It's been a while since I last posted but there really hasn't been that much going on. It's been incredibly hot of course and I was starting to get depressed at having so much to do and no energy to do it when I happened to mention this at our old fogies' club meeting and three other women nodded and said the same thing. That made me feel so much better because I thought it was just me that was weird about this stuff!
Jordan and Jen spent two weeks in Brittany and loved it, as always. After staying with a friend for a few days they drove up to see the Mont Saint Michel and then east across France to see Jen's grandparents for a few days. Jen has mentioned a few times how pretty it is up there and how much cheaper it is, but then as my former plumber mentioned (he's from Brittany) it's cheap because there's no work outside of tourism. I suppose as Jordan is a plumber and Jen is a nurse they could both find work pretty easily all the same but Jen really doesn't want to go back to nursing and she finally admitted that many of these "cheap" houses are cheap because they're actually on flood plains. I know that's one of the things they would love - to buy their own house - and their apartment really is still only okay for them because the kids are so small, but things being what they are at the moment upgrading to a house is not looking likely with the state of the French economy!
I've driven through Brittany before but according to the kids there's so much more to it than just lovely beaches. The bus company I often do trips with routinely alternates trips to Brittany and Normandy every year so next time they do Brittany I think I'll book it if the timing suits!
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A google image of Mont Saint Michel
when the tide's in!
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When the tide's in
you can't get over there! |
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Just one of many pretty villages
they visited! |
André and his girlfriend spent 10 days near St. Tropez and also loved it, but André being André, he never sent us any pictures! I spent two weeks camping in St. Tropez for my 18th birthday and when I asked him if it was just as trendy he said not - but still very pretty!
Then the other weekend 12 of us went out to eat (coincidentally to the restaurant I'd just been to with the old fogies club) to celebrate Elynn's second birthday. The food and the company were very good and the weather was perfect enough to allow the kids to swim when they got bored of sitting at the table! I can't believe she's two already! She's starting to babble and great fun, even if she has quite the character on her!
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| Greg with Charlie and Milan |
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| The birthday girl! |
A new law was introduced in France sometime in July banning telemarketing. I was pretty skeptical at first as I was still receiving around five calls a day despite being signed up to something called Bloctel, which was supposed to block them. Maybe it did block most of them and these were just the five that were getting through, but either way, since this law was introduced I haven't received a single telemarketing call. While I feel sorry for people who might have lost their jobs because of this, I know I'm not the only person to be delighted with this new development (so fingers crossed then)!
The other day Jordan told me that another LPG pump had been installed at one of our local supermarkets so I decided to check it out as it was nearer than the two I'd previously been told about when I bought my car. When I got there there was indeed an LPG pump set up but as I went to pull in I heard a man I took to be Pakistani (by his accent) speaking into his phone in English and telling whoever that his card wasn't being accepted. The machine buggering up your card can happen quite frequently over here so when I pulled up he asked if I could help him. He told me he was a truck driver living in Lithuania and needed around €5 to fill up a small gas bottle (which I figured he used for cooking while on the road, like so many other truckers). I told him I'd fill it up for €10 for him but he told me he only needed around €5 and in the end it only took just over €4 anyway. He thanked me profusely and asked me to wait there while he went to get cash from his truck, but I told him not to worry and have a safe trip. You'd think I'd given him the world he was so grateful and I was so glad I'd helped him. I think the ladies out there would understand that being approached by a lone man when you're on your own yourself can sometimes be quite intimidating but, on this occasion at least, he was well worth my trust!
And finally, the other day I was looking for something new to watch on either Netflix or Amazon when I saw a short trailer for Ride or Die! Looking at the initial concept I was pretty sure it wouldn't appeal to me (you know, one woman takes out the entire Albanian underworld with just a knife and a tight dress) but it was actually pretty good, not least because the chemistry between Judith (Hannah Waddingham) and Debbie (Octavia Spencer) was great. Okay Bill Nighy performed (in my opinion) his one and only role as the staid old man who masterminded everything and I do get tired of one-role actors, but having finally finished the first series I would give it an 8/10 - and apparently series two is on the cards for autumn 2026! So now I've got to find something else to watch, although as I'm back to reading big time right now I suppose it won't matter too much if I don't find anything that appeals to me right away!
The old fogies club started up again last Tuesday and yoga and sewing start up again on Monday so I'm guessing life will get a little more regimented from now on and I'll have less to whinge about as the temperatures - while still glorious - are down about 10°C from their peak just a few weeks ago! So onwards and upwards then!
Those grandchildren are growing up so fast! They are precious.
ReplyDeleteYes. Soon life will take on its regular shape and form for you again.
I'm looking forward to the cooler weather and more of a routine but that does seem to make time fly by even faster doesn't it! Before you know it we'll be at Christmas!
