in our camper with HOSS just because we can......

blog 6 February

Mike started to feel better with a diagnosis of arthritis in the neck and knowing is half the problem solved so I talked him into letting me light a fire again as it makes me feel so much more relaxed, and happy, and for a few days all went well.  I thought we had cracked it and then on the fourth day we both came down with blinding headaches and were both very sleepy.  We have decided to shut the fire down again and have arranged for a wood burner expert to come in and look at our installation as Mike is now convinced we are being poisoned by carbon monoxide leaking in from the chimney. I will ke­­­ep you informed as I feel an epic in the making

We had another challenge to face this week and went to the private hospital in Caen for a consultation with a neurological surgeon our GP had referred Mike to. We arrived at this very shiny and muffled marble monument of a building with more open space and running water than Versailles and as we took the middle of the atrium bottle on a stick lift to the consulting room level I wondered just what we were letting ourselves in for. Our white haired consultant was very pleasant and although he laughed us back out of the office saying there is nothing wrong that a good massage couldn’t put right his gold dollar bed manner made him take the time to explain why Mike was OK but why he has headache, and was totally bemused as to why Mike had put up with it since 2009.  Mike is now referred  to a neurologist to try a cortisone treatment and then 6 weeks of massage and physio and as we had been bothering our GP for the past 5 years the consultant suggested that we need not go back to the GP and stick with a specialist and get it sorted. We came away believing we had been in the company of a medical god and then his secretary wrapped the paperwork up and took payment from as ordinarily as buying a baguette ...costing a cool 90 Euro …..well worth every penny…….

Our faithful van did it again when in a fit of pique with the weather and Mike feeling so rubbish we went to Cherbourg looking to buy a new wood burner and a therapeutic walk around Brico Depot the best DIY store in the area. We did not find a fire or any DIY to make us drawl so before going off to find a sandwich for a day out picnic we popped into one of  our most favourite depot vents and found this most fab sofa  for 120 Euro. It was 10 minutes to midday and when I asked the staff if we could get it off the staging to give it a try I could sense the panic of a transaction so near to lunch time but then relief when Mike sat in the bigger than normal chair and looked so right and comfortable I just said hooorah  in a French accent and it was out and in the van and paid for before lunch could be disrupted.

 

I have been a good recycler this week again and have continued to make wood chippings from  our winter pruning. I love the smell of fresh wood and the motion of chipping wood, it is noisy and I wear my ear plugs to protect myself so I am in a little bubble of comfort and neither Mike or HOSS can get in it…. It’s all mind.

 

 
 
What a joy to have flowers showing and I have started my front of the house display ,I brought out my primrose wheel barrow that gave me such a treat in the poly tunnel in the deepest winter and I thought I could risk putting them out on display on the drive and all of a sudden I can sense warm and long days ahead.

And finally our little pals say good bye. Cass stayed with us for 2 weeks and was just starting to make firm attachments to us and our life style and it was time to pressure a change to get him in a place for his next home. We met his original owners in a car park to make the transfer and he recognised them and they were resigned that actually he was destined to go home to them and then he would be taken to their daughter in Cornwall to live on a farm. The timing for all this was perfect as Cass was starting to get comfortable and both boys were wanting to put their paw down as to who was boss. If I was keeping Cass and HOSS I would have dealt with this but 2 hours before transfer time they had a barking growly set to  on the field over a bit of rope I had been paying tug with. HOSS is now very happy to be in charge again and to celebrate we have booked ourselves a trip to the UK in our camper with HOSS just because we can......