I joined the library in Grenade last year. It took quite a bit of finding as it is (or rather was) only a small room in an old peoples home, open just three afternoons a week. The librarian was overjoyed to have another "customer" and was even more overjoyed to tell me that next year (2008) there would me a new library and media centre opening nearer the town centre.
Well the big day has been and gone and we now have the new, super, duper library open. I went in a few days after it opened and Madame the librarian rushed over to me, "Oh Madame Marsh, welcome" , she said and gave me a tour of the premises. It certainly is a great improvement, purpose built, light and airy and so much bigger. Many more books, a childrens area, DVD and CD areas and 2 computers available for the public to use. I think that the only people to regret the closure of the old library will be the old people where it used to be. They all used to sit in the entrance hall of the home and watch the comings and goings of people to the library on the three afternoons that it was open. Life must be a lot quieter for them now.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
A solitary week.
Monday, the day if the biopsy I knew that I wouldn't be able to speak to Nigel. I did ring the nurses a couple of times and they told me that he was back in his room and resting. It was a relief to know that the biopsy was over and that he was OK. When I spoke to the nurse on the Tuesday morning she said that I could call him on his private line. When I did he said, grumpily, "What do you want"? Ho,ho I thought can't be feeling that bad if he's so bad tempered. After a very brief conversation we agreed that the best thing was for him to ring me as and when he was able to talk. At the time I rang there were several people in his room and someone was approaching with an x-ray machine. Also, it wasn't easy for him to answer the phone due to the lines in his wrists and a drain tube in his side, all virtually chaining him to the bed. Over the next 5 days we chatted 2 or 3 times a day. His main complaint wasn't about the pain it was about the food! He was on a light diet for a couple of days and was hoping for some improvement after that but apparently it wasn't much better. Perhaps I feed him too well.
I had a relatively lazy week. It was pretty hot, far too hot and dry to do anything in the garden. No Nigel to cook for and the house stayed relatively tidy. I seemed to have a lot of leisure time and spent a lot of it sitting in the shade in the garden with a good book. Can't be bad!
On Friday evening he still wasn't sure when he could come home but then he rang me at 9.30am on Saturday to ask if I could pick him up at 11. Well, it takes an hour and a half to get there and I had just got out of the shower so I said I would be there about 11.30. The roads were quite busy with holiday traffic but I got there OK and we left the clinic about midday.
We came back a rather circuitous route as the direct route was very busy with returning holiday traffic. After having lunch Nigel decided, before getting back in the car, to change out of his heavy corduroy trousers and back into his pyjamas as it was so hot (35C). Should he have asked me to take in some lighter clothing, should I have anticipated this? A short argument/discussion ensued!
We had to stop in Grenade to pick up the huge amount of drugs that he was supposed to take now he was home. (I say supposed as they were mainly pain killers, he has had little pain so has taken only a small amount of them). I parked in the square and went into the chemist with the prescription. It took quite a time to find all the drugs and I was very concerned about Nigel sitting in the car in the heat. I should have known better, knowing Nigel as I do! As I came out of the chemist he walked towards me, still in his pyjamas, from where he had been "lurking" in the shade. We went back to the car, me well in front hoping that no- one would notice him!!
As I write this, a week later, he is making a good recovery and taking things easy. No results as yet and we have to back to Bayonne (Oh joy) on Thursday to see the surgeon for a check up.
I had a relatively lazy week. It was pretty hot, far too hot and dry to do anything in the garden. No Nigel to cook for and the house stayed relatively tidy. I seemed to have a lot of leisure time and spent a lot of it sitting in the shade in the garden with a good book. Can't be bad!
On Friday evening he still wasn't sure when he could come home but then he rang me at 9.30am on Saturday to ask if I could pick him up at 11. Well, it takes an hour and a half to get there and I had just got out of the shower so I said I would be there about 11.30. The roads were quite busy with holiday traffic but I got there OK and we left the clinic about midday.
We came back a rather circuitous route as the direct route was very busy with returning holiday traffic. After having lunch Nigel decided, before getting back in the car, to change out of his heavy corduroy trousers and back into his pyjamas as it was so hot (35C). Should he have asked me to take in some lighter clothing, should I have anticipated this? A short argument/discussion ensued!
We had to stop in Grenade to pick up the huge amount of drugs that he was supposed to take now he was home. (I say supposed as they were mainly pain killers, he has had little pain so has taken only a small amount of them). I parked in the square and went into the chemist with the prescription. It took quite a time to find all the drugs and I was very concerned about Nigel sitting in the car in the heat. I should have known better, knowing Nigel as I do! As I came out of the chemist he walked towards me, still in his pyjamas, from where he had been "lurking" in the shade. We went back to the car, me well in front hoping that no- one would notice him!!
