We have been sleeping in far too long as we begin to relax after our long time away.

Yesterday Al came over to get himself firewood. (We have enough dead trees around to supply all the family for years, which is positive). It was Bo’s birthday so we went over to her house after dark and had a drink and chocolate cake with her family. Al had Til with him but Pia was working and Arden is doing his own thing. Bo’s kids were all there so we were quite a big group with out the rest.

Our plan is to have a joint birthday party for Al, Pia and Bo at our place next Sunday. We are trying to purswade Wayne to bring his new girl friend but he is not sure he is ready to do that yet. They are still together, which is something. I just wish Josh was living closer as well. I worry about him being isolated so far away.

England to France

Edd and I had a great journey home. We crossed the channel with Jennie and were met at Canns by Richard in the campervan. He drove us to the cottage they have made from an old barn. We stayed there for two days and they took us to local points of interest. There were two local chateaus a roman ampitheatre and various markets where we brought cheese, bread and other goodies to make picnics.

Luckily it stayed dry and mild so we could do this easily. I loved looking at the kitchen gardens, which were all very well maintained and full of food. One garden had apple trees pruned to make a low hedge, which is an idea I would like to copy here. We knew most of the crops and herbs but one plant defeated us all. I took a photo so I hope some one will tell me what it is.

Richard and Jennie had arranged to meet friends by the beach in the south of France so we travelled with them most of the way. We stopped the night near Chenonceau at a very small chateau where we could stay in a room and Jennie and Richard could be in their campervan just outside.

That evening we all had a meal together in the Chateau. It was absolutely fantastic. The food and the wine was all perfect as was the setting. In between courses we were brought plates of tiny treats and everything just flowed so that it made a very special evening. Next day we went round the chateau of Chenonceau. Here there were lots of other tourists but it did not matter because the place was so big.

The gardens were all very formal and manicured to an impossibly perfect degree. Inside the chateau things had mellowed. The patterened surface of the floor tiles had worn off but the clay underneath the glaze looked good as it was. The place had been restored and furnished so it was very easy to imagine living in the rooms. They were all very spacious but beautifully proportioned so that I think it would have been very comfortable to live there.

The colours were lovely too. The building was made of light coloured stone and most of the floors were terracotta tiles so it was like our house. It differed in having all the walls adorned with massive tapestries or painted designs and the drapes on the four poster beds were fantastic. I suppose it was done for royalty so they got the best available!

We soon had to leave our friends and hire a car to drive to the train that leaves from Lyon. It was a bit scary starting off in a car we did not know on the other side of the road with out a map but Edd managed very well with me as pilot. The days drive was through quite hilly country and interesting but windy. I still feel car sick in these conditions so I was glad when we got to Lyon.

We wanted to buy a map of the town so we followed signs that told us where we could find tourist information. We soon worked out we were being sent round in circles so on the third lap having found no where to park we gave up and headed out of town up a steep hill. Once we had started this it was impossible to turn round so we were forced up and up. Eventual we reached a place called St.Just with a car park and at last we could get going on foot. Luckily a nearby shop sold maps and we had enough money on our mobile phone to book into a hotel for the night. It was in a strategic place just where two large rivers met too, so we could find it fairly easily. It was a great relief to know we had somewhere to sleep and get organised from.

Next day we took the car back to the hire people who were located at the airport and came back into lyon on a train. I was very impressed because the railway was through a lawn once the train got into town. In fact people seemed to walk across the lawn and train tracks if they felt the need. There were flowers and shrubs to border the Lawn too so it all made a garden for the blocks of flats at either side. Once the train got into town the grass was relaced with cobbles but it still looked very nice and easy to clean.

We spent the rest of the day exploring Lyon. The rivers give the town a look like London by the Thames but it is much cleaner lighter and spacious. The only jarring note was a rusty old ship moored to the bank that had a notice stating it was a genuine Australian bar! It had a plastic crocodile biting a plastic surf board to prove it and it looked as run down and dirty as a bar in an out back town. We did not go in and felt it rather let our side down!

We were more interested in two smartly dressed young girls with what I suppose must have been ferrets on leads. These creatures had not adapted well to being walked so were actually dragged along. The girls also had boxes like handbags that I think must be for scooping their pets into when they needed to make any forward progress.