IT-tastic

am now fully fledged twitter-er, facebook-er and skype-r...so high-tech, just haven't got the hang of the mobile phone technology yet....one day, one day

noel has gone, a new year is nearly here...

Autumn came and went in a flash, and Christmas is already over. A quiet and uneventful noel for us - poor G is working like a slave and making himeself ill - he finishes on the 3rd January and it isn't a day too soon....he hasn't had a break now since April 1st and I think he is going to have a breakdown soon if he doesn't stop. Scarlet had a most fantabulous term - is now a fully fledged member of the choir, and is currently enjoying the hols. We have a most delightful new car - a weeny Skoda fabia peps - pompier red and good enough to nibble. It ain't the XM but then we knew that - and god how great it is to be able to slip around the cote d'azurien treacherous bends without having heart palpitations in case another car is heading your way..

Despite snow covering most of Europe, we escaped with a few days of frost seulement. Bah humbug. No doubt there will be nasty blizzards soon enough, but for now, nothing.

No plans as yet for New Year, but am hoping that maybe we will be able to get out and do something .....on verra on verra...

And to finish, a few images of Noel ...

autumn chills

autumn in the south of France. Frisky misty mornings and chilly stary nights. Different from Normandy autumns, no tractors ploughing up maize for a start. This weekend we are going to the fete de le courge (marrow festival) which I am hoping is some sort of harvest festival. We have a voucher for one free bowl of soup....hopefully not marrow.....

On verra, on verra. Went to the cinema and saw G-Force. Rhodents save the world. Stranger things have happened....

a snapshot of our life now

shoddy blogging

have been particularly bad at updating ce petit blog recently - I blame Facebook and other such distractions - but it could of course be laziness. Have spent the summer working and exploring the area. Still lots to see and visit, only really "done" Antibes, Juan les Pins, Cannes, St Vallier, Grasse, Nice, Mougins, Gourdon, Chateauneuf, Opio and Valbonne to date ..much more to see and do.....to follow are a selection of photos to introduce our new life a little. Am enjoying working - nice to have the old brain working again, Gregoire enjoying his job too, Scarlet loving the centre aere and has made some nice friends. Cool. It is currently hotter than hot - yesterday temperatures rose to 42°C and this weekend looks like it will be much of the same thing. We stay in the shade and go out in the evening - thus avoiding tourists who hit the streets and beaches in full belting sunshine. The beach in the evening is wonderful.....more soon....

on yer bikes boys

hot sultry stormy weather, rolling thunder, flashing skies...no rain yet, probably hanging around in the clouds until tomorrow when the storm will let rip - just as the Tour de France passes through. No fun being lycra clad in lashing rain.

getta job gotta job

phew. Found a job. Thinks it is gonna be a good one. Makes me happy, makes me smile. Makes me get up early too. 8am start means 6.30am wake up......only a 15 minute drive, but still need an hour to shower, drink coffee, drink more coffee and plump cushions. I admit it. My name is papillongirl and I am a cushion plumper. A fully employed cushion plumper - meaning I will have to neglect my settee cushions during the day.

hot, hot, hot

35°c in the shade yesterday....the mistral strong and hot ....amazing really. Left the front door open last night( wide open) and so the downstairs was lovely and cool this morning. I think some of next doors cats came to visit too, as there were little slightly indented cat-circles on the cushions. They were very polite night-time visitors as they didn't spray and leave nasty smells behind them.