For all the dashing back and forth that we seem to have done
this week, we really have very little to show for it. On Monday when Courtney
started school again, she had found out that the new girls had to be there at 8
am but those who were ‘old hands’ only had to be back by 10.30. So in we went
at the appointed time with her dragging a large suitcase full of her clothes
and bed-linen. She warned us that we would probably have to fetch her again on
Friday, when she brought it home again as the bus that brings them is quite
small and there is no room for large bags. One of her friends arrived at the
same time and the two of them beetled off together talking nineteen to the
dozen.
On Wednesday, she had asked us to collect her again when
school finished at midday, but didn’t actually say why. Fearing that
homesickness may be setting in, we asked no questions but went fetch her. We subsequently
discovered that she had hoped to catch up with Pieter and Tilly but they had
left on Tuesday, not planning to be back before Saturday. Anyway I think she enjoyed
her time back here – sort of, easing her way back into school routine. No sign
of homesickness at all, thank goodness.
On Thursday , she didn’t have to be back at an unearthly
hour of the morning, due to a teacher being off sick, but I doubt we will
always be so lucky. But then, she doesn’t come home every Wednesday as a rule. Then
we had to go back into town on Thursday evening as we had a doctors appointment
to have our prescriptions repeated. They will only give a prescription that is
valid for three months and will not repeat it without actually seeing you
again. What a nuisance! But visits to our doctor are quite entertaining. He
loves to talk and although we generally try to back out of staying too long,
this time we were well and truly caught. However, when we went to the rooms on Wednesday
morning before picking up Courtney, to make the appointment, I happened to get
a peek at the appointment book and saw that our two were the last of the day. I
should jolly well think so! They were for7.30 pm! Anyway, true to form he
started chatting and told us that he was genuine wine fundi with an enormous
cellar beneath his house where he had a stock of over 2000 bottles of wine. Way
out of our league, I fear. Anyway it was all interesting and we listened as he
told us all about the best wines and the best vineyards; who the wine-makers
are and which ones are personal friends of his and so on and so on. At one
stage he asked if we had a few minutes to spare, which we assured him we had,
but asked if he had the time to
spare. Oh ‘No problem’ he replied and so we carried on chatting. We were, after
all, his last patients of the day. After an extremely interesting half-hour or
so, over and above our scheduled appointment which always include a full once
over check-up, we ambled out of the consulting room and were absolutely mortified
to find his real ‘last’ patient sitting waiting, patiently, in the waiting room.
In total embarrassment, we crept out and scuttled away to the car.
On Friday morning we were up with sparrows in order to be at
the hospital in Villefranche at 8 am, For my final eye treatment. At least all
these early mornings seem to be bearing fruit and my vision is improving……I
think. After that we had to do some shopping for a party that Courtney was
having for her French friends on Saturday night, and wonder of wonders, we were
home again at 10.30 which is the time we are usually stumbling down the stairs
to have a cup of coffee. It is really amazing what one can achieve by early
rising, but I’m not sure that it suits our way of life!
Also on Friday we collected Courtney again, after school (no
room in the bus, remember, for bags), but this was not so bad as she also had
an appointment with the doctor – the same one, to be registered for reimbursement
by the social security. This time he jumped us up the queue which was almost as
embarrassing as the previous evening, but this time I went in with Courtney and
we had no chatting about wine, historic villages, beauty spots or anything else!
Ten minutes later we were out again with the required forms in our hands, and
our heads held high.
Saturday was busy as we prepared for the party. We had
borrowed the neighbours’ gite for the
night as there was no way that we could have accommodated 11 rowdy teenage
girls for the night. They did at least come and have supper here
(do-it-yourself hamburgers with chips and salad, and numerous sauces, followed
by watermelon and the piece de
resistance, a milktart baked by Courtney herself) They took popcorn, sweets
and a huge bowl of pretzels off with them after supper and said they were going
to watch movies and play games. The weather was not really conducive to
anything more adventurous than that as it was cool and rainy – a decided change
from a few days ago. The girls were collected by their parents at about 11 on
Sunday morning after having had all the makings for breakfast already in the
gite. When we went to see how thay were getting on at about 9 am, they were all
still in pyjamas, still all talking all the time, sitting around a low table in
the lounge that was littered with croissants, rolls, ham, cheese, butter and
jam. I think they all had a good time.
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