theretirementstory

[theretirementstory]

28/04/2024. Good morning from Paris, the photographs this week will be looking back to when I visited the railway museum in Mulhouse, in March 2022. Oh to have lived in a time when rail travel looked like this, I would love to have had a trip seated in a compartment like this.

I am writing this from Sainte-Antoine hospital where my treatment should have started yesterday, unfortunately, when I arrived a nasal swab identified a respiratory infection and so I am receiving treatment for that first. I have had a CT scan today and the doctor reported that all looked good.

I spent a full day in the hospital in Troyes on Monday, I had to have a transfusion which was supposed to be platelets but my blood test revealed that the platelets were ok but that haemoglobin levels were low so that was the transfusion. Then sitting waiting for the taxi to arrive for the return journey all eats into the time away from home.

I also had a telephone call from this hospital advising that instead of arriving on Thursday I was to arrive on Friday, the reason being that Friday was originally to put a PICC line in, however, as I already have one there was no point in arriving a day early.

I had visits from Nadine, Monique and Anie all wishing me well for the treatment. Darcy in America messaged to say they are coming back to France and can’t wait to see me when I get home. There is a long way to go before I arrive home again but I am taking it all one day at a time.

I am sure you know by now that my garden means a lot to me, so I was disappointed that the iris hadn’t started to flower and I will miss them again this year. The good news is that the ten primulas I bought way back in February have all been accounted for, yes even though some looked almost dead they benefited from being pushed into pots or the potager. I have now potted them on into bigger pots hoping that when I get home they will have grown more.

I am sad that there are no beans, peas, lettuce, beetroot, tomato or strawberries planted this year. I really enjoyed tending to those plants and even though there were not lots of the produce I felt proud to have grown it. Never mind when I get home I may be able to get some produce started.

“The Trainee Solicitor” has had a new lease of life, as another member of staff joined the team and this meant he could be away from the front desk and upstairs doing his own work. What a change there was in him. Unfortunately the new staff member only works part-time so he did have two days on the front desk!

“The Reconnect Navigator” must have “broken in” the DM’s as I haven’t heard of any more damage to her feet. She has had some new aspects to her work but all in all faces up to the challenge.

“The Photographer” and “The Jetsetter” had a day in London. They were going to the theatre in the afternoon but walked for miles taking in sights too. It’s interesting that I would willingly go to Paris for a day and yet when I lived in the UK I would not have entertained going to London for a day. The journey takes roughly the same amount of time but London is not a place I find welcoming which I do with Paris.

Looking to the music this week, I have found (one) of my favourite songs by The Rolling Stones its “Miss You” from 1978.

The second song is back to 2010, yes just round the corner of your mind, it’s by Maroon 5 and it’s “Moves Like Jagger” ft. Christina Aguilera.

This photo shows the cutlery, crockery and the silverware from the Presidential train. How refined!

So I wish you well for the week ahead and “inshallah” I will be back again next week.

#barsuraube #troyes #Paris #france #photography #champagne #nature #trees #classic books #70’s music #2010’smusic #railwaymuseum #mulhouse #friends #family

[theretirementstory]

21/04/24. Another day in Paris. It was an early start, I was out of bed at 5:30am and by the time we got back in the evening it was after 7pm. Boy was I tired! However, I am going to Paris for the next part of the CAR-T cell therapy on Thursday April 25. I should be staying in the hospital in Paris for 3-4 weeks. I am just praying that the food is good.

Now it’s time to do my tax return as it has to be completed by May 23 and I don’t want to send an email saying I am in hospital again! I have all of the information it is just a case of finding where to put it on the forms.

Had a catch up chat with Rosie who lives In Poitou-Charentes. Anie messaged to see if she could visit, she brought me a delightful bunch of muguet. While I was checking on a crumble I was cooking, there was a knock on the door. I opened the front door to find a huge bunch of muguet tucked into the door handle and Marlene was disappearing down the drive. I dashed out to speak to her and her husband before they left. I was so happy to receive these lovely gifts.

I had to have a platelet transfusion in Troyes on Monday and before they would let me leave the hospital in Paris on Tuesday I had to have another platelet transfusion. Can you believe I was booked in for another in Troyes on Friday afternoon. Well I got to the hospital on time, then after a blood test I was told I couldn’t have the transfusion on Friday I have to return on Monday morning. I was so angry but as I have found no amount of anger changes the stance of these people. Coming back in the taxi, I had to sit in the back, by the time we got home I was feeling travel sick! So Monday at 8:45am it is, what’s the betting that it will be more than one transfusion and I will be there all day 😩. I think I will need my case packing this afternoon!

Monique came to visit, she brought me lilac from her trees and three delicious cakes, bought at the most expensive cake shop in town! I cannot believe how well we get along and how we can sit and talk for hours when Monique only speaks French and German 🤔. She stayed for about 3 hours by which time we had put the world to rights.

I spoke to a cousin in London, who is terrified that WW3 is about to break out. To be honest if it does there is not much you or I can do about it and if someone pushes the button we may not even have time to worry. Just one thing I would like to know, in case this should happen, was Andrew Hillier from France 24, born in the North East of England? 😂

Anie called to see me again, bearing more gifts. This time it was pain d’épicés and a jar of homemade soup. The pain d’épicés contained walnuts too, it was absolutely delicious.

I needed some pj’s to wear in the hospital so I popped to Gemo in town and got a couple of pairs of pj bottoms and four t shirt tops as I need tops with short sleeves. I was given the sheet advising what I can eat on the protected feeding plan. Now I will be on this diet while I am in hospital but was told there is a washing machine available to wash my nightclothes. As I will be expected to remain in my room, being so far from home that I won’t have any visitors, I wonder how my pj’s will manage to get washed? Answers on a postcard please 😂😂.

The doctor from Paris phoned me just to say he had all the scan results and providing I don’t have Covid, he will see me on Thursday. Oh gosh it’s exciting and terrifying at the same time! I am hoping that I will be able to do my blogs but as some of the risk factors are neurological and I may lose the ability to write (temporarily) I will have to wait and see.

I have had two deliveries this week, the first was four books from another cousin in the UK and the second was a card and two magazines from a friend in the UK. I finally managed to package up, again, the gift I sent her last year which was refused by UK customs and returned to me.

“The Trainee Solicitor” has been stressed again this week! Having to keep one eye on training the new recruit and the other on dealing with his cases I guess he is looking a bit like Marty Feldman! Anyway it’s the weekend and a time to clear your head ready for the forthcoming week.

“The Reconnect Navigator” is going to be doing a new role at work until such time as a replacement is found. All experience and I think it will be rather interesting too. Her new Dr Marten boots have rubbed her feet and made them very sore. She went out on Friday evening with friends, I do hope she didn’t have to go barefoot!

“The Photographer” has his children this weekend. On Friday evening he had prepared a cottage pie with red wine jus and cheesy mash. Apparently the children really enjoyed it and my grandson had second helpings! On Saturday they met up with “The Trainee Solicitor” and “The Reconnect Navigator” for lunch, so I imagine that was a great experience too, as both children adore them! I was sent photos on Friday evening, of both children playing with large cardboard boxes. I love imaginary play where the box can be your home, a car, boat or plane it’s just wonderful to see children playing this way. Of course I love to see them as they are growing up so quickly, apparently my grandson can count to ten in French.

“The Jetsetter”, has been continuing with the day job until she goes away again. Not long now girl, I will be thinking of you on the day you fly but don’t you be thinking of me 😂.

The music this week starts with a song from a married couple. It was released in 1988, it’s Teardrops by Womack and Womack.

The second song is from 1997 (that was a good year😉) it’s by Savage Garden and it’s “To The Moon And Back”.

On my travels I have noticed that lilac, laburnum and the candles on the horse chestnut trees are all in evidence. I think they are probably a few weeks early. My cherry tree has lots of cherries starting to appear. Let’s hope that no heavy frost comes and kills them off.

So I will do my best to get a blog out to you next week. I am staying in the Saint-Antoine hospital in Paris. The nurse who was doing the transfusion said “ oh you are going to be staying on the floor”, I replied “Well I am hoping for a bed actually” to which we both had a laugh. The hospital is older than the one in Troyes, the room is probably going to be smaller and the “salle de douche”, in the room I was in on the day unit, was tiny, I could have taken a shower while sitting on the toilet! Maybe that’s how my pj’s will get washed 🤔.

The photo at the top of the blog Is the barrière du trône and this final photo is somewhere in the 12th arrondissement.

Jusqu’à la semaine prochaine.

#barsuraube #troyes #Paris #france #nature #trees #photography #cooking #80’s music #90’s music #architecture #andrewhillierjournalist

[theretirementstory]

14/04/24 I AM HOME, I came back on Thursday after my MRI scan and a transfusion of platelets. Was I pleased? I guess you could say that, Anie called with my shopping, I had a wander around my garden, got the car out of the garage and went to do more shopping, saw my friend Liisa and had a little chat then came home and prepared chorizo pasta bake and garlic bread.

My neighbour sent me the above photo showing the blossom on the cherry tree. I was so pleased to see my garden.

On Friday I had to go back to the hospital for what turned out to be two transfusions. I thought I would have been home by lunchtime but it was 16:30 when I got home.

So I am hoping against hope that I will be home until April 25th when I will be going up to Paris for a long stay, while the next round of treatment is carried out.

Monique had been in touch, she wanted to come down on Thursday but I needed some time to just chill. So she said she would come on Friday. However by the time she could get away it was too late. She did say that one of her twin granddaughters had got scarlet fever so you just know it won’t be long before the other one gets it.

I messaged my cleaner with the dates I am available to have her clean my home before the next hospital visit. She replied that she wasn’t available. That’s ok, hopefully we will get back to normal once all my treatment is completed.

The cough that I was starting with when I went into hospital, has now developed! My nose streams and then I start coughing, it is worse if I have been talking. The medicine they gave me in hospital contained codeine and it said not to use it for too many days. Well in my book, my wariness of medication, meant that I took it for three days then stopped. I didn’t want to become addicted!

