electricity and the tower of Babel

Had our first very funny "foreigner abroad experience". Our electricity in the cottage went beserk one evening, going on and off non stop, culminating with me panicking to death as the shutters were all down, including the only exit to the property and the electricity wouldn't stay on long enough for us to open them and the answering machine on the phone kept coming on and off and in French.... Funny if not a bit frigthening.

Eventually Alan managed to get it sorted for the time being. Next morning same thing happened. Armed with my dictionary and a few sentences written down, I marched to the lady that looks after the property, who lives across the yard. She doesn't speak English. I managed to explain and she came to see it and off she went to phone an electrician and the owner, neither of which were home. We went out for the day - brilliant day at Usse Chateau, which served as inspiration, apparently, for Sleeping Beauty. Beautiful.

On our return, she eventually tracked the electrician down and him, her, her husband came over. Electrician did our Dads' trick, i.e., bashed the panels a bit and declared it a "grand probleme". The only word common to all of us was "kaput".... Alan somehow thinks that if they don't understand English, they probably understand Portuguese, because he keeps talking to them in Portuguese, which causes even more raised eyebrows.

But, this is like one of Richard's sagas, so there is more. They went away to ring owner and electricity board as problem was outside electrician remit. Eventually they came back, explained that electricity board was useless, just across the road, but woulnd't come out because of paper work. We were pretty relaxed, but I think they felt so sorry for us, that they decided they would put an illegal connection between ours and their house and then the fun began with the electrician trying to tell me what I could, could not use and went something like this:
le frigo - oui,
la lumiere (lights) - oui,
la TV - oui.
La duche (shower) - non,
le micro ondes - non
le four ( cooker) - STOP....

Not joking, all this palaver took about 3 hours and they were really helpful. The best was that the owner contacted the electricity board and they came out within 20 minutes and took 5 seconds to get it all fixed...... oh, la, la....

day 13 .... the adventure goes on

Well, at long last I have found a place with Wifi and right in the village where we are staying. It has been a long time. Let's give a quick - not me, surely - summary of the impressions to date:
. Longue is extremely quiet and my impression is that it is not that different from any other small village in France. Unlike Portugal, Spain and Italy, there is no promenading in the evenings. For that matter, nor at any other time. We go out and it feels like we are the only people left in the world. Quite weird really. Nobody around... Example: our anniversary. Got all dressed up and stepped out into the village and all 3 restaurants closed.... Went home to a Carbonara and long faces - both of us.

. people really friendly and very polite. So much merci madam/monsieur, that I even forget to answer. Really lovely.

. My French - useless. I get all tongue tied and can't remember a word to say to anybody, even the basics. BUT have not spoken in English at all, so, somewhat surviving. Have even answered the phone in the cottage and was understood. That is something.

. Really enjoying it all and the weather up to yesterday really good. Turned a bit today - Like England I think. The countryside is wonderful and the rivers just fantastic. Lots and lots of chateaux and we have visited quite a few already.

. No wine tasting as poor Alan wouldn't be able to enjoy a glass too. Will do it still. However, found a lovely local wine Saumur blanc, not cheap but excellent. SO enjoying that...

. Will stop here or will get boring, but now that I found this place, will be posting more frequently. They don't open everyday, so, there will always be a lag between posts. Photos to be uploaded soon. Miss everybody but getting into the swing of things here.

. E-mails welcome please. Don't forget me and sent this link forward to others that might be interested on what we are up to.

France at last

Cant believe have been here for over a week and unable to enter on my blog. Lots to report but no time and no connection. Weather brilliant and places visited fab. Angers castle, Chinon and Chancenau great.
Have to go.

oxford here I am

wow. If this is what retirement is like. Bring it on.... Just been to Jamie Oliver's Jamie and had a fab meal. Great value too.
Sorry, almost forgot to say that Oxford is brilliant too. Different from what I expected. Modern side of the city is taking over, but old buildings, colleges, gorgeous... am loving it and would like to come back again. Plenty of eateries too. My kind of place.
Staying at Head of the River Inn, a bit on the decadent side, but very quaint indeed. Happy to be here.

Hello there,
here we go at long last. The first posting of many I hope as Alan and I set forward into the future. Anxious, excited, nervous. Strange not knowing what lies ahead. I suppose we never do, but the material things that anchor you in life have gone and I am not sure yet it what "HOME" will mean from now on. As Christopher described it - an adventure.
I am hoping as we start our travels that I will use this blog to update friends and family of our whereabouts and experiences and hope people will comment on any postings I publish.
Here is to the future.