I'm amazed how you managed to get so much done despite the foot. Waiting for the next installment but please don't wait too long. Some of us are not so patient!

ttt

So we are about 6 days now without a hot shower and feeling very much like French peasants (though it truly is amazing, given all the running around and outdoor work we’ve been doing, that we don’t stink – I think one does a sort of air-cleaning in this atmosphere). Time to go to La Rivière, which we go to every day for the Wifi anyway (and because it doesn’t close for 3 hours in the middle of the day, and this affords us the opportunity to get at least something accomplished during that time), but this time armed with soap and shampoo and conditioner and razors and washcloths and towels. I’ve never been in a handicapped shower stall before, but once I finally get into it (haul myself on crutches over the gravel driveway, lean the crutches against the handicapped ramp, which I don’t want to use because it’s too long and I have problems going uphill, haul myself using the ramp rails to a seated position at the top of the ramp, crawl to the door of the shower, haul myself upright using the door handle) I’m in a small room with handlebars galore, a seat, and hooks to hang my stuff on. SO brings me the bag of shampoo, etc., and I’m ready to luxuriate. OK, probably TMI, but you just cannot imagine how incredibly delightful this was for someone who has, all her life, taken at least one shower a day, sometimes more. OMG, I wanted to sit on that seat under the hot water for about a week! Best 2 euros I ever spent.

While we’re in cleanliness mode, we do a load of laundry. SO manages to drop our soap pellet into the washer in such a way that it gets stuck in the inside rim of the washer door, so it doesn’t disintegrate the way it’s supposed to, but we figure the hot water alone has to be an improvement on the state of our clothing.

Back at “our” table at the restaurant at La Rivière, we share a huge plate of charcuterie (cold magret de canard, jambon du pays, terrine de foie de canard, and rillettes de porc with cornichons and a huge basket of baguette slices) for 8.5 euros (a splurge for us – we only ate out about three times on the whole trip, and our food and beverage costs were only about 15-20 euros a day) and catch up on email and work projects. When it’s time for things to start opening up again, we pay up and head to Le Bugue to find the elusive Monsieur Vialenc, the antiquaire. And his shop is open and he’s there, and there’s a parking spot right outside his shop! Quelle fortune! I scramble up, feeling spectacularly presentable since hot water has graced my skin, and walk in. Now, there are a lot of places someone on crutches should never venture, but an antiques store is certainly one of them. The moment I was inside the door I had a Come To the 18th Century Moment and thought, Lord! What the heck was I thinking? Even without going two feet inside the door I am surrounded by porcelain and pottery and glass and crystal trinkets…on the floor, on shelves on the walls, displayed on the tops of cabinets and tables, and worst of all, underfoot, just laid out on the floor. One sudden move of a crutch, one tiny lurch to the right or left, and I’m toast to the tune of possibly thousands of euros. And to make matters worse, a large Dutch lady comes bombing through the door behind me, apparently oblivious to my handicap, and tries to pass right by me, which shifts all my weight dangerously to the right, and suddenly I’m almost about to crash onto an antique pôt de confit with a 365 euro tag on it, which my eyes are riveted on in horror. Fortunately, SO grabs my arm and steadies me, and the Dutch lady gets by me without incident. And here comes M. Vialenc, and I introduce myself and tell him how we have had dealings in the past and he has sold me some very nice things, and would he want to buy some back now? He’s a truly amiable man, très géniale, with a shock of long gray curls and a bulbous, kindly face, and he remembers me and the house in St-Cirq, and yes, he’ll come by tomorrow evening and have a look. So, shower and antiquaire are the accomplishments of the day.

Now it’s time for a beer on the balcony of the Hôtel Royale-Vézère in Le Bugue to watch the ducks skating down the river before heading back to meet up with Franck and Didier, “the pool guy” Franck has recommended. Didier shows up looking as long-haired and raggedy as most folks around here and, from a perch on our wall, with a beer in hand, without even going down to the actual pool to assess it, says “300 euros, but I can’t possibly do it until springtime, as I’m completely débordé.” I have to laugh at this, as practically every French worker I’ve ever known was “complètement débordé” (totally overwhelmed – literally, flooded) just about every day of every year. We assure Didier that there is no urgency – he can pencil us in for sometime in spring when he’s not so busy, and we take his name and number for future reference. Onamu shows up with a plate of about 20 homemade nems (Thai spring rolls) and a bottle of Thai sweet-spicy pepper sauce, and we are having a mini-party in paradise under the stars.

