A Family Weekend

Monday (mid June)

      Had a nice weekend. Met friends and played skittles.

       K asked me if I would look after L so she can go back to work for a while. It's just Thursdays and Fridays for three months (so she can claim her maternity leave money.) I said I would if she would buy a double buggy - I can't manage with two of them not walking properly. She did offer to pay me, but felt a bit weird being paid for looking after my nephew, so said to not bother. I hope it's okay. It will be nice to get to know L a bit better, he seems very sweet.

     S and J came for the evening. I cooked chinese food and they showed us their video of their holiday in China. Nice evening.

      Sunday was a barbecue at the in-laws. Bit stressful. I think they actually don't like barbecues very much, it's quite a relaxed way of cooking and they try to serve everything at the same time like they'd cooked it in an oven, which makes for a very UNrelaxed way of cooking.

      There's a bit of a saga because G Grandad is 100 this year and we're all having lunch with him and the extended family to celebrate. However, this event clashes with the local carnival and the schools are entering floats, so some of the children want to be involved. I am keeping very quiet - not my problem.

     Sunday was mainly church, plus I cooked some scones for tea. T put the children to bed so I could go to the evening service. Tomorrow he goes off on a two day course. I will miss him, I hate when he's away.

End of a Holiday

Friday
   Went to Les Eyzies and La Grande Roc in the morning.

   Spent the afternoon packing, which wasn't easy because the boot jammed shut. Must be the heat. Swam.

Saturday

  Left the cottage 7am. Drove to Alecon and booked into a B&B. Had an early dinner in the restaurant across the car park - Buffalo Bills. It was very relaxed (even with children) and nice food.
   T and I spent the evening on the balcony of the motel (we dragged chairs out of the room, so could sit right outside the door. The children couldn't see us but they were safe, we were 'on guard'.) We chatted and watched a storm go over, while the children didn't sleep.

Sunday

   Drove to Dieppe. Bread rolls for lunch. There was another huge storm. I like storms, all that raging power and nothing people can do to stop it.
    Ferry home.
    What a wonderful wonderful holiday.

A Holiday in France in June

Thursday

     Everyone well if cranky. Went for a drive this morning, spent the afternoon enjoying the sunshine in the garden.P is walking really well now. He spends ages collecting rocks to go in the buggy then pushes it down the drive. I wonder what is in his mind, it's clearly some kind of game.
   S and L played and argued. Me and T swam and played 'football' in the pool. Lots of fun. Everyone starving so lots of snacks.
   After tea went for a glorious drive through the countryside, spotting chateaux, a monastery and quaint villages. Another lovely day.

Wednesday

      S was sick all night, L and P were both sick this morning. It is SO hard having a holiday with little children. So hard doing anything in fact, even having a coffee break seems impossible some days unless I shut myself in the cupboard under the stairs. (I sometimes wonder what Harry Potter was complaining about, sounds a blissfully peaceful place to sleep…..)

    However, although it is disappointing, I cannot deny that last week was lovely so I do feel like I have had a holiday. Plus, if they are going to be sick, I guess it's nicer here in France than being stuck at home on my own with them while T escapes to work each day. SO, I wont complain, I'll just clean up and cuddle them and take deep breaths of lovely warm French air and gaze at the lovely view.

Tuesday

   S was sick twice last night. He is always sick on holidays. Not sure if it's some kind of nervous thing (he sure does not seem nervous) or if he has a really really sensitive stomach and cannot cope with any change of diet/water at all. Shame.
   He seems okay today so hopefully holiday will continue tomorrow. The weather is nice so we put him into the buggy and went for a stroll (T carried P, which always worries me in case he trips and drops him but it seemed worth the risk.)

    Yesterday we went to a village built into the rock face. We walked up steep footpaths and found derelict houses and caves. Smugglers galore.

     Then drove to Domme, which was a bit too 'touristy' for us. Had some nice crepes in a cafe next to the road though. I like the outside cafes in France, they feel different to the ones in England when you wonder why you are sitting outside when there's a perfectly comfy inside with empty tables.

    Drove back to cottage via the Intermarche. I nearly bought horse meat by mistake when buying beef. Which I don't quite know why I find that such an awful thought when logically, both are beautiful animals, but I do.

Sunday (in June)

   Drove to a view point over-looking the Dordoyne valley and attempted a DIY church (we couldn't face taking the boys to a French speaking church. They are noisy at the best of times!) Not sure it was very effective, but at least we tried (sort of looked at the view and read the Bible while T tried to stop P eating things.)

   Had lunch in a nice village restaurant - very French. Drank too much wine and was rather fuzzy all afternoon.

   Drove to a Chateau and looked around.

   Today has been cool and rainy - the first day it hasn't been really hot. Yesterday we tried to find a strawberry market but it was shut. Drove to Lot and looked around a brilliant ruined castle with secret passages into caves. Came home via a quaint Bastide town and ate ice-creams in the village square.

   The day before, we had a tour of nearby villages and found a ruin and a huge church. The atmosphere in these places is marvelous, you can 'feel' the history. I love ruins. I wish I could paint it all because I know the photos wont do it credit.

   This is a funny family holiday in some ways. Ideally it would be an adult's holiday - there is so much historical stuff to see and lots of driving around. Most of the things we can't enjoy with the children in tow. But I think you just have to enjoy what you can and breath in the scenes. The children love playing in the cottage garden, which is big and safe. S and L love the swimming pool and are getting quite confident.
    They are ALL a pain in the evenings and don't go to sleep much before us. Then they wake up a lot during the night so I have to keep getting up.
    P cries every time we drive somewhere, as soon as he sees he's is being carried towards the car he starts whimpering. Does not bode well for the journey home….

Tuesday (in May)

    Brioche and coffee breakfast.

    Visited some caves - beautiful sparkling rocks, the inside was huge, like a cathedral. Ate ice-creams.

      Back to cottage for a steak lunch and strawberries. Stayed there and swam until late afternoon. Then drove to bakers and had a bread and cheese picnic.

     We are all getting tanned, even the children who I completely smother in suncream. T is looking well, less tired. It's very hot, about 28° but it's due to get cooler tomorrow. I like it hot but it's not so good for the children.