April 2025 Update

Penny met us at the Les Arcs train station on April Fool’s Day, but we only got the Mercedes working again on the 5th. On our first full day in the Midi, we had expresso with Natcaha & Jonathan, and we also saw Liliane. That evening, we had a lovely dinner with Penny at Solea. The next day, we had our podiatrist sessions with Marie Jacob. That evening with Penny we watched Brooklin – an enjoyable film with Saoirse Ronan.

Then with Penny away but with her encouragement, we used her set-up to watch several movies. The first was A Complete Unknown. I was never into Dylan’s music and didn’t find him a sympathetic or likeable character as Chalamet portrays him, but at least we saw the film. Next was Almadovar’s The Room Next Door with Julianne Moore & Tilda Swinton - both utterly fabulous. Not a favourite film but wonderful all the same. Subsequently, we found Baby Girl with Nicole Kidman a strange film and difficult to catch the dialogue but still

interesting. The Critic with Ian Mckellen was another strange film but with lavish sets & entertaining in a way. We were very glad then to watch The United States versus Billie Holiday – though it underscored for both Richard & me the horror side of American mentality. And once, Penny was back and along with Macia & Phil, Wendy, Carol & Twig, Caroline & Guy, Babette’s Feast is a sheer delight – as enjoyable as it was 50 years ago. A week later, with Jessica, Twig & Carol, for Richard & me it was a reseeing of Black Bag (Insider) which I enjoyed as much as the first time. But to my surprise, Jessica fell asleep and

missed the last 20 minutes.

The month has been marred for the most part with Richard being ill. He has had poor nights of constant coughing and no sleep. He recovers from time to time but only for a few days and then relapses. He was okay when we saw our cardiologist later in the month. Dr. Moreles was pleased with Richard’s pacemaker, and my 24-hour holter results were also good. Our appointment was at 17:30. We arrived early, but did not see the doctor until 19:30. But before all this, Richard was too ill to go with me to Jessica’s birthday celebration on Easter. There were about 80 people. I had a Prosecco and then two whiskies – suspending our nefastus as it was a birthday. For the rest it was vegetarian but also some sweet desserts. Machia & Phil were fun; Penny of course along with Guy & Caroline; Roberto & Stephen along with a very shy Emile (now 6?); Pierre & Catherine; Twig & Carol. There was a Stewart from Oz with a 3-year old Douglas and a 2-year old daughter and a Byelorussian/Russian wife. Most people I did not know. Afterwards, once home, Pierre came by twice – checking Richard’s oxygen levels (92; mine was 96) and then he returned with cough medicine, etc. for Richard. But by the end of the month, Richard has been ill again. Dr. Titouan Loreau prescribed medicines. Richard then had blood tests at the local lab and that afternoon radiographie in Draguignan after our nose/throat/ear appointments. I have a lesion in my left ear. We asked about the x-ray results for Richard but were told to show the radiographs to the doctor. But the next day was May Day and a holiday in France with nothing open. So early on Friday morning, we went to the medical centre only to find out that Loreau is not to be there until the following Monday afternoon.

I was still able to drag Richard to La Table for a dinner with Jessica – our birthday present to her. Other meals have included a delicious vegetarian one (the first of our April nefastus) at Penny’s, pizza with Natacha & Jonathan by the lake, and an Easter Monday meal at Penny’s with Twig & Carol; Machia & Phil; Damian & Caroline; Norbert & Gabrielle, Valerie (American from Le Val whose absent husband is Tom); Stephen and Guy, Caroline and Penny. There has also been Richard’s birthday on the 15th. I had somehow managed to set

up the table for the 12 of us without Richard seeing it. But he did finally when we got back from coffees at Du Cours. I told him that “I am just playing house,” but when he later saw the fresh bread on the table, he guessed something, but this was only shortly before Jessica arrived with a feast of a meal and another nefastus suspension. Gin phoned, and for the meal itself, we were Yvonne, Penny, Stephen, Liliane, Pierre & Catherine, Thomas, Natacha & Jonathan, and Susie. Jessica and Julie were superb. We had champagne, Richard & I had a French single malt while the rest had wine, and there was lamb and a strawberry Charlotte. All was utterly delicious, and it all worked.

When we had been in Draguignan, at Orange, I decided to get Richard an iPhone with more storage since he fills his with endless photos, and I am unable then even to open the bank app. But without the code from Apple, we could not complete the process but did at least purchase the new phone. But then at home, the internet ceased to function toward the end of the night. I phoned Apple around 10:00 and was told to keep my mobile and wifi off for the next three days. I could not do that but had earlier at least got the news through the mobile personal hotspot. And even when virtually a week later, we returned to Orange to get everything from the old phone transferred to the new one, Apple would not accept the new password code. So another issue ensued.

On top of this, we have had several appointments with France Service in an effort to get the carte vitale, but it seems extremely complicated. We need now to translate our papers into French, get recently apostilled birth certificates, get pension info and get the utilities bills also put into Richard’s name. At least after a long delay because of the cold nights, we got our vegetable plants into the ground: tomatoes, maize, courgettes, and after the bourse des plantes, more tomatoes, cucumber, maize, courgettes, aubergine, melon and watermelon, and then we had a lovely Sunday roast (chicken) with Penny, Twig & Carol at Les Cigalles.

There has been an online recording with Jeff Lipmann for his radio show We discussed Mercury, Wotan/Odin, Abraxas & Lucifer, and it was an enjoyable discussion. Subsequently, it inspired my sonnet #322:

Abraxas as a would-be archon beast

Who bolsters earth-strife by malignant claims

To have instead the cosmos all surceased

Despite disguised by non-Satanic names.

Sun-moon commence each sevenfold result,

And Jove and Mars embrace their egos’ dance;

While Wednesday is mercurial insult,

Beloved’s day stills worktime for romance.

Abracadabra buys what aftermath

And too from whom? Let cease the throne possessed!

May daisies open after samedi’s bath

In sunshine on our mother’s meadowed breast!

Though infinitesimal we might but be,

Let’s from despotic phantoms now set free!

Fordicidia, 15 April 25

Reading-wise, I finished William Kowalski’s captivating Eddie’s Bastard and then laughed through John Mortimer’s The Trials of Rumpole. I am now reading Paul Murray’s The Bee Sting which I think Susie had given to Richard as a birthday present but which I will read instead of he.

At the Calalou, Richard & I enjoyed two rounds of margarita. And now on the second of May, Bill & Lilan have arrived with their dog Buddha. They have brought the ingredients for tonight’s negroni. We are awash currently with rain-produced green as well as the irises, daisies, lilac, wisteria and other flowers. Despite the global uncertainty concerning economics, the bombing deaths and genocidal starvation, the abysmal clown show from the other side of the pond, and Richard’s health, life in the here and now is surprisingly lovely and beautiful.