VISIT TO CARCASSONNE

Tina and Tony have spent a couple of weeks in Bize and took Dave and I to Carcassonne, a place I have wanted to visit ever since we got here. Well it did not disappoint and we had a great day, the only let down was lunch which was of poor quality but we had decided to eat in the main square in order to watch the world go by and I think we should have chosen one of the many restaurants in the back streets. Well you live and learn and we look forward to going back to see more and have another try at finding good food.

The medieval ramparts are something to behold. The church with its fantastic stained glass windows is truly wonderful and on our next visit we have to spend time on a tour of the chateau.

Unlike most touristy places the shops in Carcassonne seem, on the whole, to sell quite high quality goods. I treated myself to a fashion watch which I am very fond of. It is probably too trendy for an old biddy but I like it!

If you get the chance go to Carcassonne, but don't go during July and August, I should imagine it is sheer hell.

It has been a while since Dave has really ventured out, after his operations and panic attack problems, but yesterday we took the plunge and went on the weekly walk/picnic with the villagers. We completed the two hour walk in a 75k wind (but it was warm too) and later had a picnic under the pine trees with the usual salad, cold meats, french apero's and a very nice wine. Hopefully we will go again next week. Incidentally the wind is still howling and all my virginia creeper has blown off the wall! Gardening in the Med can be soul destroying but yes, you've guessed it, c'est la vie.

GARDEN IMPROVEMENTS

THE NIGHTINGALE

This is a recording of the nightingale which I made this morning. Hopefully it will play successfully. The birds sing loudly in the trees down a little lane near us and, although it is difficult to hold a compact camera steady and move it at the same time (if you know what I mean) I have also tried to show the beautiful wild iris which are growing on the bank. This clip is an experiment, if it works well I will try other things, Watch this space

APRIL 09

Sorry avid readers, to have been away so long. Since the drama in Perpignan things have gone downhill.Dave seems to be suffering panic attacks and depression which is very difficult to overcome. I have had to call the emergency lines twice with blue flashing lights all over the garden. He has been back to hospital twice and they can find nothing wrong, so we are struggling with what he will not admit is stress and depression but everybody else knows that is exactly what it is.

Anyway, the weather for April has been c++p. Lots of rain, which is good for the plants but because of the boggy soil it means I cant get in there to weed or do anything else without getting my feet deep in clay. The good news is that everything is growing like mad, including my new hedge and fruit trees. The nightingales are back and the wild flowers are going mad. Although we have had lots of rain the sun has been shining between times and so the plants are having a ball. It also saves on the water bills which are astronomically high in this part of the world.

I have had two days of the dreaded stomach bug. Not sure where it came from because we both eat the same food but I have recently planted some Calla Lilies and just yesterday discovered that they can cause severe vomiting and "the other" so maybe I have been poisoned. At least I have poisoned myself!. Looking forward to better weather and fun in the sun, which means shorts and strapless backless boob tubes and loads of weeding! Exciting life isnt it?

BULLETIN FROM THE BIZE PALACE!

WelL, after spending a week in Perpignan and undergoing three heart operations under local anaesthetic, he is back home and so far so good, although the docs have said his heart is weak. Mind you, so is mine after the last few days!. So now we just live day to day and see what happens. Long journeys in the car are not a good idea but we manage the village and the local supermarket, we will have to see.



Weather has been C**p this week but the rain is what I need for the garden, because it saves me spending a fortune on the water bill. Only a few dud plants so it is improving day by day. We have lovely flowers on the apple and peach trees but nothing on the apricot tree so that will have to be next year. I promise pics of something soon, so, avid followers, dont go away and if you watch this blog please say hello sometime because I AM LONELY!!!!

UPDATE

Well, after several more hospital visits poor Dave has been called back to Perpignan for what we thought was another Angioplasty but since arriving there he has been told that tomorrows op is exploratory which could of course mean that he may have to have a bi-pass. Because of my inability to drive thanks to crap eyesight I have to rely on Christopher to take me to the hospital, so we are going on Friday all being well, provided he is not down for a further operation in which case we may have to wait another day. He is understandably frightened and so am I.

To change the subject somewhat and to get out of this depression, the garden is improving greatly but the weather although sunny and bright has turned really cold with strong winds.

For those readers who do not know me, I apologise for the last two morbid posts, but blogging is easier than writing a diary and it helps me combat the forces of doom!!!.

Hopefully more happy news and pictures in days to come

SHOCK, HORROR

Dave had a couple of nasty shocks from his defibulator (not sure of the spelling, will check later) on Friday. Since then he has been almost like a zombie. He is in panic mode and has been in bed. Nobody told us at the hospital when it was fitted that this was likely to happen all we got was a pamphlet in French which we have since translated. It looks to me as though he shouldnt really be driving which makes life almost impossible as the main shops are about 4 miles away and the main city a lot further. Of course, because of my eyes I cant drive either so the situation, excuse my French is SHIT. Thank goodness for blogs at least you can say what you feel without anybody too close to you knowing. At the moment with this stress situation going on he doesnt want me out of his sight, for example I have been stuck on a chair outside the back door today becauses I dare not even move a little way down the garden in case he shouts for me. This can not go on, I think I said before that not being able to drive was like being in an open prison but this situation is closing the open prison doors. I am convinced that he is having panic attacks which may well be causing the increase in heart rate, which in turn is causing the defib to shock him, which is causing further trauma and panic. It is difficult to explain this in French even although the specialists here do speak some English.

A good friend in the village, Debbie the aussie, asked me out on Wednesday but I cant think about going, it is difficult even to do the shopping as there are limited supplies in the village and I have to leave the house in order to shop.

Tomorrow we will have to see the doctor and something will have to be done but I do hope that this is not the end of his driving days because if it is we might as well jump off the nearest bridge. If there is anybody out there who can talk to Him upstairs, ask Him to do us a favour because we really need it at the moment.

Sorry to be a crashing bore, but I just needed to get this off my chest. Thank you Diary!!!!