DeleteHot weather is soooo enervating. We didn’t really have much of a winter and yesterday it was 30°. Way too hot for early spring.
ReplyDeleteThat truck driver was probably so thankful he found someone helpful and who spoke English. It must be so hard for truckies driving across Europe. Lucinda from https://countdowntoretirementinoz.wordpress.com/
Oh yikes, 30° in early spring!!!! I would probably take to my bed and not come out again until autumn! And yes that truck driver was really grateful. As I say, I was uncomfortable because the petrol station was not attached to the supermarket and I was the only one there but I'm glad I helped him - and so was he!
DeleteOh and I just wanted to say congratulations on your soon-to-be retirement. I don't seem to be able to comment on your blog!
DeleteThank you. Yes, I often have trouble commenting. Blogger and Wordpress do not play nice!
DeleteI loved Ride or Die. Two thumbs up:)
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely photos.
It was very silly wasn't it. To be honest, I'm not sure how they'll follow it up with a second series, but I definitely enjoyed the first one!
DeleteI love the photo of the two hand in hand on the boardwalk. They are growing so fast.
ReplyDeleteThe heat saps me and I don't want to do anything other than stay inside. Can you tell how grateful I am for a/c?
Things are beginning again here also, so my life will become a bit more structured. I will decide if I like it or not based solely on the temperature and humidity.
The kids are very close - until they're not - but then that's all siblings isn't it. And I often think about people who live in really hot places and while I realize A/C makes a huge difference I still don't know if I could do it. We mainly have A/C over here too (in shops and offices) of course, just not in our homes. Next year I guess I'll have to take better advantage of the pools and lakes round here. As for structure, I kinda like it because I tend to get lazy if I don't have it!
DeleteHanna Waddingham is sensational! A friend who went to Mont Saint Michel told me it's become very touristy. And sometimes cheap can be rather nice, even if you're in a flood plain, all you to do is plan ahead.
ReplyDeleteWe went to Mont Saint Michel years ago and I was very disappointed with the tat they were selling inside the village. I was expecting Breton lace and so on but most of it was Chinese tat. Sad really, because Brittany has so much to offer. And I didn't really know Hannah Waddingham until I heard her sing. Wow, all that talent inside a gorgeous package eh!
DeleteAnd of course I meant Normandy has so much to offer, not Brittany!
DeleteBrittany and Normandy have a special place in our memories from all our sailing exploits pre-children. Mind, the main memories are of leisurely seafood lunches at a table outside with a sea view, washed down with crisp Muscadet. Whilst I loved visiting St Malo and Mont St Michel earlier this summer, tourism has grown exponentially and the days of walking into a delightful restaurant and sitting down have inevitably been replaced by pre-booking or (heaven forbid) a queue, not to mention some pretty dismal fast food places reminiscent now of tourist hotspots the world over. Still such a beautiful area though.
ReplyDeleteWe went to Normandy when Jordan was about 12 and it poured down for 10 solid days - and he said it was the best holiday he'd ever had. Of course it was all about visiting the landing beaches - and the American cemetery made us all cry. So much history. I feel a proper visit to Brittany has to be on the cards, but sadly I have to agree with you about the over-commercialisation of so many tourist spots. It's a shame really as there is so much heritage that could be highlighted instead!
DeleteI love all of the fun summer pictures you posted. AC makes a huge difference in dealing with the heat.
ReplyDeleteI will have to check out that movie. I do love Octavia Spencer.
Enjoy the cooler days coming.
It seems I just get to the point of thinking I'm going into a depression and then the heat breaks! Of course, if I was smart, I'd spend more time at the lakes or the pool, but then work still has to get done at home too, doesn't it. It's already about 10° cooler here now and I can feel everyone coming back to life! As for Ride or Die, it's a series and I really enjoyed it. I'd never heard of Octavia Spencer (and barely heard of Hannah Waddingham) but they worked well together!
DeleteUgh. Heat. I am so sick of it. When September hits, I like things to cool off. We had one week of temperatures in the upper 90s near 100. It has now cooled down to the upper 80s, but next week will be back in the 90s. I’ve had enough.
ReplyDeleteHaven't we all had enough Pattie!!! Oh and sorry about your fall the other day but I'm glad that you weren't seriously hurt!
DeleteHi, this is my first time commenting here, but I really enjoyed this update! Brittany and the area around Saint-Tropez both sound beautiful, and what a sweet story about Elynn's birthday. It was also great to read about your good deed at the LPG station, moments of trust between strangers like that always warm my heart!
ReplyDeleteHi Diana and thank you for stopping by my blog. I love living in this area - I've moved around a lot and think I've finally found my sweet spot. I hope you stick around and if you have a blog please let me know!
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