The music this week, is really from my youth! I begin with “Love Hurts” by Jim Capaldi from 1975. Going even further back than that it’s “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” from 1965. The video shows Alan Price on keyboard, he will be celebrating his 82nd birthday at the end of next week, Eric Burdon, vocals, who will be 83 years old on a date in May which is the birthday of someone dear to me. Plus Chas Chandler, bassist, who later managed Jimi Hendrix and Slade. Unfortunately Chas passed away in 1996.

“The Trainee Solicitor” has met up with a few Uni friends this week and is going to see another couples new house today. He has been training the new guy at work and although he would prefer to get on with his own work, ensuring someone gets the training they need is the best way to moving onto your own work. Making sure they understand ensures less disruptions to your day.

“The Reconnect Navigator” has had to go out and buy a pair of Dr Marten boots for work. The boots she had bought previously have only lasted 5 weeks. I guess she is getting those “steps” in. It is great that they both have the weekend off as it allows them two days to do things together.

“The Photographer” and “The Jetsetter” spent a nice night in York on Friday evening. The platter they had with the wine looked exceptionally tasty. Then it was time for the “The Photographer” to head off to Boston, to photograph the match with Scarborough AFC. Although it was a 0-0 draw it was a good match (apparently). Plus he was the only photographer, for Scarborough, at the match and the photos have been in the local newspaper. That’s a feather in his cap, for sure.

“The Jetsetter” is busy preparing for her next jaunt (can’t remember where that is to). She does however spend the week in York which is a “getaway place” for a lot of people.

I have had a message from a friend in the UK, her grandson was born on the 17th February at around 26 weeks! Bless him he is still fighting and getting bigger which is such wonderful news.

Nadine (a friend here in town) has messaged to say that she will try to get down to visit at the weekend.

My neighbours have just popped in bringing a piece of flan. They always ask about my sons and grandchildren, I have shown them recent photos this morning and they think my grandson looks like his Daddy.

Now I am going to start getting food prepared. I am hoping that I will enjoy my roast chicken dinner. Then as we are due 22c today I would like to go out into the garden and clear a few weeds.

However you intend to spend your day, have a good one.

I am hoping that the hydrangea paniculata (pictured below) will have a growth spurt and put out some lovely flowers this year.

Bon dimanche!

#trees #nature #barsuraube #Troyes #photography #cooking #60’s music #70’s music #mygarden #france #champagne #livingthedream

[theretirementstory]

07/04/2024. Today is my 14th day in hospital and it doesn’t look as if I will be going home just yet! I could wrong of course 😉.

As I am unable to get out and about to photograph the flooding that has been happening here or to take advantage of yesterdays warm sunny day when the mercury hit 27c! I decided to use “throwback photos” from places I have visited. The first photo is of “Temple Saint-Étienne” in Mulhouse, a city I visited in March 2022.

So it was Easter Day last Sunday and to celebrate we were given some appalling food which I returned untouched. The highlight of the lunchtime “plat” was the birds nest cake with jelly beans, it was delicious. In the evening there was a pastry square with chicken and mushroom and as much as I wasn’t going to eat it, it was rather tasty. It certainly beat a lot of the food we get here!

On Monday,we had coffee in the afternoon 😳 with a little cake and a couple of mini Easter eggs. Anie messaged and visited me bringing another couple of Easter eggs.

Everyday it seems that something else is low, red cells, white cells, platelets, potassium or blood pressure! I must admit by Wednesday I felt quite low myself. Asking why my body wasn’t working as it should? It turns out this is quite “normal” for the type of chemo I am having now (wish they had told me earlier). Anyway, a good talking to and I settled myself down, my positivity returned and I was “up there” again.

I now have provisional dates for my stay in the hospital in Paris. However, I really need to go home for a couple of days to get my case packed ready to take.

I have run out of reading materiel so I need more books. I have had to resort to reading the blog from inception December 2016. After two full days I am only at Xmas 2019. It’s interesting to look back on though, I must admit.

This week I have chosen two songs by someone I think has been very underrated. The songs go back to 1967 and 1968 respectively. Apparently the songwriter, Cat Stevens, sold this first song to P.P. Arnold for £30 and it became a big hit for Arnold as well as for other artists including Rod Stewart and Sheryl Crow, the song is “The First Cut Is The Deepest”.

The second song, written in 1967 and recorded by P.P. Arnold in 1968 is “Angel Of The Morning”. I must say I have loved both of these songs since first hearing them in the 60’s and was only too happy to sing them at any opportunity. However, I must admit it was much the same for lots of songs from those decades.

Pauline messaged last weekend, from Barcelona, where she is currently working. At some point over the Easter weekend she had her phone snatched out of her hand and the thief made off on an electric scooter. I imagine that was quite a shock! She, fortunately, had an old phone with her and just needed to buy a sim.

I have been messaging lots of people, French friends, English friends and catching up on “Hatched, Matched and Dispatched, unfortunately it is mainly now the “dispatched” that are known to me.

“The Photographer” had his daughter for the day on Tuesday. He sent me a photo of them waiting for the stately home they were going to visit, to open. They had such fun until my granddaughter fell in mud, all over her new leggings! She was worried Mummy would be unhappy, so they took a photo to let Mummy know what had happened. This weekend he has both of his children, it was wonderful to get photos of their happy smiling faces and then of my grandson catching “forty winks”. It was ok as Grand-mere has slept rather a lot today. Hope I sleep tonight! Last Monday “The Photographer” made the trip to Kings Lynn to photograph the home side v Scarborough AFC. At half-time the score was 3-0 and he felt sure Scarborough were going to be beaten, However, they pulled off an amazing feat to win 3-4. No-one saw that coming at half-time, absolutely brilliant!

“The Reconnect Navigator” is thrilled this week as she has now been given her own cases. She worked overtime one evening and so on Friday she had a 3pm finish which was great! Makes the weekend longer.

“The Trainee Solicitor” is feeling better about his job now. A new “young man” has joined the company and is working full-time. He hasn’t worked before so comes with no preconceived ideas (which is good), he is keen to work (always a plus point) and I think given time will be an asset to the firm. “The Trainee Solicitor” has applied for his Uni course and is hoping to get that done during May, June and July. It’s all positive steps. One thing that he messaged to me, really resonated with me and I thought it was a beautiful thing to say, he messaged “It doesn’t matter how long the road is, as long as you are walking it”. I was quite moved.

“The Jetsetter” is recharging her batteries ready for the next adventure. Not only that but you do need to work to have money to enjoy these jaunts. On Easter Sunday, she spent a lovely day with “The Photographer” around York. They took a photo of the house I once lived in. A view that was a favourite of mine when walking around the city walls and some photos of the Minster and the Clock Tower at the old Terry’s Chocolate Factory.

Monique and Ludivine (her daughter) have been messaging me, plus Nadine sent a message and said she will come and say “hello” on Monday or Tuesday. I messaged the ladies at the knitting workshop, it was thin on the ground, two at first then the 92 year old lady came for the cake and a drink. I am missing all of this but the treatment has to take priority.

My best friend from senior school messaged me yesterday to say that her mum had had a stroke. She is in hospital and I hope that is the best place for her. My friend is an only child who lost her father about eight years ago. Her mum is coming up 93 and although you “expect” things to happen due to age etc., it is still a shocking time because that person is your Mum. Thinking of them both ♥️.

I will leave you with this photo of the Cathedrale Saint-Christophe de Belfort . Thé photo was taken in February last year and I likened it to the Treasury at Petra due to the red hue.

Jusqu’à la semaine prochaine

#churches #france #photography #troyes #mulhouse #belfort #60’s music #York #family #friends #lovinglife #travel

[theretirementstory]

My goodness, how has the last day of March come round so quickly? It is Easter Sunday too, the traditional day for giving Easter eggs, all those children running around “hyper” from too much chocolate!

I was hospitalised on Monday, had a catheter fitted in my femoral artery and had an early night as I was to wake up at 4am, washed breakfasted and be ready for the taxi to pick me up at 5am to take me to the hospital in Paris. Once again I was having cells collected, not stem cells this time but cells which will be engineered to fight the cancer cells in my body. Oh well will find out more as the procedure rolls along.

It was a grey day for the journey, which was a shame as the chauffeur drove me alongside the Seine, there were some gorgeous houses.

We went through the commune of Vincennes, where I spotted the Hippodrome de Vincennes (the Racecourse) recognised by the white railings as seen at Redcar, The Knavesmire etc. We then passed the Château de Vincennes, it was difficult to photograph through a rain spattered window. Then in the distance I saw the Barriere du trône we drove right past them too. I love these trips into Paris where the chauffeur always wants to highlight some of the lesser known sights.

When I arrived, on foot, at the hospital the nurse tutted! I should have been on a trolley (I knew this from before) but was pleased that my taxi company had sent a car. However, as he was unsure where I wanted to be, we parked up, walked to one place then had a longer walk to where I needed to be. She asked if I had had breakfast, said yes at 4am, so she brought me another breakfast which I thoroughly enjoyed.

My blood was collected, the nurse kept asking if I wanted the tv on, don’t know why as I slept almost all day. I was concerned about the chauffeur, how was he filling his day? How tired would he be for the journey back? I needn’t have worried, they cater for this at the hospital, he too had slept and was refreshed for the journey back. There were more sights to see on the way back through Paris, no good trying to get photos, but I did see “Eglise du Saint-Esprit de Paris” and the “Fontaines aux Lions” which is very impressive albeit being used as a roundabout. Our homeward journey was in torrential rain, you couldn’t see tail lights until you were almost on the vehicle! However he kept the speedo on 141 k/hr in the 130 zone and we made good progress 😂😂.

The chemo they had given at the end of February had done what was asked of it, so the Doctor in Paris said another session of chemo would be given. This was done over three days and I gave up pestering to be allowed home as I realise that by keeping me here any transfusions or injections that need to be given can be administered promptly and they are just safeguarding me. Although I had an injection to boost white blood cells yesterday, I was surprised when the doctor said this morning that it had risen from 2,000/? to 20,000 in one day. I told her I had had pain in my bones, shoulders, back etc and she said that was as a result of the white cells, not that I am a doctor, but it may have something to do with bone marrow. She said I should have asked for pain relief, I said it wasn’t that bad, I managed to sleep, but I know in future. The nurses are always checking with me for pain but I think I am on enough flipping meds so will only request it if it becomes too severe.

