Monday 19th September
There’s snow on the Canigou – Whooooppppeeeeeee
Wow! There’s snow on the Canigou! After a day of heavy rains yesterday, (the day I brought my Papa back from Leeds for a spot of sunshine), today has dawned crisp and bright, with a warming sun already providing bucketfuls of vitamin D, despite a strengthening wind which could turn into a hoolie (what a great word!!) by midday.
And as you can tell, I’m back! Not that I have actually been anywhere, just having a blog holiday, trying to spend less time on my computer and enjoy all the ace high cards that this lucky life has thrown my way.
Boating swimming, walking and cycling, spending time with dear doggie Bisou (who gets stinkier by the day but is still a champion tail wagger and bottom licker)….. Even Lucien is having more days imitating a human being and less days of teenage monstership
Before I tell you about summer here in the PO and some of the things I’ve done and places I’ve been, take a look at these photos of the hail stones that fell Vinca way last Saturday 17th September. Incredible! Oh là là!
Have started jogging with one of my French friends Chlöe.
When we first started, it was SOOOOOOO hard. Five minutes gentle running and I was beetroot red and turning rapidly into an old puffing billy. Chloé of course, despite being a couple of years older than me, is one of those awful French ladies who still has a waist, a little pointy chin, long blond curls….. in fact I’m really not sure why I hang around with her at all.
Love you Chloe but you’re too cute for me. I need small ugly woman with pot bellies to gather round me so I can feel less conscious about my lack of gorgeous-osity.
Anyway…back to the jogging. By the time I left to pick up my Dad in Leeds last week, we were doing 4km every other day, still slowly (we were overtaken by a fast walker one day!) but what a great feeling to jog through the vines and cherry orchards.
I will never tire of the beauty of my surroundings. In every season, there is something to make you skip!
More to follow when I get back from my TAF class at the gym. This stands for Taille/abdos/fessiers and hasn’t made a blind bit of different to my thickening waistline, my flabby tum or my stumpy leggings but hey…. I wouldn’t change a thing in my life apart from my height, width and breadth!
Friday 24th September
Wow, what a day…in fact what a week! The weather has been splendiferous, each day more stunning than the next, and this afternoon we are heading to the boat in Saint Cyprien for a sail on the high seas and a swim in the warm, envigorating waters of the Med. Double wow! Back later with photos.
On Wednesday, we celebrated Dad’s 21st birthday with a little party – perfect weather, delish BBQ and a select little gathering of English speakers so he would feel like the man of the moment.
He is so fit, totally hyperactive, so it filled his afternoon with conversation and colour – and he was happy to have an early night. So were we! He may not be a spring chicken but boy is he fit and active!
Monday 26th September
Have you ever had days or times in your lives that have simply been too big to describe? Big in the sense of such an enormous feeling of well being that words really can’t paint that picture?
On Friday, we took Dad to the boat for the afternoon and he loved it, despite a swell which tossed us around all the way to Paulilles and back.
He captained the ship happily, and for a brief few hours, forgot how lonely he is. But yesterday, we ’ditched the Dad’ and headed off for a full day of bliss on our own.
The weather was perfect, and the sun reflecting on the water looked like a million fallen stars shimmering and twinkling all around us. We caught a buoy in one of the small creeks around Paulilles, and swam, snorkelled, sunbathed, rock perched, read…..
I really can’t imagine a better day, can’t describe how wonderful it was. I wish I was a good enough photographer to capture it on camera… or a magician to bottle it up and share a glass with everybody through the cold winter days to come.
Back there this afternoon, after the dawning of another amazing day.
Too hot really for Dad, but he stoically follows us wherever we go.
