A Vampire's kiss!

My shift passed quickly at work today and before I knew it, it was 2pm and time to go home. For once, I didn't have anything planned but it took me a good hour and a half to prepare a sausage casserole for tonight's dinner. I didn't mind as I had nothing else to do and it smelled delicious by the time I'd finished. Keith had prepared all the vegetables, so once it was done, I swept the kitchen floor and mopped. 

Before Sophie came home, I also prepared the house for Halloween, and Keith and I found our terracotta pumpkin in the garage. I arranged candles along the windowsill in the living room and put on a YouTube video on the computer of a spooky house and pumpkins. Just before Sophie arrived, I turned all the lights out, sent Keith upstairs to get changed and hid behind the door to jump out on her. Unfortunately, she saw me moving and my plan was thwarted!

We sat in the kitchen and played cards and Sophie made us each a "Vampire's Kiss" - Prosecco, Vodka and raspberry liqueur served with a raspberry. The drinks were delicious and quite potent!

We had quite a few trick-or-treaters this evening and I put sweets in a big bowl for them to choose. We ate at about 7.30pm and blew the candles out and drew the curtains so we could have dinner in peace,  but I think most of the children had been and gone by then, It was a very enjoyable evening!

After dinner, we watched most of Psycho, but by 9.30pm we were flagging so it was time for bed!

Happy Halloween!

Building bridges...

Keith and I went to B&Q this morning to look for concrete blocks to help the cats get in and out of the cat flap, which was fitted yesterday. I was delighted with the new glass in the roof, and the cat flap looked great, but there's quite a drop to the path below.

We made straight for the building supplies section and picked out six rough concrete blocks, costing only £2.50 each. A helpful B&Q employee helped us put them through the checkout as there were no bar codes on them!

Outside in the car park, we chatted with a man in the car next to ours about cat flaps after he'd asked us what the blocks were for. He told us a funny story of when he worked as a site manager on a building development. A resident had asked one of his men to fit a cat flap in a door, and he had taken it off its hinges and fitted the cat flap but had put it on at the top of the door by mistake!

We were meeting Sophie for lunch and had a spare half hour, so we pottered about Lidl and looked at their wine range. I picked out a Ventoux white to try and noticed they were selling a Saint Emilion Grand Cru for only £13.99!

Sophie texted us to say she was out of her meeting and we made our way to Brackmills to meet her. Keith and I had had eggs on toast for breakfast so we didn't want a lot of lunch, and I chose a small bowl of fries and a cup of tea while Soph and Keith had sandwiches. The place gradually filled up with office workers arriving for their lunches and it was great to sit and relax for an hour.

Keith and I returned home and we put the blocks onto the path to make a little bridge for the cats to get in and out more easily, not that they have used it yet! I fear it will take some time for them to work out how to open the flap with their heads! I then asked Keith to chop up some vegetables for me and drove over to see Mum and Dad. I felt shattered today, for some reason, and it was pleasant to sit with them and chat for an hour!

Back home, I prepared tonight's dinner of spaghetti Bolognese, hoovered and made the porridge for tomorrow. I left the hated list for later when we relaxed with a drink!

The meal was lovely and had benefited from a long cook on low heat. Preparing the meal from scratch is so much better than using a jar and the flavours were intense!

Exciting news!

I had another uneventful day at work and it was great to leave at 4pm and head home in the gathering gloom. Now the clocks have gone back an hour, it's starting to get dark at around 4.30pm if the weather is grey and overcast.

When I arrived home, Keith showed me a programme he'd recorded earlier... it was the route for next year's Tour de France, and the race was going up Mont Ventoux! We decided to watch the programme after dinner with Sophie, but I already knew it started in Lille and spent a few days in the northern part of France.

Sophie came home and we all sat in the kitchen, with Keith and I playing cards. There were no surprise visitors tonight! After Sophie had cooked a delicious meal of chicken fajitas, we settled down to watch the Tour de France programme and we were delighted to see that one of the starts was also in Bayeux! I'm going to have to record every day of it! We also learned that another start was in Bollene, where we turned off the autoroute to get to Sablet, so we're all looking forward to seeing the race take place next July. We're still going to try and catch it at the end of our holiday... somehow!

Gomez was naughty tonight and wouldn't come in when Sophie called him at about 10pm. She could see him further up the road but he ignored her and ran into the bushes. Whether he had caught something and was chasing it, she didn't know. Later, when she looked out of her bedroom window, she saw a huge badger cross the road and go into Paul's garden opposite! It was then that Gomez decided to come in and wolfed down two pouches of food! He is a little monkey!

An unexpected visit!

Because I'd been at work on Saturday, I had fewer emails to deal with this morning. It's half-term this week and we weren't as busy as I thought. We were all wondering if people had gone away for some late sun this week?

Keith collected me at 2pm and I went home to pootle about. The glass fitter had called me at work today to say he was coming tomorrow to replace the roof panels in the conservatory and fit the glass with the cat flap. We have two weeks to teach the cats to open it and use it!

As we sat in the kitchen in the evening playing cards, I saw a tall figure at the door, and I nearly fell off the bar stool when the back door was flung open... it was Mike! He was pleased to see us using his gifts from Asia - Keith was drinking out of the beer glass and my Cracksters were in the recycled coconut shell!

He told us he'd secured a job again with idverde, the company he worked for in 2019. We were delighted! He starts next week and will be putting down turf in new builds rather than the parks maintenance he did five years ago, but he was pleased he'd managed to get a job so quickly. He picked up his work gear, had a chat and then returned to Abbie's house in Northampton.

I cooked a mince crumble this evening and we watched our usual Monday night quiz shows. Keith and I didn't do badly with some of the questions on University Challenge, but I swear they're getting harder!

A big sort out!

It was great to have an extra hour today and a little lie-in after my early start yesterday! I made myself a coffee and watched a great documentary on two medieval Queens, Matilda, granddaughter of William the Conqueror, and Eleanor of Aquitaine who married Matilda's son, Henry the II. There was a lot of France mentioned and key places such as Rouen, Poitiers and Chinon. It was very interesting and I'm looking forward to seeing the second episode.

Over another coffee, we devised the shopping list and meals for the next few days. I decided to give the fridge a deep clean and throw out foods that were past their best, and I also tackled the food cupboard and tidied it up. Lastly, Keith and I took everything out of our herbs and spices cupboard and culled several items, some of which had expired in 2020! When they skulk at the back we don't notice them!

Sophie wanted to wash Olive, so we drove into Northampton but everyone else had the same idea and the car wash at Morrison's was packed. She decided to go home and wash the car herself instead! At least the weather was beautiful and sunny and perfect for getting out for some fresh air!

Before she washed the car, we had leftover baked potatoes from Friday night and Sophie made a start on the Mulligatawny soup for tonight's dinner, served with naan bread.

Once the car was washed, we ventured out for a walk. We decided to walk up to the village, but when we came out of the estate, we were surprised to see the road closed. We changed our minds and went to investigate, revelling in the empty road and peace! Cora, a cat who lives up the road, was sniffing about and let us stroke her, which was unusual! She normally runs off, but she did look a bit annoyed with us for some reason! I think it's her default face!

As we were walking down the road, a van reversed all the way up carrying cones, and then a road marking van went past, so they were obviously re-lining the road. The peace was shattered!

