Englishman Buys Bar 6 - Lucy goes to school

By John Harries-Harries

Luckily, Lucy seems to have inherited the family capacity for enjoying change and adventure.

Nov 25th. Brittany.

At 5 o'clock today I collected Lucy from school.

I had forebodings that I might find my teenage daughter outside the gates, alone and with tears streaming down a puffy, red face.

To my delight, and with a soaring heart, I saw her in an animated group coming down the slope, past the office block, and into the car park at the lower end of the town centre. Waving goodbye to a good looking lad as he donned his casque and mounted his scooter, she then took leave of her other classmates and walked to the car with her mentor, a girl from a nearby town. She got into the car and as we drove the 2 miles home, I had a constant barrage about her first day in her French school. I had to fight back my own tears, as she told me how 'great' the school was. (Just wait until she discovers Colonies de Vacances - the French summer camps.)

We had an eventful trip to the ferry. But then it would be, wouldn't it. By now you know that if I went to hang a picture on the wall, I would end up rebuilding the chimney-breast. It's not that I am clumsy - I am not - but life likes to play it's game with me. (Believe him or don't - it's your choice). I think it is because I rather enjoy the hiccups and irritants, rather like some people just have to swat away at wasps. It's all to do with the risks and little victories that we gain. 

We set out exactly a week ago with loads of time to make our way round Milton Keynes and to the Portsmouth ferry. The van was loaded to the limit, and truth be told, well past it.

Fred the trucker thought about two grand's worth of fines if I met a weight check. We had gone about 25 miles [of about 125 miles], when I heard a nasty knocking from the rear. I recognised, fortunately, that a wheel was coming loose. Of course there are twin rears on the Trannie, and tightening the nuts only got me into Bicester.

A garage diagnosed that the rear hub was damaged allowing the wheel studs to revolve. This prevented the wheels being secured. They couldn't help with a repair though. One of the mechanics knew of a local small garage where the owner was an obliging chap, and I followed him gently to it. Chris is not the most confident driver, and was having a bad time following us whilst towing a trailer behind the Peugeot.

I was, to say the least, getting a little anxious about the ferry. I had notions of sending Chris off with Lucy and the chipped cats, and catching up later, or even the next day.

Then we met our Samaritan.

I have no hesitation in saying that John Warmsley is one of the great blokes I have met. He and his lads dropped everything and set about the van with gusto. And tools, and skill. They stripped the hub and pair of wheels off a scrap Ford in the yard and had me on the road in under 2 hours. Formula1 may be faster, but this was a wonderful job to me. The cost was reasonable, and we still had time in hand. (Remember what I said about what might happen to the huge time allowance for this simple trip?)

Having got to Pompey and got my boarding passes for Lucy and me, Chris following behind had a problem with the cats. Other than having a distinct and pungent odour from the two farting felines, she found that the vet had failed to give us the correct yellow form in triplicate. We just had a brief report and covering letter. Now, whilst a 'pet passport' is not strictly required for importing cats into our bit of France, no-one likes to say it is OK to NOT have one. Impasse. So rather than hold up the ferry, Rather Smelly Chris and the cats were allowed to board, but with dire warnings if the French customs checked her out.

They didn't, but it gave us a nasty few hours' contemplation. It also made me worry just a little at the possibility of the Flics doing their weight check on the drag up the hill out of St Malo! I found that a skinful (surely he wasn't imbibing alcohol while he still had all those responsibilities undischarged? And him an ex-policeman. What IS the world coming to?) and the best band I've heard on Brittany Ferries for at many a year, allayed the fears, and I slept like a baby. There's no justice is there?

Tuesday morning was bright and the sun came out in welcome. The trip to Rostrenen was without any alarm or incident. Honestly. We had got off the boat early because we had been on the freight deck, so even with the restricted speed of the van, we arrived home at our usual time .We spent a couple or three days unpacking, and nothing was damaged or broken. The tropical fish failed to survive the trip, but that's all.

We sprung a nasty surprise on Lucy. On Thursday we arranged an interview with the headmaster (Monsieur le Directeur) of our local school. On Friday we met him just after lunch, and Lucy was enrolled to start school on the Monday at 08:00. I think she thought that she would just get a day or two in class before the Xmas holiday, and would start 'properly' in the New Year. Quelle horreur!!

Worse, from her point of view, was that I ran her to town in bright moonlight. It is the first time she can remember going to school in the dark. Also there was a hard frost, so the drive was quite eerie. She was met by the Head at the office, and without a backward glance, was gone.

Now the first week has passed. I have had minor victories, and a big one. The bar sale progresses but slowly. However all seems well, and we will be running the bar eventually. I have been able to find my way around the Post Office, the local carpenter (for doors and shutters), FranceTelecom, who have allocated me 2 phone numbers and will connect us next Tuesday, and ordered and had delivered 1000 litres of fuel-oil, all without a word of English. (The man is brilliant. I know I speak French far better than he does, but it took me weeks to achieve what he did in a few days....). Small victories indeed, and I am still terrified of the telephone, where there is no body language to assist communication, but I am feeling relieved. And after picking up Lucy this evening, the big win, a little proud, too.

* * *

If you want to congratulate or encourage John (or sympathise with Chris and Lucy)  e-mail me with your thoughts or advice, or better still, write to the Notice Board.

Have fun.

Next Instalment

Previous Instalment

Back to All Articles Index