StC..just came across this intriguing thread. Seems like you painted everything on a broad canvas..it is that artistic! I don't come to the forum anywhere near as often as I had in the past, due to conditions beyond control, and this was the first thread that caught my eye tonight.

You have succeeded in giving to many readers a view of France and the Dordogne that one doesn't catch while flitting through. Thank you, for that.

A healthy,meaningful and peaceful new year to you two.

Stu

Stu, my dear! Shana Tova to you. Thank you for your encouraging words and appreciation! I've missed a lot of stuff from having been absorbed in travel for the past month, but did I glean somewhere that you had been traveling abroad? If so, how wonderful for you, given your circumstances. Write me.

And you're most welcome for the singular view of life in the Dordogne. There are others on this forum who could easily replicate it, but it's something I find incredibly enjoyable...and writing about it keeps the place firmly in my heart and mind, and who wouldn't want that?

We'll be in touch.

StCirq,
Serendipitous to stumble upon your wonderful prose. Wishing you Shana Tova & a complete healing of your ankle.

PS: I love how you provided a diagram of the tirants! Oh, the joys of owning ancient real estate. Yup, bet it's pricey, it always is. I, too, hope you turn this "Not a Trip Report" Report into a book or screenplay.

"We assure Didier that there is no urgency..."

I hope this doesn't have the same effect on workers in France as it does on people where I live.

StCirq, if you haven't read it, in "A Year in Provence" the homeowners simply invite all of the people renovating their house to a Christmas party--magically, all the work was completed in time! Food for thought?

Nice.

I bet that you and DH scrub up really well.

Your report, while not intended to be a travel advisory, makes me want to go back to the Sarlat/Les Eyzies for a longer stay.

We house-hunted around Duras, Eymet and Bergerac. My British husband was put off by all the Brits, and we both were shell-shocked by the prices (2008).

Loving your chronicle.

Around 1970 I remember English real estate people advertising houses in the Dordogne for $5-10,000 ! Guess they must have sold a lot of them given the number of Brits who live there now.

Thanks, all. TDudette, I think my neighbors/workers would rather be at home in their centrally heated abodes than huddling by my fireplaces! I did actually have a 4th of July party for the neighbors once (probably chronicled in an old trip report here) that fell short of being a wild success. What was I thinking?

I'm going to try a little experiment. If it works, I'll post more. Here's Franck in the morass of my yard:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l4falq7tv....CUTS.VIEW.mov

StCirq, I am really enjoying your non-trip report. I did the exact same thing to my right ankle on Easter Sunday two and 1/2 years ago. It was a double sprain and I was on crutches for two months. Then I got bursitis in both shoulders from being on the crutches and using my arms to lift my body. I am feeling every step you took on those crutches. I hope your ankle is totally back to normal soon.

That could be, StCirq, however, in the case of the author, none of the workers wanted to be the only one who didn't meet the deadlines!

Plus du non-report SVP!

SCirq
First of all, I just caught up with your non trip report. And, want to thank you for your wonderful expression of words-I am a visual person and sooo enjoy your report. Am just recovering from a broken bone in my foot-got rid of my boot yesterday. Crutches are a real bummer. Your words reminded me of my 8 month recouperation from a sky accident several years. At least you did not need a fixater.
Back to your report. DH and I were in the Dordgone in April-RAIN-4 weeks out of 5. We stayed in a B&B for a week near Les Eyzies. WE visited the area and really enjoyed the Museum and did not get tickets for the cave-even with getting to the window at 9AM. So we saw the Lascaux II and several lesser known ones. Rained a lot the day in Sarlat. Had a good meal and walked around sm. puddles.
Do keep in mindSTCirq-that as one ages, you may make a stop between destinations. That is one thing that takes us longer thus a longer time spent!!
Again, great reads and looking forward to the rest of your non trip report (some reads popped up while I was writing.)

PS Skiing accident

Dropbox worked fine. Yikes! It's looks even more jungle-like than it reads. Great views.

Glad it worked, and oh yeah, it was a mell of a hess!

Here it is looking a little better:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l4falq7tv...LLEY.CLEAR.mov

The vista is indeed impressive. I could have many perfect apéritifs with some olives and saucisson sitting there as the sun sets.