Adrian has broken a tooth. Our front shutters lock has broken. Both need repair but which to deal with first! After much anguished thought we decide to head to Brando’s at 8 for the lock and then come back via dentist to make an appointment. So off we headed, managed to find a similar lock and zoomed back to Sablet, arriving outside dentist at 8.40. I pushed open the door and entered a curiously empty set of rooms littered with cables and chipboard. No receptionist but there was the sound of voices at the far end of the corridor.Bonjour I trilled. Vous êtes ouvert? Chap in white scrubs and mask appears and asks who I am. Did I have an appointment. No. He then vehemently said they were taking no new patients and anyway they were having building work done. Crestfallen I pleaded that my husband had a broken tooth and it was painful and all he needed was a bit filing down. Vous êtes en vacances? oui. Montrez- moi la dent. Adrian opens wide. Dentist ushers him to the chair and says Do you speak English?! Then gets out the mini Black and Decker polishing device and gives the offending molar a sanding down. He then says Adrian must go to his dentist in England and have a crown fitted as the tooth is broken in two places and cannot be refilled. We do not reveal that what our dentist will probably do is apply a hefty coat of polyfiller! Anyway the dentist refuses any payment and shakes our hands as we leave.
Back at base the broken lock is removed and the new one fitted. This is going swimmingly. Until we try the keys. They worked in the inside keyhole but ruddy hell! we couldn't even get them into the outside one. Adrian tried, I tried, we tried all three keys. Nothing would go in. How on earth could that be!? Nothing for it but to return to Brando. This was Not going to ruin our outing. We were off to Bédoin. So we went via Vaison. We found the same Brando Operative who had sold us the lock and explained the problem. He tried the keys and at first also could not get them into the outside hole. Phew! Not just us then. But he persisted and suddenly got one to work, then another, finally the third. We felt foolish but he was kind. It was not easy and there was a knack to it.
Much relieved we jollied along to Bédoin, going past Road Runner who has now been transformed into a Poodle. Market was busy and the expresso man was not there. Nevertheless we got good coffees at the café then moved off down to have lunch in our little pavement restaurant.
It was warm out of the wind and the sky a vivid blue. Lunch was filling. Next stop Le Barroux and another village walk. Finally we drove up above Suzette where we were buffeted by the fierce wind. But fantastic views and lovely flowers in the garden of our favourite house.
Home again, Replacement lock refitted and, Hooray, the keys work. I can’t believe this but they actually still want lasagne for supper!
Anyway, I have forgotten to mention yesterday. It was Sunday so we battled the wind round Rasteau and had drinks by the bar in the sun. And in the evening were invited by John and Louise to Gigondas for apéros ++.All very civilised. Nicola has now met Poncho, whose shadow does not get less!
