I come into 2017 with mixed sentiments about how I think the year will pan out, with Brexit negotiations being mismanaged by Mrs May and the inauguration of a new seemingly lacking-in-morals US President. I don't feel at all positive about the future of the world and am more and more grateful that I was born when I was, so won't be alive in the years to come.
My left wrist continues to be painful
and weak on lifting or twisting against something. After four x-rays at my rheumatologist's surgery, he confirms
there is no fracture, but probably a ligament problem which often results from
a fall. Incidentally, he said there had not been a cracked bone at all higher
up near the elbow. Neither, as I thought after internet searching, do I have
algodystrophy - the Guingamp ED Dr Sakkar, seems to be hopeless at diagnosis.
Needless to say, I shall not be returning for my next appointment with him. I
have been booked in for an arthroscan on 15 February - done with contrast which
shows up tears. If a tear is found it may be necessary to have a small operation
to repair it to avoid permanent disability occuring in that hand.
I was woken early one morning by my GP’s receptionist
saying that Dr Quarck had asked me to go in and talk to her at midday. It was cold again this morning although water
not frozen in the animal drinkers. I
pulled clothes over my pyjamas and went to the field with two thicknesses on my
legs.
Dr Quarck wanted to ensure that I
understood the possible side effects of Aclasta. I said that the rheumatologist had explained that I
might get flu like symptoms for a couple of days. That was not enough information. Apparently, Aclasta has can have the effect
of severely diminishing bone in the jaw and can be extremely painful. My GP
called me in to make sure that the rheumatologist had explained this. He
hadn't. I have to see my dentist (not until April in the UK) before to check
that he would be happy with this before, and if I went ahead, afterwards to
monitor the situation. I said that if there is any possibility of losing bone in
my jaw I will definitely not be having this treatment. I am dentalphobic and
could not cope with this possibility - in tears even discussing with the GP I
am so bad at tooth talk. She explained
that the treatment wasn’t urgent so I shouldn’t worry.
When I heard Christian's chain saw buzzing, I quickly popped round to him
with three logs which were too long for my woodburner for him to halve
them. I loaded the six halves into the
Bag for Life I had brought and his wife, Paulette shook her head putting the
bag into their wheelbarrow and filling it with more logs from the pile they had
just cut - as a cadeau. Christian then
wheeled the barrow back to my sitting room door and helped me bring the wood
into the chimney area. They are so kind,
I am very lucky to have such lovely neighbours. Here is the view from across their garden on different mornings this week.
There has been a female blackbird visiting my bird table regularly this year. She
had such a red/orange breast when the sunshine caught it, that I could hardly believe she was a blackbird.
Other birds have been mainly blue tits and great tits with an occasional robin too. Lots of magpies around and sparrows too. A friend gave me some black oats which her hens wouldn’t eat and I have been putting these on the bird table - they are disappearing, so I presume they are enjoying them.
A power cut resulted in loss of both telephones and internet for two days. When the rest of the hamlet got internet and 'phones back I only got internet. My 'phone line remained unusable. Christian called Orange for me and they said it would be five days before they could fix the problem. In the event, the phones were restored after three days, so not quite so bad and I was able to use the laptop to make 'phone calls with Voip.
Two parties so far this year. I went to the first at Sally and Richard's, met old friends and stayed overnight with Lorna and Alan. The following week I should have been back for a party at Lorna's but had a rotten cold and took myself off to bed for a couple of days, with Asda Max Strength Cold and Flu medication and lots of hot drinks of lemon, honey and ginger. Thank goodness, eight days saw the back of the germs. Hopefully that is my cold for the year!
As the month has progressed it has got colder and colder overnight. This morning it was -5°C in St André, but three miles away it was -10°C! Here is the whitened lane one morning with the cats accompanying me to the field to let the animals out.
Here are some of the frosted leaves on the verge in the lane.
The rhubarb is pushing through the earth on the veggie patch and looking good for this year. A friend in Spain has thick snow in her area and posted photos of her making Snow Angels. At least we haven't had snow yet.
Because the sunshine doesn't reach the garden hen run, I have relented and allowed the girls out in the garden where they can shelter in the doorways of the cottages and enjoy the warmth of the sun. Every day seems to be sunny with blue skies, but, of course, it is these clear skies which are allowing the night time temperature to drop so severely.
Bulbs in the narrow bed under the sitting room window are pushing up well through the earth and if they survive the hens scratching around they will be lovely in the Spring.
I had my first guests of the year into Small Cottage for two nights this week. They are farmers looking to buy a farm in Brittany, so Brexit hasn't discouraged everyone from travelling to and moving into mainland Europe. The exchange rate is not good, but maybe it will improve again eventually. They brought bags of logs for the Small Cottage woodburner in their pickup in case they had to buy logs and left all those they didn't use for the cottage. They also asked if I needed anything brought over and came with five bags of layers pellets for the girls. Very nice guests indeed!
There was a strange sight along the top lane this afternoon. I couldn't see signs of a burst water main but just this one tree was covered in ice from top to bottom.
Three things I like:
1. These glorious blue, blue sky sunny January days.
2. Making new friends.
3. The room filled with bread baking aromas.
