Meltdown in le Clerc!

It was our wedding anniversary on Saturday, and as usual, DH had forgotten. Either that or he hadn't had time since last year to go out and buy me a card. This meant that he was guilt tripping himself (I wasn't bothered, honest!) I was just glad he was speaking to me again. Anyway, on with the story. He decided it would be a good idea to take me to the jewelry section in leClerc at Saintes (he has a loyalty card, so gets a bit off) for me to choose something. Time was tight, due to the fact that he overslept and he had to take the boys to a rugby match at midday. Nevertheless, we stoically set off to leClerc to get my pressie. I had to have a pressie, since he'd forgotten to get me a card, so I therefore had to have a pressie as well as a card. Are you getting the picture? The fact that I have absolutely no need of any more jewelry and I'm perfectly ok for earrings for the rest of my life and have my everyday watch and my posh watch so no need for anything there - all that didn't matter - I had to have some jewelry from leClerc, or I was being difficult.

As time was tight, he sent me off to the jewelry section whilst he got some money out of the cash machine. Leclerc was packed! Saturday morning is never the ideal time to go shopping to a supermarket and all the French people in France seemed to be in there at 11am Saturday morning. I took a shuftie round the jewellry section, there was a lot of sterling silver - not my thing, gold crucifixes, again, not my thing, it was going to have to be a watch which had some imitation diamonds around the fact €60, not bad I thought, okay I'll have that - I'll be able to wear it to the wine bar at St Palais we were going to for an anniversary drinkie, won't I be posh?

I could see DH approaching me from the corner of my eye - I recognised his walk, rather than saw his face. He was not a happy bunny. One of his cards had been rejected by the cash machine and he couldn't remember the code for the other one. "Well, you can forget about that for a start" was his opening gambit. "Okay, I said, no problem, let's go home then. Maybe I was being too reasonable or something, but the poor bloke nearly had a nervous breakdown there and then! He kept saying that he was doing this for us (doing what for us?) I damn near had to lead him to the car muttering under his breath all the way about how hard done to he is! Perhaps it's his age or something, but he's over it now - until the next time!

Dear Son (16) has come home from school poorly with a sore throat. I knew it was serious when he slept through his Sunday lunch yesterday. He's off to see the doctor at 6.15 pm, which is the same time as I have to pick Dear Son (14) up from the bus stop - if only I could master the art of being in two different places at the same time! Looks like you'll be walking, Nick! DH'll be at his rugby meeting, no sympathy there!! How do I stay so cheerful?

Silence is Golden - or is it?

DH and I have had an upper and downer (that's Gloucester for a row). I merely pointed out to him that it would be have been nice if he'd rung me from the supermarket where he had gone to buy some fruit for himself on his way back from Friday night's rugby practice and then I could have given him the list that I had which would have made life easier on all of us and we wouldn't have run out of milk, bacon, orange juice and bread for Saturday morning's breakfast. Perfectly reasonable complaint you would think.

He hasn't spoken to me since and he pointedly leaves the room whenever I come into it. Alright, I admit, voices were raised, and maybe it was a mistake to point out that rugby isn't as important as he thinks it is, and that there are other considerations. None of it was helped by the fact that Dear Son (16) rather tactlessly asked where the orange juice was.

Another thing might have been that when I took Dear Daughter (11) to her art class yesterday afternoon, I accidentally locked them all out. It still tickles me to think of Dear Son (16) climbing in through Dear Son (14)'s bedroom window using a long ladder. I bet DH was spitting feathers. It's a shame he's not speaking to me, we could have a good laugh! Shows how easy it would have been for the burglars to do the same, good job there aren't any in France.

Silence may be golden, but I'm feeling lonely in a houseful of people now. He's capable of keeping this up for days, I'm not. Now I remember why I rarely rise to the bait, it's easier to just say nowt. Aah well, at least I'll get the ironing straight!

Holiday photos

Okay you have been warned. Click away now if you don't "do" other people's holiday photos!!!


What happened to my sweet little baby? She's turned into a vamp! At least she's not a goth (yet!)


Eating again!!!
Nick snuggling up to his Auntie Christine (he wishes to remain annonymous!)


Jamie sneaking the dregs of the Spanish red (he thought we hadn't noticed!)


Still crazy about each other after all these years!!! Either that or pissed again!!!

Back to the grind

Hello, Bob and Lesley (my only followers - I'm just jealous!)

Well, thank you for asking, we had a lovely holiday once again in Spain. The weather was, for once, hot and sunny, so we were able to go to the beach all day every day for a change, had we wanted to. Normally, we arrive just as the weather turns (the clocks go back and that seems to mark a step change in the seasons in Spain and in France). This year, however, we had a freak indian summer and actually came back brown and not rust coloured and wind beaten! Unfortunately, since it has been crap weather ever since we re-entered France, nobody is any the wiser and the tan ended up down the plug hole! Just my luck really. I'll try and post a couple of photos later, just to prove I didn't dream the whole thing. At least the dog was overjoyed to see me when we got him back from prison (sorry, the kennels).

We got home on Wednesday and the kids were all back at school Thursday. Even my French lessons re-started on Friday, so it didn't take long for the holiday to become a memory! Was it really this time last week that we went out on Trevor's boat into the Mar Menor and sunbathed on one of the many islands in the bay? Did we really have the cheek to complain about the flies as we drank rosada and ate roasted almonds outside the El Fraile? I can't even stay outside long enough to drink a cup of tea since I got home, it's such a cold wind!

Enough of my whining, you didn't even ask about my holidays in the first place, so moving swiftly on... Immediately before we left we heard that a certain person who was standing in the way of a certain purchase of a certain gite complex has, unfortunately, passed away (claps hands with glee). This has led to the cookery course idea being given the go-ahead, so we are to be treated to a full survey in early December. If that doesn't put them off, they're either mad or desperate! We'll see.

Bookings for next year are passable, but we have to survive the winter first. One of DH's mates has booked three weeks in December to improve his French, so that's the turkey paid for!

I'm still doing my bits of writing for various people which went some way to buying the odd tapas on holiday, with a bit of change left over to get Dear Daughter (11) some new shoes before we went, her 'old' ones having gone into holes! It just never stops.

Reading this back, I can see why I don't have any followers, it's almost made me drop off to sleep. To think, I'm actually living this!!!!!

See you on Facebook!