Doesn't seem like a week since we left for Liverpool, where does time go to. The good news we had today is that our rotten food in the freezers is insured, so we can make a claim. We had already made out and translated a complete list so now we just needed to price things up. A visit to the big supermarkets this afternoon, revealed that we needed to claim for almost 200 Euros.

The weather remains at about 30 degrees, so it is no wonder that we had a total defrost.

FRIDAY 2nd.

We were lying in bed this morning with our early morning drink when we suddenly saw that Smudge was climbing this tree outside, sort of hand over hand. Now this thing must be close to thirty meters high so Joan was not impressed.

I shot out of bed to get the camera but she was up in the leaves before I got outside.

If you look carefully, you can just see the white of her belly but you will not see the birds, they were long gone.

Now of course she has a problem because at only just over four months, she does not know that cat claws work only in one direction. So what does she do, turn of course and fell straight down. Like all cats she landed feet first, looked at me as if to say, what happened there, then went in for breakfast.

SATURDAY 3rd.

At lunch time today, Joan and I went over to Barbara's for a meal. She had also invited her friend Ann, so with Stewart still being in Cyprus, I was sort of outnumbered.

We had a delicious lunch and of course a couple of glasses of wine to wash things down. On our way back to home, Joan and I called in to our Dutch friends, Henk & Hannie as we had not seen them since the evening of the Loubes Bernac Summer Feast. www.arbrederose.eu Another good reason to call was because Henk's neighbour produces a very nice Cote de Duras Rouge, at only 3.50 euros per bottle and stocks were low. We said that we would call them mid-week and suggest an evening to come over for a drink.

TUESDAY 6th.

We went over to Eymet, to see the bank about the freezer content insurance, then to Duras for Joan's physio session and then on to Marmande for some shopping and to visit the chemist that we use over there.

Why the chemist you might ask, well the French Civil Service has reared it's head again. We claimed back for all the payments we had made to doctors etc during Joan's treatment, which we were advised to do now that her formal registration had come through. One form was returned asking for the adhesive labels off the medication to be attached, not something you would normally excpect to have to do. Well there is a young lady in the chemist that we use, whose English is brilliant. She explained that as we had actually paid cash for these items, before Joan's registration had been agreed, they at the chemists should have put the stickers on the claim form. Luckily she was able to find some labels and put them on the form for us, so now it can be returned. A lesson there for others who might be going through the registration.

Having said all that, when I looked on-line at our bank account, I discovered that over 600 Euros had already been paid in, within 5 working days of posting the claim, so the system works but only if you are genuinely entitled to payment. Interesting thought for the NHS?

THURSDAY 8th.

We have had some not so good news this week. Our friend, Henny, in Holland, is back in hospital again. This time they have discovered a tumour on the liver and are doing more tests this week. We have decided to drive up to Holland at the weekend to go and see her, before Joan goes over to Cyprus in a couple of weeks. The advantage of being here on the continent already, just get in the car and go. We have to discuss with Danielle of course about looking after Smudge.

FRIDAY 9th.

Speaking of Smudge. We had forgotten just how much mischief a kitten get get into. Now and again we hear a crash as something else gets knocked over whilst she is chasing around the place.

This morning, Joan was making our bed and put some of her bear collection on the floor and now it looks as if we can leave them there until madam has finished playing.

Bit of a surprise for her this afternoon though. First trip to the vets, for vacination and the electronic chip to be put in her neck. If she is going to travel with us in the motor-home, then she needs a passport also.

SUNDAY 11th.

We set off at 7 o'cock this morning to drive up to Holland. It is 1100 kilometeres so a shared drive is the way to do it. We each managed 2.5 hour sessions behind the wheel but it was still one hell of a journey. We had torrential rain and then, just before Lille, more than 1 hour stuck in a jam, probably because of an accident. So when the Sat-Nav said, arrive at 17.49, it lied. We made it by 20.15, just in time for Arie to ring the Chinese Takeaway to get us something to eat.

We had sort of planned to travel up on the Sunday, because heavy goods are not on the road and with no work traffic it seemed like a good idea. How wrong can one be. We were shattered when we arrived but a meal and a couple of beers soon cheered us up.

MONDAY 12th.

We went round to see Co and Henny just after 11 o'clock as we figured she would be up, dressed and downstairs by then. They were very pleased to see us both, but it is obvious that Henny is in considerable pain. She has to wait until later this week before seeing the specialist again, but in the meantime has morphine patches to ease things.

After dinner, Joan and I went round to see Kitty, Arie's sister and talk to her and her husband. We know that the family is now preparing for the worst but all trying to put a brave face on things.

TUESDAY 13th.

Because we had reckoned that Henny was at her worst in the mornings we decided to take a walk around the village were we used to live and a couple of the lakeside harbours.

We both know that our time here in Holland was just great and if only the weather had been a bit kinder, we would probably have enjoyed a lovely life here.

The boating was the thing that probably did it for us and of course we had the advantage that we both spoke the language so would not have had to restart that game all over again.

In the afternoon we went around to visit Henny again, as after all that was the main purpose of our trip up here. She did appear just that little more like herself, but then as she explained, the morphine had had time to work and ease the pain somewhat. We were not the only visitors today and it is clear that many friends want to come and visit, lets just hope that they don't tire her out even more.