The catheter came out about three days after it was put in, certainly comes out easier than going in! I have had to have a test on my brain functions, it was ok, painless and listening to music at one point I was trying to think of the English words to a song and almost missed the commands to open and close my eyes. I have the date for an MRI scan and another PET scan, all of which are needed by Paris before the reintroduction of the cells.

I feel a little like Lyndsay Wagner in “The Bionic Woman” or maybe I will do when they put these engineered cells back into me!

I have had platelet and red cell transfusions this week and all I can say is “thank you” to the people who donate these.

Friday the food was abysmal, I hardly ate anything! Monique messaged, she would buy foodstuff and bring it to the hospital. I asked for cheese and ham baguette and a tuna salad sandwich, unfortunately she couldn’t get the tuna sandwich so brought three quiche, tuna and tomato, goats cheese and spinach and a leek one. I ate thé goats cheese one, ate half of the tuna and tomato and have the leek one to have at lunchtime if I fancy it. She also brought me a gorgeous cake, sponge with patisserie cream and fresh raspberries it was delicious! Plus, apples, pears, bananas, oranges and mandarins I certainly have plenty of fruit to keep me going!

The music choices this week start with Elton John, my personal favourite is “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word” but as a family we loved to sing along to a track first released in 1979 then made Number 1 in 2003, it is “Are You Ready For Love”.

I really hope that I haven’t had this Fleetwood Mac track before as it was a toss up between “Big Love” and this track “Go Your Own Way”, which is from the “Rumours” album of 1977.

So the long Easter holiday break in the UK usually sees people spending their time sorting out the garden, doing DIY etc and for “The Trainee Solicitor” and “The Reconnect Navigator” they have really taken this on board. One of the hedges has been successfully trimmed back, there has been a massive clear out, floors washed and everywhere given a big spring clean. It could be the turn of the partially blocked drain today (weather permitting) I am also wondering if the hydrangeas from last year are putting out leafy buds? There was a friends birthday to celebrate yesterday, so hope there are no sore heads this morning.

“The Photographer” and “The Jetsetter” snapped a photo of one of my old homes. Memories flooded back and I was surprised I could remember so many names of school friends and other friends from the mid to late sixties. Some of these friends I even remembered their addresses! Just goes to show I don’t have a lot to tax my brain at the moment 😂😂.

The weather here is grey, damp and cold, it looks as if the North East of England has had blue skies and some sunshine even if it has been cool too. I have had messages from the US, one from my friend who has had treatment for breast cancer, she is thrilled that her PET scan is clear, I am thrilled for her too! Hopefully, she will return soon to her beautiful home in Bar-sur-Aube. The other friend had been to see Billy Joel in New York, his special guest was Gordon Sumner better known as Sting! This was a lovely surprise as my friend is from North East England so a “local lad” on stage was a bonus.

I am going to finish reading my second book today (only brought two with me) then no doubt I will just read social media and news on-line although that just seems to be full of doom and gloom. I can also listen to some music although don’t think I will be jigging about as I am getting plenty of exercise visiting the bathroom regularly!

So I wish you all a Happy Easter Day, don’t eat too many chocolate eggs, have a good day tomorrow too before the start of another four day week.

Until next week!

#barsuraube #Troyes #paris france #Parisiansights #photography #70’s music #nycity #family #friends #easter

[theretirementstory]

Bonjour toute le monde, I am still at home and am enjoying my garden. We had three days of gorgeous weather where the temperatures reached 20c, although I was doing a lot of washing and letting it dry outside I still managed to prune my roses, clear nettles from around the paniculata and cleared out the dead leaves and weeds from the peonies.

The delicious meal at the restaurant did not disappoint, I decided to have a starter and what a cracking choice it was, tartine of chèvre chaud with a salad made with apple, pears and more cheese, it was really delicious. I then had the filet of beef with pepper sauce, gratin dauphinois and green beans plus I still had room for the delicious exotic fruits with sorbet. It was certainly worth going as I really enjoyed it all.

I had to go to the hospital for a platelet transfusion on Monday and I thought I was never going to get home! Did they not realise we were having similar to toad in the hole for dinner!

“The Photographer” and I were still busy getting my affairs in order. The one thing that was most important to me was having a funeral plan in place. We went and got the estimate and then I had an appointment on Friday for it all to be finalised. That’s it, I have the paperwork, it’s all paid for and an additional burden removed from my sons’ shoulders.

For our last meal together, “The Photographer” drove us to Buffalo Grill. I didn’t feel as hungry as I had previously and couldn’t eat all of my steak but I still managed a slice of cheesecake which was delicious.

Then it was time for “The Photographer” to leave. I was waiting for a taxi, which didn’t show, to take me to the hospital for my PET scan. The lady said it hadn’t been booked 🤔. So I spent an extra hour with him as he drove me to the hospital for the scan. It was a long day for him but he returned home safe and well and we had spent a lovely nine days together.

As I said the weather was gorgeous and so I took advantage and got all of the bedding washed (it will soon be ironed and put away). I have my bag to pack for hospital tomorrow.

Lots of messages from friends, Anie, Pauline, Monique. Maud and Claudine in France, Mary, Val, Jo, Jackie and Miranda in the UK.

My gorgeous grandchildren have been with Daddy this weekend, what little cuties they are! I got gorgeous photos of my grandson and my granddaughter was in studious mode until she knew that her uncle was coming to visit and my goodness the smile on her face when she saw him was amazing. They were both sitting on his knee, just loving being with him. My grandson was using his uncle’s girlfriend’s phone to take selfies, cheeky little chap.

“The Trainee Solicitor” is still trying to do his work and prepare the office for a new member of staff (hopefully one arrives soon). It is full on busy and boy will he be glad of a four day weekend this coming week.

“The Reconnect Navigator” has been given her own cases and feels that things are moving along. She also had her first payday which is a great day in anyone’s book.

“The Jetsetter” returned from her trip to Bologna, Venice and Florence and I know that during the stay aperol was consumed and I imagine quite a bit of pasta too. I always think it’s great to get away at this time of year as it sets you up for the summer.

My hair has fallen out big style now, I look a little like a friar with my big round bald patch in the middle of tufts of hair. As I don’t have the next round of chemo until maybe another month, I think I will be bald for sometime (I am not really liking it!)

My first piece of music this week comes from the artist I know as Terence Trent D’Arby but who is now known as Sananda Maitreya. To choose between “If You Let Me Stay” and “Sign Your Name” has proven very difficult, I am going to go with “Sign Your Name” but why not listen to them both. This song was released in 1987, wow so long ago!

The second song, has quite a haunting melody, it’s “7 Seconds” by Youssou N’Dour ft. Neneh Cherry, it was released in 1994.

Now I really must go to the supermarket, I need to get some filters for my Brita water filter (other makes are available) and I would like to buy something tasty for this evenings meal.

I will wish you all a Bon Dimanche and leave you with the photos of the spring flowers and the cherry blossom.

#barsuraube #trees #nature #photography #france #80’s music #90’s music #travel #good food #family #friends #mygarden

[theretirementstory]

Good morning from a cloudy Bar-sur-Aube where it’s currently 9c. I wouldn’t care if there was 6 feet of snow, I am home, with my son, just being in my own home has put a smile on my face.

I had settled myself at the hospital and was managing to eat a bit more than I had (not as much as I am eating at home). I was told I could eat a normal diet and so today we are booked to have lunch at the lovely restaurant. I am on three protein drinks a day, it’s good because sometimes I feel hungry just a couple of hours after a meal and these protein drinks are timed to have then.

So it’s “The Photographer” who has come to visit me and I was following his flight getting more and more excited at the prospect of seeing him. He hired a car at the airport and drove down first to see me in the hospital then onto my home. He thought the car was going to be a Mazda but no he is in a big Lexus 😳, it’s nice to sit in and he likes it to drive.

My friend Anie invited him for a small repas on Wednesday evening and although he had never met her before he enjoyed her company for a couple of hours. He said by the time he was leaving, his brain was frazzled and he could hardly string English words into a sentence never mind French!

I had to have an echocardiogram and electrocardiography but was told that my heart is strong and so the cardiologist confirmed I can have the treatment. It’s small steps but in the right direction.

Anyone who is a blood donor, I salute you! The platelet transfusions I have needed have been on an almost daily basis and without those I would have been in a pretty poor state.

The food at hospital seemed to improve (think it was just me feeling hungry). I was eating a big breakfast, sometimes lunch was the best meal or it was dinner but I also asked for yoghurts etc to eat at night.

The sport coach returned, he had had a weeks holiday, we did the exercises, I managed all repetitions and he was pleased. Not so when I cried off on Wednesday but it had been a busy day and I was exhausted.

Having unloaded a lot of the anxieties that had been with me about getting my affairs in order, I really feel lightened. Still got some things to do, and I will, but a lot of the mundane has gone.

So Friday I was released, oh wow did it feel good to walk into my house again and to gaze out at my flowers in the garden. Simple pleasures but they mean so much! I go back to the day unit on Monday afternoon for a transfusion and on Wednesday morning it is my PET scan but other than that, I am home, for the short term.

My neighbours asked if they could come to see me, of course they could, they were so happy. They said again that I don’t look ill and never have done. I said I am hungry all the time which they see as a good sign.

So what has been happening in the lives of my other members of the “clan”.

“The Trainee Solicitor” has been stressed with staff absences at work, they really need another couple of secretaries, then, he can move onto his training plan in earnest. Well he went to the boss with a plan, as far as I know that has been implemented and one interview has taken place with 🤞another couple due this coming week. It won’t make his job that much easier but he won’t have to be “firefighting” and can get on with his own caseload.

“The Reconnect Navigator” had a wonderful birthday. She said she had been totally spoilt! Well that’s what birthdays are about aren’t they? She is settling in at work and is looking forward to dealing with her own cases soon. The best day of the month is rapidly approaching, “pay day.” I still look forward to mine and it’s my pension 😂😂.

