Hospitals, Wine, and Port-a-Potties. (Say WHAT?)

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

We’ve been in France 13 weeks. Tanner knows more French medical words than French business words. The nurses in the hospital recognize him by sight – on several shifts. We intimately know our way around the cardiology floors of the hospital. And we know which rooms have better views. The cardiologist recognized me by name in the hallway.

Room with a View, even if it IS snowing outside!

2nd time’s the charm, they say. Tanner told them there would be no 3rd time! Two heart surgeries within 4 weeks. This, too, shall pass! My husband is amazing. [Mattel’s hot ticket in 1976 was PULSAR: MAN OF ADVENTURE. He looks like Race Bannon to me. Comment me if you know who that is. 🙂 HAHA.]

Vinidôme, the grand cru of wine salons in France

No rest for the weary — mon marie got home midnight Friday, on Saturday we traveled to Vichy for the day, and Sunday we headed to the Salon Vinidôme at the Grande Halle d’Auvergne in Cournon, which is outside of Clermont-Ferrand. (Just before checking into the hospital!)

Over 360 winegrowers from all over France exhibited their products and invited attendees to sample and purchase. Ranked as one of the top 5 French annual wine fairs, over 50,000 people came in 2017. It was great, because our region isn’t exactly known for its vineyards! (Now if you are talking CHEESE, we are Foles, Brady, and Rodgers all rolled into one….)

We left with only what we could carry and without inflicting too much damage to the grocery budget. hahaha Some people pull into the parking lot with trailers hitched to their cars to load it up…

Sampling the wares and discussing the finer points of the grape

Beam Me Up, Scotty

In the city of Vichy, there is a public restroom that look like a spaceship capsule, à la the Jetsons.

You push the button, the capsule door rotates open, you entre and the door seals behind you. Then you leave and the interior washes itself down and waits for the next customer. However, it is a single-use-wait-your-turn operation and if you are in a HURRY after the guy in front of you leaves when the restroom turns into a self-wash-a-teria – at the usual French tempo – you are in trouble! (#Firsthandknowledge. Don’t ask.)