Freedom

So it's been quite a while since my last post, and that's because we have been the House o' Sickness for the last week. And while I know it's inevitable that with three children they will tag team the illnesses, they really timed it well this go - Zoe was sick since LAST Thursday, (with Toby away for three days, natch, in the UK) and on Tuesday, just as she was finally going back to school and I had a glimmer of hope that I was actually going to leave the chalet and do something, Indie suddenly presented with a fever, and that was that - back to more games and colouring on the couch.
So here's the shortlist of things I learned about being ill in France:
1. It seems that even if a doctor's office is closed on the week-end (when, of course, most children decide to get ill) they leave a number on their answering machine of the cell phone number of the emergency doctor on call. Who knew? Sadly, not me. What service!
2. One word: suppositories. The French really love their suppositories. When I went and begged some drugs for Indie to avoid the same late night panics we had with Zoe (she really was very sick, poor petal, with bad croup and really would have benefitted from some medical attention), the cough medicine I was prescribed came as a suppository. Now, in theory, I'm all for suppositories, for I know they are very quick and effective, but try selling that to a reluctant and stubborn 6-year-old at 2am...
3. The cost for four drug prescriptions? A measly 11 euros. I'm not even on the healthcare system here and the prescription drugs are highly subsidized. I was impressed.
So today is my first day of freedom in over a week and of course tomorrow is already the week-end. I've said it before, but I'll say it again, do these kids NEVER go to school??
On other fronts: Toby is flying home next week to become a Canadian! His swearing-in ceremony is on the 7th. We'll have to host a Canadian Coming Out party for him. There is still no snow here, much to everyone's concern and disappointment. We're going to Zermatt in Switzerland this week-end to visit old family friends of Toby's - but I don't think they've had much snow yet either. We bought the girls' ski passes for the whole season yesterday (a highly-subsidized bargain at under 100 euros for each of them, and that gives them access to every ski area in all the adjacent valleys as well) - I just hope we get to use them.
Here's a random photo of a donkey who lives in a pasture just up the road from us. One of the beauties of living here is walking five minutes down into town for the shops, restaurants, cafes etc. and the buzz of town life, and walking five minutes up for sheep, horses and donkeys in pastures and peaceful and beautiful hiking on the mountains. And they really do wear those big bells! They're not just for tourists to take home and hang on their walls!