Morning all. A good temperature to be getting on with a few jobs, except I have a lunch appointment with a granddaughter. She will be 19 on Monday, but her first day back at the medical department at Poitiers is the same day. Having asked what delights would be on the menu today, I gathered traditional English, fish and chips. Have a good day everyone.
Afternoon folks. Just back from a trip out on the Mekong Delta. Quite the day trip from Saigon and with the rain causing localised flooding I took over three hours to get back. No matter, that's not to detract from what has been another fantastic day seeing cottage industries in action and enjoying the hospitality of some of the most generous people on Earth. We've been a bit generous in our tipping even though there is no real tipping culture here, the people have been delightful and live so humbly it just feels like the right thing to do. Piled on the pounds with the food we have... it has been fantastic. Tomorrow we explore Saigon on our own and we're due back in Blighty on Monday.
Strange thing - I've always thought Vietnamese food was healthy & non-fattening, mainly because I've never seen any fat Vietnamese people I guess.
Morning all. Sunny and warm, but not too hot. Talking on the phone last night to our son in the UK who told us he had been suffering from blurred vision for almost a year. His last eye test had picked up nothing, so he went for a second one yesterday. You have cataracts in both eyes that need seeing to was the result. We can refer you to the large NHS hospital in Leeds, but cannot say when you will be seen, or you can go to the private hospital where the waiting time for a consultation is six weeks. Eyesight has to be one of the things we are all frightened to lose, so of course he chose the later option. Friends out here who have needed treatment have been amazed at what a difference it has made. No longer any need for glasses which has saved them quite a lot with pairs of them being very expensive. Glad to say I can still get by with just a pair of cheap reading glasses from the supermarket. Have a good day everyone.
Last night in Saigon and Vietnam. Top tip: if you are lucky enough enough to be able to visit this absolutely fantastic country and wonderfully generous people then I would recommend starting in Saigon and working your way north; or Saigon - Hanoi and then back to the middle finishing in Hue or Hoi An. Wouldn't change our itinerary, just the order.
Morning all. Sunny with a gentle breeze and a comfortable temperature. My next door neighbour is taking down the peach tree that produces some fruit, but usually it is deformed and never ripens fully. It has overhung our garden and drops fruit into it that the mice population quite like unless we collect them up first. Meanwhile I need to collect some pears from our very old tree before the wasps and hornets start boring holes in them. Have a good day everyone.
It amazes me how hornets can completely hollow out apples leaving just the middle leaving it looking like a little house for hobbits or something similar ! They are real artists. Fortunately the hornets here keep the wasp population very much on the defensive.
On the ITV league highlights programme today on ITV there is a short report on our 100 year anniversary at the Vic. It is available on catch up.
Morning all. A good start to the day, moderate temperature and a promise of rain later on. There was an interesting article in the French news about Marseille taking action against the cruise liners that have been using the port. There are about 2 million passengers starting, finishing, or just passing through each year, so it really is a massive industry. The problem is that as these boats sit there they have to keep engines running to provide on board services, and the air pollution it is creating is worse than rush hour traffic in the country's second largest city. So the city has decreed that they must now anchor out at sea, and not come into the port. What effect it will have on the commerce remains to be seen, but there seems to be broad support for cleaner air. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Totally overcast with light rain which is good news. Off to the hospital with Mme this afternoon for her post operation check up. She is making good progress I think. Firstly two elbow crutches, then one, and now she is taking tentative steps around the house without either of them. The district nurse came in to draw blood first thing today and believes that might be the last one. That will suit me as mornings should be taken at a steady pace fuelled by coffee, not rushing around with the lights on. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Dry and sunny with just the lightest of breezes. All well at the hospital yesterday, no problems with the new hip. Daily injections have ceased, no more blood tests, but now the hard part begins, exercise. Mme was told she could now go running. I doubt she will take that option up somehow. Fix an appointment up for six weeks time so we can check that your movement is normal she was told. Maybe the thought of having to show she has put in some miles will spur her on. Have a good day everyone.
That is good news - perhaps a little treadmill would be useful? Walking in the rain has never been a favourite pastime of mine.
Morning all. Warm and sunny, and the rain expected yesterday evening failed to arrive. As of today the need to have a TV licence has been removed saving 27M households €138 a year. The €0.18 reduction on fuel for the car is being increased to €0.30 for the next two months, then from the 1st November it will be scaled back to €0.10. Other things that do not affect me, but should help others with small businesses or the poorest have also come into effect. With news yesterday that inflation had fallen from 6% to 5% life could be worse. Have a good day everyone.
