20 March 2018
Off again!
This post, as always, is to goose Network Blogs into checking daily for new posts - will update from my phone, and add photos when I get home again - Wednesday 5 April, unless things go desperately pear-shaped between now and then.
27 February 2018
Brittany and Normandy, 27 February
26 February 2018
Brittany and Normandy, 26 February
25 February 2018
Brittany and Normandy, 25 February
The Swan Whisperer went off for his run this morning, and I got up, washed, dressed and got everything ready for breakfast, and was just about to set off on my walk when he returned. So I went off on my walk - not many walkers, except with dogs, but hordes of joggers and a fair few cyclists - and when I got back, breakfast was almost ready!
After breakfast we decided to drive through Rennes as it was Sunday and we assumed - correctly - that there wouldn't be much traffic. Rather an attractive town, we thought, but driving over cobbled streets is noisy in the van!
Then we came out of town and found somewhere to stop to have coffee - the SW had bought pains au chocolate when he got a baguette for lunch - and then round St-Malo, which we remembered from last time. Then we drive to our halt for today, the town with the glorious name of Villedieu-les-Poêles. The SW had been for a walk but says he wasn't very impressed. I was at a complicated bit of my knitting, so stayed in to do that, but we will have a walk tomorrow morning, and see.
24 February 2018
Brittany and Normandy, 24 February
23 February 2018
Brittany and Normandy, 23 February
22 February 2018
Brittany and Normandy, 22 February
21 February 2018
Brittany and Normandy, 21 February
20 February 2018
Brittany and Normandy, 20 February
19 February 2018
Brittany and Normandy, 19 February
18 February 2018
Brittany and Normandy, 18 February
So we are parked up in Saint-Omer for the night, having had a rather slow journey to the coast, but then we were able to go straight through to the holding pens, and it wasn't long before boarding commenced. The Satnav was slightly playing sillybuggers, but that turned out to be because it hadn't really found the satellites - I'd used my phone on the way down - and it brought us here with no problems.
The only thing was, why St-Omer? I knew there was something we wanted to see, but couldn't remember what. Some detective work ensued, and we realised we wanted to look at the old boat lift at Fontinettes. The museum won't be open, alas, but we think we'll be able to see it.
Then it was time to make a sausage hash for supper, and soon I shall go to bed, at least 4 hours earlier than I ever go at home!
21 January 2018
A day at the races!
It was an early start for us all, and London early on a Sunday morning has little traffic, so we arrived at Clapham Junction in good time, and joined my nephew and his partner - who had caught the train at Victoria by the skin of their teeth - on the train. Soon the Daughter and the Boys arrived - they, too, had only just caught the train, and had based themselves a couple of carriages further up, so there was much visiting. The Boys were resplendent in new ties - Boy Two had never worn one before, and was very proud of it.
We eventually arrived at Barnham and had to wait about 15 minutes - and a long, chilly 15 minutes it was, too - for the shuttle bus to the racecourse. The rest of the family had already arrived, and waved vigorously from the hospitality suite on the 2nd floor. We joined them in time for a cup of coffee before lunch, and gave my mother her presents - just oddments; I've ordered flowers but no point in having them delivered before tomorrow.
Lunch was good - paté, followed by rather wonderful fish with new potatoes and (undercooked, but not as badly as at Christmas) carrots. Then there was poached pears with white chocolate cheesecake, but I was able to swap mine for Boy Two's brownie, as he likes white chocolate and I don't.
Then the racing began. I don't bet, but it was fun picking the winners, and seeing whether they matched the tipster's selections - mostly, they didn't! The Boy is obviously too young to bet himself, but his father placed bets for him, and he was delighted to win in the first race - but, alas, lost all his winnings during the rest of the afternoon! The Daughter, with her usual luck, ended the day £3 ahead!
The third race, of course, was the main event so far as we were concerned, and we went down to the paddock as my mother had to pick the best turned-out horse (with helpful hints from the niece who is in the business and told her what to look for), and then we went to the grandstand to watch the race. I watched it from the railings, which was rather fun.
My mother then presented the trophy to the winning owners, and then we all went into the winners' room to watch a rerun of the race and drink complimentary champagne. And then we went up to the hospitality suite again and it was time to cut the cake, which my sister had made:
There were still four more races, although I watched most of them on the screen, from the comfort of the hospitality suite! It was definitely an unpleasant day. I did go out to watch the last race on the balcony, though - it was very nearly dark by then.
Then back to the shuttle bus, and a wait for the train (there was a waiting-room, so we were not too cold. And the train back to London, and for us, a quick bus home from Clapham Junction - noticeably more traffic than there had been 10 hours earlier!
Thanks particularly to my brother for a lovely day!
01 January 2018
Dulwich Park.
So we went to Dulwich Park, as the SW runs in Brockwell Park at least twice a week and is tired of it. I hadn't been there for many years - probably at least 30 - and have little or no memory of it except that it's a nice place. It's one of the Victorian parks laid out by the Metropolitan Board of Works, like Battersea Park and Southwark Park. I vaguely remember, when I was last there, that there was an aviary that still had birds in it, but that, of course, has long gone. There is the obligatory lake
which had tufted duck, moorhen and coot as well as the inevitable mallard; boards said there were shoveler duck, but we saw none. There was a children's playground - rammed, of course - and a café, ditto. We thought about stopping for a coffee, but decided not to. Right from when I was a child I have loved these benches built around growing trees. I think there must have been one in Abingdon Park when I was very small! There were at least two in Dulwich Park, although really, I imagine they are pretty anti-social. Fine if you want to eat your lunch without watching your neighbour's every bite, though....
Next to the café was what was called a "Dry Garden"; we didn't know what made it dry, as the beds looked as though they had recently been mulched, and some of the plants obviously longed for a drink. But there was a lovely mosaic in the middle of it:
We still weren't quite sure what the point was, so made our way back to the car. I'm sure the SW would have liked to have walked for twice as long and at twice the speed, but as it was probably the furthest I've managed to walk since July, and the first time in a very long time I've really wanted a walk, I was very pleased! And now home and a well-deserved cup of tea. Happy New Year to you all!