Nous sommes ici…

‘Lafayette, we are here’ was General Pershing’s somewhat overdue tribute to the French nation for its help in winning our revolution, uttered famously in Paris when he was commander of the American Expeditionary Force during World War I.

My return from two weeks in Italy was not so dramatic, but it is good to be home and I too have reasons to be grateful to France now that I have been granted a carte de sejour that permits me to live and work here, and to enjoy all the benefits of the French state.

For instance, I am writing this while I wait for an appointment with our local doctor who will again prescribe my daily heart medicines (four in all) that from now on will be paid for by the French national health service. That saves me about $2,000 per year. And, as I do not now need a private comprehensive health insurance policy, that goes for any and all future medical necessities – a huge relief to me and to Francesco.

This is in return, of course, for duly registering with the tax authorities and paying French taxes that, although higher than in the US, do provide excellent returns in terms of a fine and modern health system, incredibly good national and regional roads, a plethora of social services, the alert and ever-present gendarmerie, plus robust national defense forces – including France’s superb army and navy and those advanced and beautiful Dassault F1 Mirage jet fighters that scream overhead from time to time.

In short, I am happy that nous sommes ici - but I do wish I was not again alone. For alas, Francesco will be teaching in Italy until mid-December while I hold down this lonely outpost in Dordogne.

Although I spent only a few weeks away, I returned to find our once prim and perfect lawns and gardens strewn with debris. It appears there was a series of storms and tempests that wreaked havoc in all southwest France during my absence.

We are in no danger of flooding, being on high ground, but it was clear that high winds pummeled our property. Lawn furniture was overturned, potted plants virtually flattened, some shutters forced open by the wind, and there are fallen branches and piles of leaves all over the place. 

*sigh*

So much work to do – and so much time alone to do it!