Day 31 Le Buis and Le Clinique Chenieux.                                

Date:  Thursday 29 June 2017       Weather:  Rain / Overcast   Mile:  000 /

Angie, Jackie and Mike took themselves off to Stephan's Epecerie before breakfast. We needed fresh veg and fruit and Angie is keen to support local traders as opposed to the local Super U supermarket where possible. His shop is quite large, well lit and surprisingly well stocked.

On returning home the rain had turned to drizzle and the sun was making a half hearted attempt at peeking out from behind the clouds. Tom was busy in his workshop grinding some cast iron wheels for his steam engine trailer. Breakfast was soon finished. We had nothing planned till 1400hrs when we were due to revisit the scrap yard for some more steel rod to make a few more axles for the trailer.

Arriving at Clinic Chenieux, I booked in with Dr Sodji's receptionist, paid over E60, for the consultation fee and was directed to the waiting room. When in France it is customary to say "Bonjour, Messieur et Madame when entering a shop or room etc. It is expected and only manners, regardless of whether one knows the occupants or not.

The waiting room, not small, was narrow and long. We had entered on one of the short walls, at the far end was a window. Along the other two walls were arranged two rows of chairs. I walked in followed by Jackie and Angie, said "Bonjour, mesdames" was greeted in return and with Jackie, sat beneath the picture window looking back up into the room.

The place was pretty full, well, compared with my last visit a fortnight ago. No one spoke. It was like being in church. An eerie silence fell over the room. The strangest thing was that of the nine women present eight were gazing intently into their phones and clicking away. I immediately thought of 'The Stepford Wives'. An involuntary shudder ran through me. Now I'm not the skinniest guy on the planet, although I've lost a fair amount of weight these last few weeks. (Please do not concern yourself with that. Once back in Devon I can get back on my 'pasty' diet. The French might consider themselves masters of the culinary arts but they can't knock up a 'pasty' to save their heads.)

 Anyway back to slim Jim Mike. I must have been the slimmest guy in the room. In fact I was the only guy in the room! All of the other women looked like, well here I must be careful in my choice of words but the smallest must have been a size 22. They were big. Think of Dawn French, from the Vicar of Dibley and your approaching the correct mental image. Now is it wrong of me to assume they were all Dr Sodji's patients. He specializes in Gastric Bands, oh and Hernias, I hasten to add. If they were I was not going to be on time for my 1610hrs appointment.

Italian women.

Why is it that some women make little or no effort to smarten themselves up?  For that matter, some men as well? Why would you wear a blue denim jacket, jeans and a dirty looking T shirt? The woman sat in the far corner, had all this plus a crew cut and Dr Martin boots. What could possibly 'explain' her dress code!

Black seemed to be the colour of choice, we know why but come on! Most of these ladies had lost their self esteem I mused and did not seem to bother how they dressed. 'Don't judge a book by it's cover'. True but when your sat for forty-five minutes in a waiting room your mind starts to wander. I swear one of the ladies, the most elegantly dressed was a TV. Her hands looked out of proportion. She was not as large as the others and after a few pints of 'Stella' might well have passed for a Nancy Dell'Olio. (Born in New York actually!)

Not long after she was summoned to Dr Sodji's office and had departed, your man appears in the doorway, looks straight at me and says " My English friend Mr Stopporton and family next please".

Maxime Sodji

Well the looks the other ladies shot me was withering. Not only that but he then stood in the doorway and jabbered on in English enquiring after our health, Angie's health, was our camper parked on the carpark and well it seemed to go on forever. By now everyone had their eyes upon us. They must have been thinking why is he going in before me, I've been here waiting longer. That was true but I wasn't about to argue. We eventually found sanctuary from the glares in his office amongst his art collection.

Meds up the YinYang!

My answer to his enquiry about my health and the operation necessitated a further examination, quite thorough and he confirmed the recent 'discomfort' I had been experiencing on the other side was a small hernia as well but nothing for me to worry about just yet. Without going into too much detail, he wrote out another prescription for meds to take me through the next three weeks to enable me to travel but warned against strenuous exercise.

What a great person Maxime is. Impossible not to warm to on your first meeting. He felt like an old friend. Indeed, Mike's enquiry about the play he has written and was to be performed in November in Bordeaux, called Dame at Bordeaux. elicited a copy of his book which he presented to me. Mike asked him to autograph it which he said he was pleased to do. Inside he wrote ' A Mike, bons souvenirs de Limoges' We all laughed heartily at that and it was with genuine regret we took our leave. Thanking him profusely for his skill and help, once again expressing our total admiration for all staff and the facilities at Clinic Chenieux.

