Since the huge local storm the evening of Sunday the 14th we have had no internet connection and thus no phone “fixe” or TV which also go across the rented Orange LiveBox. When you call Orange at 3900 on your mobile phone, a call for which you pay they take you through a list of if you want X press 1 and if Y press 2 etc. and then at the end tell you there are too many calls to respond and would you like them to send you an SMS with an attachment giving you the latest status of repairs in your area. You agree and of course the mobile coverage in our area is so poor you cannot open the attachment.
Staying positive we have electricity, hot water in the shower and propane for the central heating and for cooking. And Aurelia’s broken leg, she slipped and fell on 15 August, continues to improve and hopefully she will be walking again soon. However after being stuck in a wheelchair in a house in a small village in La Montaigne Noire for two months with another month to go she has decided that at her age she has had enough of isolated living in rural France and is planning to return to Spain in late November, specifically to Madrid. I have declined to accompany her as I have no wish to live in Madrid.
Early this morning when driving to the Locomotive our local bar and grocery store for our daily bread it made me smile when stopped in the rain in front of the kindergarten and primary school to see the very large and tall crossing guard bending way down to fait le bise, a kiss on each cheek with so many little children in brightly coloured raincoats, toting tiny backpacks.
This is being sent from the Locomotive our local bar and grocery store where they do have internet service, cold beer and cold wines of various colours. The pool table is covered in large carrier bags of donated clothes for the people in other villages whose homes were flooded. The Red Cross has announced it prefers donations in cash, so much more fungible after all.
And thank you for the advice on the travel search engines, it confirms my suspicion that they are all much of a much.
More later when Orange restores the internet.
Be well, do good work and keep in touch.
Your friend
John