Sorry about last week but I will explain as I go along.
After all the coming and going of the previous week, the week that started on
the 16th January seemed boring by comparison. Leigh and Courtney
were still with us which was great for me as I am still battling with the hip
that I injured when I fell on it four months ago. She may not be qualified, but
really knows her stuff when it comes to physiotherapy and she has been doing
massages for me almost every day. They certainly ease the pain but are not long-lived
enough for my liking. Having already had blood tests and X-rays, next on the
list was to be an MRI, or as they call it here an IRM, scheduled for Tuesday of
that week.
Before that though, we had signed up for weekly free French
lessons at the school in Villefranche, so on Monday evening, off we trotted to
the class. We found ourselves in a completely mixed bunch of people. Mainly retired
British, with a sprinkling of other nations, about 20 of us in all. It was much like being back at primary school
and equally scary, with our teacher writing on a white board and then firing
questions at us each in turn. The only compensation for us was that there were
some people there who were much worse than we were. So, as long as we can stay
ahead, we might make some progress.
After the MRI there was of course yet another visit to the
doctor for him to read the report and give his opinion. But the MRI showed
nothing to account for the ongoing pain, so now I have been referred to a
rheumatologist on the 6th of February. Thank goodness we were
accepted into the National Health System soon after we arrived!
The following day, Neels and I, with Leigh and Courtney went
to visit her new school, and to meet the headmistress, Madame Croux, pronounced
Crooks. We were pleasantly surprised on all counts. The head mistress was
charming and friendly and took time to explain all aspects of school life in
France. Education is free in France but hostel accommodation has to be paid
for, so as Courtney will be a weekly boarder, money changed hands and then she
became a registered pupil. It was then arranged that she would attend school
for a few hours on Monday before going off to catch the plane back to SA to
apply for a student visa. So to celebrate finalising all the details, Courtney
and Leigh went off to Rodez on Saturday to hit the sales and came back late in
the afternoon laden with parcels.
Round about this time, or perhaps the day before, my computers
must have done an automatic update which didn’t agree with them, and suddenly I
couldn’t get access to quite a lot of my programmes. The two devices were also
not talking to each other and I was in a spin. No access to my mail! Unable to
send any mail! Unable to get into the Internet or to publish the blog! Disaster!
Leigh tried her best to sort it out, and we had Andre on the phone for ages but
only got partial solutions. In the end we gave up until the next week and spent
all Sunday having a ‘chill-out day’ We watched movies and ate popcorn and
became total couch potatoes It was, after all, their last day.
Next morning, not too early, we all set off for Toulouse.
There was a little trepidation in the car as the last few trips had been
somewhat abortive, but it was unfounded. They left on time and had an
uneventful trip home. Now the house was really quiet! Just Darby and Joan
rattling around again. Tuesday and Thursday were spent sorting out paying of
taxes and doing some shopping but I am not ashamed to admit that on Wednesday
we spent the whole day in bed. The forecast maximum temperature was alleged to
be 3 degrees, so we thought ‘Why not?’ In fact it never got higher than 2
degrees and with our fully equipped ‘office’ upstairs, we were very happy. We
have coffee machine and rusks; telephone; laptop; TV and books. To say nothing
of the cosy warm bed with electric blanket. What more could a frozen body
want?!
On Friday we nearly repeated this as the wind howled around
the house at speeds in excess of 60 kilometres an hour, but decided that one
day a week was enough. We had also finished the rusks and I needed to make a
new batch. The rusks turned out fine but the wretched wind blew all day and
nearly drove us mad. However, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped, and
Saturday was a stunning day with just a hint of icy breeze. But we were not
without some damage from the wind.The strong
gusts must have moved the satellite dish and out TV is now giving us
strange pixilated pictures on some of the channels. It looks like we have some
more DIY ahead of us. Does it ever end?!
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