Mill Hill/Neffiès Blues: Monday, September 2nd

Prolonged study of the English language leaves me with a conviction that nearly all the linguistic tendencies of the present day have been displayed in earlier centuries, and it is self-evident that the language has not bled to death through change. Vulgarity finds its antidote; old crudities become softened with time. Distinctions, both those that are useful and those that are burdensome, flourish and die, reflourish and die again. -Robert W. Burchfield, lexicographer (1923-2004) 

   
Hi Goils!

Glad to here that Back-Flip Momma is alive and well in Rome! Was quite worried about how you'd manage on your journey. Presume it went as well as could be expected, given your ultra sore tailbone! For my part, I arrived here just before 8:00pm and it is HOT! Felt like walking into a blast furnace when I got off the train in Béziers, Redding revisited! Loads to tell about the train trip but essentially all went extremely well. Aside from needing a sherpa I managed to negotiate all the steps I encountered, both in Mill Hill Broadway and then not until Béziers where I had to go under the tracks to get to the station. Europcar is right in station and chap I dealt with was very friendly and efficient. I've already arranged to drop off car in Agen so that will make things a lot easier to hook up with The Canal du Midi Crazoids, opening act for The Daring Older Woman on the Flying Trapeze!

Since my Peugot, (4Door, plenty of room, Standard but I've not had any trouble. Streets are like football fields compared to Cornwall and roads are really well maintained, not too much traffic either, whether in town or small villages, so I'm laughing! I spit on English country lanes!), was parked in a lot right next to station, once I'd lugged everything to it and loaded up, I decided to walk into le centre de la ville to find a bank and pick up a few groceries, keeping to the shaded side of the street as I didn't bring my hat from Penny's. (Plan to buy one tomorrow when I explore the markets which abound!)

After I found a bank/ATM and withdrew enough cash to keep me going until The Sisterhood arrives, I started to make my way back to the station, planning to stop to buy a few groceries for tonight's dinner and tomorrow's breakfast.
 

Just by chance I happened to walk by Relax Rentals, the bike store that Denniisovitch, (He is friend who told me about Beau Soleil in the first instance.), had mentioned to me. He and his wife and friends had rented bikes here. Thought I'd say hello and it turned out that Timo, the owner, was there. I introduced myself and mentioned that Jamie may well wish to rent a bike for the week or so that he is visiting. Timo was very kind and he and Antoine, his mechanic, wrote out driving directions from Béziers to Neffiès! Thanking them I said goodbye and then stopped at a butcher's and selected five merguez sausages, then on to a another shop for a bottle of local wine, (Domaine de Fresquet, PAYS D'OC, 2012 Merlot, 13%, €4.80/$6.70, so will report on the quality before the end of this message!), then into a green grocer's for some oniones, tomatoes, a few spudolas and a carton of Leche entera UHT/UHT full cream milk, (for my java, sachets acquired/purloined from hotel in Bath, along with zucchero), I'd passed on way to bank. I put my other purchases down on the floor next to the cashier and when I'd paid for my items went to pick them up and bags were gone!

More of a drag than anything else as total amount was probably under $10 but I wanted to get going and didn't really feel like traipsing back to other shops to replace stolen goods. I gathered, from the exchange between the two young, Middle Eastern women who served me, that they thought it might have been Romanis/Gypsies as they were pointing down the street and jabbering to some others about the missing bags. They were quite apologetic but not much to be done so I took what I had bought there and continued on, hoping I'd find another shop or two, still open, where I could replace what I'd lost. More annoyed with myself than anything else, for not keeping a closer watch on my possessions, so I resolved to be more aware in future. 

Not really all that far from the store when I heard shouts and peals of embarrassed laughter. An earlier customer had inadvertently picked up my bag, thinking it belonged to the woman she was shopping with and walked on ahead. If I understood her animated explanation and gesticulations she couldn't figure out why bag was so heavy as she knew her friend had only bought a few small items. Anyway, everyone from the shopkeepers to the newly minted "thief' was very apologetic and we parted on friendly, amused terms, since it was really a delightful, honest mistake. Felt badly, however, that the Romani stereotype came into play, whether there is truth to it or not.
 
Back to parking lot to climb into my spiffy Peugeot  and headed out in search of Beau Soleil. made a few wrong turns getting out of Béziers but nothing serious and I was soon on the D909 in the direction of Bedarieux. Took a wrong turn and actually ended up in the town itself when I was supposed to bypass it. Bit of backing and forthing until an English chap, sitting a table outside a bar set me straight.

After that I was headed in the right direction although I didn't realize it. Once again, signage didn't show the villages I was making for so I was unsure about my whereabouts, from time to time. Afraid to go too, too far in wrong direction I turned around and asked one of the very, very few people about which direction might lead me to Neffiès! He pointed in the very direction I'd been headed and after that it didn't take long before I was in the village itself.

Stopped to ask two dog walkers, (helpful English couple), about finding 7 Ave de Fontes, and I had stopped right before start of street. Few minutes later I was parked just down the street form where I thought #7 would be but when I walked back I could only find #'s 8, no #7! Chap at #14 had been outside his door when I walked past so I knocked on his door and he, (German this time), pointed out Beau Soleil on the other side of the street! Thanked him and pulled car opposite door and prepared to do battle with lock box! No trouble, (as opposed to what happened, initially, in New Orleans!), at all and I was soon inside and and delighted to be here!

