Hoopoe

We have a Hoopoe living in the locale. I first saw it around 10 days ago. It flew up from the garden, over the wall and gone! This morning though, just after 8 am there it was outside our kitchen. Absolutely stunning! It was making its way up the edge of the lane poking its long beak into the ground looking for grubs etc. It was difficult to get a good photo of it. A regular camera with a good lens would have done the job but that camera is packed away and probably needs new batteries. A digital camera is fine but you cannot beat a decent SLR (ours are Pentax).

Yesterday my man went to the local Polyclinic to have a scan done on his chest. Off we 'toddled' (in a friends car as ours is so unreliable at the moment, more of that later!) and arrived there are around 2.30 pm. The Polyclinic is HUGE and was completed around 12 months ago (that is, all consultants had moved in!). We found our way to the 'scanner suite', booked in and waited - brought a book with me - and we waited and waited. Eventually, around 3.15 my man was taken in and 'scanned'. We waited and waited and then we were called through - scan results were ready. Off now to see the consultant!! Down the corridor we went (Kandinsky was the favoured artist there - it was Matisse near the scannner) and found the consultants offices. Again, we waited and waited - I didn't bother getting the book out (Dune by Frank Herbert - haven't read it for around 40 yrs!). It must have been 5 pm when we saw the consultant, and his prognosis. "Monsieur, eet ees Emphysema, anozer radio een seeks monz." He also said that my man is doing fine and just needs to keep up with his walking - he should improve but will never be 100% ever again.

And so my husband has to adjust to this situation. We have and have had friends with Emphysema. He now knows that he should have listened to the health professionals when he first had his bout of 'bronchite' and was told to quit the tobacco... At least he is not smoking and he smells so much better. So do his clothes and our home.

At the moment April is being very kind to us. The weather has been superb since Tuesday (guests arrived for the apartment and brought the sunshine with them). I have been busy in the garden outside the house clearing 'dead' bits and cutting back the shrubs that were affected by the cold and windy winter. I have the feeling that those plants needed the incentive to get moving!

As I am typing at 7pm I am listening to a Black Tailed Redstart in the garden, we also have a Chaffinch competing with his song. It won't be long before we hear the Golden Oriole down by the river giving us the benefit of his call. I have seen a cuckoo and heard it today. I love this time of year, everything coming alive. There is a Great White Egret the other side of the river, it has been there all winter. They are normally in the South of France and I might just contact the local Ornithological group and let them know that it is here, I am sure they would be interested. Again I have to thank my Dad for this interest....