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At random: The first submarine which actually sank another enemy vessel under combat conditions was the CSS HUNLEY built during the Civil War. The Union frigate HOUSATONIC on blockade station off Charleston, S. C. was the victim. The incident occurred on February 17, 1864.

A Fragile French Connection Moderators: Jump to page : 1 Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page]
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Pedro

Posted 2018-03-25 11:35 PM (#87986)

COMSUBBBS

Posts: 2974

Location: Liverpool, England

Subject: A Fragile French Connection

Not long returned from a ten day respite vacation with my son Steve, and his wife Cathy, in Limouge, France. He is a retired fire-fighter, and Cathy, a retired high school teacher who decided to relocate there a few years ago. Both he and Cathy now speak pretty fluent French which is a necessity when living out of town in a rural region. They seem to have a nice life style there with a couple of ex-pat British friends and quite a few local French people also in the mix. Steve does some carpentry and landscaping work to augment his pension from time to time and Cathy runs a small B&B on their farm property.

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in the company of them and their friends and especially to spend some quality time with my son. Caring for Shirley over the last four years has excluded me from social contact and communication to a large degree so this was a welcome break. During one conversation over dinner with their friends, a French lady called Celine, had me pretty much weighed up when she ventured her opinion of me. Although you try to be as polite as possible during these exchanges, my indifference to things French had obviously not slipped under her radar. She likened me as quote; to a likeable dinosaur standing on the edge of his British primeval forest watching the monkeys ride by on bicycles while talking to each other on i-phones - unquote. Can't fault the lady in her assessment of me, guess I am just old-fashioned in my general view of la belle France. To be honest the only thing I admire about France is her formidable Foreign Legion, who except for their officers, are not French nationals.

Now back at home Shirley seems to have enjoyed her two weeks in a care home wth its acttivities and meeting other residents. As mentally confused as she can be most of the time she does have moments of complete clarity and understanding. During one of these rare moments, she told me quite clearly that whilst she liked her time at the facility there was no way that she would willingly do it again as she had hated the separation factor. I am inclined to agree with her on all counts and appealing as it was I won't be doing it again, whatever forthcoming medical circumstances turn out to be. She is right, we are still a team and I'm in it for the long haul come what may.

Pedro

Ric

Posted 2018-03-26 9:17 AM (#87987 - in reply to #87986)

Plankowner

Posts: 9164

Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map.

Subject: RE: A Fragile French Connection

Pedro, while I chuckled at the description she gave of you it also says much about her "image" of the British and their attitude to anyone or thing not French. No matter how many times you bail these folks out of hot water they will act superior. My 2 cents.
Glad Shirley is still "well" and lucid at times.

Sewer Pipe Snipe

Posted 2018-03-26 1:14 PM (#87990 - in reply to #87986)

Master and Commander

Posts: 1796

Location: Albany, GA.

Subject: RE: A Fragile French Connection

Yes, that marriage certificate and those vows said you committed for the long haul. Glad you have a means of getting a little relief. I know with my Grandfather, my Mother and Aunt split up caring for him. that way they each got a break. He was a Master Tool and Die Maker from Germany, and had extreme pride in his work. Near the end, after he had retired he repaired industrial knitting machines. There were several in the shop when his mind went. Over time I completed the repairs and got them to their owners. Every now and again Opa would become lucid. It was just like he hadn't left. He used to really get on my case about fixing those machines so quickly. I couldn't have possibly done a good job. Plus I should have let him check them out before I returned them. He would call his old customers and ask if they were satisfied with the work. They all said yes, never hinting that it had been two years since they had spoken to him. In his mind, I had repaired those machines in less than a week. This happened twice in the fifteen years he suffered through the problems. The second time, I was away in the Navy, and my Mother bore the brunt of his disapproval. Amazing how the mind works. Here we have support groups that will sit with an individual for a few hours while the primary care giver does something else. Providing a much needed break. You are a good man Pedro.

Thomas Courtien

Posted 2018-03-27 4:56 AM (#87996 - in reply to #87986)

Master and Commander

Posts: 1890

Location: Patterson, New York

Subject: RE: A Fragile French Connection

I visited France in the summer of 1973. Eileen and I took 2 weeks leave from the base at Rota to go on a road trip.

Made our way up through Spain to the Pyrenees Mountains where we met several interesting nationalities at a lodge in the mountains; and then into France.

I knew just enough french from HS to get meals and lodging. After two days of not feeling welcome, we went back to Spain via Barcelona and toured the Spanish Mediterranean coast.

Pedro, it is important to take a break now and then from the care-taker role. Even if it is only a day trip while someone else takes the duty. I wish you the best for the task you have to complete.

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