We turned back and called for Mooney so we could walk around the estate with him. He loved the walk with us and gambolled about sniffing the bushes and disappearing into gardens!

Back home, we sat with Keith in the living room and both Sophie and I read before it was time to prepare our very simple, but delicious supper. We watched Strictly Come Dancing: The Results and then enjoyed rhubarb crumble and cream. Yum!

A relaxed lunch

We set the alarm for 7.30am this morning but I was awake and sitting downstairs with a coffee at 6am. The cats went straight out into the dark morning, and I was glad that there was nothing nasty lurking like there was yesterday when Mooney had brought in a baby rat. I don't think he had managed to catch and kill it within a few minutes, so I had assumed it was already dead, a little worrying in case it had been poisoned.

Over a coffee, I booked the Le Troubadour Hotel in Rocamadour for next June, when we drive to Spain. I looked at driving straight there from Calais but it was almost nine hours, so we'll probably stop in the Loire again. France is such a big country!

Sophie took me to work and I had a busy shift with Shirley. Some of the calls I took were quite complicated, and I signed up two new members, as well as dealing with the emails and sorting out the box office returns.

At 2pm, Sophie came to get me and we drove to Olney for lunch. We decided to eat at The Courtyard Brasserie and I was surprised at how good value the food was. They were offering steak and chips for £13! We chose a Caesar salad and fish finger ciabatta with a small glass of wine apiece and settled back to enjoy our late lunch. The restaurant had emptied out with only a few people still lingering, including a trio of ladies opposite who were having a great time chatting and laughing.

We chatted about Halloween and decided we'd give out sweets this year to any children who came trick or treating. Sophie also wanted to make spooky cocktails so that will be something to look forward to next week!

Outside, it had started to rain so we asked for a slice of apple pie each, served with custard, and stayed for another half an hour until it stopped. By now we were the only customers, and it was lovely and cosy.

After paying the bill, we mooched about and visited a couple of charity shops, but it was now almost 4.30pm and the shops were closing. Sophie and I bought a couple of books and returned to the car for the drive home.

Autumn was showing her most beautiful colours on the way home and it was great to see the trees and bushes displaying reds and oranges. We arrived home and spent the rest of the evening curled up in the living room reading while Keith watched football.

We watched the Halloween Strictly Come Dancing, the only one I will watch, and then switched over to BBC2 to see their hour-long "Sad Songs" programme. The clocks went forward this evening so we stayed up a bit later and watched a recorded show with The Smiths, and then YouTube for The Psychedelic Furs and The Blue Nile (all my era of the 1980s!). I have signed up to get news about The Psychedelic Furs tours as tonight they were playing in Denver, Colorado! I'd love to see them in the UK!

Too grand designs!

My shift at work passed quickly today and it was great to leave at 4pm and drive home. We've been having misty mornings lately, and although the fog had cleared through the day, the sky was still grey and gloomy. As I drove home the sky looked ominous and it started to rain shortly after I arrived back.

Keith was at home this evening but didn't intrude on our Girls' Wine Night! We watched Grand Designs about a truly mad couple who had decided to turn an old water tower into a home, somewhere in Northamptonshire. Kevin McCloud presented the first part of the programme from the top of our very own "Murphy's Well" as Terry Wogan used to call the Express Lifts Tower!

The plans for the water tower looked fantastic, with a garden and pool on the very top level, but sadly it wasn't finished by the end of the programme. The couple had three young children and the husband was trying to do most of the work himself and had little money to spend on the project. Will it ever be finished? I sincerely hope so!

After dinner (baked potatoes and salad) we watched a brilliant documentary on Netflix about a catfishing saga that went on for eight... eight! years! I won't reveal the ending but it was well worth a watch and left us all speechless with disbelief!

Putting the (front) garden to bed.

I had an hour and a half alone in the office first thing, as both Sara and Sheila were out, and it was lovely and quiet without anyone coming in and disturbing me! Not that I would have minded, but it did mean I could get on and do a fair bit of work before the others arrived for their shift.

So, there were only four of us until I went home at 2pm, and it was very pleasant indeed. Keith collected me at 2pm, and we went home to have a cup of tea and a flaky mince pie before I made a start on our unkempt front garden. The grass on the verge was long and scruffy, and the bush was overgrown. I felt ashamed!

Cutting the grass was difficult as I'd left it too long, and it was thick and damp even though the sun was shining. It was mild, and I soon felt hot and sweaty as I worked away! It's unbelievable to think that next week it'll be November! Keith came out and helped me sweep up the multitude of leaves, and I weeded the soil and cut back some of the Hypericum. We said we wouldn't let it go mad again, and we have!

When I finished the front, I swept up all the leaves from the driveway. We both agreed that it looked a lot better and won't now have to be mowed until next Spring. I've left the back garden for the time being!

Sophie came home and said she wasn't looking forward to cooking the chicken stir-fry but she did a great job of it, and the meal was delicious! Keith and I played cards again, I lit the fire in the living room and we listened to music. It was wonderful and cosy!

Love letters straight from the heart...

Sophie returned to the gym this morning, and I saw her off before going back to bed and having a little lie-in. It was great to relax and have an easy start to the day!

Sophie had asked us if we could go and do some shopping for her, so we decided to head for Aldi at Overstone. However, as we neared the supermarket, it was obvious it wasn't open, and there was a fleet of white vans in the car park. I was annoyed because I thought it was the most convenient place to shop, so we were forced to go to the Co-Op in Moulton instead.

Sophie wanted nibbles for tonight's visit to Laura, so we bought hummus, breadsticks, little mini Scotch eggs and chicken bites. With a bottle of Cava, it came to exactly what she'd asked me to spend! We headed home, had an early lunch, and I pootled about until midday.

I went to see Mum and Dad in the afternoon and sat with them for an hour. Netflix was still showing, which surprised me as I'd had a nagging feeling that it would disappear again! We sat and chatted for an hour, and Mum showed me a box of old love letters from my Dad when he was away at sea in the Merchant Navy. She had been a bit confused the other day about the letters, saying that someone had found them in the car park, so I had no idea what she was talking about. It was great to see them safely contained within a tin box, and I urged her to lock them away from prying eyes. I also took a sheaf of bank statements home with me for safekeeping. I'm not happy that they insist on having them sent to the care home, especially as I can update them about their bank account on my phone!

I made my way home and did the usual Wednesday chores before Sophie arrived home a little earlier than usual. She went to see Laura at 6pm and Keith and I played cards in the kitchen before we cooked dinner.

I spent the evening upstairs watching television with Moon-Bums, who was amazingly affectionate this evening, sitting on my chest and nuzzling me like mad. It was lovely! Of course, Gomez was nowhere to be seen and wouldn't come in even though I kept calling him! He came in, finally, when Sophie arrived home, which was a relief!

Making plans

Sophie felt a little better this morning but didn't go to the gym. We sat and had a coffee and watched an episode of Help! We Bought A Village! and we both marvelled again at why people buy derelict wrecks and try and do them up! I have to admire them!

Work passed quickly again and when I got home I talked to Keith about an email I'd received from a restaurant in Puerto Pollenca. I'd contacted Stay about Christmas lunch but they were already full on the later sitting (3pm) and wanted full payment - 60e each - by the 1st of December. We agreed that 12.30pm was too early to eat as we'd feel we had to be out by 2.30pm. It's far too late to book something when we arrive on the 23rd, so I'll look for something else or we'll resign ourselves to cooking on Christmas Day. It won't be turkey though! However, there are other places to visit on the island and I'd even be prepared to drive to Palma if necessary! I'm sure we will work something out!

