THIS IS FOR YOU LISA

My friend Lisa always moans at me when I phone and I have taken longer than 5 days to post a blog spot so this one's for you my friend.  I so love talking to you all, it's free to landlines from here and my friend Tracy keeps asking aswell as my mom 'are you really certain it's free' YES to landlines, goes to show how you are all being ripped of by TELKOM.

So it's full summer in August, I have been here a year and I remember last year touching down on the 20th and marvelling how hot it was.  Such a shame my folks missed this glorious weather but I am lapping it up.  We went to Flumet last week, a grubby village which has a certain charm about it and a lake for bathing.  It was heaven.

I kept moving up the hill to get shade, and yes I did swim, prefer the sea though at least the water is moving and you don't have the sense that the warm bits are from someone not making it to the toilet in time.  Fun never-the-less.  I took my folks here when they were visiting in July and there wasn't a person in sight, it was about 15C though.

I've spent most of my days at our river which is now overcome with tourists so my fav spots are usually taken.  Still manage to find a spot in the shade though.  Today I bought the kids two little blow up boats, what a hit.

I was telling my Aunt on the weekend that we had a car ralley, she said 'gosh there's always something going on there.'  Yes but only in season.  In September everyone will go home, all the shops will shut and it will return to just a sleepy village.

The vintage car club charged 3 euros a person to take them round the village.  The funds going to Sammy's school.  Such a good idea, these are taken from my kitchen window.

And to Lisa, I am off to the UK for a 11 days so no update till then ok, so don't get pissy with me, and to you all who read my blog, much love, miss you all and keep reading my blog. xx

BOURGOGNE

I took myself and the kids of course off to Bourgogne for the weekend to stay with my sister-in-law, Fifi, short for Anne-Sophie.  She has a littel boy - Romaine, so the kids spent the entire weekend amusing each other.  It was great and we drove around a bit exploring the area.

Mersaulat famous for its rooves with all the different coloured tiles.  The grapes are just about ready for harvest and the vines were dripping. 

Pretty towns.

Kids in the park in Chagny, with there cousin and Aunty.

On Sunday we did the market.  It's a big one in Chagny and offers all sorts of things.  Famous for its wild mushrooms and Chicken - Poule Bresse, we didn't buy one however as they are three times the normal price.  I was interested in the fans, all the cheese and dried sausage stands had fans blowing.  It wasn't particularly hot, so I asked, and they are to distribute the smell of stinky cheese and sausage, makes you buy more.  Worked too.

The stinky cheese stand, good stinky though.

On Monday it was a public holiday so instead of fighting traffic I stayed the extra day.  We went for a walk along the canals in Chagny.  Really pretty and lots of blackberries along the road side for picking.  Samuel got a pair of roller blades from Uncle Guy for his birthday (early) so he put them to good use. 

It was a great weekend.

BIG BEN

My baby turned 5 yesterday, Manu is still away so I did a little party for him in the park with a few friends and I am happy to report the weather behaved.  What a lovely day, he was spoilt by everyone not to mention all the phone calls and packages from family.  Such a special little boy with a lively spirit.

MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL IN PRAZ

We had a medieval festival this weekend in Praz, it was really well attended but the weather didn't behave and it kept getting rained out.  We went a few times as it was at the top of the road, and the kids enjoyed the eagle and owl show, but we ended up running home in the rain.  I took a few photos, the parade was great, a really good effort for such a small village.