Monday 6th October to Sunday 12th October
Author: Jack
I don’t think the majority of my day on Monday is worthy of any diary entry save to say it was tedious, paperwork intensive and gave me a headache. But these things have to be done. Of note though was my introduction to ‘Auto Dicteé’; this being an exercise for French school children in learning a set piece of text and then being able to write it correctly from memory. Apparently it is highly thought of and used a lot within the education system. Well, if you think running a vineyard is difficult, you should try persuading an eight-year-old daughter, who displays all the symptoms of a pre-menstrual teenager, that she can learn it, and she can remember it, and she can spell it all, and it isn’t difficult and she won’t get zero for it! I have to say I did give myself a small pat on the back for not losing my temper and succeeding in getting her to actually write it all out correctly from memory! A small, but very important, victory for self-control. Let’s hope she can repeat it tomorrow at school.
I have just noticed a headline regarding the ‘muck off a truck’ description of school dinners in England which reminds me Becca’s school dinner menus, of which we received a copy. Here is an example of a weekly menu – three courses always!
Monday Radish or Melon
Roast Beef and Chips
Fromage Blanc
Tuesday Carottes Rapees
Roast Pork and Pasta
Fondant au Chocolat
Thursday Seafood salad
Turkey escalope and garden vegetables
Danette (no idea what this is but probably lovely)
Friday Celeri remoulade
Fish in breadcrumbs with wheat
Fruit compote
I don’t think the same description applies to school dinners here. It’s a menu any restaurant would be proud of.
I have been trying, unsuccessfully, to upgrade our Internet access from the regular domestic telephone line (i.e. snail’s pace) to either ADSL or ISDN (not quite lightning speed but maybe at least TGV speed). However I have completely failed, not for the want of trying, but apparently neither is available to us because of ‘affaiblissement’, i.e. weakness on our line! What! The only suggestion France Telecom can come up with is to try the cable provider! Well I’ll give it a go but don’t hold out any hope.
I had an appointment with a bank in Duras Tuesday to discuss the options for a loan to help finance the construction of the chai. I must say it was lovely to talk to someone face to face about this and not have to sit waiting on the end of a telephone having to constantly select ‘one of the following options’ only to find you end up in the wrong place or have to wait twenty minutes. The meeting was fairly brief but positive. Of course the next step is to prepare reams of paperwork! Have appointments with two other banks in Duras in the next week. Later in the afternoon I finally took the plunge and had my hair cut at a French hairdressers. I say ‘took the plunge’ because I have rarely heard any good stories about them and so far have always been able to have my hair cut in my trips back. Any way I needn’t have worried. It was all very relaxing, with calm soothing music in the background. I left feeling quite relaxed – and my hair wasn’t too bad either (Iain: Hmmm?).
I went to collect Beck from school today as she had her French lesson at five. I really enjoy collecting her from school. The ‘school gate’ is nowhere near as intimidating here as in England. Everyone always says ‘Bonjour’ and smiles and the children are delightful, always bright, cheerful and chatty. We’re trying to teach them to say ‘see you tomorrow’ at the moment as they always shout ‘a demain’ as we leave. Beck is really enjoying her French lessons with Françoise and her son Julian, who is five, has come out of his shell now and enjoys Becca’s company. Beck has also taken a shine to him now. So hopefully they may start playing together, which would be great as we are next-door neighbours.
I think the ‘Auto Dicteé was a success although she hasn’t had it marked yet, but she seemed pretty confident about it. Thank goodness.
On Wednesday I was really lucky and got to play tennis in St Sernin with a group of the local English people. I had been asked to join in (I’d say play but that is stretching it a bit) once before but of course Wednesday’s are Becks days off school so it makes it a little difficult. However this time I decided I’d give it a go and take Beck with me in the hope that she could amuse herself for two hours. Luckily though I didn’t have to put this to the test as Fleur’s mum phoned to invite Beck round for the day, so I dropped her off early and went and enjoyed two hours on the courts. My body is now feeling the fallout from my enthusiasm. Can only be good for me. Hopefully I’ll be asked to join in again. I did at least manage to get the ball over the net at times and didn’t feel too out of place.
Beck stayed at Fleur’s all day, which was lovely for her as she rarely gets to play with anyone outside school hours. I went to collect her after I had been for an appointment with another bank in Duras. Fleur’s mum had been having trouble using her PC and asked if I could help. Hopefully I managed to sort out the problems. I’ll find out eventually.
On Thursday I decided that I really should do some housework. It is most definitely not one of my favourite jobs but as Iain is arriving tomorrow I thought I ought to make the effort! And I carried on with my decorating, which I had started in earnest yesterday. I have decided to paint all the interior doors as, at the moment they are a rather ‘orange’ coloured wood. I have started with the inside of the utility room door, in case we don’t like the results! Beck came home from school with the good news that she got her ‘Auto Dicteé’ completely correct. She was pretty pleased with herself.
At last it’s Friday and time to collect Iain from Bordeaux airport. The car now finds its own way there and we both have the journey organised down to a fine art. Iain only ever brings hand luggage so that he can check in at the services desk, thus avoiding the queues, and meaning he doesn’t have to wait for his baggage to come off at the other end. He also asks for a seat as near to the front as possible so that he get off quickly and gets to the passport desk at Bordeaux airport before the rest of the passengers thus avoiding another queue. And it works. Once again he was first out! And I time my journey so that I arrive just before the plane is due to land, parking as near to the arrivals lounge as is possible, usually in exactly the same parking space, thus avoiding paying for parking as the first half hour is free! How sad are we? Well at least we are able to maximise our precious few days together.
That afternoon we had to go to Les Bardots to collect a sample of well water for analysis as with any luck we have sold it. The house has an internal well and is the only source of water for the house; mains water has not yet been connected. So we are bound to obtain a water analysis to ensure that the water is drinkable. I waited to do this until Iain was here, as I didn’t fancy doing it on my own (what if I had fallen into the well!!!!!). With an ingenious design (by Iain) fashioned from a washing line, elephant tape, string and a plastic bucket we were eventually able to collect the required 1.5 litres of water, which we then delivered, to the Laboratory in Miramont. Results will be available next Friday. After a quick trip to Bricomarche to buy some more paint and an electric screwdriver we went down to St Sernin for a game of tennis. The weather today is fantastic, almost too hot to play tennis! I am beginning to enjoy playing tennis again. I haven’t played it since I was at school and it’s quite a different game to Squash.
We spent the rest of the weekend doing our best to make the most of our continued limited time together. Unfortunately for Iain I always have jobs that need to be done. Having prioritised them the most important was putting up curtain rails in the lounge so that I don’t have to sit there feeling as if everyone can see in – even though we don’t have any neighbours near enough to be able to! As per usual Sunday afternoon arrived all too quickly and it was au revoir once again. It is all getting a bit too much.