Now “The Jetsetter”, took off for Italy, she flew into Bologna, had a day in Venice and a day in Florence. How amazing! I know “apérol” has been consumed (I have seen the photos) but I imagine that there may well have been some “gelato” along with lasagne, mortadella and perhaps even Tigelle.

My gorgeous grandchildren are with their Mum and on Tuesday evening there was a video call in the hospital, it was good to see them as it was an added bonus.

I think “The Photographer” has enjoyed his stay in my house. He has been out and about, practising his French, at the Bar-sur-Aube football match yesterday taking photos. My house is so quiet too, it means that he can get a good sleep. He said the other night was amazing with such fantastic visibility that the constellations were on full view.

Oh don’t worry I hadn’t forgotten the music section. My first piece of music is by Stevie Wonder, so many to choose from but I like this from 1973 it’s “Higher Ground”. Second song is from 1990 it’s “In Private” by Dusty Springfield. Again this lady has such a catalogue of hits and I must say I am a big fan.

Wishing you all a great day, on this 17th March, St Patrick’s Day.

#barsuraube #nature #trees #photography #st patricks day #France #retirement #blog #living my best life

[theretirementstory]

Greetings from a cloudy Troyes in the Aube département of France. It’s 7c, raining and I think we are due 11c and a drier day. Not that it matters to me I am still ensconced in my hospital room 13 days after arriving.

The arrival of my eldest son may well give them the impetus to send me home, as there will be someone with me 24/7, for a few days.

When I came into hospital I brought my usual notebook, pen in bag etc, well the pen only ran out the first Thursday I was here (wish I could have joined it 😂). Now, a week later I asked for a pen and was given a whole brand new one to keep ……. the notebook is filling up nicely now with diary notes, questions etc.

Today is Mother’s Day in the UK, a big greeting to all of the mothers being feted by sons and daughters throughout the Kingdom.

I am going to introduce the music section, this was prompted by a telephone call before I was admitted to hospital. I was talking to a friend in North East England about “back in the day”, as they say, and talking of artists, she recalled going to see the amazing Sylvester in a night club in MIDDLESBROUGH! Yes they brought Soul artists from the States and they performed amongst the Steel workers, dockers etc of the grimy north east. So with this in mind here are two records I love . The first is back to 1974, ( I remember it well 😂) it’s the Isley Brothers with “Summer Breeze”. The second one is from three years earlier 🙈, 1971, and it’s The Four Tops with “Simple Game”. Enjoy, oldies but classics.

Now let’s concentrate on me! I was so “out of it” a couple of days last week, I remembered dreaming of speaking French and then there I was telling myself the phrase isn’t correct! Well I must admit that dream really did do something because I am now speaking more French to the nurses, taxi driver, Uncle Tom Cobley and all. I have even been (dare I utter it) reading the booklet on the next stage of treatment which is all in French, wow, I understand so very much, there are jottings in the margins now in case I lose this new talent!

I had a bit of bad news in the early part of the week. I heard of four people who had passed away! One was Marie-Therese who I visited London with a couple of years ago. Her son rang me and I really had to give in to tears. However, she had had a good life, she would have been 88 years old on the 6 March! A couple were relatives of friends and my kind next door neighbour and another a man I knew from when we were all in our 20’s.

I received a telephone call giving me the date of the next PET scan, 20 March, let’s hope I am at home for a break before then 🤣. Then, I got the appointment at the hospital in Paris, for the consultation on the next steps in my treatment, that was on Friday. Fortunately the doctor spoke excellent English and I had quite pertinent questions to ask. All being well, I will go there for harvesting of leucocytes towards the end of March. After that I think I should be called “The Combined Harvester” as I will have had stem cells and leucocytes harvested 😂.

As I have said my eldest son “The Photographer” is coming to see me. If I ever get out of here, we will do a lot of the jobs I need to be done (mainly computer work) and tidy things up there.

It’s the weekend before “The Reconnect Navigator’s” birthday so celebrations are taking place. A nice evening out last evening, wonderful!

“The Trainee Solicitor” has lots on his mind as in pricing up for new items in the house. It’s not that they are just cosmetic they are actually needed. So investing now could see benefits later.

I had a video call with my gorgeous grandchildren yesterday. My grandson was a bit confused he thought I was taking a bath when in fact I was laid in the hospital bed. Well he is only a young boy so that’s fine.

Now to the newest member of the “clan”, “The Jetsetter”. I am not quite sure of the schedule of “turnarounds” she will be doing over the next few months but after arriving back from Norway, I guess washing is all done and a change of clothes for the change of temperatures. Plus am sure it is going to be warmer in Italy. Not too sure of the region but have a wonderful time indeed.

Well guess you can’t always guarantee good weather, as I had a holiday in the Alto Adige region of Italy (a long time ago). It was August and in Trafoi where I stayed it was rather pleasant weather. Friends and I caught the bus to the top of the Stelvio Pass only to find it snowing and a nice cover there was too (especially for someone wearing sandals 🙈). The bus had to put snow chains on to come back down the hairpin bends. What an adventure that was!

It looks as if we have caught up with all of my news. The beauty of the two hour drive to Paris and back is that being in the Saint-Antoine district there are wonderful sites to see. Last year it was the Gare du Lyon, this time it was “The Bastille”. I was lucky to catch the couple enjoying a stroll and looking towards the monument then further along, on the bridge over the Seine, where we were fortunate to be stuck in traffic for another view.

I wish you all a good week until next week.

#troyes #paris #bastille #la seine #photography #barsuraube #70’s music

[theretirementstory]

Bonjour à tous 👋. This morning I am in Troyes, in the all-inclusive hotel which serves atrocious food - THE HOSPITAL ! Don’t be fooled by the photos ! News of those photos will appear further down. This is certainly the place for a crash diet. However I am not here for the food (no way) I am here for the fantastic medical care I have received and am continuing to receive.

The weather here is currently five Celsius and drizzle which looks to continue until early afternoon when it should be eight Celsius.

So why is she complaining about food, I hear you ask? This was the restaurant I went to last Sunday with my friend Maud. I had filet de bœuf with pepper sauce, gratin dauphinois and mache (lambs lettuce). Followed by tartine des fruits, glace and meringue croustillant. Having not eaten so much before I was surprised that my stomach could take what was a surprisingly big meal but it did! It showed its appreciation by rumbling again at 4:30pm 🤔, I think it wanted more of the same.

It’s a beautiful restaurant overlooking the lake and even on a grey day it is wonderful.

The start of the week I was chilled then at 2:30pm that calmness was thrown into chaos when a call from the hospital said arrive at 9:00 not 15:00 as originally told. No reason was given but I calmed myself by thinking chemo was starting early?

I was ready when the taxi arrived at 7:45 for the hours journey to Troyes. I was put into the family room while my room was prepared. An older French gentleman appeared who looked to be leaving (think it was his room I was given). He was polite, recognised I was “a stranger” and told me I spoke good French, what a compliment.

After being installed in my room the day involved being fitted with a catheter into my JUGULAR, yes you read that right. Apparently it gets the chemo into the blood stream quicker than with the normal PICC line. It was painless until I started feeling pain in my shoulder, the PICC line was put in on Friday and the jugular catheter removed yesterday. I still have the pain even with pain medication and as I had had it a little time before I came into hospital I have asked if a doctor will approve an X-Ray. So that is all the complaining done. I have lost Friday to treatment and Saturday to pain but hey such is life!

Now we turn to my family, where we find that “The Trainee Solicitor” has some news to give me which he confirmed is not “bad news”. He also took “mothers’ advice” and visited the “drop in” centre about his ear problem. I hope thé drops are having an effect and no side effects (look at the paper inside the box). I am hoping you feel better soon.

This week “The Ex-Graduate” changes title and becomes “The Reconnect Navigator”. She has had a couple of boring days in the job but has also had a few very interesting days. That’s the first week over and let’s hope you had your walk yesterday as I know you desperately needed the exercise. These poor nurses don’t need exercise,they must walk miles in a day on this unit, it is huge!

“The Photographer” had been working his day job, with a day off on Wednesday, always welcome when you work a weekend.

Yesterday, he travelled to Buxton in Derbyshire, to photograph for Scarborough AFC. There had been snow but the match was played. It ended up even, 0-0, but not a loss, which should give the players a little boost. These players work all week in amazing jobs and give up Saturdays and Tuesday evenings to play matches as well as the training they need to put in too. As you can imagine, they are tired but morale keeps them going.

Our newest member to the “clan” is “The Jetsetter”, who I think may either be back home now or still cruising in Norway (rather you than me, I get nauseous in my bed 😂 I don’t the action of a boat😂). Welcome and if you are still in Norway, “God morgen 👋.

I apologise in advance if my choices in music range from years you have only read about in history books 😂 but this is the music I love and the first track is “Long Train Runnin’” by The Doobie Brothers. This is back to 1973 😱.

The second song is Yah Mo B There by James Ingram and Michael McDonald. Oh, this is a bit more recent 😂 1988.

The picture below is of my dessert last week.

Jusqu’à la semaine prochaine.

#barsuraube #troyes #norway #photography #trees #livethelifeyoulove #70’s music #80’s music #travel #mygarden

[theretirementstory]

Bonjour et bienvenue on this cloudy, cool morning, it’s only 5c out there at the moment and we can expect a high of only 10c. However, I don’t care as I am going out for lunch to the restaurant by the lake.

4 years ago, to the day, I stood on the rooftop of the museum in Mahdia and took this photo. I had arrived on the 22nd for the start of a 10 day holiday in Tunisia, I felt it was a good idea to be reminded of the sun and sea.

I have decided to do the music section first this week for reasons which may become clearer as the blog progresses. The first song is dates from 1980 and is by the Average White Band, its, Let’s Go Round Again. AWB are probably better known for their hit “Pick up the Pieces. I hope you enjoy these songs. The second song also from the 80’s is “Its My Life” by Talk Talk from 1986.

My young friend Pauline celebrated her 27th birthday on Monday, she had a great day. On Sunday she had been to the beach in Barcelona enjoying some someshine. She had a cake with candles and made a wish that I would recover! What a wonderful wish 😊. She said for the first time she is loving her work, obviously working in Barcelona, where she benefits from the brighter days, has booster her morale. Not like when she lived in Dublin and the bright days were few and far between.

