14th November

So I’m off to Tours today! I got packed up and was ready to leave dead on 12 midday. I put the last of my things into the car as the church next door was chiming the hour. I was a sweaty mess! There are 38 steps up to my apartment here and I did at least 6 trips today!!! Phew!

I had understood that Michel was going to come yesterday to read the meter with me and then I would pay him for the electricity I have used here. He didn’t come, and I wasn’t sure what to do, so I put 30 euros in an envelope (it said in the blurb for the property that long stays payed an average of 25 euros) and put it, with a note, in Luca’s post box, along with the keys and the parking permit. I guess if there is a problem then he will get in touch- but fingers crossed he won’t! 🙂

I’ve been to Tours once before to meet Manu- a 50 minute drive and I was here. I found my accommodation easily but was, of course, concerned as to where I should park. I decided though to sort out keys etc and then sort the car afterwards. That’s what I’m learning- reign it in and tackle one thing at a time!

Raphaëlle, who owns the apartment, is away at the moment so she had given me her Dad’s number so I could contact him when I got here. I got my phone out to send him a message and saw that my Mum had been in touch. What I read was a total shock. My lovely Dad has recently been diagnosed with angina and was scheduled to have an angiogram, and then a stent the same day if necessary, on the 21st November. Mum’s message said that he had been seen today, as the hospital had had a cancellation, that he had had the angiogram but, rather than a stent, he needed a heart bypass! Wow! Not what I had expected at all! There was no point ringing them yet as they were still at the hospital waiting for dad to be discharged, so I thought I’d better just get on with things and I contacted Hervé. Such a nice man and so helpful and, on first site, the apartment is lovely too. But my head was full of what was going on at home and I just couldn’t speak French! Well I did manage a tiny bit, and I did apologise, but I couldn’t think straight!

This apartment is in a very old property too, on the second floor, and with an even more spirally staircase than before! So several trips later I had all my stuff installed- and was a sweaty mess again!!!

That’s me- the window that’s lit up on the right of the picture

I called Mum and Dad several times over the afternoon and finally spoke to Dad on about the 4th attempt. He sounded in good spirits but was obviously shocked. Mum was out with May (the dog). He said though that the lovely doctor with “the fabulous teeth”, at the same time as using words like “severe” to describe his condition, had described Dad as “young and robust”. Dad’s going to be 79 next month, so I think he was pretty chuffed with that! 🙂

I felt a bit better for having spoken to Dad but still worried and concerned. Should I go home? Or would that, at this point, just make Mum and Dad feel even more worried about the situation?

I had a FaceTime chat with Charlotte K and mulled over everything. Always good to talk to Charlotte 🙂

Daft as it sounds, I really think the fact that my new accommodation is so lovely helped. It’s lovely and warm and spacious but cosy too. Everything clean, but fabulously quirky. And there is a kettle and a sofa!