
have winter at the same time? Will someone please speak to the weatherman about
this!
P.S. the caption for the first picture seems to have disappeared but it is one that Tilly took while out on an early morning walk. The little village on the top of the hill is Ols with the church spire sticking up above the trees.
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