Back home at Le Buis we sat and enjoyed a welcoming cuppa.

Day 30 Le Buis.                                     

Date:  Wednesday 28 June 2017       Weather:  Rain / Overcast   Mile:  000 /

Heavy rains. Looks like it's an indoor reading day today. Tom has some work to do in the workshop so I might stand and watch him for a while. He is renovating some Dinky's he has recently bought from the car boot. Sorry, vide grenier. Today has been pretty much rain on and off. They need it here. They haven't had any rain in months.

We managed to Skype with Tracey and Callum during their breakfast before he went to school. He tells us he is doing very well with his backstroke in swimming and yesterday he went to Plymouth Aquarium with the school on a trip. He was quite an animated about the sharks he saw but after a while thought we would be more interested in viewing his latest collection of Lego over the web cam.

Day 29   Hedge trimming at Le Buis                                   

Date:  Tuesday 27  June 2017       Weather:  Overcast. Thunder storms?   Mile:  000 /

With the prospect of rain it was a quick breakfast then onto gardening tasks. Tom brought the tractor around from the shed with attached trailer. Loaded onto it were various rakes, forks and cutting instruments to trim the far hedges. Jackie was given a crash course in tractor driving but was most reluctant to take on that roll. Whilst Angie concentrated on the rear of the house Tom and Jackie got on with the front. The sky grew darker and the wind started to freshen.


Mike who was sat on the terrace began feeling somewhat chilled and so decided to move indoors into the lounge. Well, no sense in us all getting uncomfortable.

Head and under gardener.

Day 28   Checking Chris's Gites for rental.                                

Date:  Monday 26  June 2017       Weather:  Slightly overcast 22'C   Mile:  000 /

Mike didn’t wake till 0900hrs. The others were on the terrace enjoying a cuppa. It was overcast and despite it being 19’C felt chilly. After breakfast Angie drove Jackie and I to the nurses’ office where I had to pay my E100 bill for the days the nurses came to inject me and pull the staples. Had to be cash. No credit card. Another receipt for the insurance company. I’m beginning to amass quite a folder full. I expect a few more on Thursday when I visit Dr Sodji for my final check!

For now we were headed to the other side of the valley to visit some Gites that Christopher an English guy was renovating and offering for rental. www.Jacarutu.com
We had walked past here over the years as they lay exactly on ‘Le Sentier de la Buis’. This guy lived on his own but what a great job he had done to date with the conversions. He had a single, a double and a second double set of gites either completed or almost. A huge barn and a hectare of grounds for camping including a veg plot. A mammoth task to keep attended and working on his own. After he had proudly shown us around he produced a marrow for Angie and we were on our way back to check on Tom whom we had left strimming earlier. A quick cuppa and it was all hands to the tractor and rack to gather up the offcuts of hedge. Mike was detailed off to sit on the terrace and supervise.

                                

Day 27   A Lunch and Concert in Le Buis.                                     

Date:  Sunday 25  June 2017       Weather:  Sunny 27'C   Mile:  000 /

Angie and Tom had a note in their diary to attend a 300 stall Vide Grenier in nearby Roussac, a village. It is one of the biggest vides in the Limousin. Mike had suggested last night that he would probably cry off and take things easy in the morning but insisted that they continue with their planned visit. To the Stopportons shame they were both still in bed dozing when we heard the car take off up the drive.

Fortunately we were up having a very light breakfast as they returned mid-morning from the vide grenier. Tom had bought me a rather fetching pair of sky blue 'Crocs', and a leather hammer for himself. I don't know either, don't ask me. 
However the bargain had to be forty cast soldiers, all painted, representing the Napoleonic period. Tom, it will come as no surprise to those of you who have met him, collects these guys. Normally they sell for E5 each. Tom bulk purchased and had forty for E30. You do the maths.

Old Boney is on the march again.

