Well, it's the start of the second Bank Holiday of May, and it's pouring with rain, cold (a measly 7 degrees!) and there's a robin in the bird-bath......... is it REALLY May ?    I went out food-shopping this morning in the wet but I'm not stepping out again today if I can help it !  The first Bank Holiday of the month the lovely Ricardo (aka bazanges) was ( Read more... )

The lovely Ricardo (aka bazanges) has joined us for a few days of R&R, which very nicely coincided with three days of glorious weather over the weekend.  Today the temperature has returned to normal, it's rather gloomy and threatening to rain.  We had a rather lazy couple of days after a busy week, so got to enjoy the relaxed feeling good weather brings ( Read more... )

We had a whole week of blue skies and sun in Sitges, the most consistently lovely weather we've ever had there, and I think late June could now be my preferred time to be there.... it had a fresh look to it, flowers, greenery, and not too many people.  Our favoured beach was quite a bit smaller this year, due, I believe, to some very heavy storms ( Read more... )

Just over a week ago the lovely Ricardo (bazanges) was staying with us for a few days for the second half of the Easter holidays, and on the Tuesday we went to visit the RHS Greater London Plant Fair held at the Horticultural Halls not far from Victoria.  We arrived barely half an hour after opening time, but still saw a couple of Miss Marple-style ladies ( Read more... )

Our lovely friend Ricardo (bazanges) was due to visit us for a few days last week, but has instead had a couple of weeks stay in hospital.... so I thought I'd surprise him on Friday by turning up unannounced at afternoon visiting time. Direct trains from London to Gloucester (and back) are surprisingly few, so I booked tthe nearest either side of the ( Read more... )

After a weekend in Yorkshire enjoying the sunny Autumnal weather, returning to London yesterday and a cold wind, and a house that felt like a refrigerator, my mind jumped back to only a few weeks ago, which now seems months ago, when we were living in tee-shirts, shorts, and sometimes even less !!  It's even more noticable as we had a recent week ( Read more... )

Well, we are welcoming a couple of LJers (well, one writer!) to dinner this evening, hopefully all the trouble of the last few days has settled now in London and it is safe to venture out in the evening as normal..... it will be good to meet after reading the journal for some time now.

The chicken is marinating in a honey and mustard dressing in the ( Read more... )

Continuing from my "French" post of yesterday, Franco managed to find my missing photographs on the camera...... note to self: wear your glasses when using the camera (they were in the clipboard feature!)

So, more of Boussac and the lovely garden.....
...the 12th century chateau/ castle in the distance


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Afternoon tea taken in the garden of Rue du Puits Chambres d'Hotes in Boussac is just lovely...........


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.........with my snaps of my recent trip to France with Ricardo (bazanges )

Moutier d'Ahun is a very small picturesque village, so-called after the Benedictine Abbey founded on the site around the year 997. The church retains various remnants, and there are traces amongst various houses through the village which leads down to the Romanesque bridge which ( Read more... )