After an horrendous nightmare where I felt like being “The Pied Piper” and leading zillions of 🐀 🐀 🐀 to the banks of the River Aube, I decided to ask my neighbour to check out my composter. The verdict was “No rats in here Mrs” oh did that make me feel better and I went into the garden and cardboard mulched around the hellebores which made my day. I also found close to the hellebores and even in the grass signs, if not primulas, then cowslips. I plan on letting the grass grow in order for them to at least flower, as long as I don’t have long spells in hospital, I hope to not let the grass be “shorn to the ground” which is what my neighbour seems to do to his grass. It’s kind of him to mow my grass but not to have it covered in moss during the wet months.

Primulas have been messed up again in the potager by “the damned cat” and now it has found it’s way into the back garden to 💩 first of all in the grass and then into the raised bed to not “tiptoe through the tulips” (as the song goes) but to 💩 and scratch among the daffodils. Is there no end to this “Monster”.

I had hurt my back last Friday replanting the planter (think I have pulled a muscle). So plans to add more cardboard mulch to the borders are on hold. As I can’t even carry a quarter bag of compost!

The nurse came and took my bloods, I had felt rather faint (hungry) before she came so bless her she was going to get me some breakfast before she left. I just asked for a cup of milk, which she brought me, I thought that was very kind of her.

I did a lot of reading at the weekend which meant that my knitting has been neglected 😱. I did a little bit early in the week but my heart isn’t in it at the moment. I went into town on Tuesday to see Claudine and to give the photocopied pattern for the crocheted pendant and earrings to her. We are looking to make some smaller items to sell at a lower price so that people will buy them at the markets. I then walked into town to see if the jeweller would be able to look at the stone in my grandmothers engagement ring to confirm if it was real or not. When I arrived possibly about 14:50 he was out and would be another 20 minutes or so. I couldn’t hang around!

The toilet I had fitted when I first moved into this house in 2019, has for years had a temperamental flush. Occasionally it flushed and water continued running down the back of the bowl causing terrible rumbling noises in the pipes. I guessed it was due to limescale but how to solve it? I asked my new plumber the cause and he cleaned the flush but it was still doing it occasionally. Well he came and worked his magic this week I think he cleared a lot of the limescale out of the cistern, replaced the flush, which now does exactly as needed a half flush as well as a full flush and at the moment no gurgling pipes.

Oh my goodness, have I told you how wonderful my grandchildren are? I received three videos of them playing at home. They are happy to play separately but the youngest (my grandson) was playing with his ro-ro ferry near where my granddaughter was playing with her dolls, needing some help he asked so politely if she could help him, she stopped what she was doing to open one of the doors then when he wanted it closing again she did that too. It was so wonderful to see.

“The Photographer” was unable to take photos at Scarborough AFC on Tuesday as he was working a 1-9 shift. He had been to an hotel near to Skipton for a night which included a meal at the Michelin Star restaurant. It was a 7 course taster menu, it all looked really delicious.

“The Trainee Solicitor” and “The Ex-Graduate” had four nights away in a “lodge” in Wensleydale. It had beautiful views but on their last night they were so cold and rain was coming in through a skylight. They were also disappointed with the siting of the hot tub. They did manage a decent walk to Hardraw Falls before returning soaked through. They took a trip to Aysgarth Falls it’s an area of renowned movie locations and of course Wensleydale cheese is known from the Wallace and Gromit film series.

My appointment with the oncologist was on Friday and as I had perused my blood test results I knew that all was not well. However, telling myself I am no doctor, I waited to hear what he had to say. Yes, cancer is back! So there I am not struck dumb at all and my first question was “is there treatment available?” The reply was “yes” my next question “when do we start chemotherapy, next week?” Yes I go into hospital on Tuesday. That’s all I needed to know. Poor Monique when I messaged her…. She replied did I want her to ring me or call to see me the next day. I said for her to come and visit me the following day. Apparently she had cried, she rang her daughter and cried again. My friends are rallying again, hence the restaurant lunch today. Anie who is still suffering with shingles pain without the postules, made me laugh when she said the postules can’t get through her fat, she isn’t fat at all! She too provided moral support. Pauline hadn’t answered my message yet and I know she will be upset. However, I am here and obviously fit enough to go through more treatment. It has made me think that perhaps the nine years I had when I thought I was a cancer survivor, I was actually just living with cancer. Who cares, I have had some great times and if I have any say in the matter I will have a lot more to come!

Monique came yesterday and we had a really good chat (about two hours worth) 😳. She always amazes me, she has a lovely garden at home but she looked out at mine, at the hyacinths just starting to flower, the tulips, daffodils, iris and the hellebores and declared it a wonderful garden. She loves the potager full of violas whose seed blew on the wind and filled the potager with yellow and green brightness. Then she noticed the violas tulips and iris I had transplanted to there location near the composter and was full of admiration. I felt very proud. I think I had better check the seeds I have to plant this year as I really do want the garden to be a riot of colour!

I had my book delivery on Thursday, whew what a relief! I have plenty of reading material to take into hospital with me.

Now I really must leave my bed and start to get ready for my lunchtime rendezvous.

Oh I would just like to add a special “God morgen” to anyone reading this in Norway.

Until next time…..

#barsuraube #mahdia #photography #80’s music #friends #family #knitting #keeping positive #nature #trees #living your best life

[theretirementstory]

Bonjour tout le monde it’s 5c at the moment brrr! Hopefully it will warm up by this afternoon.

Do you ever get to Sunday and wonder where the week has gone and more importantly what you have done with the week? This is one of the reasons why I do this blog, it’s because I often think I have done nothing but when I look back I realise that you may have done a great deal.

I was happy to receive my “convocation” for my appointment with the oncologist, it is for Friday 23rd. Although I am pleased to have the appointment it coincides with my knitting group which is a little sad. I have my taxi booked and fingers crossed I am not there for hours and hours.

Yet another little “hitch” with regard to water and this time it wasn’t just hot water it was a lack of any water! Anyway I asked the plumber to call and it was found that the tap was full of limescale. We got it all sorted, a new tap and waste for the bathroom and I am a happy bunny again.

It’s coming around to the renewal of my house insurance, which is currently held with a company in Poitou-Charentes. I have been very happy with the insurer I chose in town for my other policies so I have asked them to give me a quote. It was promptly done and so I should soon be insured in a “one stop shop” in town.

My American friend rang me from the states, where she is currently having treatment. She asked if I could go to her home and photograph her garden. Imagine my surprise when there were two men at her home (one a workman) they said come in and look at the rear garden too. Then the workman took me round the ground floor asking me to take photos of the work he is doing in the kitchen. What a pleasant surprise that was not only for me but also for my friend.

Yesterday, a friend in the UK messaged to tell me that her grandson had put in an appearance early that morning. He was not full term, actually only 26 weeks, so here is hoping that his mum and him get through these days and weeks. Quite a surprise and a worry I would imagine too.

Let’s have a look at my choice of songs for this week. They go quite a way back, the first song taken from an album which my sister had long before we even had our first Dansette record player. It’s music I remember hearing, even though my age hadn’t attained double figures, I still love the tracks today as much as at that time. So taken from the album “Aftermath” by the Rolling Stones released in 1966 is the track “Under My Thumb”.

The second song is from 1971, the first single for this band. The band featured the super talented Roy Wood, along with Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan who had been part of the group “The Move”. The song was so totally different to anything else at that time it was “10538 Overture”. Both groups have had some amazing songs and it can be hard to choose a favourite but these songs have always had a place in my heart.

I sometimes feel I am a little boring about my garden, ok so it’s not everyone’s idea of a beautiful place but believe me I do the best I can do to have some colour out there. Two years ago I planted up a planter and I loved that so much. I decided to change the compost, remove any dead plants and replant any others. I had bought a pack which turned out to be 10 primulas not 8 as I first thought. They had been in the supermarket too long, were dry as a bone and a lot of them looked dead! However, looks can be deceptive and a quick “snip” to remove brown and broken leaves found that they were pot bound and in need of a very big drink. I rejuvenated the planter and put the remaining primulas into the “potager” hoping to help them improve. I want to lay cardboard in the rear garden and “re-home” the primulas and the violas that self seeded last year. This morning I was so upset as I saw that “something”, possibly a cat, had dug up three of the primulas in order to use the potager as a toilet. It has also been using the high planter as a toilet, last year I grew beetroot, lettuce, radish and spring onions in that planter. It’s very disappointing and I even felt “what is the point” in growing stuff if some animal is going to keep messing in the earth. However, it does give me a lot of pleasure seeing my plants growing so should I fight back?

I really must send another email to my friends in Bristol. I haven’t heard from them since the beginning of the year and it’s not like them to be in touch.

Monique is still not well and will be seeing the oncologist on Monday 26th. It’s a couple of weeks since I have seen Anie too, time flies!

“The Photographer” had a weeks holiday from work last week as it was his daughters “half term” from school. On Monday he took his two children (aged 5.5 and 2.5 years) on the train to London. He stayed with his Aunt and Uncle and had planned visits with the children to the zoo and the Natural History Museum. The children had a wonderful time, so did “The Photographer” but he was exhausted by the time he got home on Thursday. The children returned to their Mum on Friday and we excited about going, obviously they had a lot to tell her. Yesterday, he was at Scarborough AFC taking photos of their game.

“The Trainee Solicitor” and “Ex-Graduate” have finished work now for a well earned week of rest and relaxation. They are heading to the Yorkshire Dales for some good country air, a little walking and perhaps a lot of reading!

Sorry just had a little break, it was time for tea and cornflakes 😉.

Yes the cat has been back and turned the earth in the potager, so I have put more pepper down, plus today, I will put stakes into the earth and let’s see it try to “squat” there!

I tell myself every morning that I will have a walk and do I? Not everyday and actually the days I do go out for that walk are getting fewer and fewer. I had a good walk one day and was spurred on for more of the same but after a shorter walk the following day it has tailed off again! I really must “programme” myself to a walk.

So now I am going to send a message or two to friends, read my book for a short time. Do the normal household jobs, bed making, washing up etc. Start the “walking programme” and generally find something to tell you about next week 😂.

