Avignon at Dusk - Relieved to be home

I have just returned from a few days in the UK, visiting my parents. Britain is not having the best of summers to put it mildly. Nor, for that matter is most of France, where the trend is generally cold and wet.

But we live in the area called the 'demi-lune' by the French because of the persistent crescent (demi-lune = half-moon) of good weather to be found along France's Eastern Mediterranean coast and hinterland - running from the mouth of the Rhone to the Italian border.

On the other hand, just to the South and East, in Italy, Greece and Central Europe a heat wave is under way with temperatures regularly in the mid-40s (Celsius)!

We seem to be straddling the two weather systems. Summer is cooler than we're used to, but that's too say that its dry with the odd cloud, cool in the evenings and daytime temperatures generally reaching about 30 degrees C (85F). Actually very pleasant.

As I drove back home through Avignon the sun was setting. These two pictures sum up the sense of relief to be back from soggy old Blighty!

Busy, Busy, Busy

It's been a hectic few weeks to start July and my blogging has slipped as a result.

Week 1 was an all-catered, all-touring week at Mas des Grand' Terres. Looking after Rosemary and Owen and their friends is great fun and very rewarding but doesn't really leave time for very much else. I'll post the rest of the recipes from that week very soon. (As soon as I find the time!)

Week 2 then started with a trip to Italy to see some old college friends in Florence. Graeme now has a house on the hill overlooking Florence...


Unfortunately it doesn't have a view of the Duomo - that costs three times more - but it's a beautiful house in a converted 'limonaia' (whatever is the lemon equivalent of an orangery). Joanne very cleverly decided not to have her and husband Julian's joint 40th birthday in rainy old London, but to occupy Graeme's place and arrange a 'top night'. (I'm only just about over the hangover now.) Here they are having a laugh...


And to show that it run's in the family here's their baby, Georgie, following the family tradition...


Week 3: Anyway - real life has been back to Earth with a bump. Lindsay heading back to Brussels at 7 on the morning after our return from Florence and me returning home on my own to a filthy house, a filthy great pile of washing and a filthy headache!

Add to that a graphics pitch that I'm preparing for Benjamin and a trip back to Blighty tomorrow to see my parents and I hope you'll excuse the recent lack of activity.

I must be a better blogger. I must be a better blogger. I must be a better blogger. I must be a better blogger. I must be a better blogger. I must be a better blogger.......