This is how the story begins…..*
I went into town an hour early yesterday because I had to renew my bus ticket and sell NHL 2k3 for Olivier. As the school year is starting I had to queue (wait in line) for the bus ticket. I waited half an hour without moving an inch, so I left without renewing my ticket. There was a mass of people at Mega Games. I presume they were all selling their old games before going back to school. I didn’t bother to go in. I arrived at City Center hot and flustered. I don’t like first lessons anyway.

I settled down to read while I waited for my new pupil. After twenty minutes I asked Lionel if he had the phone number. Lionel phoned for me. The time had been changed without either of us knowing. My lesson has now been moved to Wednesday. We have to get through 70 hours of lessons before October 8th. He should have started at the beginning of August. Fat chance.

Sold Olivier’s game for more than he was expecting and only had to wait 15 minutes to sort out my ticket in the end.

*Do you remember Funnybones?

Spider in the works?
I wrote about a spider in Dom's room on 29th August. It is now half past five on the 31st and I still can't see it. Can you see it? Can you see this?

Winter is a coming in
Dom called me in to remove the first giant spider of the season this morning. If there are a lot, we are told, there will be a hard winter. I'm not super brave, I suck them up with the Hoover.

Goodbyes
Our friends have returned to England, still feeling ill. Fortunately the flight is just an hour. I bet they’ll be glad to get home. Even though they were staying at the campsite, the house feels empty now that they’ve gone.

This is the lovely postcard I received fron Michelle in Norway. Rob loves it. I think it reminds him of when he used to go fishing with his Norwegian Grandpa. 

Peyton Place
Yes it was that book. Would you believe I couldn't put it down. Perhaps I'm becoming middle aged. Dom treated me to a copy of a couple of short stories by Isaac Asimov the other day. We'd just gone into town to get her Russian Dictionary for next year. I see she sometimes reads it before she goes to sleep.

Lourdes
A couple of weeks back the Pope visited Lourdes. The poor Pope and the French population were treated to a long speech from the President (This could only happen in a republic). I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help wondering what would happen if he got better……

As I’m in a theological mood, I listened to a very interesting program on BBC radio 4 about Black theology. I would have learned more, unfortunately, the radio kept blacking out. The program started off by talking about the colour of God. Interesting question, Olivier says blue. What colour is God for you?

Back again
I’m sorry I haven’t been here sooner. Life has been quite eventful. Our English visitors have had the holiday from hell. As well as being a sad time for them, the weather has been dreadful. They went out to eat in La Rochelle on Wednesday and have come down with food poisoning. The 14 year old is very ill and Rob just phoned to tell me they are waiting for a second visit from the Doctor. I hate to say it, but I have heard talk that some of the more touristy eating places do have a bad reputation. As locals we have our repertoire of more select places and try to guide our friends there.

Lots of work too. Two very enjoyable weeks of intensive refresher courses. I hope my students have enjoyed themselves as much as I did!

September starts with a 70 hour contract. I think this must be the first September I won’t be worrying about whether I will work or not.

Where is he?
Has anyone seen or heard from Spyke? Has he moved to Germany? Has any one been to Denmark and come across a multilingual taxi driver? Where is he?

Just my luck
When Lionel's photocopier died he took out an account with the office supplies shop. They have a really fast, state of the art model. I made a special trip into town today, in the heat, just to get my photocopies ready for next week. The photocopier has broken down.