September 2026 Update
September 2026 Update
It turned out that I am not even registered in the system at our town’s Medical Centre, even though I have been in the past and even relatively recently. But with regard to my application for a carte vitale, what is needed is again (1) my full birth certificate extract with parentage details, (2) my marriage certificate, (3) doctor of treating choice telechargeable sur ameli (?) & (4) a certificate of conformity/individuality issued by the consulate of my country (my middle name, Otto, must be mentioned). Also, provide a copy of my valid residence permit. I’m not sure if this will be get done.
And regard the renunciation, I have forms for opening a bank account for Richard, and each day I think I will get to it but so far have not. Carlo came back on the 11th after his and Jean-Christophe’s visit on the 4th, and while we were on the phone with the Dutch motor vehicle authority, I finally found the Deel II for Magda, so the VW Beetle is now successfully in Carlo’s name since, now as a non-Dutch resident, it cannot be in my name.
I’ve had several calls from Gin mostly about Richard’s forthcoming vernissage at the Handbag Factory in Vauxhall, London which will be next 12th of March. Gin and Roberto were due to come to examine Richard’s works for the show, etc., but thanks to a technical glitch, all flights out of the UK were suspended the day they were coming. They had even already been on the plane. So instead, we ended up having a Zoom with the two of them and with Gin looking exceptionally good.
I had a call with Angie after she had thought that Richard had passed. Another call with Jim, and Noah phoned from Aguascalientes, Mexico on the 13th.
With Teo & Robin at the Calalou on the 2nd, we had 3 rounds of margaritas for the 4 of us + 2 for Joanne who did not stay for dinner. Teo departed for Romania on the 3rd, but with Robin and Carlo & Jean-Christophe we had dinner on the 4th at Solea. Carlo made pancakes for breakfast the next day and again on the 12th. Robin had left on the 7th. Janey & Michael arrived with their van on the 10th, and that night we went La Table for dinner. Liliane came by with the child’s car seat, and Richard and I fetched Pavel, Teresa & Fabian from Les Arcs. One-year old Fabian is darling. On the 12th, Michael cooked us all a chicken dinner. It became a most completely inebriated evening on margaritas. Janey & Michael left on the 13th taking Richard’s paintings for the show in London.
We took Teresa, Pavel & Fabian to the train station on the morning of the 17th and then rushed to our appointment with Cécile concerning the carte vitale. My sister referred to her infant as an “exhausting joy,” and I could see that very much with Fabian’s parents. We found Teresa exceptional in all that she was doing and had to do. But still for Richard and me it was a real privilege to have had the experience of knowing and sharing this week of Fabian’s early life.
I received a birthday card & note from Jimmy and birthday email wishes from Patrick, Robin, Freeman, Marie-Laure, Rosie, Lilan, Jette, Giny, Stephan & Koen, Debra & Barry, Theitic, Marion & Leslie, Richard Carrazza, Chloe, Woody, Gin, Rix, Lynne Watson, Mary, Sherry, Annie, and Jessica came by with some lovely flowers. Yvonne had Richard & me along with Pavel, Teresa & Fabian for a lovely birthday dinner. We were 12 with Christine & John, Debra & Barry, the 5 of us, Yvonne, Penny & Joanne and all was utterly delicious & special.
On the new moon, I light a candle for Thor.
There has also been Stella & Scott’s party in Salernes on the 5th. Caroline & Damion were two people we knew as well as Guillaume Goisc. The next day was a dinner party at Barry & Debra’s with Joanne and Yvonne – 10 of us altogether. On Friday the 18th, Pierre & Cathrine treated us to a lovely time and dinner at Feu. With Penny, we enjoyed a relaxed, delicious and delightful luncheon at Susie’s on the 30th. The fire damage in Montfort-sur-Argens is quite noticeable, but it looks as if Susie's olive trees will survive. This afternoon was followed by drinks with Joanne and Yvonne at the Calalou.
Erdem and Alpay, both darling, arrived on Wednesday the 23rd. We dined with negroni that night at La Table. The following evening at Penny’s with Phil and Macia, we watched Mayday with Kenneth Branagh and Ryan Renolds. Others liked it more than I did, but for me it was not real enough. Some parts were good and some moving. Previously on the 17th, the film along with Wendy, Phil & Machia and a Speyside whisky (Ben Bracken), a gift from Caroline & Guy, was the West End play HadesTown. Phil detests musicals, but no one cared for it very much. But with the lads, we had a dinner at Solea and this was followed by a most enjoyable Saturday night at home with margaritas, etc. They left early Sunday morning.
I forgot my Baptiste appointment but had another two weeks later. And both of us have also seen Marie Jacob, our podiatrist.
Re. the Frankfurt Book Fair possibility, I learned afterwards through AI that I have been scammed $8000 by AMZ Publishing. That’s why The Heritage Publishing has wanted to ‘represent’ me at the Frankfurt Book Fair. It’s a scam too.
I finished reading Nicolas Shakespeare and also finished Giulia Sissa and Marcel Detienne’s The Daily Life of the Greek Gods. I am now reading Shamanic Cosmos: From India to the North Pole Star by Romano Mastromattei and Antonio Rigopoulos. I’ve had several sessions with Russell Goffe-Wood and have migrated my email server from 123reg to him. I have done a bit on my ‘Beatitude’ section for Conflict. And I am now wrestling with ‘Nature’.
I listened to Ursula van der Leyen’s State of the Union address to the European Parliament and found it moving. I have been definitely believing more in the EU and increasingly less in the US. Nancy sent me Heather Cox Richardson’s posting of the interview by MSNBC of Republican Steve Schmidt, who ran John McCain's 2008 campaign for the President. In response to a very general question regarding the Trump Presidency, Mr. Schmidt spoke for two solid minutes and gave the most insightful and brutally honest response of what the Trump Presidency has done to the United States. He began by saying that “Donald Trump has been the worst president this country has ever had.” The rest was as damning & accurate of anything I have heard.