April 28th, 2025

My recovery at home after the operation went well. The severe pain caused by the thrombosis is now a distant memory!

On Monday 28 April, I had an appointment with my surgeon to have the stitches removed. Once again, although barely visible, the scar looked perfect. A nurse even remarked that such scars are rare, it’s hardly noticeable. Just a simple bandage for two days was enough, and now I can leave the wound exposed to the air.

After that appointment, I went to see the optician for a check-up. Since my foot troubles began, I’ve had to take medication regularly, which forced me to give up my contact lenses. The treatments caused secretions to build up under the lenses, making them uncomfortable and blurring my vision. The optician checked my eyesight and other parameters: all is well, my vision is good!

Around 5 pm, I went to the station to pick up René. He arrived from Cologne, nearly two hours late. As everyone knows, the Deutsche Bahn timetable isn’t exactly reliable!

Later in the afternoon, I attended an information session for new tenants of the community gardens. They explained the rules and responsibilities we must follow. I found the session a bit strict, almost discouraging… as if everything was forbidden! But I wasn’t the only one who felt that way. At the end, they reassured us by emphasising the importance of having clear guidelines.

On Tuesday evening, I went back for a practical course on preparing plots and choosing vegetables. This is part of a series of four mandatory modules. The evening was much more enjoyable: we worked together on plots belonging to the garden association. The atmosphere was friendly and the session very instructive.

That same evening, we loaded the car because the next morning we were off to Spain! Around 9 am, we left Bern heading for Nîmes, where we planned to spend the night. Between Bern and Geneva (about 150 km), we encountered no fewer than ten roadworks slowing the traffic. But from Geneva to Nîmes (590 km), there were no delays, and the highways were excellent! It does make you wonder about the efficiency of Swiss public works…

We arrived under a lovely sun at our hotel in Nîmes around 4 pm. After a short rest, we had drinks by the pool, then dinner at the hotel. The next day, I wanted to visit the Roman amphitheatre, but the city centre was closed and we couldn’t find a parking spot. So we hit the motorway again, heading for Barcelona.

Traffic was heavy; both France and Spain were celebrating May Day, with many people enjoying the long weekend. We reached the campsite around 4 pm and collected the keys to our bungalows. The site was fully booked. Our bungalow was well equipped: fridge, fans, terrace, and nearby a large cooking area with gas grills and a sink. A short walk away were spotless sanitary facilities, washing machines, and dryers, with staff cleaning until 10 pm, quite impressive!

We spent six nights there. The nights were peaceful, and I slept well. We explored the area, did some shopping, and scoped out restaurants for the evenings. The campsite had a small supermarket and two restaurants, very convenient. The only downside was the swimming pool, which was overrun with children… I gave up on swimming there, especially since the nearby beach wasn’t very inviting.

Those few days were a real change of pace, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Tuesday morning, in heavy rain, we set off home. Around Barcelona, there was lots of traffic, mostly lorries coming from the south. But soon after, the sky cleared. At the French Spanish border, the sun was shining again. We drove straight through, 950 km, with a few stops for fuel, recharging the car battery (as it is a Plug-In Hybrid), and coffee. We arrived in Bern around 7 pm and ended the day with a nice meal at a restaurant near the airport, enjoying some good home-style cooking.

Wednesday morning, René caught the 10:30 train to Basel, then on to Cologne. The holidays were already over. It had been a very pleasant trip, even though the weather wasn’t always kind. It often rained at night and in the mornings, but the afternoons were sunny. Unfortunately, I caught a chill and have been coughing quite a lot…