Sophie didn't feel like cooking our chicken stir-fry tonight and was still sad from her break-up with Vikesh, so we postponed it until Thursday. She's going to see her friend Laura tomorrow, which I think will do her good.

We watched an interesting documentary this evening on two houses during the Second World War - one in Marylebone and one in Berlin. As we love both places, it was very interesting but sad at the same time. It seems mad that this time in three weeks we'll be in Berlin again!

Sad news...

Work was busy today and I managed to put most of the new films onto the system, as well as deal with the emails. Because I was so busy, the shift flew by and this afternoon, for once, I had an easy journey home with no hold-ups!

Sophie came home and said she had another headache and she wondered whether it's stress-related? Just before dinner, after a long conversation with Vikesh, they both decided to part ways, which was very sad. It's been on the cards for a while and they haven't seen each other properly for months. Sophie was upset but cooked perhaps her best-ever beef stroganoff with tears streaming down her face. I felt so sorry for her, but there was nothing I could do except give her a cuddle.

The rest of the evening was quiet and Sophie took herself upstairs and watched Friends. Her headache hadn't gone and I was worried about her, to be honest. I was hoping that by the morning she would feel better and that it would be a better day for her!

A bit of a blitz!

After a lazy start to the morning, I tackled the bathroom and gave it a long overdue deep clean. I hardly ever use this bathroom as I shower in the ensuite, but after going in the other day and being a little shocked, I decided to blitz it today. Sophie sorted out the laundry and changed the beds, and Keith sloshed his way to Tesco to get some things we needed, so we were all busy with domestic chores. However, what else can you do on a wet Sunday!

We did many loads of laundry today and cleaned the house downstairs. By 3pm, we'd both had enough of cleaning, so Sophie and I watched Widow Clicquot on Amazon Prime upstairs. I'd wanted to watch it since it first appeared at the cinema and I enjoyed it, especially as it was about Champagne, but I think Sophie lost interest! The acting was great, and the countryside looked gorgeous. When we watched the end credits to see where it was filmed, I saw various mentions of Tonnerre! It was filmed near Chablis, though, and I wish I'd known that before we visited!

Over a game of Scrabble, Sophie and I enjoyed a Manhattan cocktail each along with little cubes of Comté cheese, Cracksters and the little toasts we'd bought in France dipped in aioli. Because of this, we all agreed to skip dinner this evening. This is happening quite a bit lately! We make plans for meals days in advance and sometimes we don't fancy them!

I thrashed Sophie at Scrabble this evening, the first time in ages, and she was not amused! Later in the evening, I shared a slice of fruit cake with Keith and enjoyed a tot of my Jura whisky with it while watching another episode of Pole To Pole. Michael Palin was in Sudan and facing a difficult and dangerous journey. I looked up the FCDO advice on visiting Sudan and they advise against all travel, so nothing has changed!

Sophie gets the needle!

We awoke to torrential rain this morning and I think that parts of the UK are going to be affected by the first named storm of the season this weekend - Ashley.

Sophie had an appointment at 11am for an acupuncture session in Wollaston, so we said goodbye to Abbie and Mike and set off on wet roads to the village near Wellingborough. Sophie's Apple Maps took us via Sywell, Mears Ashby and Wilby and we turned onto roads that crossed the Nene Valley. We drove over a bridge and the river looked very high. Further on was a flooded area of fields, which I at first mistook for the river again!

We found the centre easily and I went into the treatment room with Sophie. The woman practitioner asked Sophie lots of questions to get her overall history and questioned her about her diet and lifestyle. Sophie then lay down on the bed and the woman inserted several needles into her ankles, arms and head. She then had to relax for about twenty minutes.

Another appointment was arranged for Thursday at 1.30pm so Sophie will take an extended lunch break from work. The woman suggested six sessions at first, which will work out at £300, but if they help Sophie to feel better every month, it will be money well spent! She advised Sophie to cut down on bread and wine and eat cheese in moderation. She seemed to think that our recent cheese-fest in France may have contributed to Sophie's terrible headache last week.

We left at 11.30am and I suggested brunch at Castle Ashby. We grabbed one of the two free tables and chose what we wanted to eat. I chose a sausage sandwich on sourdough bread and Sophie was delighted to see shakshuka on the menu.

It was great to linger over our brunch, and after we'd eaten we wandered around the small shops. There seemed to be a lot of new ventures and Sophie treated herself to a pair of earrings in a gorgeous clothing shop run by a friendly woman who was happy to chat with us and offered us a sweet! We also bought some goodies from the delicatessen, including cake, Comté cheese (!) and a sausage roll for Keith.

Leaving the lovely village behind we drove home, noticing how many of the trees had changed colour, most of them a beautiful orange or red. It really was very Halloween-like! There were leaves everywhere and if this storm happens, no doubt more will be carpeting the roads and verges.

Back home, we tidied and cleaned the kitchen and Sophie hoovered downstairs. I had a little nap and then we decided to take Mooney for a walk around the estate. At the top green, we met Lynn who is the local font of knowledge and a Parish Councillor. She and her husband were measuring the green as they intended to take back the maintenance of the trees and bushes again. Lynn and a small team of volunteers had been looking after our two greens a few years ago until the Parish Council put the maintenance out to tender and they had been sorely neglected.

We had a long chat while Sophie and Mooney played on the grass. I asked if she knew who had bought several fields next to our estate and I was relieved to hear it was another farmer who already owned fields near Walgrave. What a relief! The stunning views we have from our upstairs windows will be safe!

Lynn told me about a protest group formed to stop acres of land near us being given over to solar panels, and I said I'd wanted to go to the information session next Saturday, but I was working. This huge development is due to affect several villages in our area and there is strong opposition to the plans.

Lynn knows everyone, and everyone knows her, so it was great to stand and chat and say hello to neighbours who drove or walked past. Mooney was having a great time cavorting on the green and sniffing all the bushes!

The rain of this morning had disappeared to be replaced by blue skies and sunshine. It was a perfect Autumn day!

We said goodbye to Lynn and returned home for a cup of tea and a slice of cake. I had bought a small fruit cake for Keith and me to share, while Sophie indulged in Guinness cake. Delicious!

We played Scrabble and Sophie beat me by seven points, so not a disgrace! We enjoyed a lovely dinner of steaks in an onion gravy served with very thin French fries and green beans.

After we'd eaten we chose to watch Casino Royale, a film we never get tired of. Both Sophie and I swooned over Daniel Craig and Mads Mikkelson - what a pair of gorgeous men!

Return of the son!

Keith had to take me to work again today as he had an appointment for his flu and covid jabs. The traffic was heavy and it seems to be getting worse in the morning. It doesn't help that a large new school has been built on the outskirts of Moulton, and it appears that a lot of parents are driving their children there, as the catchment area now includes the new housing along the A43.

Sara was off today and I managed to finish the moan report and deal with all the emails. I also received another long list of films to be put onto the system, but they'll have to wait until next week as I ran out of time. I love the cinema side of my job so that will be something to look forward to, and a change from emails!

