Staying in touch

Ste Clarisse
Yesterday's weather: Not bad at all

Throughout last December and January we spent a lot of time visiting, inviting and eating out with as many friends and family as we could. 'Don't forget to stay in touch' they all said. 'We'll miss you. Promise we'll write', or e-mail, or phone, or visit. That was then and this is now.

We have been surprised by the people who have stayed in touch regularly over the last 6 months. We are touched that they e-mail us or sometimes phone. Many of them are people we didn't really expect to keep in contact. Sometimes we have a surprise call - or indeed visitor, for example the man I found standing in the garden last week. I did think he looked vaguely familiar but couldn't put a name to the face. He said 'Bonjour', so I said 'Bonjour' in return, obviously the creases in my forehead were deep enough for him to spot at a distance so he switched to English and said 'You don't remember me do you?'. Well as soon as he spoke English I did place him. He is an ex-colleague of Jon's who stayed here for a week many years ago, shortly after we had bought this house. He was in the neighbourhood and thought he would stop by to see if we were home. He and his family are thinking of buying in the region so we are hoping to meet up with them again before they return to the UK and when they get back later in the year.

In the same week, Jon had an unexpected telephone call from another guy he used to work with. Again, totally unexpected and out of the blue. It was great to hear from him and he promised to mail us soon. Unfortunately we didn't get his telephone number and so we are waiting for his e-mail so that we can stay in touch!

Suddenly at the end of last week I had two e-mails in ten minutes, one from Spain and one from Italy. They followed on from two others a couple of weeks ago, again, one from Spain and one from Italy. Four different people and I was delighted again, to hear from them and to hear their news. Isn't e-mail wonderful? Looking through my in-box I see that in the last few weeks we have also heard from America and Australia and more friends in Italy.

We are expecting a flurry of visitors over the next three weekends, having been quiet since mid-June. The first arrives at the end of next week and we are very much looking forward to seeing him. We used to go out from time to time to an Indian restaurant in Guildford and I was having a 'Moloncho' moment the other week and mentioned to him in an e-mail that we were having withdrawal symptoms. He agreed so I invited him round for a curry, after all it's only a 90 minute plane trip (plus all the travelling either end.....). He's coming for 5 days so I am looking out other recipes too. Can't be eating curry all weekend - think of the consequences!

The next visitors we haven't seen for, probably, 14 years. They are staying two nights and travelling down from the Home Counties on a motorbike. Now that, I say, is effort! I'll have to prime my vocal chords for that visit. 14 years worth of news will mean an awful lot of talking - we'll need to keep the throats well lubricated of course. Can't damage the voices.

The third set of visitors are my brother and his family, on a flying visit for a couple of days before school term begins again. Unfortunately we've spent very little time with them in recent years. It's always difficult when you live on opposing sides of the M25 to have very much time together, so it will be lovely to see them too. We're getting the table tennis set up and Jon and I will be practicing over the next few weeks so that we can take on our young nephew (and his Dad!).

What is equally surprising is how many people have not stayed in touch. People we thought would be the first to be in touch and those we expected to want to come and visit very soon. It's difficult to know what to do for the best. I wonder how many letters or e-mails it is polite to send without getting a response before one becomes a stalker?

No, of course I don't mean you. You're OK.

Now, a quick update on the carte grise situation. You may remember I said that the process normally takes about an hour but, guess what? We took all the paperwork to the Prefecture where it was checked in. The young lady looked at me and said 'Normalement, Madame' (you know where this is going, don't you?) 'Normalement it will only take one hour. But this is August, and the carte grise department is only open in the afternoon..'

They will be sending it by mail and we should receive it by the end of next week. But of course, there is a public holiday on Wednesday .....