Back in Montpellier

Friday January 21, 2011 Day 205

We landed early in Paris, and our trek from one terminal to another at Aeroport Charles de Gaulle was much more uneventful than at our last visit here. We had a couple of hours to kill in the airport, so I bought a chocolate croissant for me and a raisin roll for Roger and we settled in for the wait.

We were boarding our airplane and were at our seats, but we had the middle and aisle seats, and didn’t want to sit down just to have to get up again. But before we could even stow our luggage, however, a voice in English with a very U.S. accent behind us said “Go ahead and take the window seat if you like, and I will take the aisle.” We did not expect to be sitting beside a fellow U.S. citizen. Upon inquiry, he explained that he is a wine importer from upstate New York and he is coming to Montpellier for a couple of wine events and to purchase wine. We chatted for a bit, then he and Roger dozed off. I think I napped briefly but the flight is just over an hour and there is not much time for that.

We arrived home via taxi from the airport around 1:00 and were perplexed and startled to discover that there is no gas in the apartment. And our heat is gas-powered. And it was about fifty degrees in the apartment. AGH!! We were cold and exhausted and all we really wanted to do was drop into bed and sleep, but we had to deal with the gas problem first. We were unsure where to start, so we fixed a pot of tea (electric kettle, thank you very much!) and I warmed a bit of soup for myself (Roger declined), then he sent a note off to the landlord asking him for ideas about where to start. I went downstairs to Mara McGregor’s apartment to knock on the door (I had her phone number once, but I lost it), and on the way back up, the young man who lives above us passed me on the stairs, headed up. Finding that Mara was not in, I stopped back into our place to let Roger know my lack of progress, then went upstairs to see if the young man there had gas in his apartment, as we were unsure whether this was a building-wide problem or just our apartment. He said there are no pipes for gas in his apartment, so he could not help us. Roger suddenly recalled that our apartment management group is just down the street, so we decided to finish our soup and tea and go down to chat with them. Suddenly the door buzzed, and when I answered it, a gentleman indicated he was from the gas company! Fast work! We hadn’t even issued a complaint yet! I met them on the stairs after explaining to them that Mara was not home. The twisted a handle on the second floor, then came on up and entered our apartment. I am not sure exactly what they did, but within minutes we had gas in the apartment and our heater was on. We thanked them exuberantly and they left. We turned up the heat and fell into bed, where we napped for a couple of hours, grateful once again for the duvet.

I spent part of the afternoon researching apple pie recipes for Monday’s Cook & Eat. I am in charge of making an apple pie for the group.

Roger left for the grocery store for some milk and meat, then dropped into the boulangerie for a baguette. We had a light supper, played a bit on our computers, then crashed again before 10:00. Llllloooonnnnnngggggg day! But it is good to be home, such as it is.