Lunch today was to be held at Le Buis Church. It was a community lunch for those wishing to partake. For Angie and Tom as residents and helpers with the Blues Festival held here at Le Buis each August there lunch is free.  We visitors have to pay E10 each. This as it turned out was a paltry sum for the lunch we enjoyed. Cold fish and vegetables roulade with salad items, followed by cold meat dishes of pork and beef, this followed by a four cheese selection then a two dessert gateaux. All accompanied by a selection of wines, spirits and soft drinks.
We arrived at 1200hrs and helped with setting out the tables and bench's under the marquee. Having eaten and drunk our fill we departed at1530hrs.

The Gateaux arrives.

We are due back on parade at 1800hrs for a concert by these guys, Louisville, again inside the eglise.

Now I don't really know my rhythm from my blues but what I do know is that if I closed my eyes and listened, then these 'two white guys'  sounded 'black'. Am I allowed to say that? It is meant as a compliment to them both and is most certainly not meant in any racist way. They both had magnificent voices. To me it sounded like Mississippi  Delta Blues or what I assume that style of music would sound like. At any moment, I expected Morgan Freeman to walk out from behind them and chat away about the dark days of Plantation existance down South. Their music was very entertaining and extremely well performed. Now this continued for an hour and a half. The guitarist who seemed to take most of the lead with the singing and mouthorgan, had all the mannerisms one would expect. The closed eyes, head tilted back towards heaven and the rolling of the head from side to side. All that was missing were a few lines such as ‘Lordy Lordy’ and ‘Yess masser’ and we would have been in downtown Birmingham Alabama.

Listening carefully, I could distinguish through the Southern drawl, they were singing in English and that a line was repeated five or six times to fill out the song. Now for a simple lad such as myself this was sufficient excuse to allow my mind to wander. I glanced around amongst the audience. There were quite a few feet tappers and head rollers, all seemingly in time with the music. The one that caught my eye, I mentally christened  ‘Jack the Hat McVitie’. He was an older guy, florid complexion with a shaggy mop of dishevelled straw blond hair upon which sat a dirty old grey fedora. When first I spotted him, I thought he had dozed off. His head was lolled forward onto his chest. But with an extra loud bang on the big bass that was right in front of him he woke up, like a worshipper at a riverside revival meeting and his head and shoulders would rock in time to the beat. Almost trance like.

After a time, much of the music seemed to follow the same style and pattern. Here I must apologise to those of you to whom Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf Chester Burnett are  names to be spoken with affection and reverence but I was reminded of a sketch Billy Connolly did many years ago concerning drunk Scots singing. After a while all you can here is ‘betty bong, betty bong’ well I was now at that stage with this Rhythm and Blues Concert.

I can fully appreciate the roots of this style of music and that singing was a method of release for the slaves but oh how it can be repetitive. Fortunately we were at the end of the concert. There was quite rightly thunderous applause from us the audience then the usual slow hand-clap till they agreed to play ‘a last’ number. This was Creedance Clearwater's version of ‘Rolling on the river’. Tina Turner also did a great version, in my opinion. Very heavily blues orientated but an enjoyable piece to conclude with that everyone, well almost everyone, knew.  Louisville concert at Le Buis Church June 2017

Outside in the sun, beneath the canopy at which we had lunch earlier, there were beers and wines to be purchased at cost price and huge slices of quiche for a Euro. We joined various community members for a Leffe beer (6.6%) and soon after were sat on the terrace at home chilling.

                                      

Day 26   Lazing in Le Buis.                                     

Date:  Saturday 24  June 2017       Weather:  Sunny 27'C   Mile:  000 /

Mike hadn't been feeling too grand last night and had retired to bed about 2130hrs. This morning he felt OK but was moving slowly with caution. A consequence was that I was confined to barracks. Jackie and Angie took themselves into Nantiat to collect grapes from Elvis's shop, they were a special order from Chile. They had a few errands to run. One of which was chatting to the pharmacist about my meds. In theory I had finished my seven day course for inflammation but with the glitch last night we needed to check. I was under strict orders to sit on the terrace and do nothing but read my book. Tom had the riot act read to him about enticing me away to the model room and workshop!

The sun was out and for once it was not too hot to sit out. Apart from eat lunch and a very nice tapas 'melange' for dinner the day passed without note.

Day 25   Fish and Chip lunch at Confolens.                                     

Date:  Friday 23  June 2017       Weather:  Overcast sunny intervals   Mile:  000 /

The girls had decided that Tom and I could chose what we wanted to do today. Provided it met with their approval. We men called a meeting in the tractor shed for after breakfast to discuss our options. Before breakfast had finished and we could convene our meeting it was decided by the girls we would have Fish and Chips for lunch at Confolens.