Halfway through the afternoon, we learned there'd been an accident on the A45 and this had a major effect on all the roads in the area. Keith came to collect me and it took us almost an hour to get home as there'd been other problems on the road. When we eventually arrived in Holcot, we could see a huge B&M lorry wedged into "cut-throat alley" as my Nan used to call it, a narrow road that we use to bypass the main street in the village. It appeared to be backing into the tiny road so I decided, foolishly, to use another tiny road to get back onto the High Street. Unfortunately, other drivers had the same idea and we were all held up as we battled our way through. The road can't accommodate two-way traffic so it was a nightmare! As we emerged at the end, the B&M lorry went sailing past as if to mock us!

It took Sophie an hour to get home and she arrived shortly before the arrival of the prodigal son! Mike and Abbie returned from their Asia trip on Wednesday and had asked to come around tonight and tell us all about their adventures in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

We sat in the living room with a drink and listened to them tell us about their trip and it sounded fantastic. They had brought us back lots of gifts, which included a bottle of whisky, sweets, incense holders, earrings for Sophie and peppercorns that you can snack on! They were delicious! Everyone knows that I love pepper so it was a brilliant gift!

We ate dinner in the conservatory and asked them both what their plans were for the future. Abbie starts a job in Nottingham in November and Mike is going to look for work in Northampton for a while before joining Abbie. It seemed a strange way forward and Abbie will be living in a house-share while she works. All attempts to persuade Mike to get a job in Nottingham fell on deaf ears and our son can be very stubborn at times! I'm just hoping it will all work out well in the end!

Success!

I was back at work this morning and felt a bit deflated. I sat and looked at all the emails I had to answer and wondered whether it was time to look for something different? I think it was just my mood as the holiday blues are still lurking! Yesterday, I received a text from an employment agency asking if they could send me details of a position, but I'd declined, saying I had no plans to move jobs, but this morning, faced with the emails, I wasn't so sure! Maybe I should have enquired further!

Anyway, I worked my way through my shift, and at 2pm, Keith picked me up and I dropped him at home before going to see my parents. I was hoping to get them back onto Netflix again, but when I tried, there was still a problem with the internet connection.

It was frustrating and I noticed that the sofa my Mum sits on was urgently in need of a deep clean. In fact, I wasn't happy with the way my parents looked today, and I was going to email the management team when I got home to ask if I could bring in an upholstery cleaner to scrub the sofa!

I tried to get onto the wifi on my phone, and it worked with the password I'd been sent! I then tried the television again, and amazingly I was successful, much to the delight of my parents! I have no idea how this happened! Maybe my phone acted as a wifi booster, I don't know!

With my job done, I left but bumped into one of the senior carers on my way out. I asked her about cleaning the sofa and she said the housekeeping team would do it! Result!

Back home, I pootled about catching up with jobs and when Sophie arrived home she said she still felt unwell. However, she wanted to cook tonight, but we sat and had a chat before she started on the preparations.

She said she felt like she needed a change at work as well and was going to pay someone to write her CV and a cover letter. I agreed with her and said maybe it was time for both of us to have a change!

An early treat!

We awoke to a foggy, grey day that was damp and Autumnal. Sophie had a sore throat this morning, so I encouraged her to do a covid test, just in case. Apparently, cases are on the rise again, and as we go into the Autumn and Winter, bugs will be circulating. Luckily, it was negative!

Although the weather was dismal, it was mild, with temperatures in the high teens. Keith suggested breakfast at Beckworth Emporium and I readily agreed! When we arrived it was very quiet and I was astonished at how much stuff there was to buy! I dread to think how much of their money is tied up in stock!

We had a delicious breakfast and the food was excellent quality. We had a cooked meal with bacon, sausage, egg, baked beans, mushroom, tomato, hash browns and toast. It set us up for the day! After we'd eaten we wandered about, and I asked Keith whether we should get a turkey crown and have a proper Christmas dinner when we return from Mallorca. I have no idea what we'll be eating on Christmas Day, but it might be nice to have a turkey on the Sunday after we return.

From Beckworth, we drove to Mawsley where I posted an item of clothing back to an online retailer, and then we drove home. The weather was still horrible and I yearned to see the sun! It seems like a long time ago we were sitting outside and enjoying the beautiful weather!

I spent the rest of the day pootling about and catching up with jobs and the weather didn't improve at all. We had a cup of tea in the late afternoon and treated ourselves to a couple of oaty, chocolate biscuits which I'd bought earlier at Beckworth. They were delicious!

We all agreed not to have our planned dinner tonight as Sophie still felt ill so we postponed the beef tacos until tomorrow, when hopefully, she will feel better!

A noisy office!

Sophie was back at the gym this morning and feeling a lot better, thank goodness. I had another busy shift at work and managed to get a lot done, but it was a noisy office today (as it so often is on a Tuesday) and I really had to concentrate when I was answering emails.

Before dinner this evening, Keith and I played cards and he thrashed me! I don't know why sometimes I win all the games and he loses, and vice versa! We both love playing cards, though and we'd never be bored if we were stuck somewhere and we had a pack of cards with us!

Sophie cooked tonight and we had a lovely cheesy cauliflower and broccoli dish served with chicken Kiyvs. Afterwards, we watched an interesting documentary on rationing during the war and I wondered what would happen if we ever had to re-introduce something like that again. I remember the empty shelves at the beginning of the pandemic and how awful it was to see staples like pasta, flour and loo rolls disappear!

Monday again!

It is so dark in the mornings now and it feels like the middle of the night when Sophie wakes me at 6am. She didn't go to the gym this morning as she still had a headache, which was worrying me a bit. She has arranged to see an acupuncturist on Saturday, and I'm hoping that this treatment will alleviate some of the horrible hormonal symptoms she has to endure every month.

Work was busy, but there weren't too many emails to deal with as I'd answered them all on Saturday. I only had to take calls for half an hour as Denise and Shirley helped out, which was great.

We had a very easy supper tonight of chicken soup and Keith added some shredded meat from the bird that he'd had for his dinner yesterday. We then popped an apple crumble into the oven to cook and I made custard. We hardly ever have pud at home so it was a real treat!

We watched Only Connect and University Challenge and I managed to get a couple right on Only Connect, especially one about children's car seats, amazingly! Some of the questions on University Challenge were very difficult and I'm in awe of the students who have so much knowledge!

A tribute to...

Sophie and I were going to Leicester this evening to see a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, and we'd planned on having something to eat on The Golden Mile first. However, Vikesh texted Sophie to say that the street was closed to traffic, making it difficult for us to park there. We then discovered that one of the major roads in Leicester was also closed, so we had a quandary... where to eat before we went to De Montfort Hall?

After looking at various places, we booked a table at Zizzi in Market Harborough for 4pm, giving us plenty of time to eat and then drive to Leicester. We pootled about during the morning, doing jobs and getting ready, and left at 3.15pm.

We found another convenient car park near the restaurant that we'll use again when we visit the town, as it's a little further up the high street and great for popping into shops that we don't usually go to. The restaurant was quiet when we arrived, and we tucked ourselves out of the way around a corner. 

The menu was extensive, and we ordered mozzarella-topped garlic bread to start, along with chicken goujons and courgetti fritti. These starters were delicious and would have satisfied me along with a dessert! We each had a glass of wine and shared a bottle of sparkling water. I'd chosen the chicken Milanese for a main course, served with roasted new potatoes and green beans, while Sophie ordered the lasagne, which was topped with breadcrumbs. My chicken was fibrous and difficult to cut and the green beans squeaky so I was a little disappointed. I should have just stuck to starters and a dessert!