Bon dimanche!

#barsuraube #nature #trees #photography #60’s music #70’s music #mygarden #family #friends #holidays

[theretirementstory]

Greetings from a cloudy Bar sur Aube, where it’s 7c at the moment. We are due a maximum of 10c so it’s not going to be that much warmer. It has rained a lot but we have had some high ish temperatures along with a weak sun but it’s the rain you remember especially when it’s a very heavy downpour and you are soaked!

I did smile when I saw the Drappier Champagne van at the Gendarmerie, the Drappier driver wasn’t delivering so I wonder if he had been speeding or worse still “drunk in charge of the champagne van”.

Anie messaged on Sunday afternoon to say could she come visit me, of course, I produced mince pies and coffee cake along with one of the new teas Monique had bought me for Xmas. She stayed for about an hour, it was enough really, I am finding it hard to concentrate on hearing French for longer than that. She always brings some gift and this time it was a small jar of the herb sariette and a jar of marmalade. I baked a batch of cheese scones yesterday, I added some sariette and herbes de Provence, they were really lovely.

Monique has been in touch keeping me up to date with her blood tests, appointments etc.

My fortnightly blood test was due and the nurse arrived promptly. The results are not coming back as quickly as previously but perhaps it’s the tests requested that make the results arrive later.

The plumber came to install the new boiler, amazing all finished in 3.5 hours! Oh the luxury have having lovely hot water “on tap”. You don’t miss something until it is taken away from you.

My grandchildren are with “The Photographer” this weekend and then it’s “the big adventure”, they are going to London from Monday to Thursday to go to the Zoo and the Natural History museum.

“The Ex-Graduate” will be starting her final week at the bar, where she worked part-time while studying and full time since her studying finished. She starts her new job in a couple of weeks so she will be given a new title on here too 😊.

“The Trainee Solicitor” is working his socks off and will be looking forward to a little break away from home for a few days. Next week will be busy at work as two staff members are on holiday but you can only do as much as you can do in the hours you are at work so just keep that in mind!

So let’s have a look at my music choices this week. I don’t know how I hadn’t thought of this one before now. I have no idea what makes a good guitarist I just know that some music just gets to you. Here is one of the guitar greats doing what he does best! The song was released in 1999 😳, it is “Smooth” by Santana featuring Rob Thomas. Well if that doesn’t get you moving I am not sure what will!

The second song is one that always makes me “feel good”, I want to get up and leap around. We go way back to 1970 for this hit from George Harrison, the song is “What is Life”. Enjoy listening to these tracks today.

So today was the day I had been looking forward to, the day of the visit to the gorgeous “La Belvedere” restaurant for lunch. I was disappointed when Maud messaged to say she had had bronchitis and was still coughing so thought it best to cancel the restaurant. Oh well until the next time 😉. I am going to make myself something “tasty” for lunch 🤞and if I get out of bed now, I may be able to prepare a super dessert too.

It was the knitting group on Friday and I must say we were a little depleted! The 92/93 year old lady is suffering with her back so was unable to attend. The newest member of the group had previously been into hospital for an operation and therefore didn’t arrive until about 4pm. Helene, a lady who suffers from some neurological problem couldn’t come as she was unwell and her husband (who brings her) was also unwell. It was just as well I had decided to go! I was only going to stay for a couple of hours and forego the cake and drink, however, I brought the “tarte” home with me and enjoyed it after my evening meal. We were discussing the best things to make to sell at the markets. It was suggested that we tried key fobs, I produced a pattern for some pendants and earrings and will photocopy the pattern to take back in a fortnight. The ladies were impressed with my little cardigan . It has been decided that from now on a receipt needs to be produced to show the cost of materials, I guess that puts paid to a refund for me, as the wool I have had for years, so no longer have the receipt. Oh well does it matter, it gets the wool used up 😊.

Now I am going to “put my best foot forward” (wish I knew which one it was 😂) .

I think this photo should be called “house on the hill”.

I wish you all a good week until next week.

#barsuraube #trees #nature #photography #crafts #baking #70’s music #90’s music #friends #family

[theretirementstory]

Bonjour à tous, another week over and we are into a new month 😳 . It is going to be another cloudy day, we have 6c now and can only expect a high of 10c, however, that is fine by me as I think I will have a walk and I would like to do a little bit of work in the garden. Yes I know it’s a good Sunday and laws here dictate the use of noisy garden items, lawnmowers, hedge cutters etc can only be used between 10 and 12 but I would say that the only noise I would hope to produce would be a little cursing if things don’t go as I want them to.

I have had two visits to the hospital, the first, my monthly appointment with the oncologist, was on Monday. Monique was there she was due to see a doctor too. Both of our appointments were at 14:30. At 15.15 I saw the doctors arrive to start their appointments. The oncologist came for me about 15:30 then he was interrupted and I was told he wouldn’t be long. About 16:15 Monique was called into her appointment and around 16:30 I was “summoned” again. The oncologist finally sat down with me just around 16:45. Not much to report except still concerns over high readings from liver. I said I still hadn’t received the appointment for the PET scan and he immediately completed a form and took it to his secretary to get that ball rolling. I left the hospital just after 17:00 for the hours journey home. The next morning I was surprised to receive a call from the hospital, could I attend for a PET scan at 9:20 the following day! Got the taxi sorted and off I went on Wednesday for the scan. I am due a blood test in the morning so hopefully if oncologist needs to see me before appointment at the end of the month, he will call me.

The cleaner was due on Thursday and on Wednesday evening I had to put the jigsaw (unfinished) back into its box. I was so sad as I had done such a lot. I decided to buy one of those puzzle mats, well I was a bit surprised as it said to make the puzzle up onto the non slip side 🤔 so how do you slide pieces into place when they need to be moved slightly 🤔 (answers on a postcard please 😂😂). I was not a happy bunny when the cleaner messaged saying “she had a problem” but would come in the afternoon. This wasn’t particularly convenient for me but as I had been up early and everywhere was just ready for her I agreed. Just before she was due to arrive, she rang up, sounding quite incoherent and saying she felt “not well”. I was particularly angry I can tell you. It had really messed up my day. She piped up with “see you Monday” I just cut off the phone. I think thin ice is what she is skating on at the moment.

So after all of that excitement what more could there be to my week? Of course, I have big plans for my garden this year and after the success of “rehoming plants” last week I wanted to give the roses a helping hand to bigger and better blooms. I had read that applying cardboard around the base of the roses then mulching was a sure fire way of helping them. It did say for it to be done by 31 January, but not sure whether roses use the Gregorian calendar, I do think that the 2nd February was close enough to the last day of January and so I laid the cardboard and my mulch was the spent compost from the tomato plants. Adding a few leaves to the mix would add some nutrients as they rot down. I also applied the same around the hydrangea paniculata after I had removed huge amounts of grass which were choking the poor thing. Most of the weeds in that border tend to come through from my neighbours garden. She has some dead and almost dead leylandi and the earth around the bottom is just full of grass, nettles, creeping buttercup (you get the idea) which then proceed to creep either under or above ground into my garden. No matter how much I pull up they still come back. I feel that the Christmas roses may benefit from some cardboard and some compost to help them flourish and that could be a little job for this afternoon. As well as applying cardboard to smother the weeds on the other side of the garden. I am also going to ask my gardener if he has a scarifier, as the amount of moss in the grass is horrendous! If he could remove it and I can overseed the grass then I may have a better garden this coming year. Of course it is too soon to be scarifying and overseeding but at least he can fit me into his diary.

The plumber is coming on Tuesday to fit the new boiler! I cannot wait, I am so looking forward to lovely hot water and who knows it may make a difference to the heating too.

I finally got my head together where the knitting is concerned, I have almost finished the second front (hopefully this afternoon), then I have to fathom out the increasing for the sleeves and finally get those started.

Thursday saw the arrival of the cars taking part in the rallye Monte Carlo historique. Unfortunately I read that their arrival would be between 23:00 and something like 04:00. Well I would have liked to have gone into town to see them but not during those hours!

So to the music part of the blog and just to confirm that a lot of thought goes into this blog (even though you may not have noticed). So continuing with the gardening theme I have chosen two songs with flowers in them. Of course there could have been “Build me up Buttercup” or “Tiptoe through the Tulips” but as usual it’s the words or music that “speak” to me so my choices are firstly “Good Year For The Roses” by Elvis Costello and The Attractions back in 1981 and the second is “Kiss From A Rose” by Seal back to 1994. If you are hearing these for the first time, enjoy.

My grandchildren did FaceTime me last Sunday which was really lovely. I was hoping that I would be able to visit the UK in April, however, it is all dependent on the blood tests and the PET scan. I am praying it is a possibility but I must be guided by the medical professionals.

I have had an extra boost of energy this week, I do believe, as I made soup, chilli, baked cake and would like to bake some scones today. Let’s see if I have time with all the other things I want to do.

It was “La Chandeleur” on Friday 2 February, and the French would be enjoying crepes. I didn’t follow the tradition as I really have to fancy crepes or pancakes as I know them.

I took the photos yesterday while having a lovely walk. It really did me a power of good and I slept a lot better last night too. The day was pretty cloudy, misty and it was mizzling but it wasn’t cold and it gave me the opportunity to really stretch my legs.

Jusqu’à la semaine prochaine.

#barsuraube #nature #trees #photography #baking #crafts #80’s music #90’s music #friends #family #love life

[theretirementstory]

Bonjour et bienvenue, it’s an hour before sunrise and I am wide awake (thanks to the alarm for my first tablets of the day) preparing this entertaining (?) blog for you. It’s currently 2c outside but as I am still “abed” it is warm and cosy.

We have had rain, fog,wind and sunshine this week. I have just read an article which said that people will say “we didn’t have a summer, it was wet and windy” but it wouldn’t be wet and windy for the full three months of the summer season. It’s all about subtle changes which I have come to appreciate since 1) retiring and 2) living here in France. Retirement has given me the time to choose when I take a walk, which day/s I go shopping, to do things on the spur of the moment and generally just slow down. Moving to France meant everyday there was something new to discover and that included the weather.