Now getting fish and chips over here is not that easy. These are the real McCoys. Cooked in a deep fat fryer using traditional ingredients and recipes. The family that run it are all English and he has a fairly good following in the surrounding countryside. Considering we would have to drive for an hour to get there, that's like driving from Plymouth to Exeter, you can imagine how good they must be.

The old bridge crossing the Vienne at Confolens.

There is another very valid reason for todays visit. Audrey, Angie's late departed mother wanted her ashes spread here on the banks of the River Vienne and today we were to plant some tete-a tetes on the spot where we had scattered her ashes two years ago. It is a lovely spot and we felt privileged to be asked to help. We look forward to returning perhaps in the spring and seeing them in bloom.

Our next stop was another reclamation yard run by an English guy who had been over here years and specialised in the demolition of old chateaux and farms. His huge warehouses, themselves architecturally interesting were jammed packed with everything from 12C arrow slits to replica Bugatti's on a Volkswagen chassis to two 1800's wooden Canadian canoes. These last items, one of which was beyond repair, the other he was sanding down to varnish was an absolute delight in design and form. The craftsmanship was unbelievable. All hand made.Far too good to use on the river as was his intention. It was here that Angie and Tom spotted some flagstones that were needed for a small garden project that was up and coming. Before you could say "Bonjour Jean" cash changed hands and seemingly two tons of paving was loaded onto Mike and Jackie's rear seat!

Day 24   Leclerc Limoges for lunch and shopping,                                     

Date:  Thursday 22 June 2017       Weather:    Very Hot sunny.        Mile:  000 /

Today we had scheduled lunch at Leclerc's. This is a very well known supermarket chain in France. Situated on the edge of Limoges they are the central focus of a very large shopping mall. Probably not in the same league as our 'malls' at home but very clean, light and modern. It's main feature that has most people returning, is its self service restaurant. It has a huge seating capacity and a very wide and varied menu. We have been there on quite a few occasions over the last nine years that Angie and Tom have been living here. Virtually every time I go for the jambon and frites. I was tempted by the half lobster and salad but common sense prevailed.

We had been to a salvage yard earlier this morning looking for some iron axle for Tom's latest project. A trailer for 'Audrey' the steam engine. This was followed by a trip into Decathalon for us Stopportons, we were looking for a small collapsible occasional table for the camper. No luck on this occasion. https://www.decathlon.co.uk/ 

After lunch we took ourselves around the corner to the Camping Car dealer.

http://www.aventure-camping-cars-87.fr/

Here we wandered in and out of the twenty or so units. They were very nice, the inside finish was almost luxurious but alas to our mind there was no social area unless you and your visitors/guests sat around a table in the front cab. Neither were we impressed with the kitchen area. It was virtually non existent. The sink and hob area had nowhere to place anything except for a tiny narrow shelf along the rear of the seats. In our Autotrail Trakker it's not large but adequate. It seems to be the style on continental vans. Horses for courses. We were however impressed with the bedrooms. They did take up a lot of space with en-suite W.C. and shower. We both agreed that if perhaps you were 'fulltiming' a separate end bedroom might be of some use. I managed to buy a lovely telescopic handled windscreen brush and squeggy so that we can clean the front windscreen. It gets very dusty and dirty and the centre part is virtually impossible to reach. Returning to the car the temperature was reading 45'C. Impossible. We panicked. Mainly because in Leclerc earlier we had bought a tray of cream cakes to eat this afternoon and we were panicking they would have melted despite being in a cool-bag. We raced home. Fortunately, we managed to save them.

Day 23   Mel and Les visit to see Elvis - The singing grocer.                                      

Date:  Wednesday 21 June 2017       Weather:    Hot sunny.        Mile:  000 /

Les and Mel who are also touring France in their camper were keen to meet up with The Stopportons in Gavernie. We had talked so much about our experiences there that we had made a loose arrangement we might well hook up with them and if so Mike would buy a beer! Well things have turned out slightly differently recently so Les e mailed one day and said 'If  Mohammed won't come to the mountain  etc' Consequently we arranged, with Angie's permission for them to meet us here in Limoges.

Mel, Les, Jackie and Tom in the Tea Tent

They duly arrived at 1200hrs and after a few drinks, Angie made some lunch. We ate in the dining room with the curtains closed and the fan going hell for leather to bring in some breeze.