WEDNESDAY 14th.

We packed our things after breakfast, visited the local supermarket for some things that we can't get here and then went to Co & Henny's to have coffee before setting off back to our home here.

We left there at around 1 o'clock and this time, including a stop to eat on the motorway, we got home at 1.15 a.m. A much better drive than the journey up and it was so nice to find our Smudge waiting to greet us when we got home.

A long way to go for such a short visit, but we felt it was essential. We both talked about, maybe diverting through that way when we go to UK to collect the Motor-Home, early in November. We will just have to see how things are nearer the time.

FRIDAY 16th,

Joan had her Physio visit today, which is why we had to get back. We spoke to Co again and find that they went to meet the speciaist and have had the worst confirmed. The reccomendation is that Henny stays at home and just lives on pain killers as there is nothing they can do for her. Now we just all have to pray that the pain does not last too long.

WEDNESDAY 21st.

Just after I came back from Holland, I went down with a real dose of "Man Flu". You know the sort, streaming nose, coughing and generally feeling very sorry for oneself. I just did not feel like doing too much until today, when things were improving.

Stewart got back from his time back in TRNC last night, so the four of us went out for lunch to Seyches. It was great time to catch up on some things over there especially as Joan is going there on tomorrows night flight, for a couple of weeks with the girls.

We were also able to tell them about a new find. A wonderful Cattery for our pets, when needed. We had made a decision that when we go over early November to collect the motor-home, that we should put Smudge in a good cattery. She, we think, will be just around the 6 months during that time and just about ready for neutering, so as not to take too many risks this seemed like the sensible thing to do.

Well we went to vist this "Clos Fleuri Pension de Chats" and it is absolutely just right and only 10 minutes up the road near St Foy. www.closfleurionline.com. I am going to put them on our new Links page for anybody else to look up. We were impressed, because the lady, Sue Sairweather, is clearly a cat lover and just makes sure that all her charges are well looked after.

THURSDAY 22nd.

Joan was busy packing her things today for her night flight over to Cyprus. When we went that way in April it worked out OK as you get around 4 hours in Stansted between arriving and getting off on the 2359 flight to TRNC, just time to get a drink and a meal before settling down for a possible nights sleep on the flight.

Unfortunately Joan's Friday morning e-mail says that this did not happen. The Pegasus flight, via Istanbul, was 1.5 hours late leaving so by the time she got through passport control etc everything was closed, except for Boots, where she was able to buy a sandwich and one bar for her to get a glass of wine. So by the time she got to TRNC she was very tired and probably slightly fed up.

SATURDAY 24th.

Our landlady was around today, so with the aid of George, I was able to get through to her that we had been having these electric problems, when the whole system trips out. This of course means we are unable to risk re-stocking our freezer. Anyway the end result of this converstaion was that they were going to arrange an electrician to come around next Friday, when they too would also be here, so maybe we can get the thing resolved. Also they arranged to have our CH boiler serviced on the same day, so a sort of "two birds with one stone" situation.

SUNDAY 25th.

No cooking for me today as I was invited round to Stewart and Barbar's for Sunday lunch. Nice leisurely lunch and then we started to watch the F1 race from Singapore, but didn't rate it too highly so got home around 4 o'clock.

Lazy evening and early bed as I need to get out in the garden tomorrow before the heat builds up. Strange this, Joan has gone to Cyprus to get some sun and it has been constantly around 30 degrees since she left.

MONDAY 26th.

Got a good start on the grass cutting today and then George called and said come round for some lunch. So end result was most of grass finished and then an afternoon siesta of course.. My excuse is that it is too hot in the afternoons.

Our Dutch neighbours, Gert and Corry arrived yesterday for a three week visit so just to finish the day off they invited me round for an evening drink. They actually wanted to tell me all about their 5 day visit to Istanbul. This was something they had always thought about doing but as we had been so enthousiastic about this city they finally made the effort, luckily for us they came back full of the place and plan a return.

Whilst we were sitting out on their terrace, Smudge wandered round to see what was going on but was less than impressed with their black Labrador so she ran off to next doors garden and then stayed out all night.

FRIDAY 30th.

It's been a busy sort of few days but I have been a good boy and given the wrought iron table and chairs two coats of Hamerite, so they are well set up for the winter. In addition I have cut the grass and weeded most of the borders so that is done for another week. Maybe I will have to do some of it again before the boss gets home, but I think that depends on whether we get rain or not.

Yesterday I had Stewart, Barbara and George around for lunch so what with cooking in the morning and then relaxing over a long lunch the day was soon over.

Today I went round to Corry and Gert's for lunch, our Dutch neighbours, so that was another day when I don't have to cook for myself. I had to tell our Landlord's who are in their own house at the moment, because they had been round in the morning with the CH man and that resulted in a full service for us, ready for the winter. They said that the electrician was coming at about 3 o'clock to see what our problem is with the trip switch dropping out. In true French fashion, he turned up at 6.30 p.m. However he promises to be here at 2 o'clock tomorrow to sort out the problem.

So that ends another great month with lots to do and things to see, really must try to find time to improve on the French langauge because that is going far too slowly. The problem is that we are not using it often enough to be able to keep up the vocabulary etc.