LAST PICNIC OF THE SEASON FOR THE BIZE OLDIES AND ME!

It was back to the Montagne Noir for our last walk and picnic of the season. It was quite chilly up in the mountains and a good job too because we had to walk 10 k's which is quite an achievement at any age! India came with us and we think she enjoyed it although you never know with 10 year olds. We had to walk a bit slower because of her little legs and the strain began to tell on Dave towards the end but we got back in one piece and joined the gang for the magic green champagne, made from champers, lemon juice, suger, ice and a large bottle of Curacao (sorry peeps not sure about that spelling) It is a fantastic drink, India had a taste and thought it wonderful. To accompany the champers they serve little nibbles and then we all go back to our tables and open up the chilled wines which we have in our cool boxes. The only things we have to supply on this occasion is bread, wine, knives, forks, spoons, tables and chairs, everything else if supplied by the club and the whole day only costs us 15E a head and no charge for the kids.

The first course consists of a tasty green salad, followed by enormous king prawns, as many as you can eat. They then serve pork ribs and sausages. Puddings are also on tap but I never bother, I would rather have another prawn!! Then of course comes what the French call Digestives, liquors to you and me. The best one is a home made from pure lemon juice and 100% alcohol. Mmmmmmmmmm.

Well we thought the "old folks club" had had enough walking for a season, particularly as the weather is hotting up by the day, but no - 10K was not enough for them! They tried to involve us in a 7K walk the following Tuesday, culminating in Lunch in the lovely medieval village of Minerve. We said a big NO to the walk but we joined them for lunch, good job too because the temperatures on Tuesday reached 36.

So you see the reason this post is a bit late is all down to the weather. Who in their right mind wants to sit at a computer in this sort of heat. I would rather be outside tending my grapes, or inside in front of the fan, drinking wine!

I had my six monthly visit to the Opthalmologist on Friday and he has deceided to use laser surgery on my right eye to try and improve the sight which has been very cloudy ever since my cataract operation at Moorfields. So we will see (or not) what happens and maybe just maybe I will be able to drive again. Its in the lap of the gods as they say but as you know, avid readers, c'est la vie.

ROSE L'AIMANT

This is just one of the roses in our garden. I have called the rose bed "The Family Bed" because the roses in it all have names similar or the same as the family names. L'Aimant is the closest to our name, Westerland is the same as Penny's maiden name and Alexander is my maiden name.

The good news since the last post is regarding Bra sizes! Silly me, senior moment, ordered the wrong size, no wonder it didnt fit.

Christopher has been speeding up my computer but unfortunately things seem to be going wrong since he changed the settings, so this post is just to see how things go blog wise. There is not a lot of news at the moment, we are still laying water pipes in the garden and this has to be done at 6am as it is too hot to do anything after about 8am! Ah well, c'est la vie!

THE LATEST WALK WITH THE OLDIES CLUB

We went up to the Black Mountains for our latest walk and picnic. It was a beautiful day and this year the poppies have been amazing and the vines are growing bigger than we have ever seen before. I have found a white poppy which I am told is quite rare, there is always a surprise waiting round the corner on these walks. The picnic was boozy with too much food as usual. Our French friends always come armed with extra food which they pass round and you cant say no! I think they must feel we don't eat enough, although after looking in the mirror today I think a strict diet is called for.

At the moment we are slowly laying irrigation pipes around the garden to assist with the watering. Water bills can be very expensive here and at the moment it can take me at least 2 hours to water my desert. The plants are, however, growing like mad and the roses which I put in last year are doing exceptionally well.

I am off to lunch tomorrow with some friends (ladies who lunch!) so the diet will have to start probably on Monday - well a week-end is never a good time to go without. We had a parcel delivered today from M & S and the two nice new white bras I ordered are too small! First time ever I have needed a different bra size. Anyway enough information I'm off to check the temperature, it was 100F when I came in from the terrace, just too hot to sit outside- ah well c'est la vie.

Stavros Flatley - Britain's Got Talent - Show 1

Got to be the best laugh we have had this year. Go Greek

VISIT TO CARCASSONNE

Tina and Tony have spent a couple of weeks in Bize and took Dave and I to Carcassonne, a place I have wanted to visit ever since we got here. Well it did not disappoint and we had a great day, the only let down was lunch which was of poor quality but we had decided to eat in the main square in order to watch the world go by and I think we should have chosen one of the many restaurants in the back streets. Well you live and learn and we look forward to going back to see more and have another try at finding good food.

The medieval ramparts are something to behold. The church with its fantastic stained glass windows is truly wonderful and on our next visit we have to spend time on a tour of the chateau.

Unlike most touristy places the shops in Carcassonne seem, on the whole, to sell quite high quality goods. I treated myself to a fashion watch which I am very fond of. It is probably too trendy for an old biddy but I like it!

If you get the chance go to Carcassonne, but don't go during July and August, I should imagine it is sheer hell.

It has been a while since Dave has really ventured out, after his operations and panic attack problems, but yesterday we took the plunge and went on the weekly walk/picnic with the villagers. We completed the two hour walk in a 75k wind (but it was warm too) and later had a picnic under the pine trees with the usual salad, cold meats, french apero's and a very nice wine. Hopefully we will go again next week. Incidentally the wind is still howling and all my virginia creeper has blown off the wall! Gardening in the Med can be soul destroying but yes, you've guessed it, c'est la vie.

GARDEN IMPROVEMENTS

THE NIGHTINGALE

This is a recording of the nightingale which I made this morning. Hopefully it will play successfully. The birds sing loudly in the trees down a little lane near us and, although it is difficult to hold a compact camera steady and move it at the same time (if you know what I mean) I have also tried to show the beautiful wild iris which are growing on the bank. This clip is an experiment, if it works well I will try other things, Watch this space