Reflections and other things

I forgot to mention health care so I’ll do it now.  Back to Thorny Brassiers.  Sele, our innkeeper, had the need for a gall bladder removal four weeks ago.  They have officially lived in France a year.  They bought Le Presbytere four years ago.  They still own their home in Ireland.  Anyway, I digress.

She had to have surgery.  There were scans.  Tests.  The operation.  Martin was afraid.  Very afraid.  Not of the surgery…afraid of  the bill.  They don’t have French insurance but they do have  a card from Ireland that identifies them as someone with health insurance.  They pay not a dime in supplementals here or there.  Anyway, he went to the billing office at the time of discharge and found that he owed 127 euro.  The french woman behind the desk apologized about the bill.  Case closed.  Viva le difference!!

Oh, and Martin said an interesting thing over breakfast.  “You really are quite isolated over there in America, aren’t you?”  After reflecting, I think he is right.  We have friends whose daughter lives in France right across the border to Belgium.  Her son grew up in France and decided to go to university in Rhode Island, I think.  Anyway, he came back to Europe because the food made him sick and he missed the cultural diversity in the northeast.  We really are isolated.  Just never realized it as much as now.

I’m making a conscious decision to not have my blood work done for a year.  After consuming about 60 pounds of cheese with Paris to go, I don’t dare.

French children are taken everywhere including restaurants where they behave beautifully.  They speak quietly as do the adults.  We even witnessed a 9 year old garcon (boy) eating a bowl of mussels.  That’s a first.  Anyway, the children of this country are very well behaved.  It does not go without notice.  And so it is with the dogs.  They are also very well behaved.  They don’t bark, they don’t bite.  They don’t jump up and down on you or try to hump your legs.  They are fabulous.  No wonder they are allowed everywhere.   We haven’t minded seeing them in restaurants or national monuments or anywhere else for that matter.  I want a dog.  But Ray tells me I must settle for a gold fish.

Today, I got my cheveuz coupe (hair cut).  I opted not to get coleur as I was unsure of my francais.  It ended well.  Came home.  Took a nap.  Cooked dinner.  Am having rhubarb crumble for dessert (from the boulangerie).  And we ate the last of that fabulous chocolat!!!  The best chocolate that has ever passed my lips.

Also today, did the laundry and hung it out to dry.  Amazing how unwrinkled it is.  And listened to the start of  the next Stieg Larrson book.  Ray also relaxed.  It was a day of rest.

No pictures.  However, I have been recording some french TV.  The sports announcers at one event wore pink shirts!!!  It was fabulous.  And I’ve got it on tape!!  I will not bore you with it…if you ever come over, I can show you on TV!!

See you manana!!  or demain in francais.  Samedi is Saturday in francais.  Sadly  it our last day at our base camp.  We clean up and pack tomorrow and then head for Paris on demanche (Sunday).  We have a lot of places we plan to see there.  And scarves to buy.  I’ve been totally restrained this trip.  So far.

he rest of the trip goes like this.  We leave Sunday for Paris.  We pick up our french friends at the airport Monday.  We see the Bartells, our friends from Los Osos who fly to Paris, on Tuesday.  And Wednesday morning at 6:30 we leave France.

We can’t believe it’s been a month.  And we are very sad to go.  Having said that, we must get home in time to pack for our trip to Oregon with our crazy golf friends!!!   We leave for that extravaganza on Sept. 25th!!!  We’ll probably will be suffering from jet lag.  An, the built in excuse for a rusty game!!!

We will squeeze in a few things at home.  Some golf, a gourmet dinner party, and pay our DMV tax.  Then off again!!!

Here are some other pictures from the other camera for your viewing enjoyment.

A painted wall in Thorny Brassiers.  The bridge.  We think the architect designed the sundial bridge in Redding.

An interesting car.  What is it?  And the cliffs over Millau as taken from the bridge (pont).

 




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