The Key to it All

Left Sue in England with her Mum, Rene, and took the first van-load through theTunnel. Arrived at the house on Tuesday midday 5th Sept. in temperatures of 30+. I sorted out the details of electric, water etc with the owner, he left to go home to Germany and I set to unloading.

Although it was scorching things didn't go bad until I had finished. As always life reminds you not to be too smug by dropping something infront of you to trip you up. As I locked up the van the key jammed in the lock of the door! SO, there I was in France locked out of my means of transport.


OK. A problem. But, on phoning home to Sue to try to organise her to summons the cavalry, my mobile starts to tell me the battery is nearly flat. And what haven't I brought with me? No adaptor to allow me to plug my english phone charger into a french socket!
So I am now stranded and incommunicado.

Fortunately, a nights sleep, a cycle ride to the village and phone calls from the public phone box and some of Sue's organisational expertise meant that a French mechanic from the nearest Mercedes garage arrived to break into the van, dismantle the door and remove the lock so we could retrieve the Key.

This short sojourn also saw the commencement of the battle with the mickies. My first evening in our New French Home saw one (?) mouse have the nerve to eat one of the juicy figs left for me by Claus. I saw him ( or one of his friends) in the kitchen and when I talked to him he scurried back upstairs. The next day, once I was mobile again, I went into town and bought 2 mouse traps. The tally is now 1 mouse from 2 traps set. Im hoping that the cats will help us in this war once we get them there next week.