The restaurant was gradually filling up, mostly with families and small children. Two women sat behind us with their two daughters, and the children started to play up as the afternoon wore on. They were little terrors, and at about six or seven years of age, I'd have expected better!

The previously quiet restaurant was now noisy, and Sophie's headache became worse. We shared a sundae for dessert, which we'd ordered via the QR code as nobody had come to take our order, and paid the bill the same way, fleeing back to the peace and quiet of the car!

The journey to Leicester was quick and easy, and we discovered that the roads had been closed because of a marathon taking place. We were a little early for our pre-booked parking, so we sat in another car park and watched the comings and goings of people who we thought were also going to the concert.

De Montfort Hall seemed a lot busier than when we visited before to see Sam Campbell. We ordered a drink each and stood for a while before going into the auditorium to find our seats, which were on the third row with a great view of the stage. The band were called Go Your Own Way and judging by the people piling in to take their seats, very popular. It was a great opportunity for people-watching and I was fascinated by a couple in the front row who both needed walking sticks. They were in their late 60s and he had long thin hair tied in a ponytail. When he sat down he flicked his hair over the back of his seat, and I felt sorry for whoever was going to sit behind him with it dangling down in front of them. She had long, thin hair coloured blue (why?) and wore a bandana. They proceeded to share two packs of sandwiches and I couldn't help wondering what their house was like! I imagined it messy, with lots of dogs for some reason!

At 7.30pm everyone had taken their seats and the lights went down. The band came on and did The Chain which was a great start. The woman playing the part of Stevie Nicks certainly looked the part with long, waist-length blonde hair and flowing black robes. A man sitting in front of us with exaggerated sideburns couldn't take his eyes off her!

Sophie and I were amused to see Christine McVie's character wearing an awful blonde wig but she actually had a better voice than "Stevie Nicks" who mangled Sara and made an even worse job of Rhiannon. She was trying to be growly and it just didn't work. If she sang normally, she would have been far better!

"Stevie Nicks" gave us some insight into the songs and the relationships between the band, which was good, but Sophie and I were disappointed. Sophie's headache hadn't gone after she'd taken painkillers, so we decided to leave during the interval. We had to be let out of the car park by the friendly attendant, and we headed back home, arriving at 9.30pm. Both cats were in so we had cuddles and then it was time for bed. It's Monday again tomorrow!

A Saturday shift

Sophie took me to work this morning, and I did the Saturday shift with Shirley. It was a pleasant shift, not busy with calls, and I managed to get a lot of other work done, including the Christmas playscheme places.

Sophie collected me at 2pm, and we went home to have a late lunch and relax. Keith went to watch Sileby and came home at 5pm looking frozen. The weather has certainly turned colder lately, and we're putting the heating on to warm up the house.

I'd had a lovely relaxing afternoon watching a new Genealogy programme with Philip Glenister and John Simm who had taken DNA tests. It was very much like an ITV version of Who Do You Think You Are and was just as interesting. There had been a mention of Northamptonshire in Philip Glenister's background, but his story was sidelined by John Simm's revelation that the man who thought was his father, actually wasn't!

We had a relaxed evening, and Sophie made us both an Americano cocktail, which was a great aperitif before we had a glass of wine. We ordered a Chinese takeaway for dinner, as a treat, and watched another episode of Grand Designs, this time with a young couple building a house in Lincolnshire. It was perhaps one of the most boring episodes I've ever seen!

An after-dinner treat was a BBC2 show featuring 40 different, rarely-seen footage of bands and singers performing for the corporation over the years. It was brilliant!

Not quite the end of the working week...

As I'd dealt with a lot of emails yesterday, I was able to get some other admin jobs completed today, which was great as the half-term bookings open in nine days!

The shift passed quickly and it was great to leave at 4pm. However, I'm back in tomorrow so not a normal Friday night feeling of relaxation!

Sophie and I opened a bottle of Cotes du Rhone white this evening and it was deliciously fruity. After a good chat about our working days, we watched an episode of Grand Designs which started in 2019... always a bad sign if it has taken five years to complete a build!

Keith went to the pub to see John but there must have been a breakdown in communication as he wasn't there. Keith had been looking forward to having a chat with him about the wine regions we'd visited as John is definitely an oenophile! He returned early and put the finishing touches to a delicious curry he'd prepared earlier. We hadn't had one for a while and it was lovely and spicy!

I see the light(s)!

Today has been busy, and I walked into about 70 emails to tackle through my shorter shift. At 2pm, Keith collected me, and I dropped him off at home before picking up Mum for her nail appointment. She decided on a beautiful blue today, which matched the scarf she was wearing!

By the time I arrived home, it was 5pm, but Keith and I were cooking scampi and chips tonight for dinner, so no preparation was needed (Keith had earlier sliced up the potatoes). Sophie was already home and was heading out for dinner with Laura to Yardley Hastings.

I was still suffering from the post-holiday blues, so I watched an episode of Michel Roux in Provence to cheer myself up! He spoke about his love for butter and slathered it onto a baguette before stuffing it into his mouth! 

Our dinner tonight was simple and I used my new thermometer to ensure the oil was at the correct temperature. I'm always wary of deep-frying so I didn't take my eyes off the bubbling oil at all. Dinner was lovely and made a change as we hardly ever eat scampi or fry chips!

Sophie arrived home at about 10pm, and after a quick chat, it was time for bed. I went to sleep but woke up at about midnight with an itchy foot. I peered out of the curtains and was astonished to see the Aurora lighting up the night sky!

I could even detect the different colours without using the camera on my phone. One part of the sky was green, and there was a large swathe of a pinky/reddy hue right in front of me. It was fabulous!

Earlier in the evening, neighbours had been posting so I knew there was a chance of seeing them tonight. I'm just so glad I woke up!

Looking back

This morning, I found a photograph album of our 1993 visit to France, and I confirmed that Le Vendangerot was indeed the hotel Keith and I stayed in. I had kept receipts, and we noticed that the name was used on the bill when we checked out!

It seems strange to see the bill in francs, not euros!

Hotel du Commerce, not Commercial as we'd thought!

We also bought a case of Rully to take home:

It was great to look back at a holiday we took over 30 years ago and reminisce! It's a lot easier now with just the euro, rather than all the different currencies we had to deal with back then!

I spent the morning pootling about and trying to persuade Mooney NOT to bring in live rodents! A poor little shrew-type thing escaped his claws and went running about in the conservatory, chased by Keith with a net. It eventually found its way under the sofa and stayed there, but when it emerged later on, Mooney caught it again! The poor little mite must have been terrified!

I sat and had lunch with Sophie - the leftover pasta from last night, which was delicious - and then went to see Mum and Dad in the afternoon. I tried my hardest to get Netflix back on their television, but there was a problem with their internet connection which was beyond my control. When I left, I spoke with the receptionist and said I would email someone to help. My parents miss the films available on Netflix and they're paying every month for the service!

Back home, I made the porridges and Keith and I did the shopping list for the rest of the week. Back to the daily grind! I certainly didn't miss this!