After lunch Tom took us on a guided tour of the Le Buis hamlet, up and down some forest trails and back in time for more drinks. It was suggested that Mel and Les might like to join us that evening and attend a musical function in Nantiat, the small town on the other side of the valley. As they were staying in Nantiat, next to the lake on the free campsite they agreed.

They set off after hosing Sam their black Labrador down. He was due for a swim in the lake to cool him down. As they were about to depart Angie and Tom's Les presented Mike with a present. A half eaten punnet of Cherries! When asking about the other half Les replied          " Well you know what it's like, you try one to test 'em and before you know it, they've all but disappeared. It's the thought that counts. Anyway you promised to buy the beers and didn't show up". Oh well that's OK then.

Angie insisted on bringing beers, soft drinks and sandwiches for us to munch on this evening. We agreed to meet at 2030 hrs. The act was on at 2100hrs. This was the time we were told by 'Elvis' himself when we were in his shop buying fruit and veg that very morning.

Oh. Don't forget the 'Pur Brebis Cheese'. Next time your in France get some. It ain't cheap but is rather delicious. You'll need a cheese parer to slice it with. I'm not sure if this is to allow the taste to disseminate easier or because it's so damn expensive your rationed!

Your man - Elvis - live on stage in downtown Nantiat.

The 'act' was Stephan, the local grocer. It seems he fancies himself as a bit of an Elvis singer. Let's be honest, who of us doesn't think he can bang out a few Elvis tunes after a few pints of 'Stella'. My rendition of 'Love me tender' has them crying into their beer!

A fantastic community spirit.

Les and Mike

The English contingent.

The local square was packed with maybe three hundred people. There was a beer tent, frites tent and ice cream and cake stalls. Entry free. All profits going to the community. What a great atmosphere. Kids and youngsters everywhere, a few bikers, neighbours of Angie's, a Freddy Mercury one man tribute act, which although unofficial, managed to strut in front of the stage most of the evening looking for trade! Kings Cross Station may have provided more customers but the guy was causing no harm or offence and was enjoying himself.

Les can't believe his luck with the entertainment!

He enjoyed himself so much he bought two rounds of drinks.

Right on Q at 2200hrs, there was a crescendo of music, that would have done Caeser's Palace credit, announcing the appearance on stage of Stephan, or should that be 'Elvis'    He immediately launches into his catalogue. We watched for over an hour whilst he belted out quite a few Elvis hits and a few French songs of a similar vein. He was I thought, pretty entertaining as 'Elvis' his voice carried that off pretty well but struggled slightly on some of the other songs. But hey it was all good family entertainment. We left about 2310hrs. The group following him took far to long to set up for us and by then most of the crowd had disappeared. We were home by 2320hrs and in bed by 0015 hrs. After having a small livener sat on the terrace. It was still pretty hot.

Angie and Tom gyrating the night away.

Our thoughts turned to Les who had been stopped on the way to the party and breathalysed. All clear. We wondered if the police were about for the short journey home? Mel and Les were to be up early the next morning and onwards North to meet up with family.

Day 22   At Le Buis.                                     

Date:  Tuesday 20  June 2017       Weather:  Hot and sunny.   Mile:  000

Angie who sits on the local parish council, has a meeting of one her committees today at 0930hrs. The mayor of the commune, Bernard will collect her and they are off to discuss issues concerning their regional water board. On completion they are due to adjourn to a local hotel for lunch. Angie, ever thoughtful has prepared lunch. A salad with delicious ham sandwiches for us.

Whilst she is out living the high life that the office affords we mere mortals are resigned to taking the rubbish sacks up the lane to the bins in a wheelbarrow, followed by a small walk around the immediate area to stretch our legs.

I believe Tom and Jackie did not need the wheelbarrow as such, it was brought as a precaution for me. They intended using it as a improvised wheelchair! One of the fields had been sown to crops and it was here that Jackie spotted a deer, barely its head appearing over the stalks, watching us most intently. Everyone froze. The deer, then suddenly decided it too had seen enough and with a series of very graceful bounds was gone into the cover of the woods on the edge of the field.

Chatting at the poubelles.

Jackie's 'Hippopotamus'.

The crop field but the deer has gone.

Didier's house on the edge of the woods.

Day 21   A day of rest.                                     

