Sunday, March 02, 2008

Chit chat

Asides

New readers have been asking about episodes and as regular readers know the life story episodes are headed ’Story contd.) and the rest ’asides’. I must go back and check the early ones. At present I am putting them all on one document- for my own convenience to facilitate editing etc.

This place where we live is a desert as far as getting any help with maintenance. They don’t turn up when they promise, the odd one is not good when they do, and the good ones have years of bookings ahead. We pay what they ask, we pay instantly, and we provide copious drinks and biscuits so what is the problem?

I’ve got everything crossed at present as Margaret told me of this woman gardener – not a designer - a real 'hands on worker'. She came to see me last week and if she can persuade one of her clients to have her once a fortnight instead of weekly, she will be mine – all mine! She will let me know within the week so today I took advantage of the sunshine and started tidying up. She wasn’t fazed by the garden, and thought it was all lovely. The maintenance inside and out has been worrying me lately and I told MTL that if we didn’t get help we couldn’t stay here indefinitely.

I finally had a hearing test last week and apparently it is just the high registers that aren’t good which – according to my doc – mean that S’s and T’s are indistinct so that people seem to mumble. (Is there anyone in the whole world who can tell what in tarnation ‘Max’ in ‘Corrie’ is talking about? Mind you I’m not worried – I think Tania has plans for him. Serve him right!)

Sheer volume wouldn’t necessarily help so next Friday I see an audiologist and then an ENT specialist. I think it was Granny P who advised doing something about it whilst I could.

Some nice news for Mother’s Day: our French grand-son having won the County Championship in November has now won the Regional Championships for the ‘Centre/Loire Valley (he won 6 games out of 7 and has qualified for the French National Champion ships in April. Go mon petit choux! Oh BTW I’m talking chess!

13 comments:

kenju said...

Pat, I went to get my ears checked and had a test this week too. I will require digital hearing aids. I will be glad to get them (as soon as I can afford them) since I am tired of asking people to repeat themselves (probably not as tired as they are of having to repeat!)

Pat said...

Judy: what a coincidence. You must let me know how you get on. I'm glad someone understands the frustration. It's like sinking slowly into oblivion. Not a place I want to be.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

It is very busy around there, Pat...! And that's lovely about the "gardener"...Hands On is always better, I think, than "design"....And if you work along with her, well..That could be loads of fun!
I am glad you expolained what your French son's Championship is in....LOL! My mind was going a mile a minute on all sorts of sports! LOL!

Z said...

I'm so glad that I've been following your story from the start, Pat. It was you that found me initially - I'm sure your was the first comment I ever received on my blog. I love its gradual unfolding, although every episode leaves me longing for the next one.

Good luck with your gardener. We have a similar problem - we used to have someone every morning, but he's too old now and it's hard to find a replacement.

Anonymous said...

I'm no linguist but, according to Babel Fish, You appear to be saying 'Go my small cabbages'.

http://world.altavista.com/tr

Perhaps you should try 'Allez mes sprouts de Bruxelles!'

Happy to help,

AndrewM

Pat said...

Naomi: I'm really hoping she is going to take me on. I was afraid MTL would look askance at her being a woman but he took it in his stride:)
I did almost forget to explain it was chess.

Z: that's a sweet thing to say. I know how my Gran felt now when she was proud of her babies:)
It must be even worse when you lose one - gardener that is.

Andrewm: did I make it plural? As you know I'm pretty fluent as a rule:)

apprentice said...

Wonderful about the gardener. i think it is a great thing to get all the help you can to let you stay put in a spot you clearly love.

I'm sorry about the hearing loss, it must be very frustrating. I hope you get it sorted out. I must admit to getting cross when the "youth of today" mumble. I think that means I've just passed the first part of the grumpy old woman test!

Congrats on your grandson he must be a clever cookie!

Anonymous said...

Wish I could find a reliable gardener. At the moment I'm trying to find a way to make raised beds (without breaking the bank) so that my knees don't suffer too much.
Well done French grandson. No doubt he told you that English Mothers' Day was the same day as French Grandmothers' day. (I think the French celebrate Mothers' Day in May.)

Pat said...

Anna: I daren't get my hopes up about the gardener. We have been let down so many times.
It's funny to see the grand-son and his younger brother (the one who informed me I was 'going to be dead')playing chess like two little old men.

Sablonneuse: no I didn't know about the grandmother's day. My French lot aren't great on cards. This year all remembered Mother's 'Day - which is especially nice from the step-children.

Daphne Wayne-Bough said...

Don't get annoyed but Max and Tanya are in 'Stenders not Corrie. I SAID MAX AND TANYA ...

Pat said...

Daphne: silly me! Not just deaf but daft as well. I only watch those two soaps(apart from 'Neighbours' which doesn't count) and often get them confused. I really hoped Tania was going to do Max in, but maybe she's just going to fleece him.

Anonymous said...

As long as your Ps and Qs are sound, you're golden, Pat.

Very well done that French grand-son!

Pat said...

Sam: thanks. I had a very productive time with the audiologist and the gardener has just popped in to say she'll come for two hours every Tuesday:) I'm getting poorer by the minute.