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Gastro - gone

Saturday 13/7 I finally felt more like myself again, though it seemed unwise to wander far from a good toilet. That makes 10 days of gastro-enteritis! Sunday I was able to preach.  Monday I was pretty washed out and good for nothing. Meanwhile Pat's back was responding well to painkillers, rest and gentle exercise. Tuesday we went into the café, travelling by bus'd'sub on the way there and bus 9 coming back (never again!). Our tram that takes us to church and to the café is currently having some major engineering works, so it's out of commission until next week. The city lays on relay buses (bus'd'sub, for bus de substitution), which are slow, hot and crowded. They follow, more or less, the route the train would take. We decided to take bus 9 along the boulevard to come back, but it's slow, long and crowded, too. Worse than the bus'd'sub. Wednesday, yesterday, we got to the café on time by taking an earlier bus'd'sub, then decided to make the
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Gastro-o-o-o-o-o-o-o, and more

We have some medication from the pharmacy. It seems to be good stuff and has reduced the problem greatly.  Meanwhile Pat's old back problem has flared up.
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The election

Whether or not things can only get better, I do not know. However it is good to see that the UK has not joined the drift to the extreme right, and there are a few people whose absence from the news bulletins will spark deep joy.
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Gastro !

 On Wednesday I returned to the house and immediately suffered symptoms of a tummy bug. Rest, liquids and a light diet resulted yesterday in this getting much worse, with shivers, sweats and a fever. It's very frustrating - there are things I need to be doing. In addition we have a friend staying with us and I'm effectively in purdah. I suppose the main priority is to get well, so today it's plentiful liquids and no diet at all. Let's see if we can flush this out.
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The election

As the UK swings to the left, many countries in Europe have swung to the right. In the recent European Parliament Elections in France the far-right Rassemblement National (erstwhile Front National)did exceptionally well. Following that M Macron dissolved the National Assembly and called elections for the National Assembly on 30 June and 7 July. France has several levels of election. 1) Presidential elections. The President is directly elected and it is he who puts forward a programme of legislation. He has immense power and prestige. 2) Legislative elections. Députés are elected to the Assemblée Nationale. These represent their constituencies or circonscriptions. I have no idea who our député is, and I can't imagine a situation where I might write to them. French friends don't know, either. The National Assemblée is a control on the president's power. The French Parliament has a second chamber, the Sénat. Senators are elected by an electoral college made up of députés, memb
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Perhaps the last time

I got back Monday from one of our two-week three-weekend visits to the UK to report to churches on the work here in Bordeaux. I didn't hire a car, but I travelled everywhere by train and, once, by bus. My travels began with a flight to Bristol Airport, where our friends from Bath were waiting to meet me and take me to their home for the weekend. I flew on the Saturday - there was no direct flight that day - via Marseille.  Flying via Marseille was a pain in the neck. It meant a LONG journey, a LONG wait in Marseille AND getting the nice bottle of wine confiscated because I bought it in Bordeaux, to in Marseille. I could have had it sealed in a duty-free bag had I realised that at Marseille you have to pass through security again.  Oh well. Honestly, that was the worst snag I experienced. Otherwise trains were on time, acceptably clean, reasonably priced (£14 for Newtown Powys to Leicester) and comfortable. I do these visits alone. Pat used to accompany me but they got too gruelling
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The Olympic flame

 The Olympic flame has arrived in Bordeaux. It came here from Saint Emilion, visited the Cité du Vin briefly, then went in a boat to Lormont whence it was carried to cross over again to outer Pessac, Merignac, then it will be brought back into the town centre to finish at the Place des Quinconces this evening. Meanwhile Bordeaux' current episode of constant, torrential rain is making a good attempt at dousing the flame so it can't go to Paris. Our aquifers are well-filled, and the vine growers are complaining of mildew. And we have a workshop on the roof this evening at 6 to plant up our courgettes, tomatoes and peppers. Meanwhile on the Davey balcony we have some little green tomatoes, some small strawberry plants, some peppers and chillies sown and we've started eating our cut-and-come-again lettuce.
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