Day: December 26, 2005

Compared to the previous days, the fog wrapped us in a relative chill until noon when the sun came out and Serge arrived in Charny (Yonne).  Charny was an important place for impromptu meetings with France 3 Dijon (TV station) and Dominique and Mamie Cognot, who made a small detour on their way to the Seine-et-Marne.

Serge ran alone on these roads, which crossed fields and forests and which were just wide enough to accommodate our camper.

At 15H00, in Aillant-sur-Tholon, 2 runners and 2 cyclists were waiting for Serge to accompany him for a few kilometers.

Then the numbers increased progressively: 4 then 5 then 10 and finally 20, as well as cyclists.  One would have thought a remake of Forest Gump.  Serge was literally carried along by all these runners who came to accompany him.  Here there was no competition, only the pleasure of sharing.

The welcome in Monéteau couldn’t have been warmer.  It was the happiness of shared pleasure, of sincerity and friendship.  The municipality presented Serge with a medal because there is a long history of friendship which goes back to 2002.  Don’t miss the semi-marathon of Monéteau in May; it’s organized in the most incredibly friendly way.  Sign up without fail and go out of your way to be there.  Note that the wine cellars are not far…..

The evening ended around a table.  Daniel and Martine had organized everything: the dinner with about 15 people, the breakfast, the laundry (thank you Martine), the vaccination against hepatitis, which we hadn’t found time to do earlier, like many other things.
 
Pascal came for two days to make some movies and Arlette and Daniel arrived with the four-wheel drive and the trailer heavily loaded.  So tomorrow we will be 2 vehicles and 4 people to accompany Serge.

It was an excellent day for Serge after the first night when he finally was able to sleep like a baby.