Tonight, for the first time in ages, I cooked liver and bacon with onions. Keith could only get pigs' liver, but it was still delicious if a little stronger in taste than our usual lambs' liver. It was a real treat and we both enjoyed the meal, but Sophie chose one of her pasta dishes to eat. She's very adventurous with food, but draws the line, for some reason, with liver!

A dose of the holiday blues!

To my dismay, the A43 was still closed this morning, so the traffic was heavy on the way to work. I later found out that two men had sadly died on Monday afternoon, and this just confirms the loathing I have for this section of the road. It needs to be widened into a dual carriageway, but I can't see that happening for many years.

I had fewer emails to deal with today, and I was able to put most of the swim camps on for the October half-term, which is rapidly approaching! I did have a dose of the holiday blues, though! Outside, it was raining, and I kept thinking of the Provencal sunshine and the fields of beautiful vines!

Unbelievably, the A43 was still closed, so I decided to go home via Brixworth. When I arrived, Sophie was looking stressed after another day of training and dealing with Mooney-cat, who was constantly asking for attention, and in and out all the time. I think she was longing to go back to her office with no distractions and interruptions!

When she finished work, she prepared a pasta dish, and we opened a bottle of Italian red wine to accompany the meal. Keith and I played cards while she pootled about chopping vegetables and preparing the meal. We put the heating on in the kitchen as it was a chilly night!

Back to reality!

It was back to normality today and work for both Sophie and me, although my daughter was working from home and taking part in an online management training course.

Keith ran me to work as he had to go to Tesco again and I had a busy shift, catching up with Sara and  Sheila and dealing with as many emails as possible. I was amazed to see Sara's desk laden with chocolates and sweets when I arrived, so I've kept my contribution back for a week! 

At 4pm, Keith picked me up and we had an awful journey home, due to a bad accident on the A43. He had seen ambulances and a fire engine go past on the way to collect me and looking back, it would have made more sense to go another way home. We crawled from the A43 roundabout down to Holcot because of the new chicane, parked cars and the part where the road narrows. The small village just couldn't cope with the volume of traffic.

Sophie was tired from her training and having to deal with Mooney who was in and out of the conservatory all day. He is bringing small rodents in on a daily basis now, either dead or alive, and I dread to think what will happen when we have the cat flap fitted. We'll have to keep the double doors into the kitchen firmly closed or the house will be overrun with furry creatures!

Keith cooked a delicious chilli for dinner and afterwards, it was time to exercise our brains with the fiendishly difficult Only Connect, and then University Challenge, which I thought posed hard questions this evening!

De-catifying the house!

I had a great night's sleep but Sophie suffered overnight with a tight chest that kept her awake. She had let the cats into her room while we were away, and she said the bed and carpet were covered in cat hairs. I wanted to get rid of the catty smell that pervaded the house after they'd been kept inside for over a week with all the windows tightly closed. We all hoped that the catflap would be fitted before our trip to Berlin in November.

I was awake at 7am and had put the first of many washes into the machine. I then sorted out the rest of the laundry and Sophie said she was going to wash her entire bedding, even the mattress protector! Most of our luggage was still in the car so we emptied that out, and I removed the headlight convertors that had stayed put! Normally, one of them drops off!

Keith went to Tesco to buy ingredients for a chicken casserole this evening and Sophie and I unpacked the large suitcase and put the clean clothes away. I opened all of the windows and the back door in an effort to freshen the house up!

We had a busy morning but by lunchtime, the unpacking had been done, and the wines were standing proudly on the worktop in the kitchen (we had used up the spare slots in the wine rack!). Our wine fridge was full and Keith had prepared the vegetables for tonight's dinner. Vegetables! He prepared broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and green beans, and we added carrots and onions to the casserole! We missed our veg!

Sophie and I had sold some clothes on eBay so we packaged them up and popped to Mawsley to send them off. The weather has been disappointing today with heavy grey clouds and a chilly wind. It didn't stop me from opening the windows wide, though, and the catty smell has now gone! It helped that we'd removed the litter trays and I'd vacuumed the house and mopped the conservatory and kitchen floors!

I made up Sophie's bed with fresh bedding and we continued to do the washing all afternoon and into the evening. Poor Keith will tackle the ironing while we're both at work.

Dinner tonight was delicious and it was great to have vegetables again! I made dumplings to pop into the casserole and as the evening wore on we put on the heating to make the house cosy. The cats seemed to appreciate the warmth!

After dinner, Sophie and I caught up with Fake or Fortune, which was a great episode and kept us guessing right until the end!

Provence 28th of September - 5th of October 24

Saturday 5th of October

A long journey...

I didn't have the best of sleep last night, unfortunately, and was dreading the long journey home today. For some reason, I just couldn't get to sleep and I was still awake at midnight! I woke up this morning at 6.30am and was very grouchy! Poor Sophie made me a coffee and did all the packing for us, bless her! She was a tremendous help and I did apologise for being such a misery!

We were facing a journey of over 300 miles to get to the town of Arras, where we'd booked a table for a late lunch. Sophie had booked Le Petit Rat Porteur, a restaurant we'd visited before, and she was looking forward to a beef casserole, even though they served one of her favourite dishes, a Welsh!

Our plan was to leave at 8am as it was going to take us a good five hours to get to Northern France, taking into account stops for petrol and to use the facilities at the aires. Isabelle said she would meet us to take back the keys, and we messaged her asking if she could make it earlier as we were ready by 7.30am.

It was a lovely morning, but chilly and I was so glad the roads were quiet as it was quite confusing to get back onto the autoroute. I have a dread of going the wrong way down a street and meeting oncoming traffic, so we did a few diversions down deserted roads until we saw signs for the motorway!

Once on the autoroute, we saw the 300-odd miles diminish and the road was quiet, which meant it was a little boring! Keith looked out for buzzards and saw many sitting on the fence overlooking the autoroute. Some of them were splendid-looking with white chests and beautiful plumage. I also spotted my mistletoe balls, so we were both happy!

Burgundy must be a large region of France because it took us almost two hours to get to Troyes, where we'd turned off the autoroute last Saturday! Once past Reims, we began to look forward to getting to Arras for a much-needed break and lunch! 

Horse, anyone?

Trish expertly took us into Arras and we were lucky to find a parking space near the centre. There was a market going on and the place was heaving with people sitting outside at bars and restaurants and enjoying beer and wine. The weather was beautiful with warm sunshine and blue skies.

We arrived at the restaurant almost an hour earlier than we'd planned so I asked if we could eat early. We had booked a table in the cellar restaurant and luckily, it was free. We sat and perused the menu and I noticed horse steak listed as one of the dishes. Definitely not a choice for us!

We chose the 30 euro set menu - Keith chose poached eggs with a local cheese, I had goat's cheese salad and Sophie opted for the salad served with camembert. Sophie and I both chose the "flammande de boeuf" for our main course while Keith opted for the chicken.

The place was very busy with a big party next to us celebrating a birthday. Sophie and Keith were fascinated by a toddler who was wandering around annoying other diners while his parents ignored him and stuffed themselves with their lunch!

Our food arrived and my salad was delicious. The goat's cheese was presented on little toasts and I had smoky bacon mixed in with the salad leaves. Both Keith and Sophie enjoyed their starters as well, and looking back this would have satisfied me, along with a dessert!

Sophie and I didn't honestly enjoy our beef stew. There was a bitter aftertaste to it, and Sophie could detect cinnamon in the dish. It was served with more salad and French fries but we couldn't put our finger on what the bitter taste was, unless it was Flemish beer?

