Before going to bed last night I checked my text messages at the spare phone. The last few days I received 35. Sorry, I did not answer any of them: since days I had no phone coverage, no wifi to update my blog, so no emails. Devoid of the outside world, wandering along the Santiago Routes, many shelters closed, Office de Tourisme often closed, considerable frost, horse 4 times lost in one week. Highly complicated and demotivating. When I got up I asked one of the homeless: did you work yesterday? In response he showed his begging hand. He had been here for a year now. A fellow inmate, a young man, had been living here for three years. That gives me something to think about and makes my “concerns” relative.
The mayor was a very kind man. Some explanation to and fro. Leon is 5 km. north in an equestrian center, which coincidentally is located right along my Santiago route. Meanwhile the town hall staff dribbled inside kissing happy new year. Everyone in a good mood. The uniformed and armed policier municipal and guardian of the town hall asked the mayor if he could bring me with my luggage to the equestrian center. There, at Pauline’s equestrian center his horse used to be housed. Pauline was not home, evidently to the great regret of the police, so Pauline missed her uniformed New Year’s kiss, but I was glad that the 5 km ride with the police car caught up for the lost walking time .
It was cold, the fields covered with white frost until late in the afternoon, but still the same beautiful rolling landscape, with picturesque villages, such as for example my Mechelen and Epen etc. 100 years ago. All day I walked on small asphalt roads with hardly any traffic. Tosca has been hunting all day. The forests here are littered with carcasses of pigs felled by Tosca! Her fur shines like a mirror, so good she looks. The last few months Leon no longer seems to loose weight, despite the minimal grooming. Along the way I often let him grab a few bites of grass. Usually he stands on grass at night, although sometimes short lawn grass. Occasionally he gets stale bread, an apple, some corn or hay. He has not had concentrate for weeks and he drinks from puddles on the path. Yet he is constant. For the night he gets a rain blanket, even if it is not raining, for warmth. Along the way suddenly a text message from sister- in-law Lilian, who lives in France. I have arranged a reservation for you for Saturday night, Lil says. Magnifique! This is a perect moment for a break with coffee from the thermos of my companion of last week, Constance. My depressed feelings are getting better again. I even sang and whistled again, though it resembled a bit the death march.
Now I’m back in a mini village, Saint Astier, something like Harles, Vaals (Nl): a beautiful church and a few houses. Chambres d’hotes, unparalleled luxury. I showered myself, also showering a few pieces of clothing. Just hope it will be dry tomorrow. Leon runs loose in their garden on the lawn. Tosca is stretched out on the couch, hardly able to move because of the lazy heating. Got a phone from colleague Mariet reminding me of her summer vacation address in Limoges. I’ll be there in a few days, I told her and perhaps that is a possible place to stay. Also from others I got an address and so I still get a few more pieds à terres. Fortunately. Times are changing.
With the mistress still some cozy chatting about all kinds of everything. I am well taken care of, the way it should be. Tomorrow Saint Astier.
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