Around the 22January the confrères of the Champagne villages gather to thank Saint-Vincent for the past harvest and to place the next one under his protection.

The head of the procession carries the baton of Saint-Vincent, followed by the banner or statue of the patron saint of winegrowers.

This took place in town yesterday, I have promised myself every year I would go to witness this ancient tradition and of course I failed again yesterday! I think it will have to be placed in my diary for 2025.

My combi boiler has not been providing the constant hot water I had come to expect, it has been a gradual thing (I think) but on Monday evening I could not get any hot water at all. I was going to message the plumber but then buried my head in the sand until Tuesday morning when there was no hot water for washing 😱. I messaged and told him the problem but said I would ring him on Tuesday evening. I was assured he would come out on Wednesday, which he did, after checking this, draining that still no hot water which he said was “bizarre”. Upshot is, I need a new boiler! In fact I would rather have a new boiler than cope with problems on a regular basis. He prepared the “devis” I signed and dated it and he will ring and let me know when the boiler is received and he can fit it. I also got him to check out the upstairs loo which had started trickling water from the cistern down into the toilet, this is caused by limescale coating parts of the flushing mechanism. He cleaned one part and I thought it had stopped but no it has just reduced. 😩 there is always something.

I am still waiting for an appointment for my PET scan and on Tuesday I received a letter from the hospital. It was an appointment with the oncologist for Monday 29th January. I rang to book a taxi, it wasn’t one of the usual people who took the call, she practically wanted to know what I had eaten for breakfast that morning! She seemed to have difficulty with my accent and kept asking me for information I had already given. When I put the phone down I did wonder who I had spoken too. Rang the next day to check the taxi was booked.

The cleaner had a weekend break in Alsace and I put her off coming on Thursday as I didn’t have hot water, that meant that the jigsaw has managed to stay out. Is it finished? 🤔 it’s driving me nuts! Funnily the other morning I was sat at the other side of the table and spotted a number of pieces which fit in. Now maybe that’s the way forward, do the jigsaw upside down? I had looked at those pieces time and time again when looking at it right way up and didn’t know where they went 😂😂.

I went to see Maud, in her official capacity as podiatrist, so I feel as if I am walking on air. Then we arranged to go out for lunch on February 11th, it’s my treat. We are going to “The Belvedere” again and so I have been scanning the menu, I think it might be steak with pepper sauce and dauphinois potatoes for me. May change my mind before then though.

Monique left hospital on Tuesday but is still on intravenous antibiotics. She is seeing the oncologist on Monday, her appointment is the same time as mine 🤔.

Let’s look at the music spot for today, both songs are back to the 80’s. The first is a “foot tapper” and the second just had that “something” in the music that “speaks” to me. So number one is “Together in Electric Dreams” by Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder this is back to 1984. The second is “Tempted” by Squeeze released in 1981.

My family are all well, looking forward to brighter days and hopefully seeing me before springtime is finished. 🤞for that 😊. After speaking with the oncologist on Monday, I hope to be planning my trip.

It has been the Assemblée Générale for the association of which the knitting group forms part. It’s a time I normally enjoy due to the champagne and galette at the end 😉, however, I did find it hard going on Friday. I prepared a short piece which thanked everyone for having confidence in me to run the group (when I wasn’t in hospital) and also for their support throughout my treatment. I was given a round of applause which was a bit embarrassing. I enjoyed the champagne (which I maybe should not have had, but the galette (which I normally love) didn’t “hit the spot” this time.

My grandchildren are with “The Photographer” this weekend. I had expected a FaceTime call but nothing yet, perhaps they are having a sleep in this morning.

The little cardigan I am knitting from the the French pattern is proving difficult for me now! I had knit the back and a front got the pattern done perfectly then cast on the second front did so much then left it to concentrate on the jigsaw. Picked it up on Friday evening and I just could not get the pattern correct. Oh my goodness what am I going to do, I really wanted to master this.

As we are due 12c this afternoon it may be a good time to have a little wander around the garden, see if I can remove some of the iris to fill out an empty area and also move some of the violas too. That would be a really good job done, then I can make something enjoyable for lunch and dinner this evening. I am tired of thinking that I would enjoy a certain meal only to find it has little taste and makes me feel 🤢.

Once again, Bar-sur-Aube will be a checkpoint for this historic rallye. Will I get out to see the cars this week? Find out next week.

#barsuraube #photography #champagne #80’s music #history #knitting #jigsaws #seasons #mygarden #wonderful life

[theretirementstory]

Bonjour tout le monde, oh how beautiful can winter be, this time I actually braved the cold to get this photo it was just too good to miss.

We have had “flocons de neige” , rain, cloud and sunshine but it has also been bitterly cold. Never mind the heating is on and I have been eating better so warm inside and out. I must be feeling better as I have baked, cheese scones, prepared roast dinners, cooked chilli and made a pan of soup.

The weather hasn’t stopped me going to do my shopping although the knitting has been pulling me back to continue with that.

My cleaner came twice this week but is away for the weekend so won’t be with me on Monday. With that in mind I decided to start the jigsaw my friend bought for my birthday. Wow it took me two hours to sort out the edge pieces and try to get those put together. I am sure it will take me until Wednesday to get it all finished so I think it’s a good idea that I have made food, just to be reheated, as the jigsaw will take all my time 😂.

It’s been a mixed emotions week, I was thinking of a friends and family, no longer with us, who would have celebrated birthday’s or who passed away at this time of year. Back to the here and now, it was Anie’s birthday on Friday. I couldn’t get in touch with her so she didn’t get her present until Saturday, fortunately the gerbera I bought on Thursday had remained wonderfully fresh in the car. She invited me for tea and gateau and we had a great time catching up and looking at photos of her holiday in Indonesia. I had made soup so took some for her, along with a couple of mince tarts, coconut slice and stuffed dates. She would like the recipe for the coconut slice so I will send it to her.

Now it’s the music section of the blog and this first record is back to the 1960’s. It’s “Beggin’” by Frankie Valli and The four Seasons, released in 1967. The next song , I would have said is more “up to date”, but as it is actually 23 years old this year I guess it’s still “old” to a lot of people. It is “Whenever, Wherever” by Shakira released in 2001. As someone once wrote “The rhythm of life is a powerful beat, puts a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet”. Let’s hope that’s what these songs do for you each week!

Monique messaged to say she is in hospital, her white blood cell count was very low and she is still in the emergency ward, they will transfer her to haematology on Monday. I am messaging her to keep her spirits up.

“The Photographer” was at Scarborough AFC match on Saturday doing his “voluntary” job. Apparently it was freezing cold and by half time he couldn’t feel his fingers. He did however manage to get some great photos.

“The Trainee Solicitor” has had another busy week (a bit like his mother 😉) plus he had the worst luck in that he had an overflowing toilet (fortunately from the cistern). It’s still a nuisance, I hate leaking water as it can do so much damage! Anyway “Superdad” is hopefully going over today with a new plunger and will fit it, so that the toilet is working again. Another thing he could have done without I am sure!

“The Ex-Graduate” went to take her details to the new job she is due to start around the end of February. She had been out to buy some new work clothes and is looking forward to this new phase of her life. I remember starting my first job, £15 per week, £13 of that into my hand and I thought I was rich! When I left that job nine months later to go to a job that paid £22 (gross) per week I really thought I had arrived 😂.

My grandchildren are with their Mummy this weekend so no “surprise” FaceTime calls.

I haven’t heard from my friends in Bristol and I think once the jigsaw is finished 🙈 I will have to get in touch.

Now it is time for me to have another hot drink and get myself all ready to ………. continue with the jigsaw 😂😂.

It is only 2c here so wherever you are I hope it is warmer than this.

The photo below shows new apartments built at the back of one of the 12th century churches we have in town.

Bon dimanche!

#barsuraube #trees #nature #photography #baking #crafts #friends #family #60’s music #2000’smusic #living your best life

[theretirementstory]

Greetings from a freezing cold Bar-sur-Aube, it’s -5c and we may reach the balmy heights of 1c later today. It has been very cold all week so I don’t feel as if I have done very much at all but I will let you judge.

To warm me up, let’s have a look at the songs I have chosen this week. The first song is “Higher Love” by Steve Winwood from 1982 and the second one “Ain’t Nobody” by Rufus and Chaka Khan from 1983. Hard to believe that these songs are over 40 years old 😳. I have given my heart and lungs a workout singing and dancing along to the tunes.

So one lot of checks have been returned OK for “The Ex-Graduates” new job, she is going next week for “the vetting” process and then it shouldn’t be too much longer before she starts the job. How exciting!

“The Trainee Solicitor” is working like a Trojan. His boss has been out of the office for quite a few days so far this year and has left the workload to him. That’s fine until you hit a problem but I am sure we all know this is “normal” worklife (unfortunately).

Working from home is to be the new norm for “The Photographer” unfortunately it’s not in the field of photography (at the moment). It seems that he has enjoyed just moving from one room to another to start his work, likes that a break means he can go into the kitchen in his home to get a drink and an hours lunch starts prompt at the allotted time (something which doesn’t happen when you are dealing with customers face to face). It’s early days but having a couple of hours travelling time given back to you is something and he can use that time for shopping, appointments or going to the gym.

My granddaughter FaceTimed me this morning without her Daddy being in the room so it was a surprise for him when he heard her talking to me. Her little brother is on penicillium medicine as he has an ear infection. He was in the kitchen with Grandad but came through to have a chat with me. They were at the cinema yesterday to see the Disney film “Wish” and are going out today to see butterflies and aquatic creatures. My granddaughter ended the call saying “bye I will ring you tomorrow “ 😂😂.

Now my week, the cleaner has been, returning to her two days a week. I don’t think the house really warrants 4 hours cleaning per week but she does move furniture to clean underneath, wash windows as well as dust, vacuum and wash floors so I can’t complain. Then I had my appointment with the oncologist. He had my blood test results and I was sad that things were not as good as they could have been with a couple of areas of concern. I came away with a prescription for five days of injections to boost my white cells and was told to have fortnightly blood tests now too. Well nothing I can do about it just got to wait for the next round of blood test results.