As I write this, a week later, he is making a good recovery and taking things easy. No results as yet and we have to back to Bayonne (Oh joy) on Thursday to see the surgeon for a check up.
Bayonne again.
Sunday the 24th August was the day that Nigel had to go into the clinic in Bayonne for his lung biopsy. He had to be there for 5pm and we thought that he would be there for 2/3 days. We got to the clinic, this time, without too many mistakes and were able to park with no problems. After checking in at reception (bit like a hotel really!) we went up to the surgical ward. He was told that he had an intensive care, single room right next to the nurses station. Intensive care,why we thought, maybe there was no other room available. After a short while a nurse came to take blood samples, venous and arterial, and then another nurse came in to take his details. She explained that he was in the intensive care ward as they needed to monitor him closely after the biopsy. She also said that the first couple of days afterwards would be quite painful and that he would have a morphine pump to help him cope with the pain. Suddenly, what we had thought was a relatively minor procedure became a much more serious one. It was also explained that he would more likely be in for a week. We were told that the surgeon would be round later in the evening to explain more fully and to allay any fears that Nigel may have. I finally said good bye to him about 6.15 knowing that the next time I saw him would be up to a week later when I would be able to pick him up and bring him home.
I left the car park and was approaching the traffic lights at a very big roundabout when the car stalled, or so I thought. I tried to restart it but no joy. Panic! Luckily I was in the nearside lane (there were 3 lanes) so I put on the hazard lights and the traffic behind me was able to get into the next lane. Perhaps I had flooded the engine? I tried again, no joy. I then got out of the car and smelled and saw diesel in the road. The "sleeve" that my nice mechanic had put on which would allow me to drive in safety had obviously not worked. This was obvious, even to me, who has no mechanical knowledge whatsoever. As far as I am concerned either things work or they don't! By now I was shaking but realised that I had to cope with the situation somehow. I got the warning triangle out of the boot (thankfully I knew where it was) and placed it in the road behind the car -step one. Then with hands shaking I riffled through the insurance paperwork and found the emergency breakdown number - step two. Thankfully I had my mobile and it was charged up and I was able to call the required number - step three. How efficient they were and how pleased I was that they were so efficient. I only had to give the car registration number and they were able to identify me immediately. They asked what the problem was, a diesel leak I said proudly! Someone with even less mechanical knowledge than I have would have known that but it was such a relief that I was able to identify the problem. Then they asked where I was, ah, that wasn't such an easy question to answer. I knew that I was in Bayonne but perhaps they would want more information? So, I said that I am in Bayonne, I'm a stranger here but I am at the traffic lights by a large roundabout near the clinic Lafourcade. Is there not a street name on the buildings at the side of the road they asked. No buildings I said but there is a large sports field here. OK they said we will send a breakdown vehicle out to you. Relief flooded over me and I stopped shaking and started waiting, not too close to the car though. My imagination was working full time, what if someone threw a cigarette end into the diesel in the road, would my car blow up? Despite the hazard lights and the warning triangle many drivers still queued for the lights in the lane behind me and then had to try and get into the middle lane. Although it seemed very busy I thought that it was probably good that it was a Sunday as it would have been even busier on any other day. After what seemed an eternity but was in fact about 3/4 of an hour the breakdown vehicle arrived. The mechanic didn't say a lot but he put another temporary sleeve on the car, told me to get it fixed as soon as possible and wished me a good trip back home. I could have thrown my arms around him and kissed him but thought that it was perhaps not the appropriate action to take! Thankfully I got home safely although somewhat later than expected and yes the car is now fixed! A ghastly experience but now that it is over I feel quite chuffed that I managed to cope.
