Firstly a suggestion to those of a sartorial bent - please start your own thread.
To get back to cheerful news. The day did not start well - OH had an early morning appointment (7:05) for a blood test, because he is to have an angioplasty this Thursday. He returned about 7:30 unhappy that the test had not happened - firstly, because he had to be up so early, unnecessarily, and secondly because the only appointment they could offer him was 9:15 tomorrow - that’s a long time to wait with no breakfast! They were expecting him Saturday and the appointment card bizarrely said last Monday and not today (as I had assumed). I’d made the appointment and was feeling very guilty for not having checked properly at the time and also profoundly anxious that his angioplasty would be cancelled because he was having the blood test too late. This happened on a previous occasion with a scan and delayed everything for weeks.
The only way to resolve this and to lose my anxiety was to take an hour’s drive to Agen to speak directly to the cardiology department receptionist (they never answer their phone ).
The drive was lovely - all the plum orchards are in blossom, the queue at the cardiology department was short, the receptionist reassuring (she checked with one of the cardiologists) and I popped into the ORL department for an appointment there as well (smiles all round). I stopped at the Crescendo and had a chocolatine and a chocolat chaud and returned home relaxed and happy. The sun is glorious and a walk with the dog is in order followed by some late afternoon mowing. The day has certainly improved.
Good news all round. Today I feel so well, 10 on my graph that we keep to see how I am affected by my treatment.
I have it every 28 days and it is a slow release treatment, so sometimes I can be very tired and down.
Not had a 10 for a long tine, perhaps the reduced dose is helpful.
I hope all goes well with the angioplasty.
This morning after a very frosty start I set off with my 2 for Angouleme station. Jules was in his usual heavy brown and tan overcoat, and Galys always sleek and slinky in her soft white creation streaked with lemon. I will not discuss what I was wearing.
Arrived early, as planned, in order to find a suitable parking spot, was cheerfully amused to discover that it was free for an hour, and walked across the roads to the station shop where I had just enough time for a quick petit cafe (didn’t even have to explain what it was (espresso )) to the child behind the counter, before a young lady appeared from the exactly on time train with Torvy alongside. She was a dusky brownish colour but resplendant in an all encompassing blue jacket with black shapes entwined.
The young French lady of Senegalese descent was able to converse in very good English so we stuck to that and, after the 3 dogs had been introduced by nose touching, we were all loaded up and as the young lady bad a tearful au revoir, on our way back to Sharon’s.
I even got back in time for the weekly shop and a catchup at the coffeshop where the owner handed me contact details of the English couple who want me to foster their Great Dane for a while.
Then a walk by the river where Galys got me into trouble for investigating the rubbish thrown out by some grumpy campervaners who shouted and swore at me from a distance. I reminded them that the place was closed to them between October and May and then we all pointedly ignored them.
I was looking at our neighbour’s Cherry tree in full bloom and thinking that this time last year we had an amazing 5 Hoopoes around it all at once… never seen that many before and this year they seem to be delayed
but, Cheerful News is that we’ve seen lots and lots of baby lambs gambolling in the far field.
My cheerful news is that about 2 years after we got this plaque (an eco-quality label) we have finally fixed it outside the gîte. Just in time for our visite de controle tomoroow .
Where of course I will be offering tea and simple egg white and ground almond biscuits that take seconds to make and look as if have made an effort.
Just opened a letter from the UK DWP to inform me that my state pension will be increased from April. Every little helps but pushes up the amount here regarding paying impôts for the first time.
Yes it’s the same in the UK - the personal allowance before tax kicks in has not been increased for years, and pensioners with income scarcely more than the full State Pension are likely to have to pay some income tax for the first time.
Labour are storing up trouble for themselves with this and the proposed benefit cuts, although I realise they are between a rock and a hard place in respect of UK public finances.
Meanwhile we are suposed to swallow the lies of low inflation each time despite far more of our money each month going out to pay for basics like gas and electric, water going up because Thames water are bankrupt and useless. Then food prices that go up about 10% each month.
Hang on whats this doing in the cheeful news thread?
Had my visa appt today at VFS Global in the States. A WEE bit concerned that one of the “standard” forms I had to sign was that the Embassy/Consulate can decide to grant me my TS or change it to a T, but I can’t do anything about that. AND it is my birthday!
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