Stephen warned us it would rain and it is. Howard makes a fire in the wood burning stove. We need to get the dogs to the vet for their vaccinations against a tick-born parasite that is in France but not in the US. I am not looking forward to a stressful language barrier problem. I decide I need to face this straight on and I go to the nearby vet who, I’ve been told, does not speak English. I write down what I’m going to say and practice it. He answers the door all gloved up for surgery. I’m not exactly expecting that. At least I am able to stammer “I’m sorry” but I was speechless when it came to saying I’d come back later. He says in English “Come back this afternoon; my colleague will be here.” I guess the only way I’m going to learn French is to practice later what I should have said in these situations.
So I’m off to the supermarket. Here I tell myself I will ask for things I can’t find–and I do! I’m looking for the liqueur for a Kir (white wine with a fruit liqueur). I ask the man for “Kir.” He does not know what I’m asking for! That’s because it’s Creme de Cassis that you use for a Kir! At least I eventually found what I wanted. At the checkout the lady always asks me for my “carte” (card–I sure it’s like our grocery discount cards). I say I don’t have one and she proceeds to total my groceries. So I say: Am I able to get a card? Oui! And she gives me the application and shows me where to take it. Success! I may be able to get through this…
For our mid-afternoon main meal Howard fixes delicious turkey tenderloins seasoned with Herb de Provence and fried potatoes–I don’t care what it is; I will love anything if it’s fried in European butter! Howard adds a luscious French cheese to melt into the potatoes. The potatoes are incredibly delicious!
At 3:30 we take the dogs back to the vets. The “afternoon vet” does not speak English but I am able to tell home that 3 dogs need the vaccine. He only has 1 dose and asks me to come back next week. I ask if I can come back tomorrow (we have friends here next week). He makes a call and says the 2 doses are on the way from the other office in nearby Bezier! He says he can get started on the exams and paperwork and the vaccines will arrive before he is done. He cannot believe we have 2 dogs with 3 legs. He says he can understand one dog like that per family but 2 dogs is unheard of. “Tres bizarre!” He is very nice but the hot sun is shining through the windows and I am stressed to nearly the max and sweating like crazy. I find that I need to look away from the person I’m speaking with to think in French. They must think I’m a very shy person, unable to look them in the face. Anyway, a very sweet lady, Christina, delivers the vaccines and we get everything taken care of including an appointment for the booster shot in one month. I had ask Christina if she knows of a dog sitter; I had written some words for “dog sitter” down that I found on the Internet. She and the doctor talk back and forth about it but I’m not sure what they are saying.
So we get home (phew!) but then I realize I forgot to get the info on the dog sitter! I figure I need to call the vet back right away so that he remembers me! Oh lord; why me?! I wish I had the recording of our conversation. I must have said 10 times “I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” He was speaking 10 times faster than in his office. Finally he managed to come up with a few words of English and I got it! But now I must call Christina at the other office and start all over again! That’s for another day.