News of my health and spectacles!

My darling,

I was speaking to Kevin last night at the very time when Chloe had arrived safely. I am sure that you will have given her a great time. She is one of my favourites, simply because she is totally different from all the others, a real Maxwell and every one finds faults with her. There was a time when even Kevin told me she was stupid until once she had been on holidays with me, I discovered that she was slightly disclecsic and very far from stupid. She just played stupid to get attention from her mother! In fact when she was taken to an IQ test, she was discovered to have the highest IQ of the lot.

At the time when Pandora was raving about her, I told her that if she was less intellectually gifted then she should be pushed in sports with the result that she is now a good swimmer. She also plays the battery very well

Anyway, I am longing to know what you think of her yourself.

This is also to tell you that I will be entering hospital on Monday at 2pm and will be there until Wednesday or Thursday according to whether the first treatment is working or whether they have to go on with the second kind (i.e. electric stimulation) which is done under light anaesthetic. Vonnic will accompany me to the hospital and will visit me every day and take me back and all going well, I should feel much stronger. I was pleased that on the second visit to the cardiologist, Jean Marie Polu accompanied me. As you will remember he is a distinguished cardiologist himself and lectures world wide, He approved of the treatment but said that I must go into his own hospital in late September for a double check up afterwards as they have there very sophisticated equipment and he will be able to check everything as he believes there may be another cause for the kind of breathlessness that I am suffering of at the moment.

I also want to tell you that I went to the optician and finally decided to have my new pair of spectacles . I get two pairs for the price of one! open bifocal and one for long distance only with dark brown lenses for driving. They are cheaper here than in England and the glasses will cost €546 and therefore, roughly the same amount in $, or £350 instead of the £500 they were going to charge me in London!

I would be grateful if this amount could be sent to me directly in Euros so as not to lose twice on the rate of exchange. The details of my French bank are as follows:

Société Générale
Agence de Villeneuve sur Lot (00016)

If you tell me where I can fax the estimate on which I have already deposited €200, I will forward it to you.

Did you speak to Isabel about the archives? and if yes, what did she tell you?

This a very serious business and cannot be dealt in 2 seconds over the telephone. I think you have forgotten what it truly represents. The very best would have been if you could have come here and look at them when I am here. I shall return here in October and November and may be you could find a day or so to come and see me and see the archives in situ to understand how they are kept here in an air conditioned room and under a 3 locks door and iron bared windows!! I have worked on them with Wendy for teh last 30 years, it is not just a few family paper and photos and they are as safe here as they would be in the United States and better looked after by me here as long as I am alive. After me you would have to decide what to do with them if you sell Fraytet. Then there will be a big decision to take amongst those of you who are interested in what they represent.

I send you all my love and hope all goes well next week and that I can still enjoy some years of life to see you prosper and be happy.

Ta maman qui t'aime