New blog

Great - found time and inspiration to put a posting onto my blog and... can't remember how to get onto it. So rather than waste time and effort I've done my usual and started all over again. Kids are watching a video so time is of the essence.

We got back from our month in France last Friday - 6 days ago. Our trip was fab. We started with an early ferry to Dunkerque and then drove to the Loire. We finished there last year and the car broke down on the way back so I was a bit anxious. The campsite (f0r those who are interested) is Le Moulin Fort, near Chenonceau. Its run by an english couple and is ideal for what we want to do in the Loire - namely go to the zoo at St Aignan and relax. The pool is far from wonderful though as its very deep and only accessible by ladder so we didn't swim. We did spend 2 days in the zoo and walk up the path to Chenonceau chateau.
We then drove to Murol in the Auvergne for a week. Weather started well then went downhill as it did last year. We shopped in the town market on the first day with the boys ordering in french. We also lit candles in the church for my dad as it was the 10th anniversary of his death (still miss him). During the week there we swam a lot in the pool with the boys loving the waterslides, climbed the volcano in town and also the Puy du Sancy which involves going up by cable car and walking the rest. We also found a few waterfalls - I love waterfalls - and a 'fairy chimney' of sandstone.
We then moved to the Midi Pyrenees near to Condom (well you have to don't you?). The pool at that site wasn't wonderful as it wasn't deep enough to swim in most parts and it was a bit noisy but the area was great. We visited a castle that Henri IV was born in and Lourdes. We also went to a place described as a mini Carcassonne (not really) which had green roses and nearby a place demonstrating medieval weaponry. Great fun for 2 hours. The area was very pretty but it was incredibly hot while we were there - 42 C in the shade at one point which made it hard work. We coped by driving around with the windows open.
After a week there we moved towards Nimes with the intention of watching the Courses Camarguaises. However the campsite we usually go to has been taken over by FranceLoc which meant it was packed and we got a really dreadful pitch. It was too hot and very noisy so we left. We will go back next year but to somewhere else.
On the off chance we moved to a municipal in Fleurie (Beaujolais region) which had a pool. We met a 12 year old boy called Ross who was lovely and the boys spent a lot of time with him and another lad called Will. We were there for 2 nights then moved to a campsite I'd booked in the Jura. There we canoed for free, visited Dino zoo, Saut du Doubs (should have been a really impressive waterfall but the river level was down) and made a brief trip into Switzerland - over the border, turn round and go back.
We tried to stay in the municipal in Chalons en Champagne but road diversions stopped us getting there so we went to another at Guignicourt near Reims - it was lovely and also very cheap. 14 Euros cheap.
Our last night was spent in a hotel in Tournehem. On the way there we went to the Canadian war memorial for WW1 - very impressive monument and an area where you can walk around the trenches as well. After that we went to the Blokhaus at Eperlecques - a factory where the Nazis intended to build and launch V2 rockets. Very interesting and sobering.
Tad was yet again a pain to feed. We ate lots of kebabs, petit sale, cassoulet and sausages as he agreed to eat them but this year he decided he didn't like french bread! Of all the things to come up with! He did however try frogs legs, fois gras and squid so he is getting more adventurous at last. On our last night we ate out - he polished off an entire pizza whilst Con ate a steak.
We got back to England to find a glut of plums. Goat had picked 1/4 of them and made some wine and bottled them. Since returning I have made plum cakes, plum muffins, plum jam, plum & ginger jam and plum brandy. I have also cooked and frozen plums, frozen them in syrup and made plum sauce to use instead of hoisin. We still have at least 50lbs to go!
Con had his 9th birthday when we got back. We celebrated with a family meal followed by a sleepover for 6 of his friends in the tent in the garden. The intention was to watch Men In Black first after eating pizza, run around a bit and then go to bed. Unfortunately he and a friend decided to quote through the film which spoilt it for the others. We were in the tent at half 9 and asleep by half 10. Awake at 5:30 which wasn't too bad. The day before we all went to a Mass said for dad and had chinese take-away. Yum
My veggie patch has been destroyed in my absence. I had purple sprouting broccoli and brussels doing really well. The caterpillars have killed them. Ho hum. I need to dig up the taties and start again. Again.
The chickens are doing well. Goat made them a new hen house before we left for France and with his help the chooks have moved in. Its an odd looking house as its made from leftovers including plastic bargeboard but it works and its a lot easier to clean than the old one. Hopefully he will do the old one up then we can get some more chooks - preferably ones we can eat. The girls aren't laying well at the moment - 2 a day from 6 is pretty poor really - but hopefully they will pick up again.
Boys are back to school tomorrow. Can't wait.