An ill fated trip to Lille

On the 26th May, we set out to visit our friends at Lille to celebrate a 90th birthday with a barbecue. We had hesitated to undertake the trip due to the fuel blockade, but had filled the van's tank to the utmost and Patrick had assured us that, even if  there was a problem in reprovisioning in Lille, we could get fuel in Belgium, only a few kilometres away.
  However, things did not go smoothly from the start. Even to reach Poitiers took ages, as the forains were en colere over some grievance and were blocking the motorway. The Police wouldn't let us join the A10 and advised us to go to Chatelleraut by the N10 and take the motorway after that.


 Arrived there, and decided to have some lunch at the service area before taking the motorway. As we made our way to the restaurant, Kim tripped on a curb and fell heavily, landing on her right arm. She couldn't get up for a few moments, then we were assisted by the very kind people from the services, who helped us into the restaurant area. They wanted to send for the Pompiers and get us sent to Tours hospital but Kim felt she would be OK after a rest and we ate a snack. But it was clear to her that she had damaged the wrist, but we decided to continue to Lille and ask Cecile to take her to hospital there for an X-ray and treatment, as Cecile is a Nurse and would know the routine. So that was what we did, although C took her to Roubaix hospital, where her contacts smuggled her in the back door for VIP treatment!
  After a very pleasant weekend and a barbecue neatly fitted in between the rain showers, we returned  home with Kim's arm plastered and in a sling, so it's just as well I can drive again...after a couple of weeks, the plaster has been changed for a lighter resin one, but Kim's arm is still very painful needing lots of painkillers, which make her sleepy. You can see, therefore, why at first she couldn't walk her Dane as promised but lately she has been able to accompany me as we walk the dogs off to the leash on quiet paths.

Papy Julien lights his candles

Bye for now, phone's ringing!

The barbecue is lit

Canine news-- New Ark Crew

    Well, it's finally happened, Kim has realised her lifetime 's ambition to own a Great Dane. A rescue organisation has offered her a rescued Dane found wandering and malnourished and restored to health through their care. More importantly, she persuaded me we could look after the enormous beast, she promised she would accompany us on our walks to control the behemoth. We introduced the other two dogs in the organisation 's pound and they seemed to get on well, so we were able to return home with Rufus.
  As you can see from my photo, he is huge, and in fact weighs more than I do! However, he is a very docile and placid individual and has been very little trouble. We bought him a special sofa of his own, which at first he used, but having fallen in love with Kim, he prefers to lie on our large sofa, curled up between us. He doesn't pass unnoticed if we are in public, more than one French citizen has remarked, 'Ah, la vache!'  and we don't know whether it's an exclamation or if they think we are leading out a Fresian heifer... He loves riding in the car, so we were able to take him on our trip to visit our friends in Lille a fortnight ago. Unfortunately, the trip was ill-starred, and led to Kim being unable to keep her pledge to look after her dog all on her own. I'll tell you all about our unfortunate adventures in my next blog, it needs one all to itself

  Bye for now, I need a further cup of coffee.