Some Everyday Heroes and Heroines.

Wherever we happen to be, most of us live a fairly ordinary life with a familiar routine. Whilst we may read of heroic deeds and celebrities elsewhere, we rely on ordinary everyday interactions with friends, neighbours and local tradespeople to help the world go by. Sadly , it would seem to be the case that many people in work nowadays are required to do more and more, so that they become stressed and overworked. Where once we were greeted with smiles and friendly chat, I find that often there is no time to be had for friendly interactions. And so , rather than moan, I should like to sing the praises of some people that we have met in France, who go over and above what is necessary. They not only take pride in the service that they offer, but they do it with a ready smile. Here are one or two of my superheroes.

For those of us who enjoy boating , either on the open sea, or in brackish water like the Etang de Thau, there is a very necessary chore to undertake every year. The boat must be hauled out of the water; set on chocks; cleaned of all seaweed and barnacles; and then given a coat of anti-fouling (pronounced anti fooling in France!) If it should need a fresh coat of paint, then this is usually done at this time too. Our favourite boatyard is Chantier Allemand, which lies at the mouth of the Hérault, just before the river enters the sea between two fine piers (or jetties) at Grau d'Agde.I have already written about Chantier Allemand in an earlier blog. It is an old family business, run by three charming sisters and their brother Henri. Henri is my first hero.

But don't expect to hold a long conversation with Henri, for he is constantly busy. Always wearing a blue boiler suit, he may pass you by in a rush, constantly concerned with lifting boats out of the water with his powerful machines; transferring them to a place in the boatyard; and putting them up on chocks. The very second that this job is complete, he will be selecting the appropriate machine for the next launch. As one boat returns to the water, another is waiting to be lifted out, be it a tiny two man fishing boat, a yacht, or an enormous steel canal cruiser. And so his day continues at a hectic pace. As soon as Henri is seated on this machine he is likely to pass you by at speed , skilfully navigating the traffic that passes between the boatyard and the river, before carefully and skilfully lowering the next boat into the dock . But no! His job is not yet finished, for he will not leave the boat-owner high and dry. He will make sure that the boat is secure, and be ready to give further advice if needed, before he rushes off to complete the next task. In the photograph on the left, you can see him in our boat's engine housing, sharing advice with Brian on checking the drive shaft, before leaving port. Below is a photograph from a few years ago when our old boat Njiva I is all ready for relaunching.

When we first arrived here 23 years ago, we didn't know a soul. The chief forester at that time was Gils who lived with his wife and daughter in the maison forestière. They were good and welcoming neighbours, as were one or two others, but until we found our feet we would often go to the nearest café bar in the neighbouring village of Soubès for a meal . It is here that we met Suzy. At that time Suzy was fresh out of school, and working there as a waitress. Whenever we turned up she would chatter away to us in English, and be extremely welcoming. Indeed, she made us feel at home in this 'foreign land.' Having been brought up in France by English parents, Suzy is equally proficient in both French and English, which was a great asset for her in that job. Twenty three years later, and Suzy is mother to teenage daughters and working in the large hardware/farmers supplies and gardening shop in Lodève , known as Point Vert. Nothing has changed. She is still welcoming and friendly, and greets us in English. She clearly works very hard in this different rôle. Suzy is indeed a work place heroine

A visit to the hospital is not on anyone's favourite agenda, but from time to time one or other of us has to make the trip to Montpellier, where there is a large University Teaching Hospital. Needless to say, many of the medical staff there, both doctors and nurses are undoubted heroes. But what about the ancillary staff? Hospital cleaning and catering jobs must be fairly thankless and tiring. That is why I should like to nominate a member of this team (J.) as one of my heroines. J. manages a small café where patients and their carers can pass the time as they wait between appointments, no doubt feeling anxious. J. manages at the helm, as the rest of the staff fulfill orders. She operates the large coffee machine too, and then takes payment. For each and every customer there is a smile and the same friendly greeting. Invariably each greeting ends with the words 'Bon Courage.' Would that everyone in this world had such empathy.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, B. is no longer felling trees, and so we must buy in firewood. Step in our next heroine who helps to run her family enterprise, along with her brother and sister. They not only supply firewood far and wide, but wood for building firms too. Anyone who can find us in the forest without any sweat, never mind while driving a lorry of that size, single- handedly, deserves to be nominated as my heroine. The wood was tipped efficiently where we had directed , and in no time at all she was manoeuvring the lorry and driving off. Bravo Ms Vial!

My next hero has already featured earlier in a blog, but let me tell you more about him. Stéphan is not just someone who helps in the garden for a few hours every month, but he has constructed his own house, and plays in a percussion band. Always willing to pass on his advice and wisdom , he is an absolute godsend when it comes to managing this forest cum garden. He will happily carry out any job that is asked of him: felling dead trees and splitting logs: , collecting stones for constructing garden beds: planting: pruning and so much more. Sometimes he seems to conjure time, for it would seem that a job has been completed before he has even been asked to do it. Or did I imagine that? Here he is helping Brian to assemble our new fountain, and if you look from our window, you will spot him pruning the murier platane trees, an annual job after the leaves have fallen.

Last, but not least, is our friend Heleen, who proves that you don't have to be in the world of work to be nominated as a heroine. For, like me, Heleen is retired. But that did not daunt her recently, when she decided to tackle an enormous wasps' nest that had been found in her attic. She had rung the local pest controller in the summer, but events conspired against her, and by this winter the job had still not been done, and so she rang him again. There was no need for him to come, he told her, for the wasps are inactive in winter. There was no danger. And so, single-handedly, she ventured into the loft of her lovely old stone house in the Cévennes mountains. It cannot have been an easy task. This is what she told me: "Yesterday I got down to it and am rather pleased that this 80-year old took a ladder to climb into the loft, shuffling along a plank on top of the insulation to cut the nest down, shuffle back and hand it to John. And this was the prize." Bravo Heleen, you surely qualify to be one of our heroines!