I had just got off to sleep last night when the fridge started beeping at us plaintively to tell us we were out of gas! So the Swan Whisperer got out of bed and went to change the gas, but after a few minutes, the fridge beeped again. So I got out and reset it, but then of course I was lying awake waiting for it to start beeping again (it didn't) and then wondering whether the Swan Whisperer had relocked the door when he came in (he hadn't), and whether I needed a wee (I did). So it was about 4:30 am before I finally got off to sleep. French time of course, but even still.
However, it had not frozen overnight, although it was very cold. But a blast of the central heating meant that it was warm to shower and dress (I refused to get out of bed until it had been blasting for several minutes!). We had breakfast, although it was raining so hard that the SW declined to go for a run or even to go and fetch croissants. Nevertheless, it was about 10 before we finally used the services and set off.
Our first port of call was the local Auchan, where the SW got diesel and more gas, and I did a shopping. I'm sure that place is six times bigger than it was when I was last there. One nice thing is that I got a new loyalty card last time I was there, and it is on my phone, and I was able to use it for scan'n'shop. They have a rather clever system whereby you return your scanner to a slot outside the paying area, and then when you get to a till, you rescan your card so it knows who you are and what you have bought. I did have to have 3 items checked, which was just a random check, probably because I hadn't used the system before, but that didn't take long.
By then, the SW was back, although he had parked round the other side of the complex, so I had to go back through the mall to get to him. Thank goodness for Google location sharing services, as when I zoomed in, I could see exactly where he was, and I didn't have to phone him and try to work it out from his description.
Then it was a long, dreary, wet drive along the A26 - over 300 km of it. We did stop for lunch, but that was all. I slept in the morning, but after lunch did a bit of knitting while trying to find some music to listen to that wasn't boring.
We have, as I thought been to this aire before, one winter's day when we were in desperate need of services and couldn't find any that were not locked out of use. Although we haven't used them this time, we know they are there, plus also showers and loos should we wish to use them.
I tried to do a bit of a workout as I hadn't had much exercise, but it was cold and wet so I only lasted 5 minutes! But that breath of air was glorious and I felt the better for it. The SW has barely left the WoMo today, escept to use the services and to buy gas. Unlike him, but the weather has been so very horrible.
However, because we have electricity here, the WoMo is lovely and warm. It won't be tomorrow, as we don't have any services where we plan to park up, but hey. We can go to bed early!
I was just about to make a chickpea curry for supper - I mean, to the point of getting out the vegetables and spices - when I suddenly realised that one thing I forgot to pack was cooking oil! However, I had bought a ready-meal of kidneys in madeira sauce, which we both love, so we had that with spinach folded through it, and a potato-and-leek mash. Followed by those lovely French compotes with cream on the top. Delicious. I will get cooking oil tomorrow and we can have the curry then, unless we ďecide to eat at the Ecomusée.
I suppose that if I were nice I could see whether we can stream Mastermind and University Challenge to our television. That, after all, is what VPNs are for. So nice not to have to go to bed more-or-less straight after supper, which we do have to when there isn't electricity. Gas is not finite, and it's a bore when it runs out in the middle of the night. Oh, and the SW has repaired his reading-light, or rather, installed a new one, so clever of him! So that's good, when we do go to bed early.
Tonight's photo is of the bowl I bought last Holidays, very cheaply, to use as a mixing bowl when required and to mash potatoes in, as we didn't really have anything suitable. We could use the bottom of the steamer, but then you have to decant the water somewhere (it's not a good idea to put it down the sink as it makes the grey water reservoir smell even worse than it already does).
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