Left my bike downstairs, (tomorrow morning's project), and hauled everything else up long flight of stairs to explore my new home for September. Very, very pleased with the digs and already know I'll be more than comfortable here. First thing I did was open all the shutters and windows to get  a cooling breeze airing out the place. Took the duvet off the double bed and stashed it in the room with two single beds. Don't think I'll need but a light blanket, if that.

Then put kettle on to boil for my second java, (First in Mill Hill at 5:30 am!), while I washed spudolas. Once kettle started whistling I pud kartoffels on to boil and then tried to sign on to WiFi. No password information in Beau Soleil brochure so I took a look a router and after a few false starts was able to log in! Now that I'm connected I may not even need to bike!Took a long shower and then a bit of unpacking after having my remaining, hearty sandwich for a late snack with my first bottle of wine. Merlot was delicious, peppery finish preceded by chocolat, tabac and des fruits secs, pruneaux! Two thirds gone before I finished my first message!

Started to feel a bit tired around midnight. Had been a long, full day but pleased everything went as planned, almost. After a snort of malt, last bit of Duty Free Macallan Ayn brought to Cornwall.), fell into bed to have a more than wonderfully delicious, sound sleep. Mattrress and pillows possess just right amount of firmness for my liking and sheet was cover enough. Had been a long, full day but pleased everything went as planned, almost. I agree with Nana, Ayn, don't wait too long to fly up to Vancouver to see John. Love and Fondestos to one and all. Cheers, Dad/Patrizzio!

Snapolas: Morning after Gold Medal Triple Back Flip; Mimi Mimenheimer, Spudnik's replacement; Eurostar at St Pancras; Gare de Lyon; Béziers; Relax, Timo and Antoine; near train station in Béziers; iconic, plane tree-lined approach to Neffiès.

You asked: 83.2 kg in lbs/183.424602137819 pounds  Weight upon arrival as Beau Soleil!


Hi Patrick & Corrine,  Thank you for your e mails - Your Cornish holiday sounded perfect. The weather was pretty good on the whole I think. We would have loved to come and see you but have had a string of house guests for most of August and couldn't get away.
 

I guess you are back home now - hope you have some wonderful memories. We are so glad that Rex brought you up to the house - it was great to meet you and so interesting to find out about family links. Good old Aquilla!!

We have e mailed Chris & Mandy Durston and are hoping to meet up with them and work out who's who!  It's ironic that it took distant cousins from Canada to make the connections!!
Well, you know where we are if you are ever in England again-you are more than welcome to stay. We would love to visit Canada one day as we've never been ... so might turn up on your doorstep!! Love and best wishes to you both and keep in contact.  

Roger & Sue.

Arrived am in hotel. Very hot here! Don't wait too long to see John . Does not sound good.

You can stay with Chloe. Small hotel. Manager just brought me bottle of cold water.

Love you all Mom/nana/Corinne 

Happy to hear your safe and sound in Rome! It's hot here too!

Send pics of place. I invested in hot water bottle for tail bone. Got very strange looks in pharmacy.

Breakfast has just arrived. Will send pics of days adventures.Last night my water cost more than the glass of white wine. What a country. Love to all Nana/Corinne 

Must mean drunk more wine less water!! 

xx hope your tailbone feels better. How exactly did you hurt it??

Hey Chloe...phone Grandma about depositing that rent check for her. Will figure out trip to Vancouver asap. Love to all You're safe and sound I meant.

Hi Patrizzio,

Now that we are into September I imagine that you have arrived in the 'doc! I trust you have already started savouring the reds -If you find anything really impressive let me know. I hope you were able to find other suitable customers to fill your accommodation there!

 I spoke with Robyn Brasell a couple of days ago and she mentioned that she would be joining Corrine (Cora Lee? -always get confused about that) and the other book club members in Tuscany. What a lucky girl (C-L), both Tuscany and the south of France in the same season! I mention Robyn because I called her to tell her about the impending completion of the squash mezzannine at VRC that her Ken so generously paid for (amongst a few other things). In case you didn't know, I've been the treasurer at VRC for the last couple of years. And, I can still handle the odd singles game. You must return to the Club after your trip-there is a big 60th Anniversary party in January.

The weather here has kind of normalized lately ( a few days of showers) after a terrific July when we broke two monthly records-total bright sunshine hours and total lack of rain! But no heat waves, just pleasnantly warm. I've been in the Okanagan for 10 days in mid- August and they are on track to a very good vintage - my viticulturist friend up there says he is hoping to pick his merlot near Naramata about Oct 1(very early and favourable).

I witnessed veraison in his merlot vineyard -literally in one day -August 18th. (The gamay grapes were already experiencing it when we arrived on August 10th.) An interesting feature of this veraison was that it first took place in the very northwest corner of the vineyard, but at its lowest point and very near two dramatic cliffs -one sloping steeply west down to the
lake and the other steeply to the north into a deep gully. I can report that in tasting the OK reds they were relatively poor for both 2010 and 2011. Especially the former year, which was one the coldest in about 20 odd years. So much for global warming.

A really good thing about this summer has been an almost total lack of serious forest fires in BC. I'd love to receive a report from you on the goings-on. Keep well, Bill.

                                                                                                    
Hi Patrick Did u arrive safely?  So sorry I didn't get to see Corinne this morning - she left much earlier than planned. Will she pick up emails as I heard her say the mobile wouldn't be working? Do hope u have a great time in France and that there are no more backward flips!
Penelope xx

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