Trying to arrange installation of the new air-con has been a bit frustrating. When Colin finally actually got a person on the phone to speak with we found out that they can’t get here before we leave again, so we’ll have to wait until we return. In the meantime we do our best to tolerate the heat with just one fan in the lounge.
My bedroom re-do is in full swing – the new floor is in and the old wallpaper has come down. There was a little more water damage than we’d expected behind the wallpaper so it’s good that it has come off.
We had another lovely dinner at Michel and Florence’s place – everything was just delicious, beginning with the melon and prosciutto starter, followed by the main, the cheese platter and the dessert (which I didn’t partake of, having eaten far too much already). In addition – they had air-con!
We got our wood delivery for next winter and I piled it mostly by myself over a period of two days.
We helped out a bit at the regional gravel championships in two ways. The first was helping fill the bags for the participants – there was an ‘assembly line’ at a long table in one of the community buildings in Courcome and about a dozen of us each added different things for the riders – number tags, gifts, etc. The gifts included two bottles of local artisinal beers – one ‘blonde’ and one ‘dark’. Four or five of the bags did not get the beer as they were for the younger riders.
Then on race day we were asked to photograph from a spot of our choice on the route. We went out the day before and drove part of the course, choosing where we would be the next day.
It was fortunately not quite as hot as previous days had been and we both got some good shots.
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After the race was over we went to the lunch back in Courcome and it was very good – a nice chicken buffet, and we sat under the trees with many of the riders and other volunteers. We were, in fact, just down the table from Sylvain Chavanal!
It rained a bit, then the sun came out just as they were presenting all of the trophies. It was a very good day – a bit tiring, but worthwhile.
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As usual we had a few nice lunches out, including one at Chef Babeth’s in Verdille where we had steak – it was one of the best steaks I’ve ever had – it was perfectly cooked, and so tender and flavourful.
Claire came over to the house and looked at what we want painted while we’re gone – it should all be clean and beautiful by the time we’re back.
We weren’t in any big hurry to get going to Spain so didn’t get on the road until around noon the day we left. As the traffic wasn’t bad we still made it to the spanish border before stopping for the night. Taking a slightly different route than usual we went towards Logrono rather than Zaragoza – it was very pretty and the road was good. We stopped just short of Albacete for our second night – the drive to the house the next day was fairly short, but not without a bit of stress as there was so much traffic, especially around Murcia.
Getting to the house was great…
…the garden is flourishing, and I’m especially happy with the bouganvillias.
Sally McKenzie's European Adventures 