TELESIEGE

There is nothing like the smell of wild flowers, now I understand why bees go giddy at the site of wild clover.  I took my Aunt and Uncle up the ski lift in Praz on Sunday with the kids.  It was spectacular.

 Aunty Madeline and Uncle John with my kids

 Sammy surrounded by wild flowers

 Love this pic of my Aunty with my kids

 Sammy

 Lupins and Tadpoles

 Wild Lupins

 Sheep

 

 Les Tetres Restaurant

A nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

TOURISTS

Well playing tour guide this week.  I booked the kids into the holiday club for three days so I could take my Aunt and Uncle with my parents around and do a few visits.  The holiday club has not been a success according to Samuel, he hates the food, they keep changing the program etc etc.  Will I ever please this child?

So first visit....................CHAMONIX.................................

From the left, Dad, Mom, Uncle John, Aunty Madeline

Mont Blanc

Mont Blanc Tramway

All of us.

Next stop.............................ST GERVAIS....................................

Church yard in St Gervais

A cute balcony

Another cute balcony.

Then we went to LAC ANNECY.  Once voted France's prettiest town it hasn't lost it's charm.  An hour or so from here, it's a nice drive too.

Love these with a little slide on the back of the pedalo.

And to finish we drove home the scenic route through LA GIETTAZ..............................



BASTILLE DAY

BASTILLE DAY to celebrate France, and what a wet one it was.  We had fireworks in Megeve the night before and very bravely ventured out.  It chucked it down.  And it was at 10 O clock at night as the dark only arrives late here in the north.  My dad stayed at home (wise) and my Aunt and Uncle came with me and my mom and the kids.  I used my friends Misha and Sylvie for lifts as my car is a little on the dinky size.

The kids got lovely lamps with candles in them for the parade.


A Benjamin window display, don't think Hermes will be too pleased.

Sam and Pierrick

In Megeve

Sylvie and Misha

Uncle John, Mom and Aunty Madeline

BEAUFORT

Kids are on holiday and Grandma and Grandpa are here so a few day trips are in order.  We went off to Beaufort (where my favourite cheese comes from), it's such a beautiful village that makes excellent cheese.  We went first to see the dam at Roseland.  I've posted pictures here before of the excursion we did with Manu in 2010 when we first got here, but my parents had never visited so off we set.  Quiet a twisty road in fact I thought my father was going to jump on my lap at one point, it gets a little narrow, but the expert driver that I am I got us there no problem (ahem ahem).

My parents with Benjamin and me at the Barrage de Roseland.  That's Italy behind the mountains.  The dam is used mainly for hydro/electricity.  You can still see a tiny bit of snow left on the mountains.

This is Beaufort, it's really pretty and in Savoie which is the department next to Haute Savoie where we live, in fact we live on the border of the two.  This is the cheese factory.

NEXT DAY......I took the kids including my neighbours kid - Pierrick to the jumpy castles in Les Saisses for a bit of a breather.  What a rip off 9 euros each.  My goodness.....................

They had a ball though.

DINNER.................

Mackerel  - they were really good.

GRANDMA AND GRANDPA RETURN

Yip my folks arrived last Wednesday.  Kids are excited and my parents are exhausted by all the banter that goes on, two boys can be hectic, but they are enjoying them.  Ben's been ill, he had tonsillitis and then a week later went down with scarlet fever.  Great.  Anyway by Tuesday he'll be out of quarantine and we can liberate him as the doctor said.  He seems liberated to me, one down day and then poof he never stops.  Such a sweetie.

Ben took the picture hence the grimace but mostly they look happy.

Scarlet Fever boy.

Grandma and Ben.

So now it's cooking, cooking, cooking, which is a nice change from eating the left overs kids food.  Not having Manu here I can't be bothered to cook myself anything so I just eat what ever.  I did have to clean the stove and rest of the house though.  Ship shape I am so proud of myself I have posted a photo of my gleaming stove.  Manu won't believe it.  I must be honest with you though, this took me three days.

Caprese Salad with real Buffalo Mozzarella and my basil from the balcony thanks to my sister and mother in law.  Delicious.

My version of a Crepe Cake, if you are my mother in law it is layered with ham and mushrooms, spinach and bechamel O' and cheese, if you are my sister in law it's layered with spinach, mushrooms and bechamel, if you are me it's layered with left over mince and lentils, bechamel and cheese, either way they are all superb.  I still think my mother in law has the upper hand in this dish though.

Basically it's about 8 crepes, don't sweeten the batter and leave the sugar out though, then make a bechamel and what ever else you want.  You line a deep baking dish with foil and oil it.  Place the first crepe down and cover in Bechamel, then the next crepe and cover with your filling of choice (sliced ham, caramelized onions, creamed spinach, sauteed mushrooms whatever. And you continue like this.  Cover in foil and heat in the oven on about 180C for 30 minutes.  Turn out and cut slices with a sharp knife.  Enjoy.

More tomorrow but right now I'm off to bed. Night night.