Pique-niquing

Last week’s walk started at 9am, with a ‘pique-nique’ lunch, which is something the group do when the weather warms up, and before it gets too hot.

In fact there are only a couple more weeks of this and they will stop for the hottest months and the holidays, and recommence in September. I’m enjoying the walks hugely – they’re such a friendly lot, and every week I pick up a few more words. It’s a bit of a joke – my second French lesson for the week.

Re house work – god, what’s that!? I mean work on the house - I’ve managed to finish another bedroom, in time for my visitors who arrive next week. Sylvia and Sandy from Australia – we go back to 1986 (!) when we all worked at the same university. Sandy has just very recently left, and Sylvia is still there. If they read my last entry, I’ll bet they’re wondering who’s going to get the ‘up-hill’ room ……

I’m still thoroughly enjoying listening to my audible books on the MP3 player. Even though Nic and I are both downloading from our online subscription - 1 book a month – and swapping them, it’s not enough. So yesterday we decided we needed a longer novel, so War and Peace it is. So big (over 60 hours of listening!) that it’s downloaded in 9 parts. I’ve always said that one day I would read it. And now seems to be as good a day as any. That should see a bit of paint splashed around.

Saturday I went into Narbonne and bought myself a bike – I have two old bikes here already, but I do need a third for when I have visitors and we’re feeling energetic!

And while it was being checked and made ready, I wandered into the café / bar over the road from the bike shop for a coffee – the wrong café for me, perhaps…. As some of you know, I’m not that good around dogs, especially the ‘large’ sort. Anyway, I was busy taking a photo of an old boxer (or is it a bulldog? – I’m not sure ….) sprawled out under a table -

(esp. for you – Jane and Neil – proud owners of a boxer with a face only a mother could love!), when one of the customers was overcome with affection for it ……….. errrkkkkk……..

And then out came his mate, the size of a steam roller, from behind the bar ……

And to finish this post - and keeping with the animal theme - here’s a foal (looking pretty happy!) that was born a couple of weeks ago, in a field of red poppies just as you drive into the village. The back half of him is white and brown spots – perhaps he’s the result of a liaison with the spotted circus horses that were in town a while back!?