In the last post I mentioned how the sunflower fields turned black before being harvested. Didn’t have a photo of that just then. Here’s one now: Nick and Carolyn have gone away (to England!) for a couple of months, so we, or rather, Carol, is on chicken watch. A daily stroll into the village to top up the feeder and collect the eggs. But they are laying five or six a day! We’ve given away what we can, but we’re struggling to keep up with extra-sized omelettes and scrambled eggs! Eggs are appearing in the salads more frequently than before, too ….

There are six of them, but they won’t stand still and in shot to be photographed!

Autumn colours still don’t predominate, though one group of trees across the road is turning:However, the weather has changed significantly. We’ve had several windy days, so the pear tree has lost its leaves before they changed colour. We’ve also had a couple of days and nights of really serious rain, including yesterday which was a right soggy Sunday!

I’ve had a chance to compare out-patient treatment in the French and English systems. There’s no clear winner, contrary to some of what you hear about French  health care being outstanding. To begin with, the clinic where I had to go on Friday for minor surgery on my nose (septoplasty – google it if you feel the need!) is a good 2 hours away. Our plan was to go on Thursday in Harry and be on the spot for first thing Friday morning. But Harry hasn’t had his skylight repaired yet and we didn’t dare risk it, so Lucy had to serve. Up at 5 and on the road soon after 6. OK, we managed that. Paperwork in order at the hospital, including results of blood tests and ECG which I had to be responsible for myself, and so to a 2-person room to change into disposable operating garb. I don’t know whether it was because I was English, or whether it’s just the way it’s done, but explanation of the anaesthetising procedure was missing compared with the NHS so I was ‘under’ almost before I knew it was happening.

Late afternoon, it was time to leave. Here’s the big difference – payment to be made! Not only that, but separate payments at different desks on different floors! Just what you need! (I expect to get most of it back, but that’s not the point!). At the second desk  the receptionist saw that I was still bleeding and wouldn’t sign me out till the consultant had seen me again! This delayed us by about 45 minutes. Then Carol was about to drive off the car park when we spotted a note on Lucy’s windscreen: “Take care – back right tyre flat”. (In French). I was NOT up for changing a wheel in the dark! We rang the roadside assistance number on our insurance certificate and the man with the tools came very quickly. But Lucy’s spare wheel is a small, emergency only wheel, so the return journey had to be made at well below normal speed and took 2 hours 45 minutes.

I’ve spent most of the weekend in bed but things are a bit better today (Monday). Not looking forward to next Monday when I have to go back and have some ‘splints’ removed. Don’t know how that’s done – probably not comfortable. Will it have been worth it? Well, if eventually I can breathe more easily and sleep with my mouth shut and so not have a sore throat in the morning, maybe!

That’s all a bit grim!  So let’s backtrack to the end-of-month barbecue with Nick and Carolyn before they went away. (Friends on Facebook stop here, ‘cos you’ve seen these!)  8am: Sunshine on the hill over the river, but not on the terrace yet:11am: Blue skies and things are warming up, though there’s a slight ‘nip’ in the air:1pm: Sticky chicken wings get us going while the salmon fillets are on the Cadac:Time to consult the library?Wild Turkey, Man!