Preparing to move on

I had a quiet day yesterday after the various social and engineering excitements of the trip. I did some washing, some reading and watched some TV.

My local friends in Mougins had told me I reminded them of Raymond Reddington; the anti-hero of the Netflix FBI procedural The Blacklist. So I watched a few episodes to see what they meant. They insist they intended the comparison as a compliment but, while he’s certainly a clever and resourceful chap unfazed by obstacles, he’s also a murderous psychopath so I have mixed feelings! It’s a good show though.

Yesterday was a bank holiday, so I couldn’t chase for updates on Speranza. Today I heard that the dealer in Luxembourg still doesn’t have the parts they ordered from Ferrari. So she’s not going to be fixed by the 4th June for me to return to London on the 5th as planned. In fact they’re not now expecting the parts until 2nd June, so it could be a while.

In keeping with the indomitable spirit of this trip, I won’t allow this to change my plans. I will drive to Luxembourg on the 4th to drop off Nira, my hire car. I will stay with my friends there as planned for a night. Then I will return home by plane or train and keep my Eurotunnel ticket to use when I return to collect Speranza – whenever that proves to be. I have a FlexiPlus ticket for LeShuttle which their service team confirmed today is totally open.

In other news, I also heard today that the final consent order has come through in my divorce. I agreed with Mrs PII that she can push the online button to make it all final. So that’s progress. I shall be a single man again in the next 48 hours. Form an orderly queue, ladies. Not.

My Polish friends whose house in Cannes I am so very much enjoying never managed to join me because of a sad family problem in Warsaw. That’s a shame as I had looked forward to spending my first real time with them for a long while. Visiting them was the founding idea of this trip. I will leave their lovely home tomorrow to drive to Bandol, where I will spend three nights with my French friend before heading for Luxembourg and home.

I have to say there’s no need to feel sorry for me – despite all the malice of the gods of engineering (and marriage). I am enjoying being out in the world again and dealing with life’s ups and downs like an adult. Sulking under my metaphorical bedclothes was no way to use the gift of life.

Yes, the trip has not gone remotely as planned, but oddly that seems to have helped restore my self-confidence. Shit has happened, but so far (and perhaps I shouldn’t speak too soon) I have cleaned it up and moved on regardless. Days on tour involving rescue are now down to 30%. Let’s hope that percentage continues to fall.