Sacha's turn

Shopping with Louis and Sacha is never an easy ride, so I was glad to have François to hand as we had a whizz round our local supermarket after school last night.. Louis is a dead weight to heave up into the shopping trolley, and he doesn't help himself very much. The Christmas goodies are already out on display and we had to drag the boys away from the tempting frozen puddings. Later, later.

After Sacha's swimming lesson this morning, we returned home and the boys spent the rest of the morning making dens with blankets and bathroom mats.

Sacha was invited to play with Wandrille, so I dropped him off just after half past three. When I returned to fetch him at around six, I found him not at all ready to leave.

Wandrille has two sisters and a gorgeous labrador. They all spent a wonderful afternoon, playing with playmobiles and other toys, making telescopes from cardboard tubes, and running around the big garden. Wandrille's Maman says that Sacha can go and play again, whenever he likes. Sacha told me that now would be good.

It has been so good for him to be invited without Louis, and to find that he can communicate on his own. Louis meanwhile spent some time with François: they did a hard puzzle,  and they worked on the map together. No English spoken at all.

If Sacha hadn't got a fleck of toothpaste in his eye just at bedtime, it would have been a perfect day.

Nantes

 

When he came back to Angers this evening, Sacha asked why we couldn't live in Nantes. And next door to Joséphine.

They had a wonderful weekend.

We collected them from the station at 15h30, but Caroline's train back to England was only two hours later. She just had time for a cup of tea, and a quick chat with Martine and Pierre, who had called in to see her on their way home from a visit to Le Croisic.

Wandrille's mother has lent us some "Tintin" DVDs :  just what you need when you have spent an exciting weekend and there is still an hour to go before bedtime..

Invitations and lisping

Yesterday, the children were invited to lunch with Hugo and Adrien. I was especially pleased for Louis, as Thursday afternoon should normally have been a sports day. It is hard for him to sit out while the class runs around. Apparently the four of them had a good play together after lunch and it was "too soon"  when Gaëlle had to take them back to school.

In the evening, I had some errands to do at the shops down the road, and so we gave Louis' wheelchair an outing. They were allowed to choose their own "goûters" at the baker's shop, which involved much weighing up of pros and cons, and changing of minds. The boulangère was very patient. People look with great pity on this angelic little sufferer. I feel like carrying a placard saying "Fortunately, it is only a broken middle toe."

 Caroline arrived today, and has taken them to Nantes to stay with Joséphine.

Sacha lost TWO MORE top teeth last night. Caroline is a little sorry, as she intends taking some Christmas card photos this weekend. His smile is still charming - but different.

Stars

 Sacha went swimming without his brother yesterday. He had to listen to the instructor without watching Louis for his cues. In fact he managed perfectly.

Sacha being a whale

There was a  frame placed in the pool, and the children had to swim over and under the bars. Then they had to make a large detour to swim to the side.  Sacha can do this very easily. He was one of the few to be refused a float for the swim back.


Louis watched from the balcony with me for a while, then practised drawing cartoons from the Rolf Harris book.


In the afternoon, Louis went to play with Timothée and Sacha helped Papy to water the garden. Sacha has been invited to play with Wandrille next week : this will be his first invitation to play without Louis. He is pleased but a little apprehensive.


There was a class photo taken on the Monday morning that Louis missed because of the late return from Jersey. Mme Bonnot kindly offered to let me come and photograph the class this morning, so that he would have a record of his stay in the school and of his classmates.

CE1  Ecole Primaire St Agnès.  Professeur : Mme Hélène Bonnot

I was able to enjoy a little assembly in the corridor before entering the classroom. The teacher had lit a candle in the shape of a star and the children gathered around the table and sang an Advent hymn which they had prepared in their catechism class.


At the end, it was Louis who was chosen to blow out the candles and I was invited to photograph the ceremony. I asked if Hugo and Timothée could help, which they did very well.

All-Stars

Military and medals

Of course the projected visit to the swimming pool on Sunday morning was out of the question. Matthew and Lolita came to lunch  and gave moral support.

The boys were hoping  to see the new Tintin film in the afternoon, but there were no seats left, so with Nick and Giles, they caught a tram to the town centre and had a wander.  Louis was very amused by Sacha's order in the café : "a hot chocolate with cream, or something else."

School on Monday was hard work for Louis. He hopped into the playground at a tremendous pace, then had to be reminded that a fall wouldn't be a good idea.



I think that he is finding that the crutches slip easily on polished surfaces, and has to accept that he won't be able to keep up with the others for a while.

In the afternoon, his class were taken to see a "Prise d'Armes" at the local barracks. It was by special invitation. The children saw the French flag raised, and heard the Marseillaise (the French National Anthem.) The soldiers honoured those who had returned from military service overseas, in Libya, Afghanistan and other postings, not only in the front line, but also on peace-keeping missions.  Medals were presented.

.A Minister was present, and in his speech he thanked Louis' teacher for bringing the children. They were given a special "goûter" before leaving. All the children received a  "medal" to commemorate the occasion. 

  I have been promised some photos of the ceremony, and will post them here as soon as I receive them!

Giles' visit

Yesterday, after collecting the wheelchair, Nick, Giles, Louis and Sacha went on a tour of the Angers château. They sauntered along the battlements, observing the greenhouses and vineyards along the way.

They played a clever game of "Strategy in the Maze" in the herb garden which allowed Louis to join in without having to run. They had a look at the models of the castle as it was in olden times, and laughed at Giles' explanations in German (read from the guidebook.)

Battle on the Fightlements

After lunch, a visit to the Cathedral was followed by a wander in town and a drink on the square. Louis had good practice in manoeuvring his wheelchair. Sacha had a go, and a kind waiter took him for the invalid and gave him some little cakes.

A fondue nicely rounded off the evening..

Broken toe

No school for Louis on Friday morning morning. My doctor saw him, and booked him in for an xray at 14h. He spent the rest of the morning on his bed, catching up with his reading and listening to audio books.

In the afternoon, we went to the hospital, where the xrays showed a fractured middle toe of the left foot. After what seemed a very long time, he was seen by a doctor, given a serious bandage, and a pair of multi-coloured crutches. No sport at all, even swimming, until 18th December. 

When we got home, Louis' godfather Giles had arrived. He had come bearing wonderful gifts for everyone, including a game of BOMB. 

Louis told him all about his day. Sacha has been waiting for ages to show Giles his new tooth.

Giles was full of admiration for Louis' xrays, and for the crutches.

Nick arrived late last night after the boys were asleep.

This morning, I phoned around various chemists in the hopes of hiring a wheelchair, knowing that Nick and Giles were going to be walking about in town. We were lucky, one had just been returned. I know only too well now what a weight Louis is to piggy-back around. He has put on centimetres and kilos in France.