Temperatures still High

 16 -23.6.20:

This week started with a nice surprise; Sylvie, Christian's younger cousin, who had spent a couple of days with her husband down on the coast, stopped by for lunch on their way back home via the Dordogne. No need to cook, salad was just what the heat of the day demanded. It was great to catch up with all their news and have a view of the world beyond this little corner.

We did have a couple of days of cooler weather and even a welcome rain shower but temperatures well into the 30's with warm winds led to a lot of inertia on the domestic front apart from a trip to the supermarket with Maggie, who's been supplying me with home grown tomatoes.

Kept my physical health going with my hourly session on the treadmill, everyday bar one and my intellectual health with the daily newspapers over breakfast. Not that all the reports of the Government's continued ineptude and favouritism were good for my either my blood pressure or mental health. Emotions pass through anger, fear and sadness for democracy and those who'll be finding themselves without a job as things unfold.

Much of my time has been taken up with technology ie, the new phone, tv reception and the hifi system which I rarely use. I suddenly took it into my head to try and record some of the cds onto the original "Brennen" cd ripper and storer (up to 5,000) that we bought having been seduced by the publicity at the time that our old one had packed up. Christian who loved gadgets loaded a fair few but even though the manual is in English and after untangling wires, I couldn't cope so gave up. Winter or the next lockdown will be a time to have another go. What I did realise though was that I could play my cds on the dvd player. Can't think why it's taken me over 5 years for this particular penny to drop! I can tell you, however, I was fair chuffed. Every little success ....  Bit between my teeth, I then turned my atention to the turntable only to discover that the belt drive had perished beyond recognition; the internet, the great provider that it is, came to the rescue and found a supplier. 

There's inevitably been some social activity, too. Not the full on merry-go-round of old but enough to stop us feeling isolated. Less than usual trips to the bar for coffee with Nicole joined by Justine and Rosie; the Thursday group, Saturday with Françoise and Nicole while watching the comings and goings of the market and the usual Sunday morning gathering.

Evenings weren't all spent in front of the tv. Monday I met up with JJ, Jean and Françoise for an apéro at the bar, Thursday had a BBQ dinner on Michel's terrace along with David and Laura; stopped off at the bar on my way home for the tail end of a Catalan rock concert. Friday went to a vernissage. The artist is from the village and apparently, her work pleased people as she sold six paintings. It was oh so hot in Christian's room especially wearing a mask that Nany and I didn't linger too long prefering to seek the cool of the terrace downstairs. As restrictions meant that there wasn't the usual apéro after the speeches, it was one way to get a wee refreshment!

Weather: Temperatures ranged from 26° - 35° though feeling hotter. Humid