Date:  Monday 19  June 2017       Weather:  Hot and sunny.   Mile:  000 /

Today I have a new nurse, her name is Lauron. She is a tall slim thing. Young but very pleasant. She tells me she will be looking after me for the remainder of the week.

Most of the day, after her departure was spent quietly sitting and reading in the Tea Tent. A gentle breeze today keeping us cool.

Lunch, which due to the heat is a light affair, is taken indoors in the cool of the dining room. The temperature has really climbed and is forecast to get even hotter towards the end of the week.

When the cool of the evening returns, we dine on the terrace and take sundowners.

The archway leading from the front to rear gardens.

Drinks on the terrace.

Honest Mike's Car Sales

Honest Mike's Car Sales

Sunday's vide grenier had a rather interesting section devoted to 'classic cars'. I have told myself repeatedly if ever I move to France I will buy one of those old open top Citroen/Renaults as a run about. Similar to our Mini Moke. Just as rare and expensive! Another pipe dream.

Day 20.          Sunday 18th June 2017.                   Mileage:        0000   Total: 

From:             Les Buis Limoges.     To:   Les Buis

Weather:       Sunny and Hot. In fact quite hot!

 After a lazy breakfast my nurses thought I might like a trip out in my bath-chair and so I was wrapped in a nice cosy travel rug and bundled into the car. Tom was the duty driver. We drove to a local village some thirty minutes away to what is known as a Vide Grenier at Javerdat. Vide grenier translates literally to 'empty barn'.

Now, dependant on one's viewpoint this is either a lot of old tat or potential antiques. Admission I believe is invariably free with the stalls ranging from children's toys and clothing to well literally anything. This is a treasure trove for Tom as he is building a 3" scale model of a steam engine, named in honour of Angie's late mother 'Audrey'. All types of old knife switches can be sourced along with much brass and copper boilers, hinges, candlesticks and ironwork that with Tom's skill is soon adapted and incorporated into his working scale model. Now at this point may I remind those of us without much knowledge of this skill that a 3" scale model will allow Tom to sit in the trailers driving seat and control the steam engine from that position as well as have Angie sat on board. Presumably handing him sarnies. They will also tow, all under their own steam remember a water bowser! I must say at this point not only is Tom extremely talented and skilled but he has swarthy Italian good looks. Or so the ladies tell me.

The stalls, as one might guess are numerous and varied. There is invariably a beer tent, a sausage and burger tent and a 'frites' tent. That's lunch taken care of! There is today a very large marquee as over the weekend there has been a music festival. Quite common in villages around here it seems. Today for our delectation and delight there are a few acts on.

I return from studying a huge set of tables of Playmobil to find Tom in animated conversation with a couple, husband and wife. She pasty faced he all beard and fuzzy top. As I was not introduced and Tom was talking I sat on the side with what I hoped was a pleasant smile looking interested in a conversation I could not hear. A fantastic couple of guys were up on stage playing what I in blissful ignorance will call Spanish guitars and music. There spot came to an end, there was much clapping, Mike included, an announcement was made, in French obviously and this English couple jumped to their feet, ran on the stage and started banging out tunes and songs on numerous instruments ranging from accordion, flute, harmonica, guitar, recorder and saxophone. You could have knocked me down with a feather. They were most entertaining. His voice was not to strong but his catalogue had been selected with this in mind. Turning to Jackie I asked "Do you think I ought to nip onto stage and give 'em my rendition of 'Little ole wine drinker me?" She thought the French weren't quite ready for that just yet.

I'm Playmobil rich.

Jackie and Angie queuing at the beer tent.

Spanish Guitars.

The English couple.

Day 19.          Saturday 17th June 2017.                   Mileage:        0000   Total: 

From:             Les Buis Limoges.     To:   Les Buis

Weather:       Sunny and Hot

Good night's kip. Awoke refreshed. The nurse called today to check me and give an injection for anti-coagulants. As soon as she departed Angie had breakfast laid out on the table on the terrace.

I am ashamed to admit most of the day was spent lazing about. Reading, drinking tea and taking the occasional walk around the gardens.

The Primary Care Team Nurses.

Angie and Tom's. 'Heaven on earth'. It's so peacefull.

                              

                A man needs a shed and a woman needs a cottage garden.

              We don't need the deer grazing on it!

Jackie, looking most concerned about my health but trying hard not to show it!