Busy weekend!

Well that was a busy (long) weekend and for once the weather actually cooperated. It doesn't always in May but this one was lovely. We had Whit Monday off, which is always nice because my little village always has it's village fête on Whit Sunday, so you get to recuperate a little the next day. As I had plenty of plans for the long weekend I tend to look up all the vide-greniers (car boots/garage sales) that I might be interested in, plus anything else that's going on, and write it all down in my diary. I don't use my phone as a diary as I still prefer to use a paper one but it does get pretty messy! When I looked at Whit Monday I had written down "nosewing" and I thought what the hell is that. Any which way I looked at it it still read "nosewing", until I realized it actually said "no sewing". Ha! And here's me thinking I'm going mad!

Over the past couple of weeks my friend and I got to fit in a few vide-greniers, what with the season being in full swing. It's quite a nice way to spend an afternoon pottering and even though I am trying to declutter (and am succeeding believe it or not) I have picked up a few treasures too.

The pretty green flowery plates plus the serving dish were a total of €2 (I couldn't believe it but she really wanted to get rid of them) and then there were 11 of those red glass ice cream dishes for €3 - not bad huh! I can use them all at the next board game evening at my place (well that's my excuse anyway)!  I also picked up the pretty tulip picture for €2 and if nothing else I can use the frame for one of my "Peru" pictures that I still haven't gotten round to putting up.

It's also a good excuse to get out in the fresh air (and snaffle a bag of chips from the concession stand)!

It was just as well we ran up the mountain to the one vide-grenier on the Saturday because on Sunday that particular mountain pass was blocked by a landslide! Yikes, well I guess it is the season!

On Satuday, of course, I watched the royal wedding. Not all of it though - that's like watching paint dry - but I made sure to come in from gardening in time to watch the actual service and I have to say it was lovely. Very inclusive, wonderful music and for once the weather cooperated! And weren't they handsome!

And talking of handsome, just take a look at the photographer! Alexi Lubomirski - just wow! Or "down girl, down" as my sister would say!!!

Being the classy kind of person that I am, I thought sitting there for an hour watching the ceremony would be a good opportunity to give myself a pedicure. Well after soaking my feet in the "mouthwash" mixture again, look at the bloody results!  We were going out later so I had to spend a good 10 minutes scrubbing the red stuff off my feet. Oh well, at least it wasn't green this time!

Then on Sunday, after a couple more vide-greniers, we decided to take a trip out to check out some of the local landmarks. I stopped exploring many years ago and it really is a shame as there is so much to see round this area. We decided to take a scenic route back rather than the motorway and check out a small waterfall which you routinely see from the motorway but I had never stopped there before.

This was the upper part of the waterfall

And the lower part - I couldn't get it all in the picture at once because of the trees!

There were a couple of families picnicking near the waterfall but to be honest, only five minutes drive away were a couple of lakes which I think might have been nicer but then who am I to judge.

After that we stopped in at our village fête. I always love our fête because it really is rural - kinda back of beyond-ish. I was lucky enough to bump into Jordan and Jen who had come over for a drink, as well as my neighbours - heck the whole village shows up at some point during the day. I have a great video of the accordion players and people dancing but I'll be buggered if I can get the thing to post here!

Dancing the conga - although in French you dance the "caterpillar"!

On the weight front I'm all over the shop. At one point I was down 10 lbs but now I think it is only about 6! So it's back in the saddle for me. I managed to walk in to work this morning and went to the gym at lunchtime and I always feel so good afterwards I wonder why I ever stop! Then yesterday I went for my annual check-up with the dermatologist - I usually get a few bits and bobs burned off as I am fair skinned. He looked at my arms and asked where I got that burn from (I'm not burned, I'm just red) so I told him it was from gardening the day before, at which point he told me to stay out of the sun because "you can't take it"! Fat chance - we're off to Turin for the day on Saturday to "do" the market, and they've forecast 30° and glorious sunshine! Can't wait. I've got my granny bag/wheelie bag all ready! Turin here I come!