LUNCH LAST WEEK AT LA LAVINIERRE

No photos this time as the weather was not good, we actually had a little shower of rain and a lot of cloud, which, incidentally cleared up after we had arranged a table inside!! Sacre Bleu. However the meal was probably the best we have had. I had grilled camembert on a bed of salad, the chef had removed the "lid" of the camembert and added sliced ham then replaced the lid and grilled the cheese whole. YUM Cholesterol here we come. This was followed by sliced duck breast in a red wine joux which was to die for. Followed by a sort of ice cream souffle soacked in Gran Marnier. Now I am not a pudding eater but at these lunches, when you are paying for 3 courses you have to eat them!!!!!!!!!!!! So I am learning about puds!!

Next week is our 43rd wedding anniversary so we are going to a restaurant of our choice, the name escapes me at the moment (several rose's ce soir) but I will let you know how it goes.

Weather is still in the high 90's and the wine harvest has begun early this year. I am hoping to get film of the grape harvest but a lot of the vineyards are picked at night in the dark so I may be unlucky and miss the picking of the big field near us.

Choir starts again tomorrow after a month off. I will have been a member now for a year. It will be great to see the gang again.

One more choir rehearsal and then its the big adventure. Leave here on the 18th and fly to Nairobi on the 19th from Heathrow - cant wait!!! Hope Tina and Tony cope with the dog, the chickens and last but not least of course Himself. C'est la vie!!

The Restaurant at La Caunette

This is my little video of the new restaurant at La Caunette, I am still struggling to get the videos on without loads of hassle ! C'est la vie

Ladies and Gentlemen who lunch

We are trying out new restaurants each week we went to a new restaurant in La Caunette last week which is run by three sisters. Very good food and a lovely setting. We had to eat inside because it was far to hot to sit on their terrace. We are going to another newbie next week, so stay tuned. It is far too hot to do our own cooking although on the odd night I do make an effort. Tonight we had duck breast with figs, peas, red cabbage and spuds which was not bad. Heavens knows what we will have tomorrow, I get so fed up thinking of food to cook.

My tickets came today so everything is ready for the great adventure. Only three weeks to go and for some reason Dave keeps recording Aircraft Crash Investigations for me to watch!!!!

Chickens still laying like mad and we are giving away loads of eggs. My French neighbour brought me a load of black figs today and I have lots of green figs of my own, so I am freezing them for later use. Scrummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Support Us | Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Support Us | Ol Pejeta Conservancy

This is from the conservancy where I will be staying in September. The do wonderful things for animal conservation and children's education. I intend to donate something when I am there. Only five weeks to go now for my big adventure, I cant wait to pack my case!.

The weather here is still in the 100's and so we tend to watch too much television because gardening is impossible due to the hardness of the ground and the heat.
We had a lovely lunch a couple of weeks ago with our Aussie friends Deb and Elizabeth. It looks like it could become a habit because we are off to Minerve this Friday for another lunch in a restaurant which overlooks the medieval city It will be a good opportunity for me to practise with the video again.

Our neighbour Paul has built us an extension to the chicken run and the birds are very grateful. We are still giving away lots of eggs every week. Photographs of Les Girls will follow after it cools down a bit and the sun has moved round.

MY NEW CAMERA

This is just a test video which I took at the Olive Festival in Bize last Sunday. It shows some of the dancers who performed in the streets of the village and the Garlic Sauce competition which takes place each year. The judges, headed by the Mayor are all well "oiled" by the time the judging takes place and the smell of garlic is overpowering.

The temperature at the moment reached 112 the other day and hasnt been far of 98 for the last month. No rain so the garden is looking quite sorry for itself.

LONG TIME NO POST

Sorry avid readers, but for once I have not been well. It started off about 2 months ago with Sciatica which got progressively worse and worse, so I went to the doc, which I NEVER do unless I cannot heal myself, and he sent me for x-rays which showed up major pinched nerves and discs and probably arthiritis. So now I have to go and see a physio. The doc had given me chortisone (sorry if I spell it wrong) for a week and it seems to be working. But then I had a Mammogram which as you girls will know as a boob test. Wow is it different over here in France and so much more efficient. First of all they take about 4 pictures on each side and then you have to have a test similar to when you are having a baby with bloody cold stuff and a MAN looking at a screen at your very small boob. It was really the most awful experience as when I was lying there I obviously thought the worse. Well they dont do that in the UK. Anyway the boss radiologist who spoke no English at all said c'est bon Madame, and that was that. I got slightly pissed that night because all I could think about on the examination table was " there goes my holiday to Kenya" !!!! Isnt it amazing what goes through your mind when you actually think you are about to die.

So we have now watched the England/Germany game with the family and had "a few" and I actually feel a lot better. Tomorrow I will make an appointment with the masseur and after that another choir practice.

We have the watering system on now and it is extremely hot. Around 35 - 40 daily with a little thunder ce soir but no rain.

Our African choral experience was, I think, a great success there are no photos at the moment but as soon as I get some you will see them too. I am now counting the days to my holiday. It will be a very exciting experience for me as I love travel but have never done Africa and back on my own before.

I am going to try and add a photo here of one of our trees which I think is fab and I hope you avid readers like it too but if not C'EST LA VIE

SUNRISE IN JUNE

This was the view from the terrace the other morning and I just thought it was worth sharing with everybody. The weather is much better now although we still have a strong wind blowing.

We have the first dress rehearsal of Zimbe today so I will post again after the concert. C'est la vie