BEAUREGARD…The Blog
….France,Family,Friends….Me…shopping? Love it!
Ok, as promised, it was the second instalment of the aborted shopping trip to Leclerc last week, today. And what an unmitigating disaster it was too.
For one thing my indicators packed-in after threatening for a few days and they chose to do it today, en route to Bergerac. Today, a day which involves lots of left and right turning, round-abouts, busy shopping roads, where you have to plant yourself in the middle of the road to turn left across oncoming traffic, with lorries kissing your back bumper. I got many hoots and cusses, which doesn’t surprise me really. What does surprise me is that I didn’t get followed into a car-park and physically threatened, or worse, stopped by a Gendarme-who always strike me as being particularly humourless and surley. Result…arrived in bad mood.
Second, had to suffer the La Rentree throng at Leclerc yet again, in fact, worse, due to an even heightened sense of panic and lack of time. And yet again, we couldn’t find a suitable wheely-wotsit for Diddy and I draw the line at forking out E80 plus for a fancy one in the bag shop.
Third, I am coming to the conclusion that French girls are the shape of willow-withys until they reach 18. Some of the clothes we saw for 16 year olds would have fitted Diddy when she was five, actually, that’s not strictly true, I don’t think Diddy has ever been that size! Do they have no hips, curves, buttocks or bellies, these girls? And every boy that needs football boots just has to be size 33, due to the fact that the shelves were completely devoid of size 33 football boots….
By this time, I have raged at the kids a few times, done battle with my simmering anger and decided that we need to make haste home right now, there and then, before I lose all sense of dignity and decorum. Which is what we did.
If Diddy has to turn up at school with last years ruck-sack, her back bent like an old crone under the weight and The Boy hobbles because his football boots are nipping….so be it!
Who is Chipie anyway?
Cripes! I thought it would be a good idea to take Diddy and The Boy to Leclerc today to buy their Rentree stuff. It’s only a few weeks away and the thought of having them hanging around my feet on this, frankly, miserable, drizzly day, was more than I could bear.
So off we went. And as it turned out, I wasn’t the only harrassed mother with the same thought! It was heaving. Family groups abound with their photo-copied lists of stationary requirements. And the excitement, pure glee and that panicky, frantic feeling that something would be forgotten or the ‘where do we start?’, at choosing, well, nothing more glamorous (to my mind) than pens and paper, was enough to think we were on a day trip to Willie Wonkas chocolate factory.
I thought Diddy was going to hyper-ventilate at one point and you don’t want to hear about the distress and ructions caused when we couldn’t find the perfect wheely-bag for her. (Actually, I do agree…who wants a brown wheely-bag (think potato sack on wheels) when you know there are Chipie varieties available at three times the price?)
I wish I could say, at least, that’s it for another year, but, unfortunately, it’s off to Bergerac for the perfect wheely-bag next week.
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Sunny Days
We have a lovely family in the gite this week.
Diddy has attached herself to the eleven year old daughter, L, who has been teaching her very sophisticated drawing techniques. And Diddy in return has shown L how to do a sunflower face….how’s that for a transfer of skills?! And tonight is their first sleep-over in Diddys bedroom…I shall expect much giggling and a very late night….
The Boy now has two more heroes to worship, J(14) and B(19). They are great boys who have been coaching him in badminton, swimming styles and at one point, I found them all in a mangled heap playing Twister.
Unfortunately, on their way here, the alternator belt played up and of course, the local garage is closed….we’re not sure at this stage, if it is just for the bank holiday weekend or the August holiday. We shall find out tommorrow…they may be staying a bit longer than planned!
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Enjoy a holiday at Beauregard.Click here to find out more
Itinerance medieval en vallee du Dropt
The following weekend, 16th August, is medieval day at Duras, followed the next day at Villeneuve-de-Duras, just down the road.
This is an annual event organised to celebrate the rich cultural and historical significance of the Dropt valley. Which is all a bit of a mouthful and suspiciously like the sort of thing organised for a school trip….but it’s great fun!
It takes place throughout August at various bastides and towns in the valley. The whole commune is involved in pageants, mock battles, feasting and revelry. It is a lively, colourful, flea and pox-ridden, animated spectacle. There are medieval stalls, medieval games, jousts, armouries and, of course, food and drink.
Grab your best wimple and chain-mail and wend thy merry way!
Nuit Blanche, Duras
Next weekend, 10th August, sees the annual Fete du Vin in Duras…La Nuit Blanche, a fun-packed show case for the local viticulteurs.
It starts in the morning with walks around the local vineyards, processions, wine tasting and selling, vintage cars, food and market stalls. All this takes place in around the town and chateau. There are hot air balloons…always an incredible sight and in the evening, music, music, music….until 6 o’clock the following morning.
So after our quick dash from Bergerac airport with Diddy and The Boy…we’ll see you there!
And I thought I had problems!
I guess we’ve all known days like this!
Frying tonight…..
Are fish and chips worthy of a mention, I wonder? Alongside moules mariniere, they seem humbled and dare I say it?….almost common. But fish and chips are what we had tonight and lovely they were too!
Dad and I travelled to Pessac, on the Dordogne, met up with friends, put our order in at the mobile chippy, sat outside the bar, enjoying a beer or two and tucked in. Cod and chips, mushy peas for me and a whopping pickled onion….Heaven!
What was that you said about integrating?
Tour de France…Lot et Garonne - Gironde Stage
Full of good intentions and bravado, I cycled to Plums on Saturday. Everso gently uphill for most of the way, comfortably clouded and a mere 17km, I’m pleased to say that I made it. I must have looked quite a sight on arrival, judging by peoples comments when I fell through the door at the other end. I had soon, however, recovered enough, to detail, hill by hill, slope by slope, the highlights and twists and turns of my journey.
A pleasant evening of moules marinier and white wine followed. Not to mention aching legs and a need to sit down very gingerly.
I was accompanied on my return stretch by Plum on her newly acquired bike. The pace was a bit slower and steadier. Having gone mostly uphill the day before, I had imagined that the return journey would be a freewheeling breeze…a gentle drop back into Lot et Garonne from the dizzy heights of the Gironde. But I was wrong…it seemed to be mostly uphill all the way back too….how does that work?
We even managed a smile for the camera…..or is that a grimace?
Party Time!
Listen! Can you hear that? ( ) Silence!
The Boy and Diddy are in the UK for three weeks, so I am all alone and lonely, wandering around aimlessly, pining and forlorn, lost and languishing, woebegone and bereft…..
Ha! I’m joking, of course. Having a lovely time!
(Why is it though, given the opportunity of alarm clock free lie-ins, my body-clock is pinging! me awake at an even earlier time than normal? Is it some sort of cruel, cosmic joke? Is it just me or do others suffer with this phenomenon?)
07/07/07
Today is our first anniversary. We’ve been here a whole year now….phew! That went fast!
And what a year it’s been…and what of the years to come?
