Panasonic Headphones

 

I have had so much trouble with headphones over the years. Either the earpieces keep falling out, regardless of the choice of the size inserted, or the sound quality is inferior. I have just bought these Panasonic headphones (RP-HNJ300) and they are excellent. Highly recommended.

iPod Touch

 

I recently acquired an iPod Touch (16Gb), as well as a case from Sena. Though I already had an iPod (3rd Gen.), this new product is excellent. I'm able to view movies on it, or on the TV via a special Apple A/V cable and dock. The WiFi internet access is brilliant, and there are new web sites coming online every day that specialise in content optimised for the iPod Touch. For example, www.seeqpod.com allows you to find tracks from all major artists, and play them immediately at a very high quality level. I just can't recommend this product enough.

Amanda visits Limoges

 

We took our friend Dennis to the Limoges airport, and took the opportunity to walk around the town itself.

A proud owner of Bas Etang 2

 

Jason visited us a few days ago to celebrate Amanda's birthday.

Today's visitor

 

This little chap came today to Bas Etang, and has been hanging around all day.

Roses at Bas Etang

 

These glorious specimens are photographed today. Summer isn't over yet.

Oysters at the Ile D'Oleron

 

Yesterday we went to the home of Oyster beds - they are everywhere to be seen. And I can't even stand looking at them, let alone try one to taste!

Beautiful in Angouleme

 

I should have taken a cutting!

The Laurel hedge is shorn

 

Our local friend Dennis is helping us with this mammoth task. The Stihl Hedge Trimmer is a great tool, but the height of the hedge nearly defeats us.

An elaborate church in Civray

 

This exotic architecture takes the biscuit.

Classic cars in Angouleme

 

We went to the annual classic car rally in Angouleme, and saw cars from all over Europe. This little beauty is British, having originated from Italy of course.

Autumn is coming

 

The lilies in the river are retreating into the water, and the leaves are begiining to fall from the trees - a sure sign of the onset of Autumn.

What a whopper

 

A friend came to visit today, bearing this enormous, and very expensive, watch. An Eichmuller. Very impressive, but somewhat "prominent".

A new trailer

 

I decided to upgrade my old trailer by painting it to match the colours of my John Deere tactor mower. After many coats of paint, here is the final result - they now looked a matched pair.

Mother & daughter

 Amanda and her mother, Mimi, are in good form today.

Exercise Bikes

   I now have all the hardware needed to maintain a sleek and fit body. Whoops, the word should be "attain". The bicycle has been lent by a very good friend in Lavausseau, and the static bike, which is a sophisticated German model with LCD displays, has been provided by the French national health service and my private health insurance. In addition, I have a large Oxygen bottle which can refill a small one which I can wear on my back while cycling. Furthermore, a rather attractive lady has been detailed by the Hospital to visit me regularly to check my progress. So, all in all, this breathing problem, which stemmed from 30 years of smoking (stopped 10 years ago), seems to be getting under control.

Swanning around

 

We visited a friend near Saumur today. She has a large river next to the house, and this swan was seen flying nearer to us to get food. We had some scraps of bread for it.

Bastille Day

 

We had a lunch celebration in Lavausseau, held in the communal hall grounds. Then in the evening we went to Parthenay to see the most amazing firework display.

Wild Boar festival

Our village of Lavausseau had a lunch of boar a few weeks ago. About 80 people attended, and a good time was had by all.

Exterior repaint

Our very good friend Dennis Hallas kindly offered to paint our house. He is an Englishman living in Lavausseau. It took him 6 days to finish painting and varnishing the window frames and shutters. Once that was completed he moved onto Bas Etang 2 and did the same there. The finish is superb, and will last for many years.

Vandal in the night

A few nights ago we woke up to find that a car had smashed into our wall. The driver had fled the scene minus his front bumper, and many smaller parts of the car. The wall was not cracked, fortunately, and the application of the paint we used the last time this happened has concealed the effects of the impact. This is the third time this has happened since we have been here.

Our first visit of the season

Amanda's brother, Paul, and his daughter, Rebecca, visited from Sweden, and stayed for a week. They hired a Peugeot 1007 for a few days. On the first day the car was struck in the back by an Audi A6 while stationary. Fortunately, Paul had fully insured the hire, and it was the other driver's fault anyway, and so he didn't have to pay anything.

But, then a problem

I found that the John Deere tractor was unable to cut waist-height grass. I had to then buy this Pubert machine which specialises in clearing tall grass. Though it is motor driven, it is still hard work walking behind it, and steering round objects. However, it functioned perfectly, and, so long as I keep up regular mowing with the John Deere, I shouldn't need to use it until next year.

A new addition to the stable

Having missed the beginning of the grass growing season, I returned from Spain to find the grass at waist-height. Coupled with that, I found that the existing Westwood mower tractor's starter motor had packed up. As the Westwood was probably 20 years old, and beginning to be unreliable, we decided to get a replacement. We settled on the John Deere, which can Mulch, Eject or Bag. It was bought locally from a dealer we have done business with before. Unfortunately, it seems to be twice the price it would have been in the USA.

Back at Lavausseau

I returned to Lavausseau on the 19th after a 6 hour journey from my friends (David & Catherine Marks) at Puymaurin, near Toulouse. I had stayed with them for a couple of days. They live in Nairobi from November to April each year, and the summer in France. They had only been back at Puymaurin for a few days when I arrived, but the beautiful house looked like it had been lived in without a break.

