London & our anniversary

Each year S&X travel to the UK and spend a few days with us before we all travel to Lille.

This year was he first time Charlie had his passport and came along two.  At home Charlie has a glass balcony where he will sit and watch the world go by.  Here he adopted the front dressing room window and laid out on the seal.  Our neighbour came knocking and I must admit we too were worried that he might jump.  So we shut the window just in case!!


X is a plane anorak and heads off to Duxford for the day, whilst S and her daughter J and I head off to London for some retail therapy and a show.  We booked the matinee show of Mamma Mia - our feet need the rest as J can shop hard.
We made a very silly mistake when we arrived at Covent garden tube station.  There was a queue for the lift so we said we would take the stairs out.  Big mistake in this heat! The stairs are circular and I counted 180 to street level.  we were so shattered when we got to the top that we had to take a rickshaw to the theatre which was a very pleasant experience.  J thoroughly enjoyed the show and nothing was lost in translation.

Funny thing was when we were travelling back to France on the ferry we were perfume shopping in duty free and I buy the same every year (Knowing by Estee Lauder_ but it somehow made us burst into song.  "Knowing me, Knowing you, ARHH HARR"  

I think I have mentioned before that we all married the same year and only 2 weeks apart so we always have a joint anniversary party when we get back to France - really it is just an excuse for us to have a drink together.

This year was Iron.  We bought S&X personalised coasters on an iron stand (failed to get a picture of these but they were great) M&J gave us this gorgeous Iron - now in the kitchen as a doorstop and S&X gave us a iron cockerel - he fits in with the other very nicely.

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Honfleur and our last night

Every year (if we can fit it in) we can't resist taking a day trip to Honfleur. It is such pretty place with some interesting shops and a great little spot for restaurants.

Picked up these "very French" red gingham napkins with lace trim and as you can see I have not hung around in utilising them.

Our last evening we took a trip out to a restaurant with Anick and Micheal and as usual plenty of fun had by all.

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Chaise Dieu du Theil

Off to Chaise Dieu du Theil, for some fishing brocante shopping and a drink or two

Ooops - proof that it was not a dry trip!



We stay with Anick and Micheal and have done for the past 8 years. Over the years, they have become friends and Anick spoils us, firstly with a big welcoming hug and then with her fabulous cooking.  She has promised to share some recipes with me and I might include these on future blogs.

Each morning when we head off on our travels Anick arms us with two hampers for our day. One with a blue ribbon (for the boys) and containing three bottles of red along with lunch.  The other is identified with a pink ribbon (for the girls) and contains two bottles of white along with our lunch.

The boys fish and one of their stops is in Chaise Dieu.

This is one of M's favourite spots.  It is near to us and the hampers when we turn up for lunch and very comfortable for an afternoon snooze to sleep off the van rouge.



M congratulates J on his catch in true french style. It made some beautiful fillets, which we took home and hot smoked them.











We girls travelled out in the mornings for a little brocante shop, join the guys for lunch and enjoy an afternoon snooze on a blanket with our books. On one of our trips I picked up these charming silver (not real silver) knife rests - I got a et of 12 and am very pleased with them.

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