91 today :o)

Happy Birthday Nana

Lots of love

Jo xxx

Ah t'is hump day

The hump in the middle of the week that is.
You know what I mean, all down hill now until the weekend!

Unfortunately, it is also bringing me closer and closer to the start of the new school term - boo hoo! See there is a down side to a six week holiday - you get so completely used to not going to work it's hell when it starts again!! Hell with a capital H. And a full stop at the end of the sentence for all you 6 year olds out there ;o)

Unconscious mutterings #238

I say ... and you think ... ?

Uneven :: Floor in the potting shed
Wonder :: Awe
Spider :: **starts screaming**
Emma :: Jane Austen's matchmaker
Swing:: Park
Orbit :: Planet
Flirt :: Fun
Donation :: Charity
Veil :: Covered
Atmosphere :: Breathable

Zimmer frames and Stannah stair lifts.

The sky is blue, the sun is shining and it's a bank holiday weekend - what more could you ask for really? Go on honestly ... is there any other better weekend possible? **begins to warm to theme** Lunch out with my husband. An afternoon pottering in the garden. A bit of DIY tomorrow and maybe a visit to B&Q. Picture frames to hang in the bedroom.

All of this was pottering happily through my head and then I realised how bloody old I sound.

Why aren't I going out clubbing tonight? Why not a weekend in Amsterdam "drinking coffee"? Why not a camping weekend in a field in Wales?

And then it occured to me - I don't care if I sound old. I'm really looking forward to an my potter-y weekend. The thought of a bit of DIY and a visit to B&Q* doesn't make me shudder. I might re plant my herb bed, it's looking bit woody. My tupperware cupboard could do with a bit of a sort. That rose outside the back door could do with tying up a bit more securely. **sighs happily** You know I might go and do some theraputic weeding.

* I might even buy myself a pair of new gardening gloves.

Threats work!

So I figured that before the Kiwi sent in the heavies I should post seeing as I've managed to drag my sorry rear end back from playing at living la vie Française. Simon was coming back to the UK on Sunday and I came along with him - it was a mixture of guilt, meterological awareness of what was to come and the "I might as well be soggy at home with a Broadband connection" thoughts that finally made me come back with him. So we spent Sunday limping up through the country, shaking off the rain drops and avoiding the puddles.

My holiday was lovely - they must be getting a little boring for you by now, these French jaunts. They all sound the same - hot, pool, eat, sun bathe, shop, eat, canoe, eat etc. It's a bit of a pattern forming isn't it? We went to a new (to me) restaurant on my birthday. It's in a tiny village called L'Abbaye-Nouvelle and it's owned/run by a Dutch couple. We sat in the garden, the mosquitos ate me alive.

The food was ok - not as good as Saturday night's dinner with Simon's brother and sister (they popped over from Charente Maritime for 2 nights). We sat out on the terrace at le Petit Relais and watched the world and his wife saunter by. At about 10.30pm, as a pre-cursor to the village fete the local village children accompanied by parents and every pooch in the neighbourhood all paraded up the road carrying lanterns - only 1 burst into flames ... all very exciting.

The main thing I've noticed since returning to the UK ... Gosh it's cold - that's come as a bit of a shock to the system ... but it allowed me to make the most of a huge bowl of noodle and dim sum soup at the Chinese cafe in the High Street at lunchtime yesterday. Caroline and I swapped gossip and passed like ships in the night ... she flies off to Texas tomorrow for 3 weeks.

So that's it I guess, back - well rested and madly scanning the Internet to find a break in Sharm el Sheikh next February - I've decided that winter sun is the answer! You been? Got a recommendation?

Hello!

Well, I've dragged myself in from the poolside to escape the intolerable heat (40 degrees + in the shade) and I have hijacked a friends Broadband connection to say hello to you all. France is as always beautiful but frankly too damn ho t for me today. Anyone got a holiday home in cool southern New Zealand I can borrow for a couple of days? Hope you are all well and remember ... there's always the Question of the Day to answer!