On the way from Moraira, I stopped in Barcelona for a night to break the long journey. The weather during the week in Moraira had been atrocious - cold, raining and very cloudy. The day I left, and ever since, has been glorious.

I called in at Valencia on the 16th, as it was the first day of the America's Cup elimination rounds. Unfortunately, I missed the entrance to the harbour and decided to move straight onto Barcelona.

I managed to stay at a superb hotel for the second time - the Hesperia del Port, which was designed by Richard Rogers, though a 3 star hotel.

Today we reopened the pool, and took greater care than last year in peeling off the plastic cover. The secret is to make sure all the water is emptied from the surface of the sheet before trying to remove it. Last year a lot of the dirty water escaped into the pool.

Regarding my diet, I'm down to 93.5kg today. I had to stop the diet for the last two weeks, in view of my hosts providing such lavish meals. Now that I have returned I have recommenced the diet to achieve my target of 87kgs as swiftly as possible. Already I am down to "M" size shirts from "XXL" versions that I had to wear only 2 months ago. So I'm very pleased with the progress, which is a weight off my mind, if not my stomach!

Climax at La Clinique

I've been told that I must have auxiliary oxygen for sleeping, and for exercise. So I will have to have a big cylinder in the garage, and a small one to wear on my back when cycling or walking (not pottering around the garden or mowing on the tractor). But I must resolve to walk or cycle strenuously at least 3 times each week.

Tomorrow, the 7th April, I drive down to Moraira in Spain. It is 600 kilometres, mostly on the motorway, thank goodness. I'll probably arrive at my Aunt's house at about 7pm, where I'll stay for at least a week.

Unfortunately, I won't have an internet connection in Moraira. As the journey back is so lengthy, I'll probably stay a night in Barcelona - where I should be back online.

Puygcerda

 

I had an afternoon off today, and went exploring the nearest town, which is only a couple of miles away. Here is a scene from the main shopping thoroughfare, which is for pedestrians only. It is high up on one of the mountains, and dates back many hundreds of years.

Yesterday I had a particularly tough walk. We went for a couple of miles, which included a climb up a path that was so steep that it had a rope fixed on the side for people to hold onto while they pulled themselves up.

I'm leaving here on Saturday the 7th, and I have to confess that it will be a welcome departure.

Second homes in Osseja

 

This is a typical home that a Spaniard from Barcelona would buy at a cost of, maybe, 800,000 Euros. There are so many of these here, and the fact that all the windows are covered indicates that it is a second home. In fact, most of the new houses in Osseja, and there are hundreds of them, are shuttered like this one.

Last week coming up

I won't be sorry to reach the end of the period here at La Clinique. The routine has become very repetitive. However, the process is obviously working as I feel much fitter, and feel committed to continuing a form of exercise in the future. And the diet continues apace, as I am now down to 96kgs. I need to lose another 9kgs to get to the absolutely ideal weight, with a BMI of 25. Thankfully, the food here will continue to be revolting so I can happily discard it each mealtime. It is the main courses that are bad, but the salads are first class.

This afternoon is free, so I'll take a spin in the local area to see the small villages.

Troubles at La Clinique

This morning we all awoke to find the water was cold. This happened a week ago too. And, as with the last time, the heating came back on by the afternoon. Also, the swimming pool has been closed this week, and is scheduled to reopen next Monday.

This morning there was a tough route march up the mountain. The only good thing about it was that the return journey was easy. I have been prescribed a new medecine to inhale twice a day, to be taken in addition to the existing one. I will be, literally, waiting with baited breath to see if it improves my breathing.

Uphill changes to slight incline

I do believe that I have cracked the effect of the altitude. A combination of the daily exercise regimen here, plus acclimatisation of a week and a half, have made the stay here very bearable. When I first came I felt dizzy and breathless after walking a few steps. Thank goodness they didn't get me to go on 2 hour walks straightaway. Now I feel in good health, without being breathless all the time. My weight is steadily diminishing - I'm down to 97kg from the 110kg in mid February.

The only other patient here who speaks English is leaving tomorrow. So I'll have to mumble some words in French pretty soon.

More walks in prospect

Tomorrow our group of 10 people will embark on a walk on the mountainside for a couple of hours. Though I carry an oxygen bottle in my backpack, with a tube feeding my nose, it is still very exhausting. We have to walk nonstop, whether up or downhill. If this doesn't make me fit, I don't know what else will do it better. After a week and a half of this, I am beginning to feel fitter. But the feeling really comes gradually. I have now lost 12kgs since I began my diet a few weeks ago, so I have started bringing out the old clothes from the drawer that I had previously outgrown.

The main bar in Osseja

This is where I drink my Chocolat Chaud after my weekend jaunts. There are always people playing cards in there.

Villefranche

As today is a Sunday I had the time to go for a drive. I went to the medieval town of Villefranche, which is on the way to Perpignan from Osseja. The journey was winding along the mountainsides, as you would expect in the Pyranees. I was amazed at how many drivers are prepared to risk killing themselves by overtaking at the most inopportune moments. I never saw any accidents, or even the aftermath, but there must be many of them.

A view of La Clinique from a distance

If you enlarge this photo you will see the complete Clinique in the middle of the hillside.