Our friend from Genoa – Ninni – came for a few days. This meant a few nice meals out, lots of laughs and a few drinks. It all helped Cath forget about her broken arm.

We also went on an excursion to Cluny for lunch. The lunch was excellent, Cluny beautiful but freezing and deserted.

Qu’est-ce que c’est ça?

Ce sont des tomates.

I received an official-looking email which I thought might be spam but then when I clicked on the link I discovered it was a speeding fine.

On the journey back from the Alps I was caught speeding near Lyon – only 9km over the limit – but speeding nonetheless.

As far as I understand it, in France you start with 12 points on your licence and then they take them off for various offences.

I should get my point back within four months – as long as I don’t speed anymore.

While waiting at A&E after Cath we saw this sign in la salle d’attente.

A quick Google tells me that Roi Dagobert was king of all the Franks in the 600s and the last king of the Merovinginian dynasty to wield any real power.

But unfortunately for Dagobert he is maybe now best known for a nursery rhyme about wearing his pants back to front : Le roi Dagobert a mis sa culotte à l’envers.

I guess if you died in 639 but still feature on Covid posters in A&E in 2022 that’s a legacy of sorts.

On Saturday, cath tripped over a paving stone and put out her arms as she fell. The next day she couldn’t move her left arm – and she is gauchère. So off we went to A&E.

There was a lot of waiting around but at the end we learnt that Cath had a fracture to her coude. She now looks like this:

Cath hasn’t yet been here for a year but having previously never broken a bone she’s managed two so far. Let’s hope that’s an end to it.

When I was out and about with my BBC friends we saw this panneau. I didn’t completely understand it.

So obvs I turned to help from my prof Frederique.

And I learnt that se viander is a colloquial expression meaning to fall.

So a nice jeu de mot about la viande/tomber and a vegan. Very good.

Despite my gastro, two friends and former colleagues at the BBC came to visit this weekend. And what a joy it was to see Emma and Emily in Lyon.

Even allowing for my fragile state, we squeezed in a lot of sightseeing – Fourviere, Place Bellecour, La Croix Rousse.

And of course there was lots of food – less so for me – but I joined them in some restaurants.

Thank you so much for visiting. Please come again soon. I promise I’ll be better by then.

Cath went to visit her niece and great niece in Marseille on Monday so I was on my own for a few days. By Tuesday at work I felt a bit funny – I wonder if the leftovers – les restes – I had eaten had gone off.

By Wednesday morning I felt awful and had to tell my boss I would be off sick for the first time. I spent most of Wednesday in bed. But I did book a doctor’s appointment for Thursday knowing at the very least I would need a sick note.

Thursday’s 10 minute walk to the doctors took about 25 mins. She examined me and said it could be food poisoning or a stomach bug – le gastro – as there is a lot about.

She prescribed some painkillers and spasfon.

She said I should feel better in a couple of days. I went home and began to take the pills but then before I went to bed – I threw up three times. Hmmmm, Spasfon.

But most importantly I had this:

You need an avis d’arrêt de travail for even one day’s absence so at least I had that.

My French teacher told me that on 2 February- La Chandeleur – Candelmas , when Jesus was presented at the temple, in France you eat crepes.

Not wanting to ignore such a tradition , we joined in.

Then we added a bit of crème anglaise and tucked in. Some were jam filled, others plain but they were all delicious.