We had already ordered our desserts - profiteroles for Keith, Tiramisu for Sophie and a waffle for me, and by the time we'd finished, the restaurant had emptied out. One of the women at the large birthday party said we'd have peace now as she walked up the stairs and grinned at me. We have met such friendly people on this holiday, and they have all been lovely and understanding with my schoolgirl French!

After paying the bill (Sophie's treat) we waddled off back to the car, stopping at a chemist on the way so Sophie could stock up on her favourite French perfume and skin care. We then popped into a Carrefour where I bought some more chocolates for my Mum and for work, but no Cracksters. I think we have enough!

Homeward bound

The last leg of the journey up to Calais was easy and the roads were empty. Just as we were about to get close to the Shuttle terminal, we encountered a traffic jam, the first for 1,600 miles! I suspected it was because the A16 to Dunkerque was closed, but the delay only held us up for about twenty minutes, and soon we were checking in and choosing an earlier train.

We had a look in Duty-Free but decided we had enough wine to last us! We were called to board and while we waited I drifted off, waking with a start when Keith said our line was driving onto the train! Once on board, I put my seat right back, asked Sophie to hand me one of my pillows and slept for the entire crossing! I felt much better when I woke up and was more than ready to face the journey back home.

We arrived back in Britain at about 5.30pm and the journey home, along the M20, M25, M11 and A14 was smooth and easy. Our house was cold and smelt very catty! They were happy to see us but a bit wary at first, almost as if they had forgotten us! Isla had left us a note and the cats looked sleek and glossy. Gomez even looked a little fatter!

We left most of the stuff in the car, Keith made me a G&T and we sat and watched television until it was time for bed. I knew we had a mammoth job tomorrow, unpacking and sorting out the washing, but I was looking forward to a good night's sleep in my bed! Bliss!

Provence 28th of September - 5th of October 24

Friday 4th of October

Goodbye to Provence

We were ready to leave by 8.30am this morning, and it was another beautiful day. It was sunny, but the wind was still strong. We said goodbye to Cecile and got rid of our rubbish and recycling at bins near the house (is always on the last day we find useful things!).

Trish had been acting very strangely yesterday, and the map on the screen hadn't shown our correct location. This morning, we programmed her for our next stop on the outskirts of Chalon-Sur-Saone, but she came up with a journey time of five hours, two hours longer than it should be! To get us back onto the autoroute, Sophie programmed our destination into Apple Maps, and before long we were joining the busy A7 and heading north.

The journey to Lyon was not pleasant, mainly because of the strong cross-winds. I was only glad we weren't towing a caravan! Overtaking a lorry (and there were many of them), especially when it had pulled out to overtake another, was hairy, as there is a concrete barrier serving as the central reservation and nowhere to go if they drift into the outside lane. Then, as you pull back in, there is always a "tug", down to the drag, which can be unsettling!

We ploughed on, eating up the distance and counting down in increments of 25 miles. Sophie read in the back and Keith and I chatted, but today's journey was not as long as tomorrow's was going to be! We had booked the Airbnb a bit further south so we could take Sophie to Rully and Mercurey, wine villages Keith and I had visited in the 1990s.

Back to Burgundy

Despite the journey being difficult, the road through Lyon was quick and smooth, thank goodness, and the sun was shining on the broad Rhone River which we crossed several times. Once past Lyon, the roads became quieter and much more pleasant. 

Sophie's Apple Maps took us straight to the house we were renting for the night, but it was too early for us to check in. The house looked lovely and the neighbourhood was pretty and seemed quiet. We then programmed the wine village of Rully into the maps and set off across wide-open farmland.

Keith and I had been fans of the red wine ever since drinking it at a local restaurant years ago. The man running the restaurant wouldn't tell us where he bought it from, and it's quite rare to see red Rully in this country. The French must keep it all to themselves!

In 1993, we were holidaying in Burgundy and spotted the sign, so I remember us veering across the road and staying at a hotel for two nights. On the second night, the owners had gone to a wedding, leaving us all alone and trusting us with their business and countless bottles of wine! Keith had broken his arm playing five-a-side football, and was suffering from gout at the time, and couldn't drink because of the medication he was on, so I was able to indulge in the wine when we had a meal in the hotel's restaurant!

We drove into the village, wondering whether the Hotel Commercial was still in business. Amazingly, it was, but under a different name - Le Vendangerot, which I think means the harvest of grapes in French. Quite fitting!

A couple and a solitary man were sitting outside eating, and we took a seat near the entrance door. I asked about a menu and a gormless waiter muttered something and disappeared back inside. It was 1.15pm so we hoped we weren't too late for the lunch service!

He came back with the menus and asked if we wanted a drink so we ordered a beer apiece and sat back to choose from the menu and enjoy the warm sun. We had seen the 19.50 euro meal of the day, so chose that. The waiter returned and said the starter was vegetable soup, followed by hake.

The couple behind us were finishing their meal and were Dutch, I think. The man at the next table (early 60s, gruff, coughing, and as weathered as an old vine) was definitely French and was gradually sinking a whole bottle of Provencal Rosé, whilst chain-smoking cigarettes. We all had the same opinion: that he was a local who visited every day for his three-course set lunch.

Our waiter was, quite frankly, a little weird. He brought out place mats, cutlery and glasses, then our drinks and then a basket of cheesy scones with olives. There was no eye contact and he repeated everything we asked for in a strange little monotone! He was exactly the same with the French man, who finished his latest cigarette, drained his wine and then got into a van and drove away! We were all a little amazed and I did wonder whether half of the bottle of wine was leftover from a previous lunch, but I have a feeling he drank a whole bottle in one sitting!

Our starter of soup arrived and was delicious, and topped with crisps. We all had the same feeling that we had surprised the chef, who thought that service was finished, and he had cobbled together a meal for us! The main course was a fillet of hake served with a sauce very similar to the soup but with a little more bite, and plain boiled potatoes. No vegetables.

It was a good meal and certainly served its purpose. We didn't want to go out for dinner tonight, in a town we'd never been to before, and we were looking forward to a bottle of wine and a beer, and a game of Scrabble!

The pudding was equally delicious - a kind of chocolate mousse mixed with sponge. It was very filling! Keith and I went inside to pay the bill and we both recognised the interior of the hotel. Back in the 1990s, the inside was darker and there were bottles of wine, even some Jeroboams and Magnums, everywhere! Keith recognised the steep stairs we had to navigate to get to our tiny room on the top floor, which had views over vineyards. I so wish I'd kept a diary back then!

After paying, we wandered around the square, peering into closed businesses, but finding a smart wine shop selling local bottles. The man running it was quite suave and sophisticated and spoke good English, so it was great to have a chat and taste a Rully. Sophie and I bought a bottle each to add to the cache in the boot of the car and we paid and left, deciding to head for the chateau and then the village of Mercurey nearby.

I remember this from 1993

The back of beyond

I just knew that asking Trish for directions to Mercurey would result in a journey on tiny roads again, and she really excelled herself today by managing to find a dirt track to take me onto!

We headed upwards, out of the village, to see the chateau, which was crumbling, but still beautiful.

There were vines stretching as far as the eye could see, in all directions. It truly was a wine lover's dream landscape! The grapes had all been picked and the leaves were turning a beautiful bronze colour.

