26th August
Relaxing nicely into the French experience. We eat our meals on the
bolly beside the pool, and admire our efforts to tame the rampant greenery. Tonight
we had salmon with nectarines, camembert, cornichons and black olives with
salad, plus French bread with grains of mustard. A selection we would not think
of in England. A swim every day for me, but not dh, who does not swim and
cannot be persuaded into the water. We rescued a big green lizard who was so
startled to see dh, he jumped aside and fell in the pool. We fished him out
with the scoop and he scuttled off into the bushes. (I have so little internet
access that I shall load pictures once I am home.)
We’ve never been here in August before and it is different. The heat
is steady most of the day from 10am, with no wind, and the nights are pleasant.
Saturday night we sat out until midnight and stared at the sky. There is little
or no light pollution here, and the stars are amazing. Best of all there are no
mosquitos! Though there are small things that bite flying about – we both have
several lumps, bumps and bites to prove it. There are very few flowers in the
fields and we have yet to hear the sound of a tractor – very different to
earlier in the year when the farmers are rushing about growing and harvesting
crops. The sunflowers on the hill opposite are still yellow, but won’t be for
much longer.
There are few holiday makers around. We hear maybe one or two cars
a day, which is staggering. Even white van man is not bombing around as he is
in the early part of the year. I wonder if the holidaymakers have stayed home
this year. The stream is so low it barely trickles over the stones and all the sunken
wrecks of once proud trees are plain to see.
Perla thinks it is too darned hot. I must admit we spend a good
deal of time in the shade of the bolly. Up early, we walk her while it is cool,
do whatever tasks need doing and then relax for the rest of the day until wine
o’clock ( at 4pm!) and dinner as the sun starts to go down.
With no access to Facebook et al, I have written the first chapter
of a new historical romance set in, of all places, Newcastle!