Whereas our lovely regal neighbour could not stand the other neighbours, she really took to us, Malc and I. In the five years we lived in the Presbytere it was sad to see the Madame sink lower and lower in to her own memories. Initially for the first couple of years one could have a reasonable conversation with her but there was one thing that was a problem. She loved and was proud of her chateau, it had been in the family for a thousand years and she knew all the little stories about it-from the 1900's onwards. The trouble was she also liked to give Malc and I the Chateau tour and she forgot each time that she had already taken us around. It got so everytime Malc went to see her I warned him " say straight away, you have had the chateau tour" Hours later Malc would get back and shrug his shoulders, he had not the heart to tell her, he had seen it all before , ten times!
After a few years it got so she would put her slippers under her arm and go off up the road to walk to Monteils to see her Mother. Her Mother had of course been dead for years. If we did not see her going the neighbours from the school house used to come for me as the Madame would only come back with me, she ranted if they went near her. Sadly there became a point where she was locked in the chateau to stop her wandering. A sad end for a beautiful, charming lady, a lady with style and breeding. She died still in her own beloved chateau about four years ago. Such a sad illness alzheimers disease and quite a relevant story showing how we all know someone suffering, and perhaps even more than one person.
Maree Giles says What a sad but beautiful story.
Val says Someone asked how she managed in the Chateau by herself. The family decided she would hate leaving her home so carers came to clean and another set came to bring her food three times a day.Her son came at week ends but the rest of the time she was on her own. The key was on the outside of the door so we could get in to check if we thought there was a problem. She also became confused about night and day and often was up all night, falling asleep through the day.I asked her son, '' but what if she has an accident''? His reply '' better to die in her own surroundings than somewhere she does not know'' and I think he was right.
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