GRANDMA AND GRANDPA ARE HERE

Well my parents are here, the kids are sooooo happy.  It's hotting up and we've done lots of lovely walks, picnics at the river and even got ina  spot of table tennis.  Who would imagine we'd have a table tennis table in the woods.



SCHOOL IS OUT

Sunset tonight

Well school broke up on Friday for two months much to the delight of Samuel who hates school.  So we've completed an entire school year to celebrate we went for pizza.

We walked up the road to our little pizza place, no wood burning oven or anything, but he wine is cold and the pizza tasty.

Sunday it was off to Flumet where they were holding a Brocannte - flea market

Outside the Butcher

To celebrate the tour de france, Flumet has put up a huge bycicle

Then it was straight down the river to have lunch and cool off



MY HERO - FIFI

My sister in law, Fifi, came to look after me last week with her little boy Romain.  I took these photos;

Dinner time with her brother

She made this for dinner - a crepe cake with layers of crepes and inbetween, ham, spinach, mushrooms etc, delicious!!!!

Samuel and Benjamin's cousin Romain - the most delightful little boy!

FETE DE L'ECOLE

Kind of back on my feet, one good day and then one bad, but overall I think I am getting there.  On Saturday I had my staples removed and then raced to see Samuel at school.  My sister in law has saved the day as Manu is working this week, so she has come to help me with the kids - Thank heavens for Fifi.  Anyway she took them up as it was Fete de L'ecole.  This is the closing party the weekend before school closes and all the schools celebrate, either with a fete or a show.  Ours did a show, games for the kids and then a big bbq, It was so well organised for a little school and a great atmosphere.  I missed a few songs because the nurse was late but got there in the end..........

Sam is the one with shorts and one brace bouncing off.

The week before we visited Lac Illets, just round the corner from the hospital actually.  It seems a great place to swim in the summer so we'll be going back here.

Sam on crutches due to a strained ankel in Jujitsu

And of course the day after I got home our shipment arrived.  It is still sitting in the garage, can't face that this week.



DONE AND DUSTED

Well I'm out.  Went in Thursday night in the end as the hospital changed there minds and had the op Friday morning.  It went well, 4 hours but 3 spent in recovery so I never came out till 6pm.  Manu and the Boys were waiting for me in my ward.  I had a private ward with a great view of the mountains so that makes it easier.  Anyway, 40 cm of colon gone - very very sick colon - to quote my surgeon and a few holes and about 18 staples and we are good to go.  I came home yesterday and have a private nurse visiting.  I no longer have diverticular disease and so can look forward to normal living.  I am already eating veggies again and a little fruit.  Although in hectic pain its great being home with the boys and a big thank you to all for your positive thoughts and energy.  Heather I received your wonderful magazines in the post today and have lounged in bed all day reading them what a treat.  So a big thank you to all my lovely friends and family.

CATCH YOU NEXT WEEK

Well I'm off, meant to go into hospital tomorrow morning but they've called me in a day early.  The op is still scheduled for first thing in the morning, saves us all getting up at the crack of dawn I s'pose.  So I'll catch you all up once my diseased part of the colon has been removed.  Miss you all. xx

THE LONG WEEKEND

We had a long weekend - AGAIN.  The kids already get Wednesdays off so another day to add and they were thrilled as you can imagine.  Sunday was quiet as Manu was working so we wondered into Megeve for the Megeve Time Mt Blanc race.  Involving about 2000 cyclists and a lot of mileage it was fun to watch them come through to the finish line.

Then it was off to the park with Stephanie and Pascal for a game Boulles.  Samuel was a pro I tell you.

On Monday, Manu was off, so I nagged and nagged until I got my way and we went for a drive.  This is what we found...........

The drive - there are just fields and fields of wild flowers at the moment

So here we are at the Barrage of Rosaland a mere 30 minutes drive from us.  There are four of these dams in total in this area and they are fed from glaciers and melting snow, this one holds 185 million cubic meters of water.  All of the dams are used for hydroelectricity. 

 We stopped at Beaufort on the way back, a really pretty village in the valley

 Eau Potable meaning you can drink the water, this one had a brand new wash board in it which means its still used today for washing clothes.

A Typical street in Beaufort.  They make my favourite cheese in this village, Beaufort Ete - which is the summer version and Beaufort Hiver is the winter version.  Both versions taste different due to the cows grazing on different grasses and flowers in the various seasons, this effects the taste of the milk.

The Church

Even the satelite dishes go with the decor of the village

Another typical street

Benjamin trying the Eau Potable

Having a Kir and Ice cream at a bar in Beaufort