I left the car park and was approaching the traffic lights at a very big roundabout when the car stalled, or so I thought. I tried to restart it but no joy. Panic! Luckily I was in the nearside lane (there were 3 lanes) so I put on the hazard lights and the traffic behind me was able to get into the next lane. Perhaps I had flooded the engine? I tried again, no joy. I then got out of the car and smelled and saw diesel in the road. The "sleeve" that my nice mechanic had put on which would allow me to drive in safety had obviously not worked. This was obvious, even to me, who has no mechanical knowledge whatsoever. As far as I am concerned either things work or they don't! By now I was shaking but realised that I had to cope with the situation somehow. I got the warning triangle out of the boot (thankfully I knew where it was) and placed it in the road behind the car -step one. Then with hands shaking I riffled through the insurance paperwork and found the emergency breakdown number - step two. Thankfully I had my mobile and it was charged up and I was able to call the required number - step three. How efficient they were and how pleased I was that they were so efficient. I only had to give the car registration number and they were able to identify me immediately. They asked what the problem was, a diesel leak I said proudly! Someone with even less mechanical knowledge than I have would have known that but it was such a relief that I was able to identify the problem. Then they asked where I was, ah, that wasn't such an easy question to answer. I knew that I was in Bayonne but perhaps they would want more information? So, I said that I am in Bayonne, I'm a stranger here but I am at the traffic lights by a large roundabout near the clinic Lafourcade. Is there not a street name on the buildings at the side of the road they asked. No buildings I said but there is a large sports field here. OK they said we will send a breakdown vehicle out to you. Relief flooded over me and I stopped shaking and started waiting, not too close to the car though. My imagination was working full time, what if someone threw a cigarette end into the diesel in the road, would my car blow up? Despite the hazard lights and the warning triangle many drivers still queued for the lights in the lane behind me and then had to try and get into the middle lane. Although it seemed very busy I thought that it was probably good that it was a Sunday as it would have been even busier on any other day. After what seemed an eternity but was in fact about 3/4 of an hour the breakdown vehicle arrived. The mechanic didn't say a lot but he put another temporary sleeve on the car, told me to get it fixed as soon as possible and wished me a good trip back home. I could have thrown my arms around him and kissed him but thought that it was perhaps not the appropriate action to take! Thankfully I got home safely although somewhat later than expected and yes the car is now fixed! A ghastly experience but now that it is over I feel quite chuffed that I managed to cope.
Garages
I would like to be able to say that "I don't do garages" but since we came to France, due to Nigels lack of French, I have no choice. We were extremely lucky when we lived at Carol as the local garage in Fossat was very good. It was run by the Estrade family, Madame in the office and Monsieur and their son in the workshop. Our dear old Peugeot 309 had many problems in the last few years with us and they were always so very helpful. As we didn't have a second car one of the family would always run me back home and pick me up when the car was ready. A side effect of this involvement with the garage was a widening of my knowledge of car parts in French!
Since we sold the Peugoet and "upgraded" to the Renault Scenic my involvement with garages has become less until recently. When Max was here he suggested that we may have a diesel leak as he was able to smell diesel when the car was warm. After a few days we noticed that there was a small amount of diesel leakage on the ground under the car. I rang the Renault garage in Grenade and the lady on reception said that they were very busy due to the holiday period. When I explained that it was quite important that we had it seen to as I had to take my husband to hospital in Bayonne on the Sunday she said to take it in and they would have a look. The chap there was extremely helpful and took the car, almost immediately into the workshop. The showroom part of the garage was very comfortable so I settled myself in one of the chairs and got out my book. I have learned over the years always to take a book with me to places where I may have to wait!! The receptionist served me with a coffee so I was quite happy reading and drinking my coffee whilst I waited. I could see that the mechanic who was dealing with the car was doing other things as well so I was prepared for quite a wait. After an hour he told me that a hose had fractured and needed replacing but that they didn't have the required part. Not to worry he said, as he had put on a temporary "sleeve" which would allow me to drive safely in the meantime. He said to go in the following Tuesday and he would replace the part so I left feeling very happy that I had the car for the weekend and that the whole experience had not been stressful!!
Since we sold the Peugoet and "upgraded" to the Renault Scenic my involvement with garages has become less until recently. When Max was here he suggested that we may have a diesel leak as he was able to smell diesel when the car was warm. After a few days we noticed that there was a small amount of diesel leakage on the ground under the car. I rang the Renault garage in Grenade and the lady on reception said that they were very busy due to the holiday period. When I explained that it was quite important that we had it seen to as I had to take my husband to hospital in Bayonne on the Sunday she said to take it in and they would have a look. The chap there was extremely helpful and took the car, almost immediately into the workshop. The showroom part of the garage was very comfortable so I settled myself in one of the chairs and got out my book. I have learned over the years always to take a book with me to places where I may have to wait!! The receptionist served me with a coffee so I was quite happy reading and drinking my coffee whilst I waited. I could see that the mechanic who was dealing with the car was doing other things as well so I was prepared for quite a wait. After an hour he told me that a hose had fractured and needed replacing but that they didn't have the required part. Not to worry he said, as he had put on a temporary "sleeve" which would allow me to drive safely in the meantime. He said to go in the following Tuesday and he would replace the part so I left feeling very happy that I had the car for the weekend and that the whole experience had not been stressful!!
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