For those that don't know already, when we cam back to the UK on 11th March for a short visit Phil suffered a heart attack which resulted in a 9 week stay in England. He is fine now and has had a pacemaker and defibrillator fitted - just in case. This has meant that he has had to surrender his driving license for 6 months so I needed to drive the van back. Being a scaredy cat our friend Kim offered to drive for us. My head was saying that I had to do it at some point but the offer was too good to refuse.
Kim arrived at Evergreen around 10am on Friday morning 9th May and he drove the van to Portsmouth. I was feeling sick with anxiety about the prospect and Phil suggested that Kim did the first leg and I could drive in France the following day.
The weather was better than expected but very windy I had some concerns for the ferry trip. I know.... I get anxious about everything these days. I used the bracelet that gives out little electric pulses, like a TENS machine and I guess it worked pretty well. We spent a couple of hours watching Noah in the onboard cinema, a great way of passing the crossing.
We docked about 9.30pm French time and got to the Ibis hotel in about quarter of an hour. So much easier in daylight. Phil and I got horribly lost in January but with Kim at the wheel (and no doubt great navigators in the passenger seats) we got there very quickly. Then to the bar for an expensive pint. 6 Euros, but oh so good.
The following morning we had breakfast and left at 9am. The weather was appalling. Bouncing rain and I chickened out again van wise. I did have a go in the car park though but was hesitant to start off going down lots of side streets. Just as well as SatNav took us round and round and we decided to use a map and signs instead. I started feeling more confident about taking over the driving so when we stopped at a toll for a sandwich we swapped places. It really wasn't so bad, but the roads were straight with very little traffic. We got to the supermarket at Ruffec about 1.45 and stocked up with provisions as the following day would be Sunday and it would have been much harder to get basic stuff. I drove the rest of the way to Villefagnan but Kim popped the van into the courtyard. There is very little space either side of the van to get the van through the gate. I have to say he did superbly.
We had unpacked the entire van by just after 5 and went over to Chez David for a glass of wine having ordered pizza from the man in the square first. And then home for a pizza, more wine and the Eurovision Song Contest. I haven't watched it for years and we watched the French broadcast, so instead of Graham Norton commentating we had a French couple and the commentary was lost on us.
Sunday being a day of rest we got up and started work. Cleared a room downstairs and Kim knocked down a fireplace. All before lunch.
After that the trench digging commenced. Kim had not only offered to be my driver but had said he was coming over and was going to dig a much needed trench for a pipe. This is so we can create 2 en suites to our soon to be 2 guest rooms. Until this is done there is no hope of getting on with this part of the project. The digging commenced inside that house after floorboards were taken up and then outside in the courtyard and under the door threshold. Well, it rained almost continuously and Kim had to get a flight back on Tuesday. By Monday lunchtime there were thoughts that it just wasn't going to get completed. Also, we had booked to go to a restaurant in Ruffec by the Charente river and the car and van were in the courtyard with no way of getting out because of the trench and clay piles that had built up. It was such hard work and the wetter it got the harder it got. Kim was wondering how he was going to get back to the airport Tuesday lunchtime.
So, we booked a taxi to the restaurant and had a fabulous meal. It is called the Rejullant and is in a gorgeous setting. Food was superb and service very friendly. We drank too much and ate too much but what a lovely evening!
The following morning it was up and at 'em. Kim was in the trench determined to fill in at least enough to get my car out so he could get to Limoges airport for his flight.
With only a few hours, but this time in sunshine, his face says it all when he achieved what was starting to look like the impossible.
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