Continuation

It’s done nothing but rain this week which means we can’t put the washing out to dry. Actually, we never put the washing out to dry. I don’t know why this is; maybe it’s too unsightly but I shall endeavour to make some changes. I’ve already started with the sheets. As far as I can work out, there are three utility rooms here with various lines and implements for drying. When the sheets were dry last week, we folded them neatly and left them to be ironed. Pardon? I’ve now explained the futility in ironing sheets…..as my friend Marian says, that way lays madness. We don’t iron sheets in this house any more. Next came the rubber gloves. These beautiful French women never wear rubber gloves. Every time I come to France, I have to explain the benefits of this apparel. I have left a legacy of Marigolds the length of the country. We have Marigolds here now. And Nutella. And Heinz tomato sauce. This evening, we had an omelette so I put the tomato sauce on the table. Are you American asks monsieur? Why are you eating ketchup? Because it goes well with omelettes I replied. So now we all eat tomato sauce with our omelettes.

We went to collect the little car which Andre has kindly lent me. On the way, Pascale tried to explain what Andre does for a living but with little success. I thought he might be a chiropractor from her description but she just laughed. Andre wasn’t at all what I’d expected. He was about sixty, very rotund, very happy, wore a black shirt and a white silk scarf and had a rat inside his shirt. Well, be fair, you wouldn’t expect that would you. He lives in a 400 year old house with beautifully painted green furniture, some left-over Christmas decorations and the sounds of operatic arias resounding throughout. The obligatory, much younger, much thinner woman is to hand to serve strong black coffee and Madelines. Zuts alors…anyone would think this was France. Andre is a medium. He has a few clients that come to the house but mainly he works over the phone. He told me I would never work in France. Thanks a lot Andre. That was just before he took my blood pressure. Not too bad considering I was about to drive his car away. Actually, he’d already told me what I’d be doing next year so I assumed that implied I’d make it back to Avignon ok that afternoon.

We all got into the car so that I could practice driving it up and down the road in the pouring rain. It seemed ok. They all got out again and I waved goodbye before taking a quick look around to make sure he’d taken the rat with him.