I was fortunate on Tuesday that I went into town to the pharmacy in the morning as in the afternoon it SNOWED! I have arranged with the nurse to come in for the next five days to give me my injections also arranged for them to come to do blood test on 22/1.

My cousin, in London, had her birthday this week. I had posted her card last week, however I went online and arranged a small hamper of 4 saffron buns, 1 pack of Cornish Faring biscuits, 1 pack of Cornish clotted cream shortbread and a box of Cornish Black tea although it didn’t arrive on her birthday it arrived the following day.

I also took the opportunity to order more books for myself, although I am back to knitting and crochet I like to read before I go to sleep.

It was the week for the knitting group and as the weather had turned so cold I couldn’t decide whether to go or not. Anyway after exchanging a few messages with Claudine I decided to go. I have been crocheting something which does resemble a scarf and as I have plenty of this wool I can make it quite long. I had also found a book of knitting patterns for children’s clothes, however the instructions are in French. I have decided that I am going to knit a cardigan from the book and I cast it on. I am enjoying knitting something different, a different pattern but one that is easy to do. Let’s hope it continues as easy as this is at the moment.

I knew that I had to get over my fear of rats and mice which may be lurking in the compost. So far I had been brave enough to go and put my vegetable peelings in there but as far as turning the compost went, it hadn’t been done for months with the result that the peelings were just sitting on top of the other matter. I plucked up courage to go out into the freezing cold (dressed like Nanook Of The North) armed with my twisty thing and a garden fork. I was working quite well then decided to use the garden fork, now this meant removing part of the front of the composter and I was sure I would see something staring at me, but no, not a thing and I was rather pleased with the result. I feel ready to maybe do this job once a week to oxygenate the pile and get it “working”. I have previously been told that you will know if rats are in the bin as you will smell ammonia (apparently rats urinate a lot) whether this is true or false whenever I open the composter I take a good sniff.

I have had messages from Monique, Pauline (in Barcelona), have messaged Anie (who should have returned from Indonesia this week) and Maud (no reply from these two) plus have been in contact with Sarah, Denise (a lady from the old knitting group) and friends in the UK.

I do so love January here in France. If you employ people to work in your home (gardener, cleaning lady in my case) you can claim money back on your tax. The tax office usually give you an advance in January and my notification came through this week. Also, I pay my energy by direct debit and I did increase my payments (as instructed) in September. Now I only pay 11 months of the year, get my invoice showing all the details of usage, payments etc in January and any overpayment is refunded directly. Imagine my surprise when I was informed I had overpaid so would be refunded. I have my heating on extra hours a day and still get a refund 😁.

Today is the Fete sans Frontiere in town and normally I would be going. However, as I still want to keep safe due to low immunity, it seems silly to go into a hall with well over 100 people and remove my mask to eat. Also they ask that you take a dish with you for sharing. These are then laid out and people are called up to go and collect food. Now 1) you don’t how hygienic the preparation of the food may be, 2) fingers could have touched the food that is laid out, had hands been washed say after using the toilet, 3) coughs and sneezes spread diseases and no matter what, someone could cough or sneeze while in the queue, not everyone carries sanitiser! No I don’t want to be among that, not when I (feel) I have managed to steer clear of any infection so far. So I guess I will stay at home, in the warm, and do some knitting or crochet.

I feels like coffee time now, I am also trying to get into the habit of having a piece of fruit mid-morning and mid-afternoon. It cuts down on munching on biscuits and enables me to have my five-a-day. I baked a quiche yesterday so I will be having quiche with something healthy this lunchtime.

So I will wish you all a very good week until next week.

#barsuraube #nature #photography #baking #knitting #reading #livingthedream #trees #friends #family #80’s music

[theretirementstory]

Bonjour à tous, it is the first week of January, New Years Day came and went with me feeling rather glum. I didn’t feel like eating and consequently had no “special” meal on that day. By Wednesday my good humour had returned as had my appetite.

It has been a year now since I had my stent fitted in my heart, I am hoping to have another appointment with a cardiologist in the next couple of months just to confirm that all is well. I go to see the oncologist on Monday to (I assume) discuss how I feel after the radiotherapy.

It is currently 1c and cloudy and the highest temperature is due to be 3c, I don’t think I will be poking my nose out of the door today. My friend said she felt that snow was on the way, I am praying it is not!

Pauline eventually came to see me on Tuesday, she had been to Dijon for New Year but hadn’t really enjoyed herself as she was too busy looking for accommodation in Barcelona. Then she messaged me on Wednesday to say that her mother’s partner had passed away that morning. Her mother was due to drive her to Lyon on Thursday or Friday for Pauline to take a Flixbus from Lyon to Barcelona. She is flying today from Paris, she hadn’t really wanted to fly because of the smaller luggage allowance but maybe that is better.

Monique came to see me on Tuesday too, it was wonderful to see her and we had a good chat. She had had a great Christmas with her family and grandchildren, the twins will soon be celebrating their 2nd birthday, it’s amazing to think they are only two as they seem to have been around a lot longer.

I didn’t get in touch with the plumber (again) as the central heating and the pressure bar on the boiler seem to working satisfactorily.

Anie has sent me a photo of her with her family in Indonesia, she seems to be having a wonderful time. I am very pleased for her, although her family have been in France a lot in 2023, it has been a lovely holiday for her.

So the cleaner came on Thursday and asked if I would like to go to the Casino restaurant in Montier en Der. As I am really trying to keep myself safe from any infections, wearing my mask while out shopping, avoiding crowded places, plus only eating food prepared by myself. I explained it was something I could do after March but she said how about going next Thursday. I said I would let her know, went online to check out the menu, discovered there were only a couple of dishes that I would eat and decided to decline her offer. It’s important I keep myself well until my immune system is back up to full capacity.

I am “itching” to get out into the garden and prepare things for the springtime. Unfortunately, a lot of weeding is needed and the ground is too wet to deal with that at the moment. I do want to place cardboard around the rose bushes and mulch on top of the cardboard (this should be done in January) I am wondering if that will work around the hydrangea paniculata. At the moment there are so many weeds around it I fear it will become smothered. I am considering covering the area, weeds and all with the cardboard.

In France, from January 1st, they are encouraging people to discontinue putting food waste in the dustbin and encouraging the use of composters. Looking at the booklet that arrived it states quite categorically “no weeds, their seeds etc in the composter.” Now when your garden is full of “mauvaise herbes” where on earth are you supposed to put those when you clear them out? How do I stop my neighbour from putting the grass clippings (including dandelions etc) into my composter when he is being kind enough to mow the grass? Answers on a postcard please 😂. Speaking of compost, I am so terrified that there are 🐀 and 🐁 in my composter that I could do with a young man to come and empty all of my compost out. Where do you find a young man willing to do that? Is it something my gardener will do? I guess I will be making enquiries this year. Then I could start again and perhaps make better compost. I have never got right thé the bottom of the compost bin. As my friend Marlene was telling me something about rats in the composter I am worried that if they have them in their compost bin then I surely must have them in mine. Mind having said that I don’t put tomatoes, or anything with seeds into the compost, which I think they must have done, as she said they had tomatoes growing in there one time.

My potager, which I had covered with cardboard last winter, is full of violas (plus a few weeds). I was hoping to transplant the violas to the back garden, and feel sure I will, given some drier weather. The same applies to the iris I planted in the raised bed years ago, they are coming through well and keep multiplying but are becoming too crowded in there and I need to thin them out. All this talk of what I would like to do, is making me want to rush out and start doing something in the garden.

Let’s have a look at the music this week, back in the 80’s this first group would really have had no interest to me, however, all these years later as part of a car advert here in France, I find myself singing along (possibly my own words I hasten to add) and find the music quite “upbeat”. The song is “Oh l’amour” by the group Erasure dating back to 1986. The second song is one of my all time favourites, it’s a song that I feel as soon as you hear it you want to get up and dance. Of course the “old body” has done a good few miles since this was released in 1978 but somewhere inside my “mojo” is still working 😂. The song is “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) by Sylvester. This is another song which has been used in an advert recently.

My grandchildren FaceTimed me last Sunday, I wasn’t wearing my hat so my very short hair was on display. At first my granddaughter wouldn’t speak to me she just kept staring as I spoke then eventually she asked “where’s your hair?”. We explained I had had it cut off because I had been very very poorly, she accepted that and we continued the conversation as normal.

“The Photographer” had his car repaired on Tuesday, no really large expense and I guess it is still running okay as he has been out and about in it. Yesterday was his last day working in a branch office and from tomorrow will be doing his training for home working. I am hoping that it all works out well for him as it saves on his long commute, fuel, wear and tear on the car and means that he will hopefully get to see more daylight.

“The Trainee Solicitor” has been busy at work. Not too sure how his ankle is now, it had still been swelling but he thought that was due to the heat in the office and having his foot down all day. He is currently doing housework while “The Ex-Graduate” has a well deserved rest. She is still waiting to hear about a start date for her new job but at least she has a job until the new one starts.

The books I had ordered arrived on Thursday and I was just so excited! I opened the bag but didn’t remove all of the books until yesterday. Oh did I want to cry! I had only ordered two the same. Instead of five books to read I now only have four but that’s fine and I will make sure I check my order before I press “Send” next time.

Yesterday, I did not a lot at all, I had my bloods taken and for the first time in a long time the results didn’t arrive by the afternoon. I need them by Monday afternoon for the oncologist so fingers crossed they arrive. After the visit from the nurse, I decided to have half an hour reading my book unfortunately that half hour turned into the rest of the day with only breaks to make food and to go to the shops for a few things. I must get myself moving today.

Knitting is on the back burner at the moment but I am crocheting. Next week sees the first knitting group of the year but more about that later.

I have posted the photos of my beautiful planter, which doesn’t look like that at the moment, and of one of the hellebores. The hellebores this year are obviously going to flower later as they are just producing green leaves at present and I need to get the planter cleared of weeds and put some new compost in it to encourage the lovely flowers. I would like to get a primula to put into it as well as a few more violas. The planter that Monique made for me about November last year is flowering so well it really is beautiful.

Jusqu’à la semaine prochaine.

#barsuraube #photography #knitting #crochet #gardening #my garden #family #friends #80’s music #70’s music