The road we were on was narrow, just the width of the car, and I dreaded meeting one of the huge tractor and trailer combinations we'd seen driving through the village! Luckily, we didn't meet another soul and the tarmac road soon degenerated into a stony track with potholes and other dangers that could have spelled disaster for our holiday! I was not happy, but Keith and Sophie urged me on, saying we were on the right road to Mercurey.

Worries aside, the landscape was gorgeous with gently rolling hills, acre upon acre of vines, and peace. It was the ideal place for a picnic. I can see why people visit to go walking or cycling because there was little traffic and just beautiful surroundings, interspersed with pretty villages selling wine! What's not to like?!

We entered Mercurey and there were signs saying which producers owned the parcels of land. A lot were Premier Cru, one of the highest accolades of wine made (the top-rated wine is a Grand Cru).

Keith and I had stayed at a hotel in Mercurey in 1994 and it was a blisteringly hot holiday. We visited the region, including the lovely town of Beaune, and bought lots of wine to take home. The hotel we stayed in, The Val D'Or, was still in business and we parked opposite to have a wander around. 

Burgundian houses

Keith wasn't keen on wandering around, and after looking for public loos, we gave up and went back to the car. Sophie asked Apple Maps to find us a supermarket, and there was a Carrefour on the outskirts of Chalon-sur-Saone, a short drive away.

On the way, we saw more farmland and little villages. I said to Sophie I'd love to visit Burgundy in the winter, drink hearty red wine, eat casseroles and cosy up to a log fire! I was starting to think that this region was my favourite in France!

We found the supermarket in a busy retail park and used the smelly facilities! Needs must! We had a good look at the wines for sale and Keith bought a Mercurey to take home to England. Sophie and I picked out a red for this evening and we noticed the aisles full of Halloween produce for sale. It's that time of the year!

Our hosts had asked us to message them when we were half an hour away, so we sent them a text and made our way back to the house. Isabelle met us and was very friendly and helpful, pointing out places to see in Chalon-sur-Saone and giving us restaurant recommendations. I hadn't the heart to tell her we had no intention of going out and had planned a relaxing evening of doing very little!

We were able to park inside the grounds of the house and took out the bags we needed for our night's stay. The Airbnb had three bedrooms, a spacious kitchen, an open-plan dining/living room and a large bathroom. Outside, there was a lovely seating area and I just wished we were staying longer, and it was a bit warmer!

Our evening was spent playing Scrabble, drinking wine and beer and snacking on Cracksters (we'd bought more in the Carrefour tonight, enough to last me to January!). I'm not the only one who likes them! Mooney does as well!

After playing Scrabble, we logged onto Netflix again and watched a documentary about Harry and Meghan, which was a bit vomit-inducing... Before we retired for the night, we watched a silly French quiz show. We didn't have a clue what was going on, but it looked fun!

Provence 28th of September - 5th of October 24

Thursday 3rd of October

More exploring.

We had another relaxed start to the day, with breakfast on the upper terrace and lots of coffee. We decided to explore a couple of towns that sounded interesting -  Pernes-les-Fontaines, and Bédoin at the foot of Mont Ventoux.

It was a beautiful day with clear blue skies but strong winds were forecast for later, so I didn't fancy attempting the drive up Mont Ventoux! We drove through vineyards and small towns to Perne-les-Fontaines and found a parking space in a car park on the outskirts. The town is famous for its fountains, and there are forty of them dotted about.

We hadn't a clue where we were going, but we walked up a steep hill, turned left and found ourselves in a maze of narrow streets with pretty shuttered buildings and a large, imposing church.

Not much was open (as usual!) but when we rounded a corner, we found a lovely bar/restaurant serving food and drinks. We sat on high chairs on the bar side and ordered a beer and two glasses of Rosé. When the waitress brought our wine it looked like a white, but she assured us it was a very pale Rosé!

It was heaven to sit and chat for an hour with our drinks. People came and went and some had lunch in the restaurant. It was windy, but sunny and warm.

We decided to head back to the car and drive on to Bédoin to see what was there. On the way, we saw stunningly beautiful houses.

The town was very quiet as we made our way back to the car. Where was everyone? We put instructions into Trish and headed towards the imposing hulk of Mont Ventoux. The summit, at about 6000 feet (or 1910 metres) had a band of white clouds flowing over it, and the top was white with limestone.

Stumbling upon a funeral...

We parked easily in Bédoin and walked into the town, spotting a restaurant called Pizza Phil which was advertising non-stop service, always a good sign if you're a little late for the sacred 12pm-2pm lunchtime period!

We took an empty table right on the edge of the restaurant but we were told to choose another as just up from the eaterie there was what looked like a funeral gathering taking place. We'd seen some people dressed sombrely when we parked, but now we saw them massing next to the Town Hall. They just kept on arriving until there was a huge crowd of mourners.

We ordered lunch and I noticed Pizza Phil wearing a dusky pink top hat. Sophie and Keith decided to share a pizza while I chose a potato and onion omelette. People who had been having a drink at the restaurant joined the throng and more and more people arrived. It seemed that the whole town had turned out to mourn whoever it was that had died.

Our food arrived and just as we started to eat, a hush fell on the crowd. The road was closed and it was eerily silent. There was just us, a woman seated in front of us and a couple of cyclists eating. Pizza Phil took off his hat and joined the crowd but our waitress continued to dash about with drinks.

The hearse arrived (it was just a people carrier) and then we heard a man addressing the mourners via a loudspeaker. Some people were carrying flowers, but most were dressed in jeans and dark tops. I don't think the French dress exclusively in black for funerals. After about ten minutes of speech, the crowd moved off up the road and some people left. Shortly afterwards, we heard the church bell tolling.

Our food was very good and the portions plentiful. It had been a great choice of restaurant but we were put off slightly by the sad event in the background!

Sophie and I naturally found room for dessert! She chose a Baileys Tiramisu while I indulged in a chocolate fondant again. It wasn't as gooey as the one I enjoyed yesterday, but it was still good! I asked the waitress, who spoke good English, who had died as there had been so many people at the funeral. She said it was someone who worked at the Town Hall (we thought it had been the mayor) but he was 59 years old and it had been very quick, so we presumed it may have been cancer. It was quite sobering.

Teeny, tiny roads...

After paying the bill, we walked back to the car and got rid of more recycling. Trish then took us back to Sablet on the tiniest roads she could find. I have to say, though, that the scenery was stunning and we saw some gorgeous villages and towns, including Crillon-Le-Brave, which was perched on a hill. Stunning! All the way back, we had views of Les Dentelles de Montmirail and acres of vineyards. We passed through Beaumes de Venise and Vacqueyras before arriving back in Sablet.

The rest of the afternoon and evening were spent relaxing and packing for the off tomorrow. It was still windy but the sky was a bright blue and it was sunny. It was a shame it was too cold to do anything other than dip our toes in the pool!

Our hosts called on us in the early evening and we had a great chat with them. We said we would be setting off quite early in the morning so they arranged to pop in before we left.

Keith and I played cards for most of the evening while Sophie read her book. We then had some snacks to tide us over and Sophie and I watched the last two episodes of the documentary about Monique Olivier and her husband who had preyed on young girls in France and Belgium in the 1980s. They were certainly an evil couple, but the husband has since died and Monique will be free in 2032, if she gets parole. Let's hope she doesn't!