Washday blues

The weather here in the Charente Maritime is improving steadily, and not before time! This morning, we had such beautiful drying weather that I felt under pressure to get 5 beds stripped and made up again for Mr & Mrs Dickinson (names changed to protect the innocent). They arrive in the Farmhouse this weekend. Off I went then, after the school run, to strip the beds right down to the mattresses and wash the waterproof protectors that we are obliged to put on them to protect them against stuff you would, frankly, be surprised to hear about (say no more). We have a couple of washing machines in the laundry room, so I divided them up between them and my own machine, put the washing powder in and pressed the button. Guess what, the water had been turned off at the mains and I haven't a clue how to turn it back on again. DH was snoring gently in bed - another wasted opportunity. How do I stay so cheerful?

Bank Holidays in France and spudless weekends

The merry month of May in France is punctuated by Bank Holidays. First off, we have Labour Day which falls on the 1st May. The week after (today) we have Victory in Europe Day, after that we have Ascension (13th May) followed by Pentecost (24th May). That's a lot of bank holidays to keep track of. If they fall on a Sunday, they don't really matter, since they don't take the Monday off in lieu, but if they fall on any other working day, everything stops. Also worth noting is the fact that if they fall on a Thursday many places "fait le pont" and stay shut until the following Monday. There's no point opening on the Friday after all, is there? Nor the Saturday!

What does this mean to me, then. I'll tell you what it means, it means no spuds, that's what it means!!!!Where did I get the idea from that the supermarkets would open until midday, being as the bank hol fell on a Saturday? Have I learned NOTHING in 14 years? We drove round (DH came too - he doesn't like to be separated from me at the moment - sweet!!!) 3 supermarkets later, we came home spudless. For us to be spudless all weekend is a very serious business! Thanks to some left over mash in the fridge that I fried up, and a big bag of very old pasta we survived. Of course it helped that the two main eaters, Dear Son (15) and Dear Son (16) were out of the house all weekend at various parties and girlfriend-orientated activities (don't go there), so we survived it.

All this happened last weekend. Not to be caught out again, I went to the supermarket late last night and bought 10 kg of spuds! Wish I'd remembered to buy some onions, but you can't have everything!

Have a nice bank holiday, I'm going to!!!

Bone numbingly tired

It's back again! Already, only two and a half weeks after my fortnight's holiday, that TATT syndrome has returned! Tired All The Time sums me up at the moment, but today is much worse than usual. I woke up all bright as a button, trouble was, it was only 4.30 am so I beat myself about the head (figuratively speaking) and told myself to go back to sleep straight away, or big trouble! Back to sleep I obligingly went, only to be in the middle of a weird dream about the next door neighbour being a prostitute when the alarm went off at 6.15 am. I hit the snooze button, the dream was just getting to the good bit, but you can never go back to the same dream, can you? At least, I can't!! Anyway, back to sleep I went, and I was still there when the ten minute snooze button was activated. Ever since, I've been walking around as if I'm in a dreamworld of my own making. Nothing seems real. I've walked the dog in the bitter cold wind (gone back to winter this week) , I've had several strong cups of tea, but here I am, still so wan that I'm almost two.

How do I shake this off? Answers on a postcard please.... (or an email will do). I'm off for a lie down!

I must, I must improve my blog (ging habits!)

(Just in case you missed the tiara piccie on my Facebook page!)

It's a miracle I'm here! ... and I'm not referring to my puncture on the dual carriageway last Wednesday going along at 110 kph with a lorry up my bum, I'm on about the fact that it's been so long since I wrote anything at all on my darling blog that I couldn't remember the password! I'm now declaring an end to writers' blog I mean block and you will be seeing much more of me and my ramblings from now on. Step this way ..... you have been warned! Ha ha ha ha !!! (laughs spookily!!!)