HENRY came home today and although he still has to be careful with what he eats it has been an amazing day.

The doctors were happy to let him leave the hospital and we are having a lovely restful evening in the sunshine.

I must say many thanks to everyone who has contacted us and left us messages on the site.

I previously posted that updating our site for the next few weeks would be impossible due to telephone access (or lack of it).

Well the problem is solved as my friend Craig McGinty the author of This French Life has come to my rescue and offered to carry out the necessery task mainly to keep everyone up to date on Henry.

I will get the trench dug for the telephone cable in the evenings this week and hopefully be up and running very soon.

Thank you Craig!

Henry has recieved a visit from the head surgeon this morning M Vergnes.

He is pleased with progress and I understand that if tomorrow he can manage the pain that he still gets then they will fix a release date. The Morhine is gone and he is now on paracetemol.

He is eating yoghurt and some soup but today he is scheduled for a normal lunch and if this is successful then we have made a giant leap. We don't want to get too excited as cruelly last Friday's hopes were dashed.

Henry has also had 5 of the 17 staples removed this morning. They have decided to do this in two stages because of the pressure it might put on the wound and they will monitor it through the day.

Henry is now desperate to come out as we all are and it is difficult to juggle optimiusm against reality and we will only believe reality when we drive out the front gate with him.

This is our last weekend at Le Mas. On Monday morning we will be moving to a house 5 miles from Jean Blanc. It is closer to the house and schools which means a little less travelling. It has been a fantastic base for house hunting and waiting whilst the legal side of Jean Blanc was completed.

Alas it had to come to an end eventually.

One of the problems of moving is we will not have email or internet for a month or so. This means I cannot update the website or respond to any emails.

It is rather bad planning on my part as I now know I could have put the telephone line into Jean Blanc back in March. The last 5 weeks has put pay to any progress but I have a digger coming on Monday/Tuesday so if need be I will work till dark to dig the trench for France telecom to do the business.

Its perplexing, tiring and upsetting that Henners has been set back.

Today he underwent further tests and an ultrasound. Nothing untoward or abnormal has been found.

Doctor Harper (he is English) does not understand the current situation so we have to wait. In the meantime, Henry will stay in hospital for the weekend at least.

He will increase his food intake also. Doctor Harper says that if he can keep his food down then all other indicators say he can come out.

To add to our current woes our car has decided to play up. Whilst Donna drove to Bordeaux yesterday the car started to run on half power and she only limped along at 45 miles an hour. This is quite painfull when you have 110 miles to do.

We bought a mercedes because of its known reliability!!

Mind you what do you expect from a 3 year old car:-)

Unfortunately Henry's condition took a turn this evening. So frustratingly close to coming home but he has been sick most of the day.

It was decided by the doctors to X-ray at 9pm (CET) as they were not happy.

There is an infection which now needs to be treated with new drugs.

It has been a hard week and this has really knocked us for six. Donna is staying in Bordeaux this evening to be there for him in the morning. Henry is very down as his hopes have been dashed. We built it up a bit to try and focus the positives and set a goal for 'H'. Cruelly I feel we let him down and tonight he cannot be consoled.

I am sorry that we are not replying to all the emails and I hope that this can be accepted as an acknowledgement and thank you. I hope that after the weekend we will have better news.

The last two days have been productive on the house. With the help of the telescopic I am managing to mix, load and lay and getting a fair bit done in a day.

I am now up to wall plate height all the way round and the next job is to complete thwe gable end wall. This depends on Henry tomorrow coming out which is touch and go at the moment.

We had tetatively pencilled in Friday as the day we were all hoping Henry would be able to leave hostpital. Today we were told it would be another week.

Then later this evening we are told Friday is back on again!

Watch this space!!!

'H' continues to improve both medically and in himself. His movements are increasing which is the best single thing.

We are getting ready for the adventure at Jean Blanc when Henners is fit.

Today Donna bought a small tent on her way back from Bordeaux and immediately Fleur decided that she would sleep the night there.

I put it up, Fleur retired for the night and 20 mins or so later as we both predicted she knocked on the door with quilt and pillow in hand saying she is worried it will